Chase Sapphire Preferred now worth holding alongside the Reserve

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees ) and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees ) have long been two of the most popular travel rewards cards on the market.

For years, most travelers chose one or the other and never seriously considered carrying both. But following the recent Sapphire Preferred refresh , I think there's never been a stronger case for Sapphire Reserve cardholders to add the Sapphire Preferred to their wallet.

That's especially true right now. The Sapphire Preferred is offering 100,000 bonus points, earned after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, matching the highest offer we've ever seen on the card.

Here's why I added the Sapphire Preferred to my wallet despite already holding the Sapphire Reserve — and why other Reserve cardholders may want to consider doing the same.

Can you hold the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve at the same time?

Yes. Chase allows consumers to hold both the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve simultaneously.

The bigger question isn't whether you can have both cards — it's whether you'll be eligible for a welcome bonus .

According to Chase, welcome offer eligibility depends on several factors, including previously earned bonuses and account history. In practice, if you've previously earned a Sapphire Preferred welcome bonus, you may be able to get the Sapphire Preferred again, but you're unlikely to receive another welcome bonus on that card.

OLEG BRESLAVTSEV/GETTY IMAGES The same generally applies to the Sapphire Reserve. If you've previously earned a Sapphire Reserve welcome bonus and closed the card, you're unlikely to earn the welcome bonus again.

That doesn't necessarily mean you can't get the card — it just means you shouldn't assume you'll receive the welcome bonus.

Related: Are you eligible for a Chase Sapphire welcome bonus? Here's the full checklist

How to get a second personal Sapphire card

If you want to add a second Sapphire card, you can either apply outright or product change an existing Chase card.

Applying outright is usually preferable if you're eligible for the welcome bonus, while product changing can make sense for cardholders who are over Chase's 5/24 limit .

The latter is the route I took.

Why I added the Sapphire Preferred to my wallet

I've held the Sapphire Reserve for nearly a decade. I also previously had the Sapphire Preferred , earned a welcome bonus and eventually closed the card.

Last week, I decided to add the Sapphire Preferred back to my wallet.

Because I'm over Chase's 5/24 limit, applying for a new Sapphire Preferred wasn't possible. Instead, I product changed my no-annual-fee Chase Slate® (see rates and fees ) into a Sapphire Preferred knowing I wouldn't be eligible for a welcome bonus.

Even without the bonus, the decision was easy.

SOLSTOCK/GETTY IMAGES The Sapphire Preferred's $100 annual hotel credit can more than offset its $95 annual fee . More importantly, the card now earns 3 points per dollar spent on vacation home rentals (with Airbnb, Vrbo, Plum Guide, HomeAway, Homestay.com and Vacasa).

I have a four-month Airbnb stay in Madrid later this year, with $7,220 in payments due. Charging those stays to the Sapphire Preferred will earn me 21,660 Chase Ultimate Rewards points worth $444 based on TPG's June 2026 valuations .

That benefit alone justifies carrying the card in my situation.

Related: Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred worth the annual fee? I say yes

Why Sapphire Reserve cardholders should add the Sapphire Preferred

The Sapphire Reserve remains the better card for flights and hotels booked directly and Chase Travel℠ purchases. But following the Sapphire Preferred refresh, there are now several categories where the Preferred is the clear winner.

Spending category Sapphire Preferred Sapphire Reserve

Vacation home rentals* 3 points per dollar 1 point per dollar

Gas 3 points per dollar 1 point per dollar

Electric vehicle charging 3 points per dollar 1 point per dollar

Other travel (including trains, public transit, taxis, ride-hailing services and parking) 2 points per dollar 1 point per dollar

Dining worldwide 3 points per dollar 3 points per dollar

Flights booked directly with airlines 2 points per dollar 4 points per dollar

Hotels booked directly 2 points per dollar 4 points per dollar

Chase Travel purchases 5 points per dollar 8 points per dollar

*Eligible vacation rental bookings include those made with Airbnb, Vrbo, Plum Guide, HomeAway, Homestay.com and Vacasa.

For travelers who spend heavily on vacation rentals , gas , EV charging or general travel purchases , those differences can add up quickly.

Earn with the Preferred, redeem with the Reserve

This is where the strategy gets interesting.

The Sapphire Preferred has become the better earning card in several categories, while the Sapphire Reserve remains the better redemption card.

D3SIGN/GETTY IMAGES Chase allows you to combine Ultimate Rewards points between your own accounts , so points earned on the Sapphire Preferred can be moved to your Sapphire Reserve account.

That lets you earn at higher rates on categories like vacation rentals and gas while still taking advantage of Sapphire Reserve benefits like lounge access , Points Boost redemptions, the annual travel credit and a more favorable World of Hyatt transfer ratio†.

†The 4:3 transfer ratio is immediate for those who applied for the Sapphire Preferred from June 15; it devalues from 1:1 to 4:3 on Oct. 1 for other cardholders.

Watch out for overlapping benefits

There is some duplication. Both cards earn 3 points per dollar spent on dining , include travel protections and offer access to Chase transfer partners (excluding the World of Hyatt transfer ratio difference).

You'll also need to keep track of separate credits , including the Sapphire Preferred 's $100 annual hotel credit and the Sapphire Reserve 's many travel and lifestyle credits .

For frequent travelers, I think the extra administration is worth the added earning potential.

Related: How to transfer Chase points to Hyatt: A step-by-step guide

When adding the Sapphire Preferred makes sense

I think adding the Sapphire Preferred makes the most sense for existing Sapphire Reserve cardholders who:

Are eligible for the current 100,000-point welcome bonus.

Spend heavily on vacation rentals.

Regularly spend on gas or EV charging.

Have meaningful spending on ride-hailing services , trains, public transit or other travel purchases.

Can reliably use the Sapphire Preferred's $100 annual hotel credit.

Want to keep the Sapphire Reserve for lounge access, travel protections, Points Boost and premium Chase redemptions .

If you're eligible for the current 100,000-point offer , the case is particularly compelling. But even if you're not eligible for the bonus, I still think the math can work.

PHOTOATTRACTIVE/GETTY IMAGES That's the position I'm in. I won't receive a welcome bonus on my Sapphire Preferred, but the annual hotel credit can offset the annual fee. Not to mention, my upcoming Airbnb spending alone should generate hundreds of dollars worth of Ultimate Rewards points.

Advice for existing Sapphire Preferred Card holders

If you're starting from the opposite position and already have the Sapphire Preferred , I'm less enthusiastic about adding the Sapphire Reserve .

The Reserve's annual fee is $700 higher, and maximizing its value requires much more effort.

That said, frequent travelers who value lounge access, stronger travel protections and premium redemption options may still find it worthwhile.

If you're eligible for the Sapphire Reserve welcome bonus , I'd generally recommend applying outright rather than product changing your Sapphire Preferred into a Sapphire Reserve.

Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve: Which is better for you?

Bottom line

A year ago, I probably would have told most Sapphire Reserve cardholders to stick with a single Sapphire card . Today, I think the opposite may be true.

The Sapphire Reserve remains Chase's flagship travel rewards card, but the Sapphire Preferred has become a much stronger companion. That's thanks to its bonus categories on vacation home rentals, gas, EV charging and general travel purchases.

If you're eligible for the Sapphire Preferred's current 100,000-point welcome offer, the case for adding it is particularly compelling. But even if you're not, the card can still be worth carrying if you'll use the $100 annual hotel credit and spend meaningfully in its strongest bonus categories.

That's ultimately why I added the Sapphire Preferred back to my wallet — and why I think there's a stronger case than ever for frequent travelers to carry both cards.

To learn more, read our full reviews of the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve .

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.