- ✦Chase Sapphire Preferred vs American Express Gold Card: the two most-compared travel rewards cards head-to-head on annual fee value, earning rates, benefits, and redemption flexibility.
- ✦Is Chase Sapphire Preferred or Amex Gold better? — Amex Gold wins for foodies and grocery spenders — 4x at restaurants and U.
- ✦What is the annual fee for each card? — Chase Sapphire Preferred: $95/year.
The Short Answer
Choose Amex Gold if: You spend heavily at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets and can use the statement credits. The 4x earning rate is the best in the market for food spending.
Choose Chase Sapphire Preferred if: You travel internationally, want stronger travel protections, or prefer more flexibility in how you use your points. Better for general travelers who want one reliable card.
Hold both if: You're a serious rewards optimizer — they complement each other perfectly.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Chase Sapphire Preferred | Amex Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | $325 (effective ~$85 after credits) |
| Welcome bonus | 60,000 points after $4K spend in 3 mo | 60,000 points after $6K spend in 6 mo |
| Dining earn rate | 3x | 4x |
| Grocery earn rate | N/A (1x) | 4x (U.S. supermarkets, up to $25K/yr) |
| Travel earn rate | 5x on Chase portal, 2x direct | 3x on flights booked direct |
| Other categories | 3x streaming, 2x travel | 2x on Delta flights |
| Base earn rate | 1x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | 14 airlines + hotels | 21 airlines + hotels |
| Travel protections | Primary auto rental, trip cancel $10K | Secondary auto rental, no trip cancel |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Dining credits | None | $120/year ($10/mo Grubhub/Cheesecake Factory etc.) |
| Uber Cash | None | $120/year ($10/mo Uber Cash) |
| Points ecosystem | Chase Ultimate Rewards | Amex Membership Rewards |
The Annual Fee Math
Chase Sapphire Preferred at $95/year: Hard $95 — no credits. Justified if you earn more than $95 in value from the card's travel protections and points.
Amex Gold at $325/year:
- $120 dining credit (Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Five Guys)
- $120 Uber Cash credit ($10/month for rides or Uber Eats)
- Effective cost if fully used: $85/year
The Amex Gold's effective annual fee is lower than the Sapphire Preferred — but only if you actually use the credits. If you don't use Grubhub or Uber, the $325 fee is real.
Earning Rates — Real-World Comparison
Model: Average US household with $800/mo dining, $600/mo groceries, $4,000/year in flights, $5,000/year in other travel.
Amex Gold:
- Dining: $9,600 × 4x = 38,400 points
- Groceries: $7,200 × 4x = 28,800 points
- Flights: $4,000 × 3x = 12,000 points
- Other: $20,000 × 1x = 20,000 points
- Total: 99,200 points/year
- Value at 1.8¢/point: $1,786
Chase Sapphire Preferred:
- Dining: $9,600 × 3x = 28,800 points
- Groceries: $7,200 × 1x = 7,200 points
- Flights: $4,000 × 2x = 8,000 points
- Other: $20,000 × 1x = 20,000 points
- Total: 64,000 points/year
- Value at 2.0¢/point: $1,280
Amex Gold wins on earning for this spend profile — primarily because of the 4x on groceries and dining vs. Chase's 3x dining and 1x groceries.
Transfer Partners and Redemption Flexibility
Chase Ultimate Rewards (14 partners): United, Southwest, British Airways, Air France/KLM, Singapore Airlines, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, and more. Chase Sapphire cardholders also get 1.25¢/point value on Chase Travel portal redemptions.
Amex Membership Rewards (21 partners): Delta, British Airways, Air Canada, ANA, Singapore Airlines, Hilton, Marriott, and more. Amex has more transfer partners, including some not available through Chase (Delta is Amex-exclusive).
The key difference: Chase's Hyatt transfer partnership is widely considered the best value in all of travel rewards — Hyatt properties often redemption at 2-2.5¢ per point, significantly above face value.
Best redemptions for each:
- Chase: Hyatt hotels (2-3¢/point), United business class (6-8¢/point)
- Amex: Delta first class, ANA business class to Japan (7-9¢/point)
Travel Protections — Chase Wins Clearly
This is the area where Chase Sapphire Preferred outperforms significantly:
Chase Sapphire Preferred:
- Trip cancellation/interruption: Up to $10,000/person, $20,000/trip
- Primary auto rental coverage (your own insurance isn't touched first)
- Baggage delay: $100/day up to 5 days
- Trip delay: Up to $500/ticket after 12-hour delay
- Travel accident insurance
Amex Gold:
- No trip cancellation insurance
- Secondary auto rental coverage (your insurance is used first)
- Baggage insurance (secondary)
For a card priced at $325/year, Amex Gold's light travel protections are a notable gap. If you travel frequently, the Chase Sapphire Preferred's protections provide real insurance value that partly justifies its fee on their own.
Who Each Card Is Best For
Amex Gold is best for:
- People who spend $500+/month at restaurants
- People who spend $400+/month at U.S. supermarkets
- Those who use Grubhub and Uber regularly (to maximize credits)
- Frequent Delta flyers (exclusive transfer partner)
Chase Sapphire Preferred is best for:
- International travelers (wider card acceptance, better protections)
- Hyatt loyalists (best redemption value in points ecosystem)
- People who want primary rental car coverage
- Beginners who want one premium travel card with clear, simple value
The Pair Strategy
Many serious rewards travelers hold both. The combination earns:
- 4x on dining and groceries (Gold)
- 3x streaming, 2x travel (Preferred)
- Access to both Hyatt (Chase) and Delta (Amex) transfer partners
This is valid if your spending justifies both annual fees. Don't do it until you're reliably getting $400+ in value from each card individually.
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Chase Sapphire Preferred vs American Express Gold Card: the two most-compared travel rewards cards head-to-head on annual fee value, earning rates, benefits, and redemption flexibility.
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