Credit Card Showdown: American Express Green Card versus Chase Sapphire Preferred Card [In-depth Analysis]
In the realm of travel, dining, and transit rewards credit cards, two popular options are the American Express Green Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. Both cards offer unique benefits, making them suitable for different spending habits and preferences.
**American Express Green Card Rewards**
The American Express Green Card offers 3X Membership Rewards points on dining, transit, and travel. This includes takeout and delivery in the U.S. for dining, trains, buses, ferries, subways, and other transit for transit, and airfare, hotels, tours, and more for travel. Other purchases earn 1X point per dollar. The card comes with a $150 annual fee and offers notable benefits such as a $189 annual CLEAR Plus credit and a $100 LoungeBuddy credit, with no foreign transaction fees.
**Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Rewards**
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers 3X points on dining, including eligible delivery, and 2X points on all other travel. While transit isn't specifically called out as a separate category, travel broadly covers some transit. The card has an annual fee of $95 and offers virtually the same redemption options as the American Express Green Card, with the addition of Points Boost, which gives a 75% bonus in value when redeeming through the Chase travel portal.
**Comparison and Analysis**
When it comes to dining, both cards offer 3X points, making them equally rewarding in this category. For transit, the Amex Green Card clearly outperforms the Sapphire Preferred, offering 3X points on trains, buses, ferries, subways, and more, while the Chase card typically offers only 2X (or less) on general travel and transit.
In terms of travel, the Amex Green Card gives 3X points on all eligible travel, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred gives 5X points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ and 2X points on all other travel. If you consistently book through Chase Travel℠, the Sapphire Preferred can be more rewarding for travel.
The Amex Green Card's annual fee is $150, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred is cheaper at $95.
**Best for Transit:** American Express Green Card (3X points on transit). **Best for Travel (if booking through Chase Travel℠):** Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (5X points). **Best for Dining:** Both cards offer equal rewards (3X points). **Overall Value:** Chase Sapphire Preferred may offer better value for those who redeem points for travel through their portal and want a lower annual fee. Amex Green Card is better for those who want strong rewards on a wide range of transit and travel categories and can use the CLEAR and LoungeBuddy credits.
Both cards have additional benefits and offers. The Amex Green Card offers airline and hotel transfer partners, bookings through AmexTravel.com portal, cash-back via statement credit, gift cards, and shopping with select merchants like Amazon. On the other hand, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a $50 annual hotel statement credit towards hotel stays made through its native Chase travel portal, bonus points on account anniversary each year equal to 10% of the amount spent on the card in that year, and a 1-year membership of DoorDash DashPass.
In conclusion, if you value premium transit rewards and international travel benefits, the American Express Green Card is superior. If you mainly book travel through Chase’s portal and want a lower annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card may be the better choice. Both cards are strong for dining rewards.
- When considering the world of finance and investing, the American Express Green Card could be an appealing option for individuals who frequently travel, dine, or use public transit, as it offers 3X Membership Rewards points on these categories.
- Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card might be more suitable for those who prefer to book their travel through Chase Travel℠, as it offers 5X points on travel booked through this platform, in addition to 3X points on dining.
- In terms of business management and long-term planning, the overall value of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card may be more attractive due to its lower annual fee and bonus points offer on account anniversary, making it a potentially cost-effective choice for managing travel expenses.
