When it comes to travel rewards cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the American Express® Gold Card are both pretty amazing.
Both cards offer strong earning potential, valuable perks, and access to flexible rewards programs. But they shine in slightly different ways, and the best choice for you comes down to your spending habits and travel goals.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re trying to decide which one deserves a spot in your wallet (or whether you should carry both).
Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold: Overview
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Sapphire Preferred is a fan favorite around here thanks to its low $95 annual fee and high rewards potential.
Right now, its welcome offer is even sweeter: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
That’s worth a lot through Chase Travel℠ and potentially even more when transferred to partners like World of Hyatt, Air Canada Aeroplan, or United MileagePlus.
Add in the annual hotel credit, strong travel protections, no foreign transaction fees, and access to Chase Ultimate Rewards®, and you’ve got one of the best travel rewards credit cards for beginners and pros alike.
American Express Gold Card
The Amex Gold is a top pick for foodies and travelers who want to earn big without thinking too hard about bonus categories.
Here’s its current offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.. Those points can be worth well over $1,000, depending on how you redeem them — especially when transferred to travel partners like ANA Mileage Club, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
The Amex Gold has a higher $325 annual fee (rates & fees), but comes with various monthly statement credits for dining and Uber that can easily offset the cost.
Side-By-Side Comparison
Chase Sapphire Preferred | American Express Gold Card | |
|---|---|---|
Annual Fee | $95 | $325 |
Foreign Transaction Fees | N/A | N/A |
Point Redemption Value | 1.25 cents per point via Chase Travel, potentially more through transfer partners | 1 cent per point via Amex Travel, potentially more through transfer partners |
Transfer Partners | 1:1 with 14 airlines/hotels | 1:1 with 21 airlines/hotels |
Airport Lounge Access | N/A | N/A |
Global Entry / TSA Precheck / NEXUS credit | N/A | N/A |
Rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred
With the Sapphire Preferred, you’ll earn Ultimate Rewards points at the following rates:
5x points on travel booked through Chase
3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
2x points on all other travel
1x point on everything else
American Express Gold Card
With the Amex Gold, you’ll earn American Express Membership Rewards points at the following rates:
4x points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery (on up to $50k in purchases per calendar year, then 1x thereafter)
4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in a calendar year, then 1x thereafter)
3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel
1x point on everything else
Key Benefits
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Sapphire Preferred comes with the following perks:
No foreign transaction fees
Travel protections including trip delay, cancellation, and rental car insurance
25% more value when redeeming through Chase Travel
Access to Chase's full list of 1:1 airline and hotel transfer partners
American Express Gold Card
The Amex Gold comes with the following perks:
Up to $120 in dining credits at eligible restaurants and delivery services (enrollment required)
Up to $120 in Uber Cash for U.S. rides or Uber Eats orders (an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.)
Up to $100 Resy Credit (up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually when you use your Amex Gold to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. Enrolment required.)
Up to $84 in annual Dunkin' Credit (up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the Amex Gold at U.S. Dunkin' locations.)
Access to Amex’s full roster of Membership Rewards transfer partners
Which Card Offers More Value?
The answer here depends on how you spend.
The Sapphire Preferred is the better all-around travel card. It comes with a lower annual fee, great earnings on travel and dining, and exceptional value through Chase’s transfer partners — especially Hyatt, where points can really go a long way.
On the flip side, the Amex Gold shines for everyday purchases like food and groceries. If you consistently take advantage of the dining and Uber credits, the annual fee becomes much easier to justify. Plus, 4x points at restaurants is hard to beat. Just make sure you’ll actually use the monthly statement credits to make that higher fee worth it.
Both cards offer strong value, just in different ways.
💡 Pro Tip: If your calendar revolves around dinner reservations or you can recite your Uber Eats order by heart, the Amex Gold might be the move. It earns super solid points back at restaurants and is one of the best credit cards for dining rewards — period.
Bottom Line
Both the Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold are excellent travel rewards cards, but they serve different purposes.
If you’re looking for a well-rounded, beginner-friendly card with solid travel perks, point transfer flexibility, and a low annual fee, the Sapphire Preferred is your winner.
But if you spend a lot on food and are good at using monthly credits, the Amex Gold could easily give you more long-term value.
At the end of the day, it’s not always about picking just one. Many points pros carry both to maximize earnings across categories. So if your wallet (and your budget) allows it, pairing these two cards may be the best move.
