Card comparison

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Amex Platinum

Ultimate Rewards vs Membership Rewards

Verified October 2026

TL;DR — quick verdict

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95) undercuts the Amex Platinum ($895) on annual fee. Pick the Chase Sapphire Preferred for everyday Lyft spending (5x); pick the Amex Platinum for everyday flights purchased directly from airlines or via Amex Travel spending (5x).

At a Glance

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Annual Fee
$95
Signup Bonus
75,000 points
Network
Visa
Points Currency
Ultimate Rewards
Earning Rates
Lyft 5x
Dining 3x
All Other Purchases 1x
Travel Booked Through Chase Travel 5x

The Platinum Card from American Express

Annual Fee
$895
Signup Bonus
175,000 points
Network
American Express
Points Currency
Membership Rewards
Earning Rates
All Other Purchases 1x
Flights Purchased Directly From Airlines Or Via Amex Travel 5x

Category Breakdown

How they compare across key categories

Annual Fee

Chase Sapphire Preferred wins

Chase Sapphire Preferred $95 vs Amex Platinum $895

Welcome Bonus

Amex Platinum wins

Chase Sapphire Preferred: 75,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months vs Amex Platinum: 175,000 points after $12,000 in 6 months

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Top Earning Rate

Tie

Chase Sapphire Preferred: 5x on Lyft vs Amex Platinum: 5x on flights purchased directly from airlines or via Amex Travel

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Perks & Credits

Tie

Chase Sapphire Preferred: 3 listed benefits vs Amex Platinum: 3 listed benefits

=

Transfer Partners

Tie

Chase Sapphire Preferred: 14 airline and hotel partners vs Amex Platinum: 20+ airline and hotel partners

Perks & Benefits

Chase Sapphire Preferred

  • Hotel credit ($50)
  • DoorDash DashPass
  • Peloton credit ($60)

The Platinum

  • Airline incidentals credit ($200)
  • Uber credit ($200)
  • Lounge access

Which Is Right for You?

Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred if...

  • Lower $95 annual fee
  • Earns 5x on Lyft
  • Earns 5x on travel booked through Chase Travel
  • Hotel credit ($50)

Get the Amex Platinum if...

  • Premium benefits to offset the $895 fee
  • Earns 5x on flights purchased directly from airlines or via Amex Travel
  • Airline incidentals credit ($200)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Amex Platinum better?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95) undercuts the Amex Platinum ($895) on annual fee. Pick the Chase Sapphire Preferred for everyday Lyft spending (5x); pick the Amex Platinum for everyday flights purchased directly from airlines or via Amex Travel spending (5x). Both earn transferable rewards, so many points collectors hold one from each ecosystem.

Which has the lower annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Amex Platinum?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has the lower annual fee at $95, versus $895 for the Amex Platinum.

Which card earns points faster?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns up to 5x on Lyft, while the Amex Platinum earns up to 5x on flights purchased directly from airlines or via Amex Travel.

Can I have both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Amex Platinum?

Yes. They're issued independently, so you can hold both and earn Ultimate Rewards and Membership Rewards side by side.

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Need More Points?

Earn bonus points with these credit card offers

Can't find availability at your current points balance? These credit cards earn points you can put towards your next flight.

The Platinum Card from American Express

Personal · Annual fee $895

US only

175,000 points

after $12,000 in 6 months

  • Airline incidentals credit ($200)
  • Uber credit ($200)
  • Lounge access
Learn more & apply

American Express Gold Card

Personal · Annual fee $325

US only

100,000 points

after $8,000 in 6 months

  • Dining credit ($120)
  • Resy credit ($100)
  • Dunkin credit ($84)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Personal · Annual fee $795

100,000 points

after $6,000 in 3 months

  • Annual Travel Credit ($300)
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit ($120)
  • The Edit Hotel Credit ($500)
Learn more & apply

Chase Ink Business Preferred®

Business · Annual fee $95

100,000 Ultimate Rewards points

after $8,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

  • 3x points on travel & shipping
  • 3x points on advertising
  • 3x points on internet/cable/phone
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Personal · Annual fee $95

75,000 points

after $5,000 in 3 months

  • Hotel credit ($50)
  • DoorDash DashPass
  • Peloton credit ($60)
Learn more & apply

Capital One Venture Rewards

Personal · Annual fee $95

75,000 points

after $4,000 in 3 months

  • Capital One Travel credit ($300)
Learn more & apply

Credit card approval subject to eligibility. Terms and conditions apply. American Express cards shown are available to US residents only.

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