Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which Should You Get?

The Amex Gold and Chase Sapphire Reserve are two of the most popular premium rewards cards in the US, and they are the cards people agonize over most. Both excel at dining and travel, both earn flexible transferable points, and both have loyal followings. But they serve different types of spenders. Here is how to decide which one belongs in your wallet.

Side-by-Side Comparison

The Amex Gold

The Amex Gold costs $250/year and earns 4x Membership Rewards on dining and US supermarkets (up to $25,000/year at supermarkets), plus 3x on flights booked directly with airlines. It includes a $120 dining credit ($10/month at select restaurants including Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, and more).

Effective annual fee: $250 minus $120 dining credit = $130/year, assuming you use the dining credits naturally.

Where the Amex Gold Wins

• Groceries: 4x MR at supermarkets is unmatched among premium cards. The Sapphire Reserve earns only 1x on groceries.
• Dining rate: Both earn top rates on dining, but 4x MR at a 2 cpp valuation (8% effective) edges out 3x UR at 1.5 cpp (4.5% effective through the portal). If you transfer MR to partners, the gap widens further.
• Lower cost: At $130 net annual fee, the Gold is less than half the effective cost of the Reserve.
• Transfer partners: MR has access to ANA, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic -- some of the best international premium cabin redemptions available. Chase UR cannot match these specific sweet spots.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Sapphire Reserve costs $550/year and earns 3x Ultimate Rewards on dining and travel, 1x on everything else. It includes a $300 annual travel credit (automatically applied to any travel purchase), Priority Pass lounge access, primary rental car insurance, and a suite of travel protections.

Effective annual fee: $550 minus $300 travel credit = $250/year, assuming you spend at least $300 on travel annually (most people do).

Where the Sapphire Reserve Wins

• Travel benefits: Priority Pass lounge access, primary rental car insurance, comprehensive trip delay/cancellation coverage, and a $300 travel credit. The Amex Gold has none of these.
• Travel earning:3x on all travel (hotels, flights, Uber, tolls, parking) versus the Gold's 3x on flights only.
• Portal value: UR points are worth 1.5 cpp through the Chase portal with the Reserve. This makes casual redemptions simple -- no transfer partner research needed. MR points through the Amex portal are worth only about 1 cpp.
• Hyatt access: Chase UR transfers to Hyatt at 1:1, and Hyatt consistently delivers 2+ cpp. Amex MR cannot transfer to Hyatt.
• Network acceptance: Visa is accepted virtually everywhere. Amex acceptance, while much improved, still has gaps at smaller merchants and internationally.

Who Should Get Which?

Get the Amex Gold if:

• You spend heavily on groceries ($300+/month at supermarkets).
• You want to minimize annual fees while maximizing earning rates.
• You are interested in international premium cabin redemptions through ANA, Singapore, or Aeroplan.
• You already have lounge access through another card or do not fly enough to use it.
• Dining is your largest spending category.

Get the Sapphire Reserve if:

• You travel frequently and value lounge access, trip insurance, and rental car coverage.
• You prefer a simple redemption path (1.5 cpp through the Chase portal).
• You want to transfer to Hyatt for hotel stays.
• You need broad Visa acceptance for international travel.
• Hotel and total travel spending outweighs your grocery spending.

The Verdict

If you can only pick one, let your spending decide. Calculate your monthly grocery, dining, and travel spend, then run the numbers. For most people who cook at home regularly, the Amex Gold wins on pure earning power. For frequent travelers who want a premium safety net and simple redemptions, the Sapphire Reserve is the better choice. But the ideal setup -- as always in the churning world -- is to build a wallet where each card handles the categories it does best.