Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card [Detailed Comparison]

For those seeking their first travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card tops our list of recommended cards. The card offers a strong earning structure, flexible redemption options, and a respected collection of travel insurance benefits.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card, while one of our top picks, does take on several card challengers. Today’s card comparison choice was a likely candidate for one of those challenges.

Like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card earns flexible rewards points and includes several travel insurance benefits.

Will the Chase Sapphire Preferred card reign as our top-choice travel rewards card? In today’s article, we’ll investigate how card attributes compare and, ultimately, determine which card may be better for your situation.

Card Comparison Overview

We’ll expand on the details of the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card next.

First, looking at a side-by-side overview of all the features and benefits of each card can be helpful.

Welcome Offer

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card present the opportunity to earn a welcome bonus offer after card approval.

A welcome bonus offer can be earned by meeting minimum spending requirements within the specified period. It’s a chance to earn a large amount of rewards in a short time.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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 powerful point earning card with access to transfer partners.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

A powerful point earning card with access to transfer partners.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$900

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.49%, 25.49%, or 29.49% Variable APR

Credit Recommended

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 (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey^SM Card is an excellent option for those looking for a great all-around travel rewards card that offers bonus categories on hotels, airfare, travel, and dining, giving you the opportunity to earn points on these purchases quickly.

Plus the card offers flexible redemption options including access to transfer partners, an annual statement credit with airfare purchase, and no foreign transaction fees (rates & fees).

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn 5x points on hotels
• Earn 4x points on airfare
• Earn 3x points on other travel and restaurants; 1x on other purchases

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• List of transfer partners is smaller than competing programs

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Card Highlights

• Select “Learn More” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.
• Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
• $95 Annual Fee.
• Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
• Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
• Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature^® Concierge.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.49%, 25.49%, or 29.49% Variable APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

BEST BEGINNER CARD

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

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

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 bonus points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.74% - 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

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 (670-850)

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
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 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, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.74% - 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Bottom Line:

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card come with welcome offers worth hundreds of dollars when minimum spending requirements are met in the specified period after card approval.

Earning Potential

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card earns Wells Fargo Rewards points, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

The amount of rewards you earn by spending on either card is one of the key reasons for selecting one card over the other.

For this reason, you should compare the bonus-earning categories for each card with your actual spending mix to determine which card is a better fit.

Here are all the ways you’ll earn rewards with our featured cards:

One clear observation is that spending on travel and dining purchases with either card will earn the most rewards.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card requires that you purchase travel via Chase Travel to earn 5x points while the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card earns 5x points on hotels, 4x on airfare, and 3x on all travel. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns 2x points on general travel.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has the edge in earning on select streaming services and online groceries — a plus if you spend a lot in these categories.

Ultimately, earnings for both cards are quite similar. However, earnings alone don’t determine the end value you’ll receive at redemption time.

Next, we look at the redemption options for our featured cards.

Bottom Line:

While the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card may earn more on flights, hotels, and general travel purchases, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s annual 10% points bonus could negate some of that difference. If your largest overall spending is on travel and dining, either card could earn well.

Redemption Options

Once you’ve accumulated rewards on the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’ll have the pleasure of redeeming them for something special.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offer flexible redemption options that help your rewards go further.

Here are the choices when it’s time to redeem your rewards.

Wells Fargo Rewards Points

Rewards earned on the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card are most valuable when transferred to airline and hotel partners. We value Wells Fargo Rewards points at ~1.5 cents each.

There are currently 5 airline transfer partners and the Choice Privileges hotel program. Wells Fargo Rewards points can be transferred to Aer Lingus AerClub, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Executive Club, and Iberia Plus.

There are plans to add more Wells Fargo transfer partners, though you can access all the major airline alliances with the current airline partners.

Currently, there is just 1 hotel transfer partner, but you can find plenty of value in transferring Wells Fargo Rewards at a 1:2 ratio to Choice Privileges. For example, you can transfer just 8,000 Wells Fargo points to stay at the Clarion Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden (where breakfast is included, by the way) near Old Town for 16,000 Choice Privileges points.

Hot Tip:

Use our transfer partner tool to learn more about available transfer partners, transfer ratios, transfer timing, and tips on how to earn and redeem rewards. Our comprehensive list of rewards currencies includes rewards earned on the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

We value Chase Ultimate Rewards points at ~2 cents each due to the flexible options at redemption time. One reason is that Chase has more transfer partners than Wells Fargo. Ultimate Rewards transfer to these partners at a ratio of 1:1.

You may want to check out how Air France-KLM Flying Blue Promo Rewards can yield great options for economy or business flights from the U.S. to Europe. Transferring Ultimate Rewards points during promo periods can make your points go further.

We also like that Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to the World of Hyatt hotel loyalty program. Hyatt is a known sweet spot that can deliver good value for your points. For example, staying at the Hyatt Regency Chicago can be accomplished for just 12,000 World of Hyatt points per night (off-peak).

Travel Benefits

Benefits can save you money or add comfort to your journey.

• $50 Annual Statement Credit — Receive an annual $50 statement credit for a $50 or more purchase with your card.
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card — Make a purchase of $50 or more directly with the airline and receive the $50 airline statement credit.
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — Book a hotel stay of over $50 via Chase Travel and receive a $50 hotel statement credit each year.
• Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection Benefits — Book your stay with your card and receive elite-style benefits including a best-rate guarantee, room upgrade on arrival (when available), and complimentary breakfast for 2. Free Wi-Fi, a $25 food/beverage credit, VIP guest status, and late checkout on request, when available, are also included.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees — Any travel rewards card worth using would not charge foreign transaction fees. You’ll not be charged these fees with either card.
• Travel and Emergency Assistance — Receive help 24/7 when traveling with a dedicated phone number for referral services. Services include medical/legal referrals, translation services, help arranging emergency transportation, and more.

Travel Protections

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card are both Visa Signature cards and include several associated travel insurance protections. Protections can provide economic relief should something go wrong during your trip.

• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver — Reserve and pay for your entire car rental with your card, and decline the rental agency’s CDW/LDW insurance to receive coverage for damage and theft. Terms apply and coverage may be excluded for some countries.
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card — Secondary coverage within the U.S., primary coverage outside the U.S.
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — Primary coverage worldwide, meaning you do not have to file a claim with other applicable insurance before card coverage applies.
• Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance — Should you need to cancel your trip or it is disrupted for a covered reason, you could receive reimbursement for covered expenses.
  • Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card — Pay for your entire trip with your card and receive up to $15,000 per covered person, per trip, up to a maximum of $20,000 per account every 12 months.
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — Pay for a portion of your trip with your card and receive up to $20,000 per trip, up to $40,000 per 12-month period.
• Lost Baggage Reimbursement — Pay for your trip with your card and if your luggage is lost by the common carrier, or is stolen, you could receive reimbursement of up to $3,000 per trip with the Wells Fargo Autograph card, and up to $3,000 per covered person/per trip with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Coverage is secondary to any other coverage that may apply.
• Roadside Dispatch — For 1 prearranged fee, you’ll receive a roadside service call plus limited towing, tire changing of your inflated spare, lockout service, emergency fuel delivery, jumpstart service, and standard winching.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

• Trip Delay Reimbursement — Should your trip be delayed more than 12 hours for a covered hazard, or overnight, you could receive up to $500 per ticket when a portion of your trip is paid for with your card.
• Baggage Delay Insurance — If your trip is delayed more than 6 hours, you could receive up to $100 per day, up to 5 days, for covered essential items.

Travel Protection Advantages with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

While the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card and Chase Sapphire Preferred card have similar travel insurance, when viewing the details, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has several clear advantages.

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has primary car rental coverage worldwide for up to 31 consecutive days. The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card has secondary coverage in the U.S. and coverage for only up to 15 days (up to 31 days outside the U.S.).
• The Chase Sapphire Preferred card requires that you pay for just a portion of your trip with the card to qualify for trip cancellation/trip interruption coverage. The Wells Fargo Autograph card requires that you pay for the entire trip with the card.
• Coverage for lost/stolen baggage, although secondary on both cards, is limited to $3,000 per trip with the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, the limit is $3,000 per person, per trip — a significant difference.
• The Chase Sapphire Preferred card includes the additional benefits of trip delay reimbursement and baggage delay insurance.

Bottom Line:

While the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card has several useful travel insurance benefits, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers better travel insurance coverage. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card requires that a portion of the trip be paid for with the card versus the entire trip. Car rental insurance is primary worldwide on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, plus the card has trip delay and better baggage coverage.

Shopping Protections and Benefits

Shopping protections can provide valuable economic benefits should something go wrong with an eligible item you purchased with your card.

You can earn additional rewards and access to special offers using your card’s shopping benefits.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card

• Cell Phone Protection — Pay your monthly bill with your card and if your phone is lost or stolen, you could receive up to $1,000 per claim. There is a limit of 2 claims per 12 months and a limit of $2,000.
• My Wells Fargo Deals — You’ll find offers from select retailers and service providers in your online card account. Choose and activate the offers you like, make the required purchase, and receive cash back.
• Autograph Card Exclusives — Receive exclusive offers to live events for which you can purchase up to 6 tickets!

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

• Purchase Protection —You could receive up to $500 per item for damage or theft for up to 120 days from the date of purchase. Qualifying items must be purchased with your card, and there is a limit of $50,000 per account.
• Extended Warranty — Eligible items purchased with your card with manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less will receive coverage for an additional year.
• DoorDash DashPass — Activate this benefit by December 31, 2027, and receive complimentary membership for up to 12 months. Membership includes free delivery and reduced fees.
• Chase Offers — Log in to your online card account and select from a collection of cash-back offers. Make the required purchase and receive a statement credit.

Annual Fees and Authorized Users

When determining the value a card can provide, the cost of card membership should be considered.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card has an annual fee of $95. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card charges an annual fee of $95.

There is no charge to add authorized users to either of our featured cards.

Final Thoughts

On the surface, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card appears to hold its ground with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. It has strong earnings, flexible redemption options, and a long list of travel insurance benefits.

When we dig deeper, we find that Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be worth more than Wells Fargo Rewards due to the options at redemption time. This could change as more Wells Fargo transfer partners are added over time.

And, while the travel insurance benefits are similar, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has more coverage and fewer hoops to jump through, including not having to pay for your entire trip with your card to qualify for coverage.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card can still be a good choice for earning on travel, dining, utilizing its current transfer partners, and for its travel/shopping benefits. The $50 airline credit alone offsets most of the annual fee.