Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Amex Platinum

In 2026, both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Amex Platinum Card® have seen significant overhauls. Both cards have increased their annual fees and expanded their “coupon book” of credits, making the choice more about your lifestyle than ever before.¹

Here is the 2026 breakdown to help you decide which belongs in your wallet.

At a Glance: Key Stats for 2026

Feature	Chase Sapphire Reserve®	Amex Platinum Card®
Annual Fee	$795	$895
Welcome Offer	~125k–175k points	~125k–175k points
Main Credits	$300 Travel (Flexible), $300 Dining	$600 Hotel, $200 Uber, $400 Resy
Best Earning	8x Chase Travel, 3x Dining	5x Direct Flights & Amex Travel
Lounge Access	Sapphire Lounges + Priority Pass	Centurion, Delta (limited), Priority Pass

1. The Rewards: Earning and Burning

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is generally better for “everyday” high-end spenders because it rewards dining and broad travel categories. Amex Platinum remains a “purchase-specific” card, mostly rewarding flights and prepaid hotels.²

Chase Advantage: You earn 3x points on dining worldwide.³ Your points are worth 1.5 to 2 cents each when redeemed through the Chase Travel portal (via the new “Points Boost” program).⁴
Amex Advantage: You earn 5x points on flights (booked directly or via Amex).⁵ While portal redemptions are lower (1 cent), Amex often has more frequent transfer bonuses to airline partners (Delta, British Airways, etc.).⁶

2. Annual Credits: Flexibility vs. Luxury

Both cards are now high-fee “membership cards” that require you to use their credits to break even.

Chase Sapphire Reserve ($2,700+ total value)

$300 Travel Credit: Still the gold standard—automatically applied to anything from parking fees to flights.
$300 Dining Credit: Up to $150 semi-annually at “Exclusive Tables” (OpenTable).⁷
$500 The Edit Credit: Up to $250 semi-annually for Chase’s luxury hotel collection.
Lifestyle Extras: $300 StubHub credit, $300 DoorDash credit, and complimentary Apple TV+/Music.⁸

Amex Platinum ($3,500+ total value)

$600 Hotel Credit:⁹ Now doubled—up to $300 semi-annually on Fine Hotels + Resorts.
$400 Resy Credit: Up to $100 per quarter for dining at Resy-affiliated restaurants.¹⁰
$200 Uber Cash: $15/month (plus a December bonus) for rides or Uber Eats.¹¹
The “Coupon Book”: Includes $209 for CLEAR Plus, $300 Digital Entertainment (Disney+, Hulu, YT Premium), and $100 at Saks Fifth Avenue.

3. Travel Perks: The “VIP” Experience

If you spend a lot of time in airports, the Amex Platinum still holds the crown for lounge access, though Chase is catching up.

Lounge Access: Amex gives you the Centurion Lounge network and Delta Sky Club access (though now limited to 10 visits/year unless you spend $75k). Chase offers the growing Sapphire Lounge network, which is often less crowded and has higher-quality food.¹²
Hotel Status: Amex gives you Gold Status with Marriott and Hilton automatically.¹³ Chase provides IHG Platinum Elite status (through 2027).¹⁴
Insurance: Chase remains the leader in Travel Insurance. Their primary car rental insurance and trip cancellation coverage are much more robust than Amex’s secondary coverage.

The Verdict: Which should you pick?

Pick the Chase Sapphire Reserve if…

You want a card you can use for everything. Its $300 travel credit is effortless to use, and the 3x earning on dining makes it a great daily driver. It’s the better “all-in-one” travel card.

Pick the Amex Platinum if…

You are a luxury traveler who values status. If you already use Uber, Resy, and streaming services, the credits effectively pay for the card. It’s less about the points you earn on daily spend and more about the VIP treatment at airports and hotels.

Would you like me to compare the specific airline transfer partners for both cards to see which fits your favorite airline?