The American Specific® Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) are at all times in my pockets — each are favorites right here at TPG.
Except for the advantages of those playing cards, each the Sapphire Most popular and the Amex Gold earn versatile factors, which I can switch to companion airways and lodges to maximise my redemptions.
Nevertheless, after utilizing each playing cards and their factors currencies, one program reigns supreme. Let us take a look at why I prioritize incomes Chase Final Rewards factors as an alternative of American Specific Membership Rewards factors.
Which is healthier for factors: Amex or Chase?
Chase factors can typically be extra useful when redeemed by way of Chase Journey℠. As a Sapphire Most popular cardholder, my factors are price as much as 1.75 cents per level, relying on the precise redemption, with Factors Increase.
Nevertheless, once you redeem Membership Rewards factors by way of the American Specific Journey portal, your factors are solely price as much as 1 cent apiece.
Except for reserving by way of the respective portals, I have a tendency to maximise my factors by transferring them to airline and lodge companions. Whereas Amex has 20 switch companions in comparison with Chase’s 14 companions, every program presents useful lodge and airline choices, permitting you to maximise your rewards with candy spot redemptions.
One other redemption choice is to redeem factors for money again. Amex factors are solely price a meager 0.6 cents per level when redeemed this manner, in comparison with Chase factors, that are price 1 cent per level.
Whereas each packages have positives and negatives, I prioritize incomes Chase factors over Amex factors.
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Associated: Amex Membership Rewards vs. Chase Final Rewards: Which is the most effective?
Why am I not prioritizing incomes Amex Factors?
Amex Membership Rewards factors are some of the useful versatile level currencies you possibly can earn.
A few of my favourite methods to make use of Amex factors are transferring them to Avianca LifeMiles and Air Canada Aeroplan for redemptions on Star Alliance flights or to Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership to fly throughout the pond.
Regardless of these useful switch companions, I do not discover a lot worth in a lot of Amex’s different switch companions and infrequently use them.
The majority of my spending on my playing cards is eating, and that is why my Amex Gold at all times stays in my pockets. It earns 4 factors per greenback spent on worldwide eating at eating places (on as much as $50,000 every calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback spent).
Moreover, the Amex Gold earns 3 factors per greenback spent on flights booked with airways or Amex Journey, and it has been my important card for reserving flights.
Nevertheless, I’m now prioritizing Chase factors over Amex as a result of I’ve a stockpile of Amex factors. At TPG, we advocate not hoarding factors, as airways and lodges regularly devalue their packages. At any time when I’ve a big financial institution of 1 rewards forex, I look to earn extra in any forex I’m low on.
Moreover, nearly all of my flights for the remainder of the yr are already booked. So, I am specializing in lodge redemptions for the remainder of the yr; Chase has the most effective lodge switch companions, with Hyatt, IHG and Marriott.
Whereas my Chase Sapphire Most popular solely earns me 3 factors per greenback spent on eating and a couple of factors per greenback spent on journey purchases (i.e., reserving flights), I am opting to sacrifice incomes an additional level per greenback spent on these purchases so I can earn the forex I would like.
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Why am I prioritizing incomes Chase factors?
Chase Final Rewards are my most beneficial versatile rewards forex. My go-to redemption with Final Rewards factors is transferring them to World of Hyatt to cowl my lodge stays when touring.
As I discussed, I’ve all my flights booked for the remainder of 2025, however I haven’t got all my lodge stays deliberate. I’ve far fewer Chase factors than Amex factors, however with Hyatt being a switch companion of Chase, I can get an amazing redemption worth.
I’ve usually scored room redemptions throughout peak season in widespread European cities for between 6,500 and 9,500 factors. Hyatt nonetheless makes use of a hard and fast award chart, not like different packages that function utilizing dynamic pricing. Due to this fact, I usually discover excellent worth for award room charges, particularly throughout off-peak dates.
Only in the near past, I transferred 6,500 Chase factors to Hyatt for a quick in a single day keep on the Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport, which might have value me over $200.
With Chase Final Rewards, I may also switch my factors to Southwest Airways. The Southwest Speedy Rewards program regularly has award gross sales and presents nonstop flights on much less widespread routes that many home airways normally fly, however with a connection. In consequence, Southwest has grow to be my go-to airline after I want a last-minute home award flight.
Moreover, there’s United Airways, one other useful Chase switch companion. With United, I can unlock quite a few flight potentialities by redeeming miles to e book award tickets on United planes or Star Alliance companion airways.
For instance, I only in the near past redeemed 8,000 United miles and paid $25 in taxes and costs for a flight on LOT Polish Airways from Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). The money worth was over $300, which netted me a price of over 2.3 cents per mile.
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Different concerns
I additionally admire that my factors are price as much as 1.75 cents per level when reserving by way of Chase Journey (relying on the precise reserving).
I do not usually e book flights or lodges by way of the portal as a result of I can get extra worth through the use of switch companions, however this can be a doubtlessly increased worth than I might get if I booked by way of Amex Journey, as journey booked by way of their portal is simply price as much as 1 cent per level.
Figuring out that I can nonetheless get greater than 1 cent per level by reserving by way of Chase Journey (relying on the reserving) if a switch companion redemption is unavailable makes Chase factors that rather more useful to me.
Moreover, incomes Chase Final Rewards factors offers me extra flexibility if I ever resolve I would like money again for my factors, as every Chase level is price 1 cent when redeemed for money again. This makes it attainable to get money again at a 1:1 ratio with Chase, even when my journey technique adjustments.
Lastly, I’ve many upcoming worldwide journeys deliberate. Having traveled overseas extensively, I discover it a lot simpler to make use of a Chase Visa bank card when abroad. Regardless of Amex’s large acceptance worldwide, I’ve encountered many locations overseas that do not settle for Amex, making it more durable to earn Amex factors after I’m overseas.
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Backside line
The Chase Sapphire Most popular and the Amex Gold are two playing cards with nice earnings charges. Due to this, they’re each key gamers in my overarching factors and miles incomes technique. Nevertheless, my present earnings technique emphasizes accruing Chase factors.
My technique may change if I run low on Amex factors or if a brand new profitable welcome provide presents itself, however total, Chase presents higher redemption companions that assist me maximize my travels.
Associated: Why I really like my Chase Sapphire Most popular card — and can at all times hold it in my pockets
