Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Amex Platinum Card [Detailed Comparison]

Stephen Au's image
Ryan Smith's image
Stephen Au,Ryan Smith
Edited by: Juan Ruiz
& Keri Stooksbury
Jump to Section

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Upgraded Points: Expertise You Can Trust

Our seasoned and experienced team brings years of expertise in the credit card and travel sectors. Committed to integrity, we offer data-driven guides to help you find the card(s) that best fit your requirements. See details on our intensive editorial policies and card rating methodologies.

  • Content by Leading Industry Experts
  • Routine Updates and Fact-Checks
  • First-Hand Credit Card Experience
  • Shared Across 200+ Top Outlets
  • Methodical “U.P. Rating” System
  • 1165+ Expert Credit Card Guides

Key Takeaways

  • The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns 3x points on dining, online groceries, and select streaming services and 2x points on travel.
  • The Platinum Card® from American Express provides 5x points on flights (up to $500,000 per year) and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com, along with travel benefits and statement credits.
  • Choose the Amex Platinum card for luxury travel perks and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card for rewards on everyday spending.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Platinum Card® from American Express are two of the most popular cards in the U.S., but even though these cards are targeted toward different consumer segments, people continue to compare the rewards and benefits offered by both cards.

Both of these cards offer some of the best rewards structures and benefits packages available. If you’ve narrowed down your selection to these 2 cards, you’re already on the right track.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at the relative merits and drawbacks of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Amex Platinum card as we put them side by side.

Overview

While the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Amex Platinum card are both metal cards, they are worlds apart in terms of card features.

Before we dissect these cards completely, let’s take a look at the high-level benefits, rewards, and characteristics of each card. Note that some benefits of the Amex Platinum card require enrollment through your American Express account:

SCROLL FOR MORE

Feature or benefit

Welcome offer

Earn 75,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

Apply and find out if you're eligible for as high as 175,000 points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Earning potential

  • 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel and Lyft (through September 30, 2027)
  • 3x points on dining, online groceries, and select streaming services
  • 2x points on other travel purchases
  • 5x points on airfare booked directly with the airline or through AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per calendar year, then 1x)
  • 5x points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com

Redemptions

  • Transfers to travel partners
  • Chase travel portal bookings
  • Amazon.com purchases, cash-back, gift cards, and online shopping
  • Transfers to travel partners
  • AmexTravel.com bookings
  • Amazon.com purchases, cash-back, gift cards, and online shopping

Hotel program benefits

  • None
  • Complimentary Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold Elite, and Leaders Club Sterling status (upon enrollment)
  • Access to Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection

Statement credits

  • Up to $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit
  • Annual statement credits: up to $200 airline fee, up to $209 CLEAR Plus, up to $600 prepaid hotel, up to $300 digital entertainment credit, and more
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Travel benefits and protections

  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
  • Primary rental car insurance
  • Baggage delay insurance; Trip delay reimbursement
  • Travel and emergency assistance services
  • Rental car privileges with Avis, Hertz, and National Car Rental (upon enrollment)
  • Access to over 1,550 airport lounges
  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
  • Secondary rental car insurance
  • Baggage insurance plan; Trip delay reimbursement

Shopping benefits and protections

  • Purchase protection and extended warranty
  • Purchase protection and extended warranty
  • Cell phone protection

Annual fees

$95$895 (rates & fees)

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Amex Platinum card both outperform their peers, albeit in different arenas. For example, the Amex Platinum card is unparalleled in luxury travel and lifestyle benefits.

On the other hand, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a credit card that offers as much in the way of rewards and travel insurance at the same price point as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Welcome Offers Compared

Value of a Welcome Offer

In general, different cards offer variable welcome bonus offers. As a general rule, the cards with the highest annual fees also tend to have the largest welcome bonus offers.

To incentivize you to take action today and add a card to your portfolio, Amex and Chase both offer attractive introductory welcome bonus offers to accelerate the points you’re earning in the first few months of card membership.

NEW OFFER
Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
Star rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating icon
U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
75,000 points
$1,500
$95
19.99% - 28.24% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent
Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
  • 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
  • 2x points on all other travel worldwide
Cons
  • $95 annual fee
  • No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
Card Highlights
  • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
  • Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
  • 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
  • Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 19.99% - 28.24% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

+ NEW BENEFITS
Platinum Card® from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
Star rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating icon
U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
As High As 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.
Up to $3,850
$895
See Pay Over Time APR
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent
Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than the Platinum Card® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,550 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
  • 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
  • 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
Cons
  • $895 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
Card Highlights
  • You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
  • More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
  • More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
  • More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
  • More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
  • More Value! $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
  • Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
  • New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®.*Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
  • $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
  • Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
  • $895 annual fee.
  • Terms Apply.
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Apply and find out if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of as high as 175,000 points with the Amex Platinum. Welcome offers may vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Chase Ultimate Rewards vs. Amex Membership Rewards

In terms of rewards, you can’t go wrong with either the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or the Amex Platinum card.

That’s because the Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points and the Amex Platinum card earns Amex Membership Rewards points. Both of these points are flexible rewards currencies, also known as transferrable rewards currencies.

Depending on what type of travel you wish to book, it may be advantageous to use one type of point over another. For example, if you’re looking to book hotel stays, Chase Ultimate Rewards has an amazing 1:1 transfer partnership with World of Hyatt. You can book some of the world’s most expensive hotels for less than 50,000 points per night, which is huge.

On the other hand, Amex Membership Rewards has fantastic transfer partnerships with airlines like ANA Mileage Club, Avianca LifeMiles, and Delta SkyMiles.

Earning Potential

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Amex Platinum card both offer totally different earning structures.

Here’s a table illustrating both cards’ rewards structures:

SCROLL FOR MORE

Bonus earning category

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (Ultimate Rewards Points)

Amex Platinum Card (Membership Rewards Points)

Flights purchased directly from airlines

2x points

5x points (subject to limits discussed above)

Flights purchased from the card’s travel portal

5x points

5x points

Prepaid hotel stays from the card’s travel portal

5x points

5x points

Other travel purchased from the card’s travel portal

5x points

1x points

Ride-Sharing purchases

5x points with Lyft (through September 30, 2027)

1x points

Dining

3x points

1x points

Online groceries

3x points

1x points

Select streaming services

3x points

1x points

Other travel

2x points

1x points

All other purchases

1x points

1x points

We value Amex points at 2.2 cents each and Chase points at 2 cents each. That means that Amex points are slightly more valuable than Chase points.

If you’re someone who books lots of flights and hotels, we’d wholeheartedly recommend using the Amex Platinum card.

Meanwhile, if most of your purchases come from dining, online groceries, and streaming, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a great fit for you.

All in all, the best card from a rewards standpoint will depend on your individual spending habits.

10% Anniversary Earning Bonus

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also comes with a 10% bonus on earned points every cardmember anniversary year.

How does this work? If you earned 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points the previous year, you’d get a bonus of 2,000 points after your renewal anniversary.

Redemption Options

Both the Amex Platinum card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card earn transferrable rewards points.

In general, the best way to use these points is for luxury award travel booked through airline and hotel transfer partners. Both Amex and Chase are equipped with this capability, though the Amex transfer partners include more airlines than the Chase transfer partners.

With Amex points, you can also get gift cards and statement credits, as well as book AmexTravel.com reservations via Pay With Points and make charitable donations. You can even do some online shopping or use points at vendors like Amazon or Best Buy.

Chase shares all of these redemption pathways with 1 major exception: The Chase Sapphire Preferred card allows you to get an up-to-75% redemption bonus on select Chase Travel portal bookings — through the Points Boost feature — and an up-to-25% redemption bonus via Pay Yourself Back. This allows you to get a redemption value of up to 1.75 cents per point.

Statement Credits

Another area where the Amex Platinum card blows the Chase Sapphire Preferred card out of the water is in statement credit benefits.

Right now, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 1 statement credit benefit:

Every cardmember anniversary year, you can get a $50 statement credit for hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal.

The Amex Platinum card offers a seemingly endless list of statement credit benefits (some require enrollment):

The difference is quite stark, isn’t it? We’ve written a complete guide to using your Amex statement credits, which you can keep in your back pocket. Enrollment is required for some credits before you can use them.

Bottom Line:

The Amex Platinum card offers an array of statement credit benefits that widens the gap with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit.

Hotel Program Privileges

One of the first realms in which we start to see the differences between the Amex Platinum card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card is in travel benefits.

San Francisco Hilton Financial District guestroom beds
Sleep better. Image Credit: Jessica Merritt

As we mentioned before, the Amex Platinum card is designed to make you feel like a VIP when you’re traveling, which is why this card appeals so much to luxury travelers.

To start off, the Amex Platinum card offers complimentary Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, and Leaders Club Sterling status (upon enrollment). At Hilton properties, this means you can get a preferred room upgrade and complimentary continental breakfast or daily food-and-beverage credit. At Marriott properties, this means an enhanced room upgrade and 2 p.m. late checkout. At Leading Hotels of the World, this means 5 prearrival upgrades annually, upgrade priority at check-in, and 5% bonus earnings on stays.

Also, the Amex Platinum card allows you to book stays with Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection.

Fine Hotels + Resorts stays come with:

  • Complimentary breakfast for 2 daily
  • Room upgrade, subject to availability
  • Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
  • Noon check-in, subject to availability
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • A unique property amenity valued at $100 (usually a property, spa, or food and beverage credit)

Meanwhile, stays of 2 nights or more booked through The Hotel Collection come with:

  • Room upgrade, subject to availability
  • $100 property credit

This is a huge game changer if you don’t have elite status!

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card doesn’t offer hotel elite status or elite-like benefits.

Travel Benefits

The Amex Platinum card’s other travel benefits, as a whole, significantly transcend those offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Delta B767 300ER Delta One back of cabin
Fly better. Image Credit: Alberto Riva

We outlined the list of statement credits offered by each card in the previous section, but we felt it was worth detailing each of them to get a full picture.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s only travel-related statement credit is the $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit, which is easy to use. If you book a hotel through the Chase Travel portal and pay with your card, you can earn up to $50 in statement credits annually.

The Amex Platinum card offers these travel credits:

  • Up to $200 airline fee credit (per calendar year)
  • Up to $600 prepaid hotel credit (per calendar year)
  • Up to $200 Uber Cash ($15 per month, except for $35 in December)
  • Up to $209 CLEAR Plus credit (per calendar year)
  • Up to $120 Uber One credit (per calendar year)
  • Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit (every 4 years)

In total, there are over $1,300 worth of yearly travel-related statement credits and up to $120 worth of travel-related statement credits given every 4 years with the Amex Platinum card, compared to up to $50 per year from the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Airport Lounge Access

One of the benefits that made the Amex Platinum card famous is the incredible airport lounge access. Indeed, this card entitles you to access the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes these lounges:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card does not include any airport lounge access benefits.

Rental Car Privileges

When you’re traveling and booking rental cars, you’ll want to keep the Amex Platinum card in your wallet.

Currently, the Amex Platinum card offers benefits at Avis, Hertz, and National upon enrollment. These benefits include varying levels of elite status and allow you to get exclusive upgrades, rate discounts, and benefits like grace periods through exclusive bookings codes. You’re also able to use these statuses to match to elite status with other rental car agencies.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card does not offer any rental car privileges.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card actually outperforms the Amex Platinum card when it comes to rental car insurance.

The Amex Platinum card offers secondary rental car insurance as a complimentary benefit, and you can purchase primary rental car insurance as an add-on for $19.95 to $24.95 per rental period.

Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s rental car insurance policy includes primary coverage!

As is always the case, you need to pay for your car rental reservation using your card and decline your rental car agency’s CDW/LDW to qualify.

Travel Protection Perks

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers great travel protections at its price point; in fact, there are some features on this card that outperform the Amex Platinum card.

Trip Interruption and Cancellation Insurance

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Amex Platinum card offer trip interruption and cancellation insurance.

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’re eligible to get up to $10,000 per person in reimbursements for travel interruptions caused by illness, severe weather, or a handful of other covered circumstances. This coverage is capped at $20,000 per trip.

The Amex Platinum card also offers up to $10,000 per person in reimbursements and up to $20,000 per trip.

Trip Delay Reimbursement

Both of these cards offer trip delay reimbursement, but the Amex Platinum card’s coverage is superior.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card covers you for delays of more than 12 hours (or where an overnight stay is required). You can get up to $500 in expense reimbursements per ticket and up to 1 claim per trip.

The Amex Platinum card’s trip delay insurance kicks in after delays of more than 6 hours or where an overnight stay is required). Coverage is up to $500 per trip and up to 2 approved claims per 12-month period.

Lost and Delayed Baggage Coverage

If your baggage is lost while traveling on a common carrier (e.g. an airline), you’re eligible for reimbursement with either card. But if your baggage is delayed, you’re only eligible for reimbursement with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

For delayed baggage, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers $100 per day for up to 5 days if your baggage is delayed for more than 6 hours. Lost luggage is eligible for up to $3,000 per covered person per trip with a limit of $500 for jewelry and watches per person per trip and $500 for electronic equipment per person per trip.

Looking at the Amex Platinum card’s baggage insurance policy, it offers coverage for lost, damaged, or stolen luggage for up to $3,000 per covered person per trip. There’s also a $1,000 maximum per person for all baggage worth of coverage for high-risk items.

This is another area where the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is superior to the Amex Platinum card.

Roadside Assistance

Unfortunately, the Amex Platinum card used to offer a premium roadside assistance benefit, but this has been discontinued for a while now.

At the moment, the Amex Platinum card doesn’t offer a specific roadside assistance benefit, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers basic roadside assistance, which is known as Roadside Dispatch.

For a set, prenegotiated rate of $69.95 per service call, you’re covered for these services:

  • Fuel delivery (up to 5 gallons, plus the cost of fuel)
  • Jump-starting
  • Lockout service (key replacement not included)
  • Standard towing (up to 5 miles included)
  • Standard winching
  • Tire changing (must have a good, inflated spare)

Travel and Emergency Assistance Services

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers travel and emergency assistance services, while the Amex Platinum card offers a benefit known as the Premium Global Assist Hotline.

If you, your spouse, or your dependent children under 22 years old are traveling and need assistance, you can access 24/7/365 referral and assistance services, though you’re responsible for any costs incurred.

Some of these benefits include:

  • Emergency message service
  • Emergency ticket replacement
  • Emergency translation service
  • Emergency transportation assistance
  • Legal referral assistance
  • Lost luggage locator service
  • Medical referral assistance
  • Pre-trip assistance
  • Prescription assistance and valuable document delivery

The Premium Global Assist Hotline includes all of these services, but you may be eligible to receive emergency medical transportation and evacuation at no additional cost, as well as repatriation of mortal remains.

Travel Accident Insurance

The Amex Platinum card no longer offers travel accident insurance.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers up to $500,000 in travel accident insurance coverage on common carriers.

Hot Tip:

Shopping Benefits and Protections

So what happens when you’re not traveling? You’ll still want a card that’ll help you in your everyday life. So let’s go through both cards’ shopping benefits and protections.

Earn Bonus Rewards for Shopping

The Amex Platinum card and Chase Sapphire Preferred cards both offer the ability to save or earn bonus points on purchases.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card comes with access to Chase Offers, which can get you discounts with certain merchants, like 15% off Hyatt stays.

The Amex Platinum card comes with access to Amex Offers, which is similar to Chase Offers but several notches better.

In fact, Amex Offers have historically included some amazing deals like:

  • An additional 4 bonus points on Amazon.com purchases (5x total points)
  • An additional 2 bonus points on Olive Garden purchases
  • Spend $300 or more to get 6,000 points on Delta gift cards.
  • Spend $500 or more to get $100 back at hotel chains like the Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, and more.

Whether you want to earn more bonus points or get statement credits, Amex Offers are usually much better than Chase Offers.

Just keep in mind that enrollment is always necessary for each individual Amex Offer or Chase Offer.

Purchase Protection

When you use the Amex Platinum card and the item you purchased is damaged or stolen within 90 days of the purchase date, you can get up to $10,000 in purchase protection coverage per item, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and up to $500 per event related to a natural disaster.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a much lower coverage per item of $500. The coverage period is slightly longer, 120 days, and the maximum coverage per calendar year is the same at $50,000.

The major difference is the maximum coverage per item. So if you end up purchasing a valuable item using your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you could be in for a rude awakening with a purchase protection coverage of only $500 per item.

The Amex Platinum card’s purchase protection policy is miles ahead of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s policy.

Extended Warranty

The Amex Platinum card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card both offer extended warranty coverage.

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you can receive 1 additional year on original eligible warranties of 3 years or less. Furthermore, the maximum claim amount is $10,000 per item and $50,000 per calendar year.

Meanwhile, the Amex Platinum card offers 1 additional year on original eligible warranties of 5 years or less. The maximum coverage is $10,000 per item and $50,000 per calendar year.

Zero-Liability Protection

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card does not come with zero-liability fraud protection, while the Amex Platinum card does.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

Neither the Amex Platinum card (rates & fees) nor the Chase Sapphire Preferred card have foreign transaction fees.

No Preset Spending Limit

The Amex Platinum card has no preset spending limit*, which will be incredibly helpful if you’re planning on making a large purchase and don’t want to run the risk of your card being declined.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a traditional credit limit, so you need to stay under that credit limit at all times.

Annual Fees and Additional Users

Annual Fees

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a $95 annual fee, while the Amex Platinum card has a $895 annual fee (rates & fees).

Adding Additional Users

There are no additional annual fees to add authorized users to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

With the Amex Platinum card, you pay an annual fee of $195 per additional Platinum cardholder (rates & fees).

However, you can add up to 99 total companion Platinum cards for no additional annual fees (rates & fees) if you instead add additional gold cards or green cards as opposed to additional Amex Platinum cards.

Final Thoughts

Even though the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Amex Platinum card are both incredible products to have in your possession, they ultimately have a different place in your wallet depending on your spending and travel habits.

To start, the Amex Platinum card is one of the best products if you spend a lot of money on airfare and hotels. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns fantastic rewards on everyday purchases like dining, online groceries, and select streaming services.

The Amex Platinum card’s biggest selling point, though, is its luxury travel and lifestyle benefits, including a variety of valuable statement credits, airport lounge access, hotel, and car rental elite status, hotel perks, and so much more.

When it comes to rewards, you can’t go wrong with either Amex Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Surprisingly, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers some enhanced travel benefits beyond the Amex Platinum card, such as primary rental car insurance, roadside assistance, delayed baggage reimbursement, and travel accident insurance.

Overall, if you’re deciding between these two cards, you should ultimately choose the Amex Platinum card if you’re looking for luxury travel perks and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card if you’re maximizing your rewards on everyday purchases.

*No Preset Spending Limit on an American Express card means your spending limit is flexible. Unlike a traditional card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.

For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of the Platinum Card® from American Express, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of the Platinum Card® from American Express, the maximum benefit amount for trip cancellation and interruption insurance is $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of the Platinum Card® from American Express, up to $500 per covered trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the Platinum Card® from American Express, baggage insurance plan coverage can be in effect for covered persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during their travel on a common carrier vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the common carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per covered trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each covered person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all covered persons per covered trip. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the premium global assist hotline benefit of the Platinum Card® from American Express, you can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by premium global assist hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

For the purchase protection benefit of the Platinum Card® from American Express, purchase protection is an embedded benefit of your card membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect covered purchases made on your eligible card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Coverage limits apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the extended warranty benefit of the Platinum Card® from American Express, when an American Express® card member charges a covered purchase to an eligible card, extended warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the original manufacturer’s warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth it to have Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Amex Platinum card?

It’s probably worth it for most people. Use the Amex Platinum card for its benefits, like complimentary hotel elite status and airport lounge access. You can also use the Amex Platinum card for booking airfare and hotels through AmexTravel.com. On the other hand, you should use your Chase Sapphire Preferred card for everyday purchases like dining, online groceries, and so on.

What is the Chase equivalent to the Amex Platinum card?

Chase has an ultrapremium credit card called the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. This particular card offers Priority Pass lounge access and rewards focused on dining and travel, but it can’t hold a candle to the luxury travel and lifestyle benefits offered by the Amex Platinum card.

What card is better than the Chase Sapphire Preferred card?

It’s hard to say what card is better than the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, but the Amex Platinum card offers better travel benefits, though it comes with a higher annual fee. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card probably offers the best balance of low annual fees with great rewards.

Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred card still worth it?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is totally worth it for the right customer. If you’re looking for outsized rewards and tend to spend a majority of your money on dining, travel, online groceries, and streaming services, you’ll probably get great bonus rewards with this card.

Do you get lounge access with Chase Sapphire Preferred card?

You do not get lounge access benefits with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Stephen Au's image

About Stephen Au

Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used by hundreds of clients.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy  and terms of service  apply.

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse
DMCA.com Protection Status