Are Chase or Amex bank cards a greater match for you?

Chase and American Specific are two of essentially the most vital issuers within the bank card market proper now. They each supply stellar merchandise which have a spot in most factors and miles devotees’ wallets. I personally have playing cards from each issuers.

Should you’re new to the factors and miles world or trying to improve your pockets with new playing cards, you might be questioning which issuer is a greater match for you.

Each situation playing cards that cowl a spread of annual charges and have nice journey perks, however neither presents a “one-size-fits-all” card.

On this information, we’ll go over the standard advantages you may anticipate from Chase and American Specific playing cards that can assist you make the fitting resolution for you.

Chase or Amex: Which issuer has one of the best switch companions?

At TPG, there’s one factor we preach time and time once more: Switch companions are one of the simplest ways to maximise the worth you get out of your rewards.

There is no goal reply on the subject of one of the best switch companions because it is dependent upon your journey preferences and habits. I personally love flying with United Airways and Alaska Airways, however many TPGers want flying with American Airways or Delta Air Traces.

When evaluating the switch companions accessible from Chase versus these from Amex, it is necessary to think about the airways and resort manufacturers you guide with essentially the most.

Alternatively, if you happen to’re new to touring and do not have preferences but, take into account the issuer that provides the widest vary of switch companions. In that case, the winner could be American Specific. It presents 20 switch companions, whereas Chase presents 14.

If amount is not a very powerful issue to you, take note of the manufacturers coated by every loyalty program.

American Specific Membership Rewards switch companions

Amex presents the next airline packages as switch companions:

Plus the next resort packages:

Chase Final Rewards switch companions

Chase companions with the next airline packages:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• British Airways Membership
• Emirates Skywards
• Iberia Membership
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore KrisFlyer
• Southwest Fast Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership

And the next resort packages:

Verdict: It is dependent upon your preferences. If accessing the widest number of switch companions is a very powerful factor, then Amex is the winner. In any other case, decide the issuer that companions with the airways and resort manufacturers you utilize essentially the most.

Chase or Amex: Which issuer has one of the best welcome presents?

Most factors and miles hobbyists store round for the finest welcome presents, however that is more durable to do when Chase and Amex are concerned. That is as a result of each issuers have quite strict guidelines for his or her welcome presents.

For Chase, you most likely will not be authorised for a brand new card if you happen to’ve opened 5 or extra new accounts prior to now 24 months. Plus, if you happen to’ve beforehand earned a welcome bonus on both the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card (see charges and costs) or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs), or if you happen to presently maintain both card, you greater than seemingly will not be capable to earn a brand new welcome supply on them.

Amex would not care as a lot about what number of accounts you’ve got opened prior to now 24 months, however it will not let you might have greater than 5 bank cards open with it at one time. Sure playing cards, akin to The Platinum Card® from American Specific and the American Specific® Gold Card, do not depend towards this rule.

Plus, you may solely earn a card’s welcome bonus as soon as in a lifetime. So, it is necessary to attend for one of the best supply doable.

So far as precise presents go, let’s check out three of one of the best welcome presents from every issuer.

American Specific welcome presents

• Amex Platinum: New cardmembers can discover out their supply and see in the event that they’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents differ, and also you is probably not eligible for a suggestion. In response to TPG’s August 2025 valuations, this welcome supply is value as much as $3,500.
• Amex Gold: New cardmembers can discover out their supply and see if they’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents differ, and also you is probably not eligible for a suggestion. In response to our valuations, this welcome supply is value as much as $2,000.
• The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Specific: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases inside the first three months of card membership. In response to our valuations, this welcome supply is value as much as $3,000.

The onerous half with Amex’s prime client playing cards is that you’ve got to spend so much of time trying to find the very best welcome supply since they’ll differ wildly. Once I utilized for my Amex Platinum, I spent every week looking excessive and low on-line for the highest 175,000-point supply, however I could not discover it.

As for the Enterprise Platinum, it is nice to see a constant welcome supply. Nonetheless, the spending requirement could also be tough for small companies or self-employed people to hit.

Chase welcome presents

• Sapphire Reserve: Earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 factors plus a $500 Chase Journey℠ promo credit score after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. This supply is ending quickly. Word that the phrases for the journey credit score state that “The promotional credit score is legitimate for a one-time use solely; if you happen to apply the promotional credit score to a transaction lower than $500, you’ll forfeit the remaining stability.” In response to TPG’s August 2025 valuations, this welcome supply is value as much as $2,550.
• Sapphire Most well-liked: Earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. In response to our valuations, this welcome supply is value $1,538.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise℠ (see charges and costs): Earn 200,000 bonus factors after spending $30,000 on purchases within the first six months from account opening. In response to our valuations, this welcome supply is value $4,100.

Not like American Specific, Chase is not identified to publicly supply totally different welcome presents to totally different potential cardholders. That provides their prime client playing cards the benefit.

The spending requirement for the Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise’ welcome supply can also be simpler to hit, regardless of being greater.

As a way to attain the Amex Enterprise Platinum’s spending requirement, you will have to spend roughly $6,700 every month. For the Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise’ welcome supply, you will should spend $5,000 a month. That is nonetheless a tricky ask for a lot of, however it’s a significant distinction.

Verdict: Chase wins right here. Regardless that it lately launched stricter guidelines for its client Sapphire playing cards, its finest welcome bonuses are simpler to acquire.

Chase or Amex: Which issuer has one of the best advantages?

Welcome bonuses are an important incentive to get a card, however a bank card wants a very good roster of advantages to make it value protecting in the long run.

Each Chase and Amex have a fame for providing travel-oriented perks. With Chase’s latest overhaul of the Sapphire Reserve, the hole between the 2 issuers’ advantages has narrowed.

Amex and Chase supply merchant-specific assertion credit for his or her playing cards in a coupon guide fashion that pulls the appreciation of some and the ire of others. Very similar to how switch companions are subjective relying in your journey habits, how helpful these assertion credit are is dependent upon your way of life.

I admire the Uber Money and Resy credit score I get from my Amex playing cards (enrollment is required, Resy credit accessible for purchases within the US; phrases apply) and the complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership I get from my Sapphire Most well-liked (activate by Dec. 31, 2027) as a result of I reside in a foodie’s paradise and do not have a automotive. But when I lived in a extra rural space, I would battle to usually use these credit.

The place Amex and Chase begin to differ is in two main areas: resort elite standing and whether or not they supply a versatile journey credit score.

Amex’s cobranded resort playing cards, the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Good® American Specific® Card, are one of the simplest ways to get high-level resort elite standing with these chains.

Whereas they each include excessive annual charges (see the Hilton Honors Aspire’s charges and costs and the Bonvoy Good’s charges and costs), their advantages permit the fitting cardmembers to get considerably extra worth than the playing cards value.

Chase presents midlevel Marriott standing by way of a few of its playing cards and lower-tier Discoverist standing within the World of Hyatt program by way of the World of Hyatt Credit score Card (see charges and costs).

Nonetheless, the one model you can get high-level standing with by way of Chase is IHG. With the Sapphire Reserve and the Reserve for Enterprise, in addition to two of Chase’s IHG playing cards, you will get Platinum Elite standing within the IHG One Rewards program by way of Dec. 31, 2027.

Should you’re chasing resort standing, Amex is probably going your higher guess except you are an enormous IHG fan. Nonetheless, Chase punches again with its versatile journey credit score.

Each the Sapphire Reserve and the Reserve for Enterprise have a $300 journey credit score accessible for cardholders to make use of annually. This credit score is well-known within the factors and miles world for a way versatile it’s. So long as a purchase order codes as journey, you need to use your credit score for it. Simply remember that you will not earn any bonus factors on expenses coated by this credit score.

Amex would not supply something like this. Its journey credit are both tied to its journey portal, American Specific Journey®, or to a selected airline or resort. Should you’re the kind of one who favors campgrounds, Airbnbs and boutique accommodations over airways and resort chains, Chase’s versatile credit score is a greater match for you.

Verdict: Should you’re concerned with upper-level standing with Hilton or Marriott, go together with Amex. Should you’re an IHG loyalist or want a versatile journey credit score, Chase is the higher alternative. Except for these factors, the fitting issuer for you is dependent upon whether or not you naturally use the retailers its assertion credit cowl.

Chase or Amex: Which issuer has one of the best bonus classes and redemption choices?

After you earn a card’s welcome bonus, you will be reliant on its bonus classes to internet you a pleasant stash of rewards going ahead. Each Amex and Chase do a very good job of overlaying eating and customary journey classes, however then they begin to diverge.

A typical gripe you will hear with Chase is its lack of fuel and grocery classes throughout its Final Rewards playing cards. Whereas the Sapphire Most well-liked has a grocery class, solely on-line grocery orders depend (excluding wholesale facilities, Goal and Walmart). Grocery shops sometimes present up as a quarterly class on the Chase Freedom Flex® (see charges and costs), however this solely lasts for a part of the yr.

In the meantime, the Amex Gold is understood for its grocery class. Cardmembers can earn bonus factors on U.S. supermarkets (on as much as the primary $25,000 in spending every calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback thereafter).

Should you’re open to money again, the Blue Money On a regular basis® Card from American Specific and the Blue Money Most well-liked® Card from American Specific supply bonus money again on U.S. fuel stations (on as much as $6,000 spent every calendar yr for the Blue Money On a regular basis, then 1% again).

Money again is acquired within the type of Reward {Dollars} that may be redeemed as a press release credit score and at Amazon.com checkout.

So far as nonbonused spending goes, Amex wins right here, too. Chase’s finest providing is the Chase Freedom Limitless® (see charges and costs); it is an important no-annual-fee card, however it solely presents 1.5% again on all nonbonused spending.

Amex has The Blue Enterprise® Plus Credit score Card from American Specific as a competitor, which earns a flat 2 factors per greenback spent throughout all purchases (on the primary $50,000 spent every calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback thereafter). Whereas it might not seem to be an enormous distinction, incomes an additional half some extent per greenback spent can add up over time.

So far as redemptions go, each issuers have very related redemption choices. You’ll be able to redeem Final Rewards and Membership Rewards factors for journey, money again, reward playing cards, assertion credit and Amazon purchases.

Chase presents a novel characteristic referred to as Factors Enhance that Amex would not match with any of its packages. Via Factors Enhance, you may redeem factors by way of Chase Journey for as much as 2 cents per level in worth, relying in your card and the redemption.

We all the time suggest sending your factors to switch companions, since you will get higher worth that method.

Verdict: Since Amex presents higher classes for groceries and fuel and better incomes potential for nonbonused bills, it is the winner right here.

Backside line

In some ways, the selection between Amex and Chase comes all the way down to your way of life and journey habits. Nonetheless, some necessary areas to concentrate to incorporate differing incomes charges, switch companions and resort elite standing alternatives.

Frankly, I like to recommend making use of for playing cards from each issuers. Nonetheless, if that is not an possibility, check with this information whilst you attempt to determine between Amex and Chase’s playing cards. Our particular person card opinions are one other nice useful resource, as they’re going to break down every card to the superb particulars so you may know precisely what you are getting earlier than you apply.

Associated: Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which top-of-the-line journey card is best for you?

For charges and costs of the Bonvoy Good, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Hilton Honors Aspire, click on right here.