Is Chase Sapphire or American Express better?

No, it is not worth having both the American Express Platinum card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® because of the cards’ expensive annual fees. The American Express Platinum card comes with an annual fee of $695, and Chase Sapphire Reserve charges $550 per year. Most people simply won’t travel or spend enough each year to get their money’s worth from both cards.... read full answer

American Express Platinum card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve:

For high-spending frequent travelers who can justify the cost, having both the American Express Platinum card and Chase Sapphire Reserve can be well worth it. The benefits will help offset each card’s enormous annual fee if used regularly. For example, the American Express Platinum card offers statement credits for qualifying airline fees and eligible Uber expenses up to a certain amount every year. Chase Sapphire Reserve perks include an annual travel credit. Also, both cards offer statement credit reimbursements for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fees.

Be sure not to apply for the two cards at the same time, though. That’s bad for your credit score, and it’s best to spread out the cost of the high annual fees.

Chase Sapphire Preferred is worth its $95 annual fee for people with good credit who like to travel and typically spend at least $1,334 per month. Spending enough to qualify for the card’s initial rewards bonus will make the Sapphire Preferred Card worth owning for years.

You get 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 during the first 3 months after you open your account. That’s a value of $750 when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. (Points are worth 1 cent each, plus Chase Ultimate Rewards gives you an extra 25% redemption value.) The bonus alone will pay for 7+ years’ of membership dues.... read full answer

The third type of bonus you can get is from referrals. You earn 15,000 points for every person who signs up for Chase Sapphire Preferred using your referral link, with a limit of 75,000 points per year. That means you can earn an extra $188-$938 in travel every year, more than enough to offset the annual fee. You can’t forget about the everyday rewards you’ll earn on purchases, either.

Plus, Chase Sapphire Preferred has more benefits than just reward points. There are no blackout dates or other travel restrictions. And you’ll get a number of other free perks like travel insurance, roadside assistance, and purchase protection. All of these things enhance the value of this card even more.

Therefore, while Chase Sapphire Preferred’s annual fee certainly is above average, the rest of the offer is, too. So as long as you have excellent credit and spend enough to qualify for the initial bonus, Chase Sapphire Preferred is well worth the price.

American Express is accepted at 10.6 million merchant locations in the U.S. and in 160+ countries and territories abroad. But you’ll find some stores that have exclusive deals with the more popular networks, Visa and Mastercard. For example, Costco only accepts Visa cards now, after switching from Amex only in 2016. Plus, despite the good number of foreign countries where you can use American Express cards, acceptance is on a merchant-by-merchant basis. So, coverage in a lot of countries is hit or miss.... read full answer

Here’s where American Express is accepted:

• Where American Express is Accepted in the U.S.: 10.6 million merchants
• Where American Express is Accepted Internationally: 160+ countries and territories
• Countries Where American Express is Accepted Most: Canada, Australia, UK, India, Singapore
• Places Where American Express is Not Accepted: Cuba, Sudan, South Sudan, Iran, Syria
• Major Retailers That Accept American Express: Amazon, IKEA, Sears, Target, Walmart, Lowe’s, Apple, Best Buy, Staples, CVS
• Major Retailers That Don’t Accept American Express: Costco, small non-chain stores/restaurants

So, an American Express card is enough for your shopping within the U.S. Though you may find some stores that don’t take it, the majority will. But you’ll probably want to have a no foreign transaction fee Visa or Mastercard when you go abroad. Those networks guarantee you worldwide coverage, with acceptance in over 200 countries and territories. Plus, Mastercard and Visa cards are accepted just about universally within those regions. Amex cards still have hit-or-miss acceptance in many.