Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Amex Platinum vs Citi Prestige

The miles and points world is all aflutter over the upcoming Chase Sapphire Reserve card.  It is certainly a premium card, and not one that I would recommend most beginners signing up for

(SEE ALSO: Why I keep recommending the Chase Sapphire Preferred for people starting out)

Still, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a pretty good card and one that I personally plan on getting (but then again, I get just about every card ).  Still, with a $450 annual fee, it is very similar to the American Express Platinum and Citi Prestige cards, so I thought it might be worth a post comparing the Chase Sapphire Reserve to the Amex Platinum and Citi Prestige cards on a variety of factors

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Amex Platinum vs Citi Prestige – annual fee

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Annual fee of $450
• American Express Platinum: Annual fee of $450*
• Citi Prestige: Annual fee of $450

All 3 cards have an annual fee of $450, but there IS a version of the Amex Platinum that is targeted to Ameriprise customers (but open to all) that has a $0 annual fee

We’ll call this one a wash

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Amex Platinum vs Citi Prestige – authorized users

• An authorized user on the American Express Platinum card is $175 per year
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: $75 per year
• Citi Prestige: Authorized users are $50 per year

Citi -> Chase -> American Express

Note that many of the benefits of these premium credit cards do NOT apply for authorized users.

Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Citi Prestige – Global Entry

All 3 cards offer a $100 Global Entry reimbursement, so this one is even across the board

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Amex Platinum vs Citi Prestige – signup bonus

The reported 100,000 Ultimate Rewards signup bonus with the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a definite winner.  There have been periodic 100,000 point bonuses on the Amex Platinum, but they are often short lived (I got in on one a few months ago).  The highest known bonus on the Citi Prestige has been 50,000 ThankYou Points.

Chase -> Amex -> Citi

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Citi Prestige vs Amex Platinum – category spend bonuses

• The Chase Sapphire Reserve card gives 3x on travel and dining and 1x on everything else
• Citi Prestige gives 3x on air travel and hotels, 2x on dining and entertainment and 1x on everything else
• In last, the American Express Platinum just gives 1x on everything with no category bonuses

American Express Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Citi Prestige – airport lounge access

All 3 cards offer Priority Pass membership (SEE ALSO: How to use the American Express Priority Pass Platinum card benefit). Only the Citi Prestige card though offers a Priority Pass membership that allows you to bring guests.

In addition, the American Express Platinum offers access to Delta SkyClubs (but only when flying Delta) as well as access to their branded Amex Centurion lounges, which are IMO the best domestic lounges out there.  Here’s a pic of the seating from my time in the Amex Centurion lounge Las Vegas

For lounge access, to me it goes Amex -> Citi -> Chase

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs American Express Platinum vs Citi Prestige – hotel statuses

The American Express Platinum card comes with Hilton HHonors Gold status – which IMO is the best mid-tier hotel status, though it is also easily given with many other cards.  It also gives SPG Gold status.

Both the Citi Prestige and Chase Sapphire Reserve do not have any hotel statuses given, though that could change when the Sapphire Reserve credit card is officially released next week.

Amex -> Citi / Chase

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Amex Platinum vs Citi Prestige – travel credit

• #1 – While we don’t have the official details confirmed, we know that the Chase Sapphire Reserve card will have a $300 annual travel credit and it appears that it will automatically come off
• #2 – The Citi Prestige card has a $250 annual credit and it is automatically applied and includes airline tickets.  Just don’t screw it up your Citi Prestige airline credit like I did!
• #3 – American Express Platinum offers a $200 airline credit each calendar year, but you have to choose a specific airline each year and you can’t typically buy tickets with it (it is meant for “airline incidentals” though in practice gift cards often work)

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Amex Platinum vs Citi Prestige – other benefits

The American Express Platinum card comes with free Boingo wifi hotspots, free roadside assistance, a private Platinum concierge and access to the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program

Citi Prestige offers free rounds of golf (for the next year) and one of the best perks out there – the 4th night free hotel perk, where your 4th night at ANY hotel is free.  They also have a Citi Concierge

(SEE ALSO: Which Citi Prestige devaluation stings you the most?)

Chase Sapphire Reserve offers primary rental car insurance

Citi -> Chase -> Amex – Citi (even with the upcoming Citi Prestige devaluations, the 4th night free benefit is still the best “other benefit” of the 3)

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Citi Prestige vs Amex Platinum – booking travel

The new Chase Sapphire Reserve card will give 1.5 cents per point value when booking travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal

(SEE ALSO: Why the Chase Sapphire Reserve card might make using Rapid Rewards obsolete)

(SEE ALSO: Why it pays to check the Chase Ultimate Rewards mall before transferring points)

The Citi Prestige card gives 1.33 points when booking with ThankYou points.  For the remainder of this year you get 1.6 cents per point for travel on American Airlines, but that benefit is also going away.

American Express Platinum only offers 1 cent per point

They also all have hotel and airline transfer partners that you can transfer points to, which IMO is typically gives you the best value for your points.

Chase -> Citi -> Amex on this one!

Conclusion: Comparing the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum and the Citi Prestige

Looking at the rankings

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: 4 1st, 2 2nd, 2 3rd places
• Citi Prestige: 2 1st, 5 2nd, 1 3rd places
• American Express Platinum: 2 1st, 1 2nd, 5 3rd places

Seems like a clear winner to me!  Looks like American Express and Citi have some catching up to do!