How long do you have to wait to upgrade from Chase Sapphire Preferred card to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card?

Your Chase Sapphire Preferred card must be open for at least 1 year before you upgrade to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. This is because of legislation known as the CARD Act of 2009.

Can I get the Chase Sapphire Reserve card if I have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card?

Yes, you can have both the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

How do I upgrade my Chase card?

It’s easy! Just call the number on the back of your card to upgrade your Chase card.

Can I get Chase Sapphire Reserve card bonus if I have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card?

In general, you cannot get another bonus if you upgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred card to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. You generally also can’t apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card if you already have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. But if it’s been 4 years since you earned your bonus, you could downgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred card and apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card to earn a new bonus.

Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve card better than the Chase Sapphire Preferred card?

In general, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers better benefits and rewards for travel. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers slightly better rewards on dining and online groceries. It’s ultimately a personal decision, but both cards are great products.

Will upgrading a credit card hurt my score?

In general, upgrading your credit card will not hurt your score. The exception is if the bank performs a hard inquiry to increase your credit limit. For example, if your Chase Sapphire Preferred card only has a $5,000 credit limit and you wish to upgrade your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you need to also submit a credit limit increase request, since the minimum credit limit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is $10,000. The credit limit increase request may result in a hard inquiry.

Can I have 2 Sapphire cards?

Yes, you can have 2 Sapphire cards.

How To Upgrade the Chase Sapphire Preferred to the Chase Sapphire Reserve

Updated: October 25, 2025, 11:03am CDT

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Table of Contents

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
How To Upgrade Your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Who Should Upgrade Their Card?
Final Thoughts

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Among the most popular credit cards in the U.S. are the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®. Most of us who are interested in earning travel rewards hold one of these cards in our wallets.

But what if you’ve already opened the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and think that the Chase Sapphire Reserve card might be the best credit card for your situation?

In this guide, we’ll go through the A to Zs of both cards and outline the customers who are best suited to upgrade to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. We’ll also show you how you can upgrade your card with ease!

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Chase Sapphire Reserve card have similar names. Indeed, most travelers actually refer to these cards interchangeably as the “Chase Sapphire” when the differences couldn’t be starker.

Here are some of the key benefits associated with each card.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Benefits

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating

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)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

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

Welcome OfferEarn 60,000 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.74% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

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

Read Full Review

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: 19.74% - 27.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers its cardholders a variety of ways to earn bonus rewards and redeem them for maximum value. Best of all, this card is jam-packed with value without the holder needing to shell out a huge annual fee.

Here are the spending categories where you can earn bonus Ultimate Rewards points:

5x points on Lyft purchases through September 30, 2027
5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through December 31, 2027)
5x points spent on travel booked through Chase Travel
3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services and takeout
3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
3x points on select streaming services
2x points on other travel purchases

Other purchases earn 1 point per $1 spent.

Also, you’ll enjoy these additional benefits:

10% anniversary rewards bonus every account anniversary year
Access to redemption bonuses on select travel booked through Chase Travel (up to 75%)
Up to 25% redemption bonus with Pay Yourself Back
$50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit
Fantastic travel insurance, including primary auto rental coverage, trip cancellation insurance, trip interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, and more
Complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription (activate by December 31, 2027)
Shopping perks like purchase protection, extended warranty, and no foreign transaction fees

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Benefits

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome OfferEarn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
125,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$2,500

Annual Fee

$795

APR

19.99% - 28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like worldwide airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus, it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to cover you at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the more than $2,000 in annual credits, which can offset the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

8x points on all Chase Travel purchases
5x points on Lyft rides
4x points on flights and hotels booked directly

Cons

$795 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
$300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge^® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^® every 4 years
Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.99% - 28.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The ultrapremium Chase Sapphire Reserve card is packed with a ton of value for its considerable price tag. It offers much more in the way of luxury travel benefits than the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

To start off, here are the card’s bonus categories:

8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel
4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
3x points on all dining purchases worldwide

For a limited time, you also earn bonus points in the following catgegories:

10x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 through December 31, 2027
5x points on Lyft purchases, plus a $10 monthly, in-app credit through September 30, 2027

All other purchases earn 1 Ultimate Rewards point per $1 spent.

With this card, you can get:

A complimentary Priority Pass Select membership for airport lounge access
Access to PointsBoost with Chase Travel to get up to 2 cents per point value on redemptions
$300 annual travel credit
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit
Access to The Edit by Chase Travel
Up to a $500 credit for stays with The Edit, with up to $250 from January through June and another $250 from July through December
Up to a $300 dining credit at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables, $150 from January to June and another $150 from July to December.
$300 in credits to Stubhub and viagogo, for ticket and entertainment purchases
Some of the best travel insurance from a credit card
Complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription (activate by December 31, 2027) and up to $25 in DoorDash credit every month
$120 in statement credits ($10 per month) on eligible Peloton memberships, through December 31, 2027
A complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions, through June 22, 2027.
Purchase protection, extended warranty, return protection, and no foreign transaction fees
Complimentary IHG Platinum Elite status

Benefits Comparison

Bar seating at restaurant — Restaurant benefits can pay off. Image Credit: Lightscape via Unsplash

Now that we’ve outlined the highlights of both the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, let’s compare these cards head to head!

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Benefit	Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
Lyft Purchases (Through September 30, 2027)	5x	5x
Peloton Equipment and Accessory Purchases Over $150 (Through December 31, 2027)	5x	10x
Travel Purchases (Not Booked Through Chase Travel)	2x	4x (flights and hotels booked directly)
Hotels and Car Rentals Booked Through Chase Travel	5x	8x
Flights Booked Through Chase Travel	5x	8x
Dining Purchases	3x	3x
Online Grocery Purchases (Excluding Walmart, Target, and Warehouse Clubs)	3x	1x
Select Streaming Services	3x	1x
Chase Travel Portal Redemption Bonus	Up to 75% (up to 1.75 cents per point)	Up to 100% (up to 2 cents per point)
Pay Yourself Back Redemption Bonus	Up to 25% (1.25 cents per point)	Up to 50% (1.5 cents per point)
Complimentary Priority Pass Select Membership	–	X
TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS Application Fee Credit	–	X
The Edit by Chase Travel	–	X
$500 Credit for Stays With The Edit		X
$50 Annual Hotel Credit	X	–
$300 Annual Travel Credit	–	X
$300 Dining Credit		X
$300 Stubhub and viagogo credit		X
Complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music		X
DoorDash Benefits	Complimentary DashPass membership (activate by December 31, 2027)	Complimentary DashPass membership (activate by December 31, 2027) and $25 in monthly DoorDash credits
Primary Auto Rental Coverage	Offered, excluding high value and exotic cars	Offered, covers up to $75,000 of coverage
Roadside Assistance	Basic ($59.95 per service call)	Premium roadside assistance (complimentary service up to $50 per service call, up to 4 service calls per year)
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance	Up to $10,000 per person (up to $20,000 per trip)
Trip Delay Coverage	Up to $500 per ticket for delays of at least 12 hours (or requiring an overnight stay)	Up to $500 per ticket for delays of more than 6 hours (or requiring an overnight stay)
Lost Luggage Reimbursement	Up to $3,000 per person
Emergency Evacuation and Transportation	–	Up to $100,000 in coverage
Travel Accident Insurance	Up to $500,000 in coverage	Up to $1 million in coverage
Purchase Protection	Up to $500 per claim (up to $50,000 in claims per year)	Up to $10,000 per claim (up to $50,000 in claims per year)
Extended Warranty	X	X
Return Protection	–	X
No Foreign Transaction Fees	X	X
Fee for Authorized Users	$0	$195 per authorized user
Annual fFee	$95	$795

One of the biggest selling points of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the seemingly unbelievable rewards structure from a card with an annual fee under $100. In fact, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card outperforms its ultrapremium counterpart in a few categories!

Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers a series of other game-changing benefits, such as the ability to earn 3x points on other travel purchases, including hotel stays booked directly through the hotel, tour packages, and so much more. If you are able to take advantage of all of the credits that come with the Sapphire Reserve, you could get well over $2,000 in value.

Also, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card grants airport lounge access, thanks to the complimentary Priority Pass Select membership offered. Furthermore, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card helps you get outsize value from your redemptions through Chase Travel portal bookings. While both the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve have access to Chase Points Boost, the boost from redemptions made with the Sapphire Reserve card is generally higher.

Hot Tip:

Need a comprehensive look at the cards’ merits? Check out our detailed comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card vs. the Chase Sapphire Reserve card to determine which card is best for you!

How To Upgrade Your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The process for upgrading your Chase Sapphire Preferred card is easy! Just call the number on the back of your Chase Sapphire Preferred card and explain to a live agent that you’d like to upgrade to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

Keep in mind that the Chase Sapphire Reserve card has a minimum credit limit of $10,000 by virtue of being a Visa Infinite card. So if your current Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a lower credit limit than $10,000, part of the upgrade process will involve a request for a credit limit increase, also known as a CLI.

When a credit limit increase is requested, Chase may be required to perform a hard inquiry to increase your credit limit to the necessary amount for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

Who Should Upgrade Their Card?

Server holding tray with cocktail — Is an upgrade for you? Image Credit: alevision.co via Unsplash

With all that said, the question is: Is the upgrade worth it?

Should you upgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred card to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card? Here are a few profiles in which it might make sense to upgrade to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

You Spend a Lot on Travel

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card generally offers better rewards on travel. To reiterate, you earn 8x on all purchases through Chase Travel and 4x Ultimate Rewards points on flights and hotels booked directly, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 5x on Chase Travel purchases and 2x Ultimate Rewards points on other travel.

If you’re the type of person who tends to book hotels, tour packages, or flights directly with the provider, or if you just tend to stray away from booking directly with Chase Travel, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card could be worth it for you.

You Don’t Spend Much on Dining

Arguably, the biggest value of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card lies in its ability to earn 3x points on dining. It’s exceedingly rare to find a credit card with an under-$100 annual fee that offers a return on spend of 6.6% for dining!

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card also offers 3x points on dining, but it doesn’t offer the 10% anniversary rewards bonus that the Chase Sapphire Preferred card does and comes with a much higher annual fee.

So if you spend a ton of money on dining every month, it’s probably worth keeping your Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

You Don’t Spend Much on Online Groceries

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns 3x points on online groceries, excluding Target, Walmart, and warehouse clubs.

One of the best uses of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is on Instacart purchases. Remember that the Chase Sapphire Preferred card only earns bonus points on online groceries, so if you don’t spend much on online groceries every year, the value of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card may weaken a bit.

You Want Better Travel Benefits

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers significantly upgraded travel benefits over the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Sure, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card also comes with a higher annual fee, but the increased benefits can help deflect the cost.

For example, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you get a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which enables you to access more than 1,300 airport lounges around the world for yourself and up to 2 guests! This benefit alone is worth at least $469 every year.

Plus, you get an annual travel credit of up to $300 from the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, which is one of the easiest benefits to use.

That’s not even considering the ability to get more perks at hotels through The Edit by Chase Travel (including a $500 annual credit), better travel insurance protections, and the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit every 4 years!

In short, if you want better travel benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s value is enormous.

You Want Better Redemption Value on Chase Travel Portal Bookings

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you can get up to a 100% bonus on select hotel and airfare bookings through Chase Travel. In comparison, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a smaller up to 75% redemption bonus.

If you are constantly redeeming points through the Chase Travel portal, you could come out way ahead in the long run by holding the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

For example, if you book 4 round-trip economy tickets to Hawaii, each costing $500, you’d normally have to pay $2,000 or spend 200,000 Ultimate Rewards points.

By redeeming points through the Chase Travel portal using your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you could redeem 160,000 Ultimate Rewards points for that same trip. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you could redeem just 133,333 points. And that’s just for 1 trip!

You can get fantastic value with fewer points using the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, and the savings add up over the years.

You Applied for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Less Than 4 Years Ago

If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and applied less than 4 years ago, your only option to get your hands on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card would be to upgrade.

If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and applied more than 4 years ago, you can follow these steps to qualify for a new bonus on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card:

Downgrade your existing Chase Sapphire Preferred card to a card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited^® or the Chase Freedom Flex^®.
Wait a week or so for Chase’s internal systems to refresh.
Apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

By applying for a new card instead of an upgrade, you should qualify for a new welcome bonus as long as it’s been at least 4 years since you received a bonus on a Sapphire card. Keep in mind that this process will almost certainly result in a hard inquiry, as it is a new card application.

Final Thoughts

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Chase Sapphire Reserve card are two of the most impressive credit cards available. Thanks to industry-leading rewards categories and thoughtfully designed card benefits, these cards remain among the most popular credit cards to this day.

If you’re looking for enhanced travel benefits, better bonus rewards on travel not booked through the Chase Travel portal, and don’t spend that much on dining, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card could be a fantastic choice for you.

Either way, you can’t go wrong!