Updated October 2026 with current annual fees, credits and the June 2026 Sapphire Preferred changes.
Premium cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card from American Express now carry annual fees well above $500, which is hard to justify if you travel only a few times a year. Their mid-tier siblings, the American Express Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, still earn valuable transferable points for a fraction of the cost. Both cards changed in 2026, so here’s how they stack up today.
Amex Gold vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred at a Glance
| Amex Gold | Chase Sapphire Preferred | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $325 | $95 |
| Welcome offer | Up to 100,000 points after $8,000 in 6 months (offers vary) | 75,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months |
| Dining | 4x worldwide (up to $50,000/yr, then 1x) | 3x worldwide, incl. takeout and eligible delivery |
| Groceries | 4x at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000/yr, then 1x) | 3x online groceries (excl. Target, Walmart, wholesale clubs) |
| Travel | 5x prepaid hotels and 3x flights via Amex Travel; 3x flights booked directly with airlines | 5x via Chase Travel; 2x other travel |
| Gas and EV charging | 1x | 3x |
| Other bonus categories | 2x prepaid car rentals and cruises via Amex Travel | 3x select streaming; 3x Airbnb/Vrbo and other vacation rentals |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Annual credits | $120 dining, $120 Uber Cash, $100 Resy, $84 Dunkin’ (enrollment required) | Up to $100 Chase Travel hotel credit |
| Other perks | $100 Hotel Collection credit (2+ nights), Hertz Five Star status | Up to $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit every 4 years, DashPass, primary rental car coverage |
| Points currency | Membership Rewards | Ultimate Rewards |
| Foreign transaction fees | None | None |
Fees, Welcome Offers and Earning
The biggest difference is cost: the Amex Gold charges $325 a year and the Sapphire Preferred charges $95. The Gold earns its fee back mainly through monthly credits, so its value depends on whether you actually use them. Note that the cheaper Amex Green is now closed to new applicants; see Amex Gold vs. Green for what changed.
On earning, the Amex Gold wins for food: 4x at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year) and 4x at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year). It also earns 5x on prepaid hotels and 3x on flights through Amex Travel, plus 3x on flights booked directly with airlines.
The Sapphire Preferred is the more well-rounded earner. After its June 2026 refresh it earns 5x on Chase Travel; 3x on dining, select streaming, online groceries, gas and EV charging, and vacation rentals such as Airbnb and Vrbo; and 2x on other travel. If much of your spending is gas or travel booked outside a portal, the Preferred pulls ahead.
Welcome offers change often (see the table above), so check the issuer’s site for the offer available to you.
Verdict: Amex Gold for heavy dining and grocery spenders; Sapphire Preferred for broader everyday and travel spending.
Redeeming Points: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold
Both cards earn transferable points, which is where the best value usually comes from. For a deeper look at which points currency is better for travel, see our full comparison.
Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to 14 partners, 10 airlines and 4 hotel programs, including United, Southwest, Air Canada Aeroplan, Flying Blue, British Airways, Marriott and World of Hyatt. One important change: Hyatt transfers from the Sapphire Preferred are now 4:3 (1,000 Chase points become 750 Hyatt points). That applied to new applicants from June 15, 2026 and to existing cardmembers from October 1, 2026. Most other partners are 1:1.
In Chase Travel, the old fixed 25% bonus is gone for anyone who opened the card on or after June 23, 2025. It has been replaced by Points Boost, which gives Sapphire Preferred cardmembers up to 1.5 cents per point on select hotels and up to 1.75 cents on select flights. Older cardmembers can redeem points earned before October 26, 2025 at the old 1.25 cents until October 26, 2027.
Amex Membership Rewards transfers to 20 airline and hotel partners, including Delta SkyMiles, ANA Mileage Club, Air Canada Aeroplan, Flying Blue, British Airways and Hilton. Amex Travel and statement credits are available but usually give poor value compared with transfers.
Verdict: still close to a tie. Amex has more airline options, while Chase has United, Southwest and Hyatt (now at a weaker ratio).
Card Perks: Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold
Amex Gold credits (enrollment required where noted):
- Up to $120 a year in dining credits ($10 a month) at Grubhub/Seamless, Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory and Wonder
- Up to $120 a year in Uber Cash ($10 a month) for U.S. rides and Uber Eats
- Up to $100 a year at U.S. Resy restaurants ($50 per half-year)
- Up to $84 a year at U.S. Dunkin’ ($7 a month)
- A $100 credit at The Hotel Collection for stays of two nights or more booked through Amex Travel
- Complimentary Hertz Five Star status (enrollment required)
Used in full, the four recurring credits are worth up to $424 a year, more than the fee. If you won’t use them, the $325 fee is hard to justify.
Sapphire Preferred perks:
- Up to $100 each account anniversary on prepaid hotels booked through Chase Travel
- Up to $120 every four years toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS
- Complimentary DashPass
- One year of Apple TV if activated by December 31, 2026
- Strong travel protections: primary rental car coverage, trip cancellation/interruption, trip delay, baggage delay and new emergency evacuation coverage
Verdict: the Gold has more credits; the Preferred has better travel insurance and simpler perks.
What Changed in 2026
- Sapphire Preferred (June 15, 2026): added 3x on gas/EV charging and vacation rentals; doubled the hotel credit to $100; added a $120 trusted traveler credit and emergency evacuation coverage; removed the 10% anniversary points bonus for new applicants (existing cardmembers earn it on purchases through October 1, 2026); cut Hyatt transfers to 4:3. The $95 fee stayed.
- Amex Gold (2026): raised prepaid Amex Travel hotels to 5x; swapped dining credit partners (Buffalo Wild Wings and Wonder replaced Goldbelly and Wine.com); added Hertz Five Star status. The $325 fee stayed.
Final Verdict: Which Card Is Best for You?
Choose the Amex Gold if dining and groceries are your biggest categories and you’ll actually use the Uber, dining, Resy and Dunkin’ credits each month. Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you want a low $95 fee, rewards across more categories (including gas) and top-tier travel protections.
The two also work well together: the Gold for restaurants and supermarkets, the Preferred for gas, travel and streaming, earning both Membership Rewards and Ultimate Rewards. For more pairing ideas, see our best business and personal card combinations. If you’re deciding between the Preferred and another mid-tier travel card, see our Capital One Venture vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Amex Gold worth $325 compared with the Sapphire Preferred’s $95 fee?
It can be, if you use its credits. The dining, Uber Cash, Resy and Dunkin’ credits add up to $424 a year, but they’re paid monthly or semi-annually, so unused months are lost.
Which card is better for groceries?
For in-store shopping, the Amex Gold: 4x at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 a year. The Sapphire Preferred earns 3x only on online groceries, excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs.
Does the Sapphire Preferred still get 25% more value in Chase Travel?
Not for cards opened on or after June 23, 2025. Those cards use Points Boost, which offers elevated rates on select hotels and flights instead of a flat bonus.
Can I have both the Amex Gold and the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
Yes. They’re from different issuers and earn different currencies, so many people pair them.
