American Express Gold vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred
Two titans of dining and travel rewards go head-to-head. Which premium card offers better value for food lovers and travelers?
Last updated: February 2, 2026
Amex Gold
$325/year
Sapphire Preferred
$95/year
The Quick Verdict
Choose the Amex Gold if: You're a foodie who spends heavily on dining and groceries. The 4x points on restaurants worldwide plus $240 in credits make it the best pure dining/grocery card.
Choose the Sapphire Preferred if: You want a balanced card for both travel and dining, prefer Chase's transfer partners (especially Hyatt), and don't want to deal with multiple statement credits.
1. Annual Fees & Credits
Amex Gold
$325/year
Credits:
- • $120/year Uber Cash ($10/month)
- • $120/year dining credit (Grubhub+, etc.)
- • Resy/Resy Experiences access
Effective annual fee after credits: $85
Sapphire Preferred
$95/year
Credits:
- • No annual credits
- • Primary rental car insurance
- • Trip protections included
Effective annual fee: $95
The Amex Gold has a higher sticker price but offsets it with $240 in statement credits. If you can use the Uber Cash and dining credits, the effective fee is lower than the Sapphire Preferred. However, the Sapphire's straightforward $95 fee with no credits to track is simpler.
2. Rewards & Earning Rates
| Category | Amex Gold | Sapphire Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Dining (Restaurants) | 4x MR | 3x UR |
| Groceries (US Supermarkets) | 4x MR (up to $25k/yr) | 1x UR |
| Travel (Booked Direct) | 1x MR | 3x UR |
| Chase/Amex Travel Portal | 1x MR | 5x UR |
| Online Groceries | 1x MR | 3x UR |
| Streaming Services | 1x MR | 3x UR |
| Everything Else | 1x MR | 1x UR |
Winner for Foodies: Amex Gold
The Amex Gold dominates dining and groceries with 4x points worldwide. The $25,000 annual cap on groceries is generous—that's $2,083/month. Perfect for families or serious home cooks.
Winner for Travelers: Sapphire Preferred
The Sapphire Preferred offers broader earning: 3x on ALL travel (not just flights/hotels), 5x via Chase Travel portal, plus 3x on online groceries and streaming. Better as an all-around card.
3. Welcome Bonuses
Amex Gold
60,000 points
Spend $6,000 in 6 months
Value: ~$1,200+ (via transfer partners)
Sapphire Preferred
75,000 points
Spend $4,000 in 3 months
Value: ~$937.50+ (portal) or $1,125+ (transfers)
The Sapphire Preferred offers a higher bonus (75k vs 60k points) with lower spend requirement ($4k vs $6k) in less time (3 vs 6 months). Both bonuses are excellent and can be worth $1,000+ when redeemed strategically.
4. Transfer Partners
Amex Membership Rewards (20+ partners)
Notable airlines:
- • Delta SkyMiles
- • Air France/KLM Flying Blue
- • ANA Mileage Club
- • British Airways Avios
- • Virgin Atlantic
- • Singapore KrisFlyer
- • Emirates Skywards
Chase Ultimate Rewards (14+ partners)
Notable airlines & hotels:
- • United MileagePlus
- • Southwest Rapid Rewards
- • World of Hyatt ⭐
- • British Airways Avios
- • Air France/KLM Flying Blue
- • Singapore KrisFlyer
- • Marriott Bonvoy
- • IHG One Rewards
Winner: Chase (for Most People)
Chase's World of Hyatt partnership is consistently one of the most valuable redemptions in the points game (often 2-5¢+ per point). Plus United and Southwest are crucial for domestic US travel. Amex has more partners, but Chase has the best overall partner mix for US-based travelers.
5. Travel Benefits & Protections
Amex Gold
- ✓ Trip delay insurance ($500)
- ✓ Lost luggage insurance
- ✓ Car rental loss & damage insurance (secondary)
- ✓ Purchase protection
- ✓ Extended warranty
- ✓ Return protection
- ✓ No foreign transaction fees
- ✗ No lounge access
- ✗ No Global Entry credit
Sapphire Preferred
- ✓ Trip cancellation/interruption ($10K)
- ✓ Trip delay reimbursement ($500)
- ✓ Lost luggage ($3K/person)
- ✓ Primary rental car insurance
- ✓ Emergency medical/dental
- ✓ Emergency evacuation
- ✓ Purchase protection
- ✓ Extended warranty
- ✓ No foreign transaction fees
- ✗ No lounge access
Key difference: The Sapphire Preferred offers primary rental car insurance (vs Amex's secondary), potentially saving you $15-30/day on rental coverage. Both cards offer solid travel protections, but Chase edges ahead with more comprehensive trip coverage.
6. Portal Redemption Value
Amex Gold
Amex Travel Portal:
- • 1¢ per point for flights
- • 1¢ per point for hotels
- • 0.7¢ per point for other travel
Portal redemptions are NOT recommended with Amex Gold—transfer to partners instead for 2-5¢+ value.
Sapphire Preferred
Chase Travel Portal:
- • 1.25¢ per point for ALL travel
- • Includes flights, hotels, rental cars
- • Also vacation packages and cruises
25% bonus makes portal booking actually viable. 75,000 points = $937.50 in portal travel.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred
The 25% portal bonus gives you flexibility when award availability is scarce. With Amex Gold, you're forced to transfer to partners or redeem for cash (1¢/point)—there's no middle ground.
7. Final Verdict
Our Recommendation
For most people, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the better all-around card. Here's why:
- • Lower annual fee ($95 vs $325)
- • Better for travel with 3x on ALL travel purchases
- • Portal bonus (1.25¢/point) provides flexibility
- • World of Hyatt transfers are exceptional value
- • Primary rental car insurance
- • Simpler—no credits to track
Choose the Amex Gold if you:
- • Spend $500+/month on dining and groceries
- • Can maximize the $240 in annual credits
- • Rarely book flights (only 1x on travel)
- • Prefer Delta as your primary airline
- • Want the highest dining rewards possible (4x everywhere)
Choose the Sapphire Preferred if you:
- • Want a balanced card for travel AND dining
- • Prefer simpler rewards (no credits to track)
- • Value World of Hyatt and United partnerships
- • Need primary rental car insurance
- • Want flexibility with portal redemptions
💡 Pro Tip: Why Not Both?
Many rewards enthusiasts pair these cards together for maximum earning:
- • Use Amex Gold for all dining and groceries (4x MR)
- • Use Sapphire Preferred for travel and online purchases (3x UR)
- • Keep both point currencies separate for different redemption goals
This "two-card strategy" maximizes earning in every category while maintaining flexibility in redemptions.
Ready to Apply?
View complete details and current offers for both cards.