With my Chase Ultimate Rewards balance running low and some large expenditures coming up, it seemed like a great time to add a new Chase card — and welcome bonus — to my wallet. I’d been eyeing the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) for a long time, but its recent overhaul eliminated some key perks and made the annual fee tougher to swallow. Then I realized Chase has another card that would meet my needs better for a fraction of the cost: the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees).
Here’s why this $95 business card beats the Sapphire Reserve for me and how you can decide which of these cards makes sense for you.
Related: Your guide to the Chase Ink Business credit cards
Earn 3 points per dollar spent on general travel
Having held the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) for several years, I’ve enjoyed having the ability to earn 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on general travel purchases. Since I spend a good portion of my travel budget on nonbonus travel like Airbnbs and tours, the Sapphire Reserve — which used to earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel — seemed like the obvious next step in my credit card strategy.
Then, last summer, Chase overhauled the card and nixed the 3 bonus points per dollar spent on travel. Now you can earn 4 points per dollar spent on hotels and flights booked directly and 8 points per dollar spent on flights, hotels and rental cars booked through Chase Travel℠, but other travel purchases earn a measly 1 point per dollar spent. As a result, the Sapphire Reserve lost much of its appeal for me.
The Ink Business Preferred, on the other hand, earns 3 transferable Chase points per dollar spent on general travel for only a $95 annual fee. (The card earns 3 points per dollar spent on travel and select business categories, on up to $150,000 in combined purchases per account anniversary year. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar spent.)
This perk alone makes up for the annual fee, in my view. I could earn 50% more Chase points on general travel purchases than I currently do with my Sapphire Preferred for the exact same annual fee. And since the Ink Preferred earns fully fledged Chase Ultimate Rewards points, I wouldn’t need to keep my Sapphire in order to transfer my rewards to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.
Related: Which purchases qualify for 3 points per dollar with the Ink Business Preferred?
No coupon book perks to worry about
Of course, the Chase Sapphire Reserve‘s new eye-watering annual fee didn’t come without extra perks. The updated version of the card offers over $2,000 in value through various travel and lifestyle credits, including on The Edit hotels, StubHub and Lyft.
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The only problem? Based on my lifestyle, I would only make use of a couple of these credits, and I would have to go out of my way to do so. With several other cards already in my wallet and credit card fatigue creeping in, I’d rather not have to put much time and effort into justifying a card’s annual fee.
Meanwhile, the Ink Business Preferred‘s list of perks is as small as its annual fee — and, for me, that simplicity is a perk in and of itself. I want my next card to add points to my life, not stress.
Still, the Ink Preferred packs a punch for a $95 card. Extended warranty, cellphone, travel and purchase protections and no foreign transaction fees are a few of the perks built into the card. Additionally, cardholders can save on DoorDash fees with a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership when it’s activated by Dec. 31, 2027; they’ll also receive up to $10 a month on nonrestaurant DoorDash orders.
Related: 5 reasons to get Chase’s Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
Big welcome bonus
The Sapphire Reserve is offering a hefty welcome bonus of 125,000 points that are earned after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That may sound like a lot of points, but it’s not that spectacular for a card with such a high annual fee.
Meanwhile, the Ink Preferred‘s current welcome bonus is 100,000 points that can be earned when you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Those points are worth $2,050, according to TPG’s March 2026 valuations, an impressive bonus for a card with a $95 annual fee.
With a safari trip in the works for later this year, I’ll get the bonus in no time — and I’ll end up with at least 125,000 bonus points in total if I earn 3 points per dollar spent on the trip. So, I can get the same number of bonus points as I would with the Sapphire Reserve, without the massive annual fee.
Between the sizable welcome bonus and the triple points earned on all travel, I hope to use my new Ink Business Preferred to replenish my Chase Ultimate Rewards balance this year. For me, Chase points are the most useful currency I collect because I can transfer them to my favorite airline and hotel programs, United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt.
Related: 21 ways to use 100K Chase Ultimate Rewards points: From budget-friendly flights to luxe hotel stays
Bottom line
I was bummed when Chase overhauled the Sapphire Reserve, making it less useful to me and even costlier to hold. Thankfully, Chase’s Ink Business Preferred ticks all my boxes for a fraction of the cost, mainly thanks to its rare triple points earning on general travel purchases. And, since I do some freelance work, I’m eligible for a business credit card.
However, this doesn’t mean I won’t add the Sapphire Reserve to my wallet someday. I could see myself applying months or years down the road — especially if I trimmed some other cards from my wallet, allowing me to focus my energy on taking advantage of the Reserve’s myriad perks and credits. I would also wait for a higher welcome bonus before I finally make my move since Chase’s new eligibility rules limit you to one welcome bonus per card, per lifetime.
