Frequent traveler
- Dining $500
- Groceries $400
- Flights $500
- Hotels $400
- Other $900
Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Amex Platinum
Sapphire Reserve vs Amex Platinum is the premium-card matchup most people search, and both now carry very high annual fees. Reserve earns more on dining and Chase Travel and has a broad yearly travel credit. Platinum earns heavily on flights and prepaid Amex Travel hotels, has the larger lounge network, and leans on a long list of monthly and brand-specific credits. The winner depends on your flights-versus-dining split and how many credits you’d really use.
Fees and credits change—confirm current terms with Chase and American Express. Use the MaxPoints calculator presets below to test both cards on your real budget.
How MaxPoints helps
Most Reserve vs Platinum roundups total up every credit on the brochure. MaxPoints compares what each card nets on the dollars you actually spend.
- Pick a preset below—or enter your own monthly spend.
- Count only credits you’d use without the card. Platinum’s result moves most with this step.
- Compare Year 1 (with any welcome bonus) and Year 2+ after the fee.
Open the free credit card rewards calculator — no signup required.
Spend presets
Illustrative monthly spends. Open a mix in the calculator, then change any dollar amount.
Dining-heavy
- Dining $900
- Groceries $500
- Flights $200
- Hotels $150
- Other $800
Big flyer
- Dining $300
- Groceries $400
- Flights $900
- Hotels $300
- Other $700
Quick comparison
Typical differences only. Fees, credits, and earn rates change—confirm current terms with the issuer before you apply.
Fee feel
Sapphire Reserve (typical story)
Very high fee; a broad anniversary travel credit covers part of it automatically
Amex Platinum (typical story)
The higher fee of the two; offset only by credits you actively use
Dining
Sapphire Reserve (typical story)
Bonus earn on dining worldwide
Amex Platinum (typical story)
Base earn on dining; dining value comes through a Resy credit instead
Flights and hotels
Sapphire Reserve (typical story)
Top earn through Chase Travel; elevated on flights and hotels booked direct
Amex Platinum (typical story)
Top earn on flights booked direct or with Amex Travel, and on prepaid Amex Travel hotels
Credits
Sapphire Reserve (typical story)
Fewer, broader credits: travel, dining, hotels, entertainment
Amex Platinum (typical story)
Many monthly, quarterly, and brand-specific credits
Lounges
Sapphire Reserve (typical story)
Chase Sapphire Lounges plus Priority Pass
Amex Platinum (typical story)
Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, and Delta Sky Club visits when flying Delta
Best next step
Sapphire Reserve (typical story)
Run Is Sapphire Reserve worth it?
Amex Platinum (typical story)
| Angle | Sapphire Reserve (typical story) | Amex Platinum (typical story) |
|---|---|---|
| Fee feel | Very high fee; a broad anniversary travel credit covers part of it automatically | The higher fee of the two; offset only by credits you actively use |
| Dining | Bonus earn on dining worldwide | Base earn on dining; dining value comes through a Resy credit instead |
| Flights and hotels | Top earn through Chase Travel; elevated on flights and hotels booked direct | Top earn on flights booked direct or with Amex Travel, and on prepaid Amex Travel hotels |
| Credits | Fewer, broader credits: travel, dining, hotels, entertainment | Many monthly, quarterly, and brand-specific credits |
| Lounges | Chase Sapphire Lounges plus Priority Pass | Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, and Delta Sky Club visits when flying Delta |
| Best next step | Run Is Sapphire Reserve worth it? | Run Is Amex Platinum worth it? |
Tips
Platinum lives or dies on credits. Monthly and quarterly credits only count if you’d spend there anyway. Toggle off the rest and the fee looks very different.
Dining tilts toward Reserve. If restaurants are a top-three line in your budget, Reserve’s dining earn usually matters more than Platinum’s flight earn.
Airfare tilts toward Platinum. Heavy flyers who book direct with airlines earn faster on Platinum.
Lounges depend on your airports. Value lounge access only for trips you already take, through airports that have the lounges.
Chase 5/24 matters. Opening other cards first can block Reserve approval—see Chase’s 5/24 rule.
FAQ
Reserve usually nets more for diners and people who want fewer, broader credits; Platinum can win for heavy flyers who will use most of its credits and lounges. Run a MaxPoints preset with your numbers instead of relying on a generic winner.
Platinum’s fee is higher. Both are top-tier, so the real question is which card’s credits you’d actually use—confirm current fees with Chase and American Express.
Platinum has the larger network, with Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, and Delta Sky Club visits when flying Delta. Reserve has Chase Sapphire Lounges and Priority Pass. Which is better depends on the airports you use.
You can, but two top-tier fees rarely beat one premium card plus a no-fee category card. Model the pair in the full calculator before adding a second.
Yes. The calculator is free and doesn’t require a signup to compare cards.
Reserve vs Platinum depends on how you spend and which credits you’d use. Load a preset, adjust the dollars, and see which card nets more on your wallet.
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