American Express^® Green Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card [2024]: Green or Blue for You?

Using rewards credit cards can help you make the most of each dollar you spend. And choosing the right card can help you earn the most cash back, free travel, and other perks.

Two cards to consider when moving forward are the American Express^® Green Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card. They both feature extra earning for travel purchases and flexible redemption programs. However, there are a few key differences between them.

Here’s what you need to know about the Amex Green Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Amex Green Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred

Before you make a choice about whether to choose the Amex Green Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred, let’s look at a comparison of their benefits and features. Seeing these cards side-by-side can help you figure out which is most likely to provide you with the experience you’re looking for.

	American Express Green Card	Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Annual fee	$150 (Terms apply)	$95
Welcome offer	Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months (plus, earn 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases during the first 6 months, up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit) of account opening	Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening of account opening
Earning rate	3X points on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.; and 1X points on all other eligible purchases	5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases
Redemption methods	Redeem for travel, experiences, gift cards, or a statement credit. It’s also possible to transfer to partner hotel and airline programs at a 1:1 rate.	Redeem for travel, experiences, gift cards or a statement credit. It’s also possible to transfer to partner hotel and airline programs at a 1:1 rate.
Intro APR	None	None
Annual credits/bonuses	Up to $189 annual CLEAR Plus credit for a membership to this program Up to $100 annual credit with LoungeBuddy to purchase lounge access	$50 in statement credits for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠ An annual points bonus equal to 10% of your previous year's total card spend
Travel perks	CLEAR Plus credit LoungeBuddy credit Trip delay insurance Baggage insurance Car rental loss and damage insurance Pay with Points when booking through Amextravel.com	Trip cancellation insurance Auto rental collision damage waiver Baggage delay insurance Tip delay reimbursement 25% extra value when redeeming points for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal
Other benefits	Purchase protection Extended warranty Special offers Complimentary ShopRunner membership for free two-day shipping Special entertainment access	Purchase protection Extended warranty Earn 5x total points on qualifying Lyft rides DashPass membership for at least 12 months
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Learn how to apply	Learn how to apply

What both the Amex Green Card and CSP are great at

Both options are often listed among the best travel credit cards, offering flexible rewards programs with 1:1 transfer partners — meaning both can give you a lot of value when it comes to booking travel. With the Amex Green Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s possible to find a variety of options when it comes time to redeem your rewards. Both offer the ability to transfer your rewards points to various airline and hotel loyalty programs at a 1:1 rate.

On top of that, both cards offer bonus points on travel and dining purchases. The Green Card offers 3X points on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., though, while the Sapphire Preferred offers 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.

Both cards also offer extended warranty and purchase protection, so you know that you have some additional layers of protection for your purchases. Additionally, the trip insurance and rental car insurance coverage are similar with both cards.

Finally, both cards offer entertainment perks and special access to events and offers. Amex and Chase each have their own offerings — American Express Experiences and Chase Experiences — providing you with the ability to get early access to concert tickets, enjoy special events, and participate in VIP experiences.

Best for annual fee: Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Amex Green Card charges an annual fee of $150, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred charges $95.

The bottom line: Because of the statement credits (more on that next), it could make sense to pay the higher annual fee of the Amex Green Card. On the other hand, if you’re looking for basic perks, and might prefer different credits, the cheaper fee from the Chase Sapphire Preferred might be the better deal.

Check out our full Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

Best for statement credits: Amex Green Card

When looking at statement credits offered by the Amex Green Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred, there are some important differences.

The Amex Green Card comes with up to $189 annual statement credit for CLEAR Plus membership. This membership can help cardholders get through security lines faster — and the Amex Green Card makes it more affordable. An annual CLEAR Plus membership normally costs $119 to $189, so the statement credit brings your expense down to $0.

Additionally, the Amex Green Card comes with up to a $100 statement credit when purchasing airport lounge access through LoungeBuddy. There is no annual fee to use LoungeBuddy, but you can use the app to find lounge locations and purchase a day pass.

On the other hand, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers DoorDash benefits. You can receive a complimentary DashPass membership for 12 months, which provides you the ability to save on delivery and service fees on certain orders. It’s possible to save up to $5 per order with DoorDash. In addition, you also receive up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠.

The bottom line: The statement credit benefits with the Amex Green Card are potentially more valuable than those with the Chase Sapphire Preferred. If you know you’ll use the travel perks offered by the Amex card, it might be worth the higher annual fee.

Check out our full Amex Green Card review.

Best for transfer partners: Reader’s choice

There are some differences in transfer partners when you look at the Amex Green Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred. For example, both offer 1:1 transfers to the Marriott Bonvoy program. But Chase’s transfer partners also include the World of Hyatt and IHG Rewards Club, while Amex focuses on Choice Hotels and Hilton Honors.

It’s worth noting that Amex Membership Rewards transfer at a 1:2 rate with Hilton Honors. Amex’s transfer partners include more airlines than Chase too. However, not all of Amex’s airline transfers are at a 1:1 ratio, so you might not get the same value once you examine the math.

Before you choose between these cards, you should carefully compare the available transfer partners available with each issuer's loyalty program. For example, if you fly Delta frequently, Amex might be a good choice, since there’s a direct transfer to SkyMiles. However, with Chase, you might have to transfer your miles to another SkyTeam member, like KLM, and then try to book Delta through that roundabout method. On the other hand, Chase has United as a transfer partner, while Amex doesn’t.

The bottom line: Figure out which travel partners are most likely to benefit you before you pick which card to apply for.

Best for value of points: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Both the American Express Green Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred allow you to earn extra points on travel and dining purchases and then flexibly redeem them. The Amex Green Card offers 3X points on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. while the Sapphire Preferred offers 2X points on other travel purchases and 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries

Chase has a partnership with Lyft, though, that can result in earning 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. This makes it the better card to earn points with rideshare spending, because you can only earn 3X points on rideshare with the Amex Green Card.

Finally, Chase offers a bonus when you redeem points for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal. While you can find good deals with Amextravel.com, Chase offers you a 25% increase in value. So each Chase Ultimate Reward is actually worth 1.25, not 1 when you use them in their travel portal. This can make travel earning and redemption more valuable with Chase.

The bottom line: The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers better earnings for rideshare and common spending categories, as well as a more valuable redemption for travel.

Which card should you choose: Amex Green Card vs. CSP?

When choosing a rewards card, it’s important to first consider what’s most likely to fit your spending style and needs. Both of these cards offer increased rewards for travel and dining, so if you spend a lot in those categories, either of these cards can be a good choice. But the Sapphire Preferred offers more ways to earn bonus points.

In addition, when it comes to travel redemption, the Chase Sapphire Preferred can be more valuable, just because it has that 25% bonus. On the other hand, the Amex Green Card offers more points per dollar spent on travel. So you may need to do some math to figure out which pencils out to be more valuable monetarily for you.

It’s also a good idea to compare perks. If you like the convenience of getting through airport security quickly, the Amex Green Card’s $150 annual fee might be worth it to save $189 on a CLEAR Plus membership. Plus, the $100 LoungeBuddy credit can be useful for frequent travelers.

On the other hand, if you already have something like TSA PreCheck to help you cut down on time in the airport line, and you’d prefer to save money on frequent meal delivery, the Chase Sapphire Preferred might be a better choice with its DashPass benefit.

In the end, it’s about weighing the rewards earning potential against the benefits and perks, as well as considering whether it’s worth paying an annual fee. Consider what you’re actually going to use and run the numbers to determine what works best for you.

FAQs about the Amex Green Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred

Bottom line on Amex Green Card vs. CSP

Carefully consider your credit card usage as you compare the Amex Green Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred. What works best for you will depend on your habits and how likely you are to use each card’s rewards.

The American Express Green Card can be a good choice for frequent travelers who want to earn points on travel and dining and who want more opportunities to transfer points to airline loyalty programs. Additionally, if you value convenience at the airport, the statement credits for CLEAR Plus and LoungeBuddy can make this card a good choice.

On the other hand, if you want to focus on increased redemption value per point, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card might be the way to go. If you want to save money on the annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred can offer you the chance to start with some travel perks, including a $50 annual hotel credit, and redemption options without spending as much.

Figure out which new card is most likely to fit your style, budget, and situation, and then choose the credit card that offers you the best benefits.

Great for Flexible Travel Rewards

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

4.9

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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

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Current Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$95

Rewards Rate

5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 25% more value when redeeming rewards for travel through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary point bonus each year
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠
• Premium travel protection benefits

Drawbacks

• Has annual fee

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC