bank of america travel vs chase sapphire

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Bank of America Premium Rewards vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred

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Despite its name, the new Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card isn't exactly on the level of premium cards such as The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , which come laden with extra perks but also carry annual fees in the hundreds of dollars. Its closest competitors are on the next tier down. And the best-known of those competitors is the venerable Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

Deciding between two rewards credit cards often is just a matter of comparing the rewards you'll earn on each. But the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card are similar enough that perks and features beyond rewards rates could tip the scales. Want points you can transfer? Want your checked-bag fees covered? Your answers to such questions will guide your decision.

That said, if you have significant balances in checking, saving or investment accounts at Bank of America® and Merrill, your choice gets a whole lot easier, since the Bank of America® card offers generous bonuses.

There's a more expensive version of the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card , called the Bank of America® Premium Rewards Elite . These two sibling cards offer the same ongoing rewards and a few of the same side perks, but the Elite version goes further when it comes to travel credits.

on Bank of America's website

on Chase's website

Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining.

1.5 points per dollar on all other spending.

5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase.

3 points per dollar spent on eligible dining, eligible online grocery purchases and select streaming services.

2 points per dollar spent on all other travel.

1 point per dollar on all other spending.

Multiple airlines and hotel chains.

Members of the Bank of America® Preferred Rewards program can earn points bonuses of 25% to 75%.

Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel booked through Chase.

Anniversary bonus equal to 10% of your purchases made in the prior year.

Up to $100 airline credit per year.

Up to $50 statement credit each year on hotel stays booked through Chase.

It costs the same to carry either of these cards. However, the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card gives you travel credit that, if you use it, more than makes up for the fee every year. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card does offer a $50 credit each year on hotel stays booked through Chase plus a 10% anniversary bonus, which can help to make up the annual fee.

Rewards rates

If you spent the same amount on each card, the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card would give you a higher number of points because you get an extra half-point for every dollar spent on something besides travel and dining.

However, points on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card are worth 1.25 cents apiece when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, while points on the Bank of America® card are worth 1 cent apiece regardless of how you redeem. Assuming you redeem at 1.25 cents a point, the effective rewards rates for the Chase card are:

6.25% on travel purchased through Chase.

3.75% on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases.

2.5% on all other travel.

1.25% on everything else.

If you're a member of Bank of America® Preferred Rewards, however, everything changes. More on that in a bit.

Transfer partners

Chase allows you to transfer your points on a 1:1 basis to a variety of airline loyalty programs including Air France/KLM, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Southwest, United and Virgin Atlantic and hotel programs like Hyatt, IHG and Marriott.

The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card offers no such transfers.

Travel credits

The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card gives you up to $100 in statement credit for incidental airline fees such as checked bags, seat upgrades, in-flight food and beverages, and lounge passes. Earn the full credit — which you could do on a single round trip with two people each checking a bag each way — and the card effectively pays you $5 a year after the annual fee. The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card also reimburses you up to $100 every four years for the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry program.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card does not offer these benefits. However, it does offer a $50 statement credit when you book a hotel through Chase. You also get free DashPass food delivery benefits on eligible orders for at least 12 months (and a maximum of 24 months) after activation.

Preferred Rewards program makes a big difference

The secret weapon of any Bank of America® credit card is the bank's Preferred Rewards program. If you are a Bank of America® customer with at least $20,000 in combined balances in checking, savings or investment accounts with Bank of America® or eligible Merrill accounts, you earn bonus rewards:

If you're not a Preferred Rewards member, your effective rewards rates on the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card are the standard 2% for travel/dining and 1.5% for everything else. At Preferred Rewards' Gold level, those rates rise to 2.5% and 1.875%, respectively. At Platinum, they're 3% and 2.25%. At Platinum Honors, they're 3.5% and 2.625%.

Bottom line: If you're a Preferred Rewards member, the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card is your winner.

Making the choice

These are two excellent cards, so there's no "bad" choice. Cardholders who travel regularly should get plenty of value with either one. If you're a Bank of America® Preferred Rewards customer, you can't beat the rewards you'll earn with this card — at least, not for an annual fee of $95 . For everyone else, it boils down to the rewards math and which features matter most.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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Bank of America Travel Rewards vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred: Which is best for you?

Which card is right for you based on rewards, travel habits and more

Published: October 12, 2021

Author: Kelly Dilworth

Editor: Courtney Mihocik

Reviewer: Cathleen McCarthy

How we Choose

Our card comparison helps you decide whether you should go with Bank of America’s simple travel rewards card or splurge on the Chase Sapphire Preferred with its $95 annual fee.

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Please review our list of best credit cards , or use our CardMatch™ tool to find cards matched to your needs.

If you’re looking for a new travel credit card , one of the first questions to ask yourself is how much money you’re willing to invest. Do you mind paying an annual fee so you can earn more travel rewards and other high-value benefits? Or do you prefer a travel card with no annual fee ?

Deciding how much you’re willing to pony up for a new travel card should help you narrow down your options. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has long been a favorite of travel card enthusiasts, thanks to its generous rewards program, flexible redemption options and strong travel benefits.

Cardholders earn 3X points for every dollar they spend on dining purchases and 2X points on general travel purchases. But the Sapphire Preferred card costs $95 a year, so you may want to look elsewhere if you’re hesitant to commit to a yearly fee.

The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card , on the other hand, doesn’t offer quite as much value. But with a strong spending bonus on every purchase and a flexible rewards program, it’s one of the best – and least complicated – no-annual-fee travel cards around.

Bank of America Travel Rewards vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred

Best card for someone who doesn’t want to pay an annual fee: bank of america travel rewards.

If you aren’t comfortable paying an annual fee, your choice should be fairly easy: The Bank of America Travel Rewards card is a solid no-annual-fee travel card.

Similar to its competitors – Discover it® Miles and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card – the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card offers a solid bonus on every purchase and hassle-free redemption without an annual commitment.

But before you dismiss premium cards completely, you may want to give the Chase Sapphire Preferred card a closer look. Depending on how much money you spend each year on travel and dinners out, you may be able to recoup the card’s $95 annual fee relatively easily.

Best card for someone who wants a big sign-up bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred

You’ll also get more value in the first year with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, even if you travel just a few times a year.

Chase offers a 60,000-point bonus – worth up to $750 in travel when redeemed with Chase – if you spend $4,000 in the first three months. Charging roughly $1,334 a month for three months in a row can be a difficult bar to clear, especially if you’re usually a more modest spender. But if you can afford to charge that much in a three-month time period, then it’s a great deal.

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card’s sign-up bonus is more modest; however, it’s also more accessible. The card offers a 25,000-point bonus – worth up to $250 in travel – if you spend just $1,000 in the card’s first 90 days.

That’s significantly less than the bonus offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, but it’s a strong offer for a card that doesn’t charge an annual fee.

Best card for heavy travelers: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Where the Chase Sapphire Preferred card really shines, though, is in its rewards programs. A longtime favorite of travel hackers, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is much more lucrative for frequent travelers – especially if you’re a frequent flyer and regularly fly or stay with Chase travel partners , such as British Airways, United, Southwest Airlines, Hyatt or Marriott.

Unlike the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred lets you transfer your points on a one-to-one basis to a wide variety of Chase travel partners. Depending on which hotel or airline you choose, transferring your points to another loyalty program can potentially make your points much more valuable.

For example, if you use your points to purchase travel through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards portal , each point will be worth 1.25 cents. But if you transfer your points to a hotel or airline loyalty program, your points could be worth anywhere from 1.5 cents to more than 2 cents each.

According to our estimates , a Chase Ultimate Rewards point that’s converted to a British Airways Avios mile is worth 1.4 cents, while an Ultimate Rewards point converted to a Hyatt point is worth up to 2 cents each. A Bank of America Travel Rewards point, by contrast, is worth just 1 cent each.

Even frequent flyers who prefer to redeem their travel through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards portal rather than transfer their points to another program will still earn more using the Sapphire Preferred card.

For example, if you charged $20,000 a year on hotel, airfare and other travel purchases, you’d earn 100,000 points using the Sapphire card, which translates to roughly $800 in value. With the Bank of America Travel Rewards card, by contrast, you’d earn just $300 worth of travel.

Chase also provides a fair number of opportunities for earning travel points, not just when you’re booking a flight or a hotel. For example, you can earn bonus points on toll fees, taxi fares, public transportation and more.

Best card for someone who wants a low-maintenance travel card: Bank of America Travel Rewards

If you just want a simple, low-maintenance travel card, you may prefer the Bank of America Travel Rewards.

Unlike the Sapphire Preferred, you don’t need to track which purchases earn a spending bonus, nor do you need to go through your card issuer to redeem your points for travel. All you have to do is charge purchases to your card and automatically collect 1.5 points for every dollar you spend.

Then, when it’s time to redeem your points for travel, you can use your card to book your travel through any website you choose – including third-party discount sites, such as Hotwire and Orbitz – and request a statement credit for whatever you spent. Bank of America will even give you up to 12 months to request a refund, so you don’t need to rush to get repaid.

Best card for occasional travelers: Bank of America Travel Rewards

The Bank of America Travel Rewards may also make more sense for you if you travel only occasionally. By offering 1.5 points for every dollar you spend, it’s a great everyday card you can use for a wide variety of purchases.

That could lead to higher earnings overall if you travel only one or two times a year but regularly charge more than $1,000 a month on miscellaneous purchases.

For example, if you typically spend around $2,000 a year on dining, $1,000 a year on travel and an additional $15,000 a year on miscellaneous purchases, you’ll earn at least $270 worth of travel using the Bank of America card.

With the Sapphire Preferred card, you’d net around $230 worth of travel after paying for the card’s $95 annual fee.

Best card for Bank of America customers: Bank of America Travel Rewards

Bank of America customers with $20,000 to $100,000 or more deposited with the bank can earn anywhere from a 25% rewards bonus to a 75% bonus.

That kind of rewards rate would make a flat-rate card, such as the Bank of America Travel Rewards, a no-brainer, since you would earn as much as 2.625 points for every dollar you charged.

If you’re a heavy traveler, you could even combine this card with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and use your Bank of America card for non-travel-related purchases and your Chase card for travel and restaurant spending.

See related: Guide to Bank of America Preferred Rewards

Bottom line

For most frequent travelers, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the best option – even if it has a $95 annual fee.

Its travel rewards program is uniquely generous, especially if you pair it with other travel loyalty programs. Meanwhile, it offers a number of additional perks that are becoming increasingly hard to find, such as premium travel insurance and purchase protection.

If you don’t want to pay an annual fee, however, the Bank of America Travel Rewards card is definitely worth a closer look.

Editorial Disclaimer

The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. It has not been provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.

Kelly Dilworth is a personal finance contributor and former staff reporter at CreditCards.com. She began her career in journalism at The Atlantic in 2007, then detoured into nonfiction book publishing for several years. She returned to journalism in 2010 and since then has written about everything from 20-somethings with Herculean credit scores to the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decisions.

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Credit cards

Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card review: A travel credit card for the fee-averse

Robin Saks Frankel

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Maddie Panzer

Updated 5:53 p.m. UTC Sep. 10, 2024

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The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card * The information for the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. offers a simple approach to rewards, with a base rate of 1.5 points per $1 on purchases — and the chance to earn up to an impressive flat rate of 2.62 points per dollar on purchases for being a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member. 

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Our team of experts evaluates hundreds of credit cards and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best card for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.

• 50+ cards analyzed.
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Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card basics

• Annual fee: $0.
• Welcome bonus: 25,000 points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
• Rewards: Earn 1.5 points per $1 on purchases, with the chance to earn 25% to 75% bonus points as a Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer. Also, earn an additional 1.5 points per dollar on Bank of America Travel Center purchases.
• APR: 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases and any balance transfers made in the first 60 days, followed by a 19.24% to 29.24% variable APR. A 3% intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days; then a 4% fee applies to future balance transfers.
• Preapproval tool: Yes.
• Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.

Bank of America Travel Rewards review

The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card is a mainstay among no-annual-fee travel credit cards . This card offers a flat 1.5 points per $1 on purchases, but if you’re a loyal Bank of America or Merrill customer, you may be able to earn as much as 2.62 points per dollar on purchases. You’ll also earn more rewards when you use your card to book travel through the Bank of America Travel Center.

With no annual fee , the card doesn’t offer much in the way of travel benefits. But its welcome bonus is solid, giving you 25,000 points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. And if you need an introductory APR promotion, this card offers a lengthy one, 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases and any balance transfers made in the first 60 days, followed by a 19.24% to 29.24% variable APR. A 3% intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days; then a 4% fee applies to future balance transfers.

The card can be a great introduction to travel rewards for someone who prefers to avoid an annual fee, and it can also be a great way for certain Bank of America or Merrill customers to maximize their rewards on every purchase. But if you’re serious about travel rewards and perks, a different card may be a better fit, even if it charges an annual fee. 

• Intro APR offer: The card’s intro offer is helpful for anyone wanting extra time to pay off a big purchase or looking to tackle some debt.
• Relationship bonus: Those who are already banking with Bank of America or Merrill can earn higher rewards based on their relationship tier via the bank’s Preferred Rewards program.
• Simple travel rewards: Navigating travel rewards can be complicated with some credit card programs. The flat-rate rewards on this card are relatively simple to earn and use.
• No notable travel benefits: If you want added benefits when you travel, such as robust travel protections, airport lounge access or reimbursement for the Global Entry application fee, you may be disappointed with this card.
• No everyday bonus categories: You can earn extra points when you book travel through Bank of America, but the card doesn’t offer any other bonus categories. 
• Steep price to maximize rewards: To earn the highest rewards rate possible, you’ll need a three-month combined average daily balance of at least $100,000 in eligible Bank of America deposit accounts or Merrill investment accounts. 

Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card rewards

The card offers a flat base rate of 1.5 points per $1 on purchases. However, if you use your card to book travel through the Bank of America Travel Center, you’ll earn 3 points per $1 on those purchases — an extra 1.5 points per $1 on top of the base rewards rate.

Additionally, the card earns 25%, 50% or 75% more points per purchase if you’re eligible for the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program. To join, you must have a three-month combined average daily balance of at least $20,000 in eligible Bank of America deposit accounts or Merrill investment accounts. 

Depending on which Preferred Rewards tier you qualify for, you can earn between 1.87 to 2.62 points per dollar on most of your purchases with this card. Note, however, that this bonus doesn’t apply to the card’s welcome offer.

The welcome offer provides 25,000 points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. 

To redeem your rewards, simply use your card to pay for eligible travel or dining purchases, then request a statement credit with your points within 12 months of the transaction date. You can also redeem points for cash or gift cards, but you’ll only get 0.6 cents per point with cash redemptions — and gift card redemption values can vary. As a result, it’s best to stick to travel and dining statement credits.

Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card rewards potential

Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has $29,525 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card.

If you’re earning the base rate of 1.5 points per $1 on purchases, you could earn $442.88 worth of points every year. If you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer, though, you could earn up to $773.56 in value.

Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card APR details

As a new cardholder, you’ll get a 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases and any balance transfers made in the first 60 days, followed by a 19.24% to 29.24% variable APR. A 3% intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days; then a 4% fee applies to future balance transfers. That’s a rare benefit among travel credit cards, so it’s even more impressive that it’s also a relatively lengthy intro APR period.

Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card vs. Discover it® Miles

If you’re a big spender, you could benefit from a big bonus offer from the Discover it Miles . The card offers 1.5 miles per $1 on purchases, and Discover will automatically match all miles earned at the end of the first cardmember year, with no limit to how many miles you can earn. 

You can redeem miles as a statement credit for travel purchases made up to 180 days after they post, for cash back to a bank account or you can use them to shop online at Amazon.com and through PayPal. 

The card also has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, but keep in mind that if you plan to travel abroad, Discover is not widely accepted internationally.

Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

For a modest $95 annual fee, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers substantial rewards value. As a new cardholder, you’ll earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. You’ll also earn 5 miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and purchases through Capital One Entertainment and 2 miles per $1 on other purchases. 

You can redeem miles as statement credits for past travel purchases, use them to pay for Capital One Travel bookings or transfer them to airline or hotel loyalty programs.

In terms of perks, you’ll get an application fee statement credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (up to $120), Hertz Five Star status¹, bonus miles on Turo car rentals and more. 

Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. You’ll also earn 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per $1 on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. 

Points are typically worth 1 cent each (though the value may vary for certain redemptions). Redemption options include cash back, statement credits, gift cards, Apple purchases and online shopping. You can also use them to book travel through Chase Travel℠ and receive 25% more value per point, or transfer your points at a 1:1 rate to airline and hotel loyalty programs. 

The card also offers a $50 annual statement credit for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel, as well as partner benefits with Lyft, DoorDash and Peloton. There’s a $95 annual fee.

Finally, the Sapphire Preferred provides a robust lineup of travel benefits, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay reimbursement and primary rental car insurance .

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s take

• Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
• $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
• Valuable travel protections.
• $95 annual fee.
• Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
• Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership® Rewards and Citi ThankYou®.

Card details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• Member FDIC

Should you get the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card?

If you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, the Travel Rewards credit card can be a great way to rack up a lot of points on your everyday purchases, especially if you can qualify for the maximum 75% points bonus — which brings the earning rate up to 2.62 points per dollar spent on purchases. 

That said, it may also be worth considering another travel card with added perks for when you travel, since this one’s benefits are slim compared to popular travel cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

If you’re not a Preferred Rewards customer, the Bank of America travel card may still be a good fit if you want to earn travel rewards but don’t want to deal with an annual fee. However, it should be mentioned there are many travel credit cards that charge an annual fee but offer enough value in perks alone to make up for the cost every year. Shop around and compare several options to determine which one offers the best value for you based on your travel and spending habits.

Methodology

Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of travel credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings. We factored the following into our analysis:

• Annual fees.
• Travel reward rates.
• Value of rewards.
• Redemption options.
• Additional benefits that a card may offer for travelers, such as travel insurance.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card doesn’t publicize a minimum credit score. In part, this may be because Bank of America considers many factors when reviewing your card application, including your credit scores, credit history, other accounts at Bank of America, income and monthly bills.

However, a higher credit score may increase your chances of getting approved and receiving a low rate. As a rule of thumb, you might want to have at least a good FICO Score (670 or higher) when you apply. Additionally, you can use the Bank of America preapproval tool to see if you’ll likely get approved.

You can redeem Bank of America Travel Rewards points by using your card to pay for travel and dining purchases. You then have up to 12 months to use your points to offset the purchase at a rate of 1 cent per point, and you can offset part of the transaction if you don’t have enough points.

The minimum redemption requirement is 2,500 points ($25), which you can meet by making several small redemptions at the same time. You can also redeem points for gift cards or cash, but you may receive a lower value for each point.

Bank of America travel rewards points do not expire while your account is open and has charging privileges. If you lose charging privileges, perhaps because you missed a payment and your account isn’t in good standing, you won’t be able to redeem your points. However, you can redeem them once your charging privileges are restored.

You might forfeit unredeemed points if you close your account or Bank of America closes your account for any reason. Bank of America can give you an extension to use the points when your account is closed, but it’s not guaranteed.

The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card might be worth it if you want a card that doesn’t have an annual fee and offers 1.5 points per $1 on purchases you spend. However, it works like a cash-back card because you use your rewards to offset previous travel and dining purchases. With this in mind, also consider cash-back cards that don’t have annual fees. They may offer an equal or higher rewards rate on every purchase with fewer redemption restrictions.

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card does not offer travel insurance as a cardholder benefit.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

¹ Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.

*The information for the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Ben Luthi is a freelance writer who covers all things personal finance and travel. His work has appeared in dozens of online publications. Ben lives in Salt Lake City with his two children and two cats.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

Maddie Panzer is the Updates Editor on the USA TODAY Blueprint team. Prior to joining the team, she studied journalism at the University of Florida. During her studies, she worked as a reporter for the New York Post, WUFT News and News 4 Jacksonville. She was also editor-in-chief of her school’s magazine, Orange and Blue. Maddie holds a B.S. in Journalism.

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Chase sapphire vs bank of america travel rewards.

If you’re a frequent traveler or planning a trip, you might be considering getting a travel rewards credit card to earn points and perks on your spending. Two popular options are the Chase Sapphire and Bank of America Travel Rewards credit cards. In this article, we’ll compare and review the features, rewards, and benefits of these two cards to help you decide which one is right for you.

Overview of Chase Sapphire and Bank of America Travel Rewards

Chase Sapphire is a premium travel rewards credit card offered by JPMorgan Chase. It comes in two versions: Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve. Both cards offer generous rewards and benefits, but also come with high annual fees and minimum spending requirements.

Bank of America Travel Rewards is a no-annual-fee travel rewards credit card offered by Bank of America. It’s a basic card that offers modest rewards and benefits, but also has a lower barrier to entry and no foreign transaction fees.

Rewards and Benefits of Chase Sapphire

Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve both offer generous rewards on travel and dining purchases. With Chase Sapphire Preferred, you earn 2x points per dollar spent on travel and dining, and 1x point per dollar on all other purchases. With Chase Sapphire Reserve, you earn 3x points per dollar spent on travel and dining, and 1x point per dollar on all other purchases.

Chase Sapphire also offers valuable redemption options for your points, such as transferring them to partner airlines and hotels for potentially higher value, or using them to book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal at a 25% or 50% bonus.

In addition, both Chase Sapphire cards come with benefits like trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary rental car insurance, and airport lounge access through the Priority Pass program (Reserve only).

Rewards and Benefits of Bank of America Travel Rewards

Bank of America Travel Rewards offers 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases, with no caps or categories. You can redeem your points for statement credits to offset travel purchases, or book travel through the Bank of America Travel Center at a 1 cent per point value.

Bank of America Travel Rewards also has no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and offers a modest sign-up bonus of 25,000 points (worth $250) if you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days.

Comparison and Conclusion

When comparing Chase Sapphire and Bank of America Travel Rewards, it’s important to consider your spending habits, travel preferences, and budget. If you’re a frequent traveler who spends a lot on dining and travel, and values premium benefits like airport lounge access and primary rental car insurance, then Chase Sapphire might be worth the high annual fee.

On the other hand, if you’re a casual traveler who wants a simple and free way to earn travel rewards on all purchases, and doesn’t mind booking travel through a limited portal, then Bank of America Travel Rewards might be a better fit.

Ultimately, the best credit card for you depends on your individual needs and priorities. Take the time to research and compare different options, and choose the one that aligns with your goals and lifestyle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Issuer comparison: Bank of America vs. Chase

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Before you sign up for a new credit card, it can help to compare a few major issuers and their unique card offerings, rewards structures and regular benefits and perks. One major comparison to take a look at is Chase Bank vs. Bank of America, mostly because both of these issuers offer popular rewards credit cards that can help you score flexible rewards for each dollar you spend.

Maybe you already have a couple of credit cards in mind, or maybe you want to do a basic comparison of all the cash back and travel credit cards each issuer offers. Either way, this guide will help you decide between two banking giants — Chase Bank vs. Bank of America — before you sign up for your next credit card.

Bank of America overview

Bank of America has more than 4,000 retail financial centers nationwide and roughly 16,000 ATMs. Currently, this card issuer also boasts 19 different credit cards, which include rewards credit cards, co-branded airline credit cards, secured credit cards, student credit cards and more.

Credit card features

If you’re wondering about the features you’ll get with a Bank of America credit card, it really depends on the unique card offer you sign up for. Some cards offer cash back or welcome bonuses, while others offer lower ongoing interest rates, an introductory APR offer or credit-building tools.

However, premium credit cards from Bank of America are likely to come with even more perks. For example, the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card comes with up to $100 in airline incidental credits annually, up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck , access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation/interruption coverage, baggage delay insurance, a lost luggage reimbursement, an auto rental collision damage waiver and emergency evacuation and transportation coverage. This card also comes with extended warranty coverage, purchase protection and return protection.

Approval odds and restrictions

Since Bank of America offers secured credit cards for bad credit , this bank is likely a better option than Chase if you need to build credit or repair your credit .

It’s also worth noting that Bank of America lets you check for prequalified credit card offers on the website without a hard inquiry on your credit report. This feature lets you enter basic information to find out which Bank of America cards you might be eligible for. However, there’s no guarantee you will ultimately be approved.

When it comes to getting approved for a Bank of America credit card, note that restrictions may apply. For example, you may face a 24-month rule — which says you cannot be approved if you have had the same card product within the last two years — for specific card offerings. Bank of America also reportedly has a 2/3/4 rule , which may limit you to two Bank of America credit cards in a 30-day period, three cards in a 12-month period and four cards in a 24-month period.

Mobile banking

If you’re looking for a credit card that lets you track your purchases, payments and rewards with your mobile device, you should know that Bank of America has an award-winning digital banking platform that is currently accessed by 55 million mobile users. With the Bank of America mobile app, you’ll be able to customize your dashboard, access your FICO score, transfer money, pay bills, deposit checks and more. You’ll also have the benefit of fingerprint sign-in, which can ward off hackers and thieves. Other security features you can access with the app include alerts for suspicious activity and zero fraud liability.

Chase Bank overview

Chase has more than 4,700 banking locations nationwide , as well as more than 16,000 ATMs. It also boasts 36 different credit cards, which include rewards credit cards, student credit cards, co-branded airline and hotel credit cards, Disney credit cards, Amazon credit cards and business credit cards.

Cash back credit cards from Chase typically include welcome offers, extended warranty coverage, purchase protection, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, an auto rental collision damage waiver and travel and emergency assistance services. Other benefits may include cellphone protection or exclusive merchant promotions.

Meanwhile, some of the best travel credit cards from Chase come with benefits like 1:1 points transfers to airline and hotel partners, no foreign transaction fees, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance or a lost luggage reimbursement, an auto rental collision damage waiver, a trip delay reimbursement and emergency travel assistance or evacuation coverage. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® , a premium travel credit card, also comes with airport lounge access , an up to $300 annual travel credit and an up to $100 credit for Global Entry, TSA Precheck or NEXUS, among many other benefits.

Chase does not offer any credit cards for consumers with poor credit . In fact, all Chase credit cards are geared toward consumers with good to excellent credit .

Chase also limits new credit card welcome bonuses and approvals within specific card families. For example, both Chase Sapphire cards — which include the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — have the following wording in their fine print: “This product is available to you if you do not have any Sapphire card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for any Sapphire card in the past 48 months.”

In addition, before you apply for a new credit card from Chase, you should know about Chase’s 5/24 rule . This rule states that you cannot get approved for a Chase credit card if you have opened five or more cards — from any issuer — within the past 24 months.

Like Bank of America, Chase also offers a very versatile mobile app . The app lets you keep track of your credit card purchases, make payments and track your rewards using your mobile device. Chase banking customers can also benefit from perks like mobile check deposit, online bill pay and more. The Chase mobile app also supports fingerprint sign-in and facial recognition, and you can use the app to lock and unlock your credit card if it has been lost or stolen.

Chase vs. Bank of America: Rewards programs

When comparing Chase vs. Bank of America, you’ll also want to learn about each issuer’s rewards program and determine which type of rewards you want to earn.

Bank of America rewards program

Redemption options.

Bank of America credit cards come with a number of potential redemption options. For example, depending on the card you have, you may be able to redeem your rewards for statement credits, gift cards, deposits to an eligible Bank of America or Merrill account or Bank of America Travel Center purchases.

In some cases, such as with the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card , you can redeem your Bank of America travel rewards points for statement credits to cover a wide range of travel and dining purchases, including flights, hotel stays, campgrounds, boat rentals, public transit, tourist attractions, restaurants, takeout, bars, nightclubs and many others.

Additionally, note that Bank of America travel cards currently don’t offer the option to transfer points to airline and hotel programs.

Bank of America Preferred Rewards

Although the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program isn’t strictly a credit card rewards program, it does help Bank of America customers earn 25 percent to 75 percent more rewards for each dollar they spend on their cards.

To qualify for this program, you must have an eligible Bank of America checking account and a three-month combined average daily balance of $20,000 or more in qualifying Bank of America or Merrill accounts.

The minimum balance qualifications and rewards bonuses for each program tier are:

The rewards bonus you’ll receive can make a substantial difference. For example, the Bank of America Premium Rewards card normally offers 2X points on travel and dining purchases and 1.5X points on all other purchases. However, Platinum Honors members with this card earn 3.5X points on travel and dining purchases and 2.62X points on all other purchases.

Chase Ultimate Rewards program

Many top Chase credit cards earn rewards in the Chase Ultimate Rewards program , including their cash back cards and travel cards. In most cases, Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for cash back, direct deposits, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, travel, shopping at Amazon or via PayPal, Apple products and Chase dining or experiences. If you have a premium travel credit card from Chase, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can even transfer your points to Chase travel partners at a 1:1 ratio.

Chase travel partners and rewards

Although Bank of America offers some pretty nice incentives to customers who keep at least $20,000 in eligible accounts, Chase really stands out in terms of its travel rewards program. For example, some Chase cards provide more value for your points when you redeem them for travel. Specifically, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a 50 percent points boost when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offer a 25 percent points boost for travel redemptions through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Chase also partners with the following hotel and airline programs:

Airline partners

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• Air France / KLM Flying Blue
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Hotel partners

• IHG Rewards Club
• Marriott Bonvoy
• World of Hyatt

The bottom line

At the end of the day, both Chase and Bank of America have some pretty intriguing credit card offers. However, Chase really stands out in terms of its travel credit cards and redemption options for rewards, while Bank of America is much more attractive if you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer or if you need to build or rebuild your credit.

If neither issuer seems like a good fit for you, there are other top card issuers to consider as well. If you want the best rewards credit card for your needs and goals, make sure you also consider options from American Express, Capital One, Citi, Discover and Wells Fargo.

The Bank of America content in this post was last updated on Aug. 31, 2022.

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Chase sapphire preferred card vs. bank of america customized cash rewards card — overview, welcome offers, earning potential, redemption options, hotel program benefits, statement credits, travel benefits and protections, shopping benefits and protections, annual fees and adding authorized users, final thoughts.

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card is undeniably one of the most popular travel rewards credit cards in the U.S. Chances are you know someone that has this credit card in his or her wallet, and you might even be considering replacing your ordinary credit card with this credit card.

Perhaps you’ve also heard of the Bank of America ® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card , another ubiquitous credit card with a slightly different appeal.

If you’ve heard of both of these cards and are deciding between the 2, you’re in the right place.

There’s a clear winner for most consumers, but we’ll walk you through the benefits and features of both cards in this guide. Let’s get right into it!

If you’re looking for the 30,000-foot view of these 2 cards and can’t set aside the time to look through the benefits and features in detail, we’ve put together an overview table below:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers industry-leading rewards with rewards that can be used for redemptions, including transfers to airline and hotel partners.

Meanwhile, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card ‘s points can only be used for cash-back or cash-like redemptions.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be worth upwards of 5 to 10 cents each, which can ultimately translate to a return on spending of up to 25% to 50%, which is an enormous jump over the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card’s maximum redemption value of 5.25% cash-back (assuming you also have Preferred Rewards).

However, when paired with Preferred Rewards on your eligible deposit or investment account, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card could offer better cash-back rewards if you have no interest in travel. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is Chase’s flagship rewards credit card for the mid-market premium segment. Chase routinely offers terrific welcome bonuses when you’re approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Conservatively, these welcome bonuses are usually worth at least $750, though they may be worth much more than that, depending on the specific welcome bonus you can get.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card offers a small welcome bonus, though nowhere near the value of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s bonus.

However, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card usually offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers, which can be helpful if you need to carry a balance or if you need to consolidate some high-interest debt you’ve racked up in the past.

The Value of a Welcome Offer

Welcome offers are one of the easiest, quickest ways to rack up many points quickly. In many cases, the welcome offer alone can pay for years’ worth of annual fees, even if you redeem your points at a relatively low value.

For example, a welcome bonus of 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred card can be redeemed for $750 on purchases through the Chase travel portal thanks to the 25% redemption bonus that gets you a redemption value of 1.25 cents per point.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card has no annual fee, so any welcome offer will translate to extra dollars back in your pocket without any costs.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — 10% Anniversary Earning Bonus

Another unique benefit of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the 10% anniversary earning bonus, which gives you a bonus after you renew your card every anniversary year based on the total dollar amount spent.

So if you spend $100,000 in a given year, you’ll receive an anniversary bonus of 10,000 points.

If you plan on using your points for travel, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card probably rewards you more in the long run. If you are focused on fixed-value rewards, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card could offer a better return on your spending, assuming you spend a lot outside of dining and travel.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns Ultimate Rewards points, which are transferrable rewards points, while the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card earns fixed-value points.

Here’s a breakdown of how each type of point can be used:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s Ultimate Rewards points are much more effective for booking award travel. In contrast, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card’s rewards are straightforward cash-back.

Ultimate Rewards points are so incredibly valuable because you can transfer points to partners including World of Hyatt , Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer , and British Airways Executive Club to book luxury award travel!

Transferring points to travel partners can be incredibly useful. For example, if you want to book a stay at the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico costing $600 per night, you might be better off transferring around 15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per night to World of Hyatt to book this stay, netting you a redemption value of 4 cents per point.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card affords you access to The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, which offers you the ability to enjoy these benefits on eligible bookings:

• Daily breakfast for 2
• Room upgrade, if available
• Early check-in, if available
• Late checkout, if available
• A special benefit worth up to $100, unique to each property

This collection of hotels consists of over 1,000 properties around the world.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card does not offer hotel benefits.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers:

• $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card offers no statement credits.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers excellent primary rental car coverage , which can take effect when you decline the car rental company’s loss damage or collision damage waiver (LDW/CDW) and pay for your rental car reservation using your card.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card is a Visa Signature card , which confers secondary rental car insurance. You’ll need to file a claim with your insurance before your card’s insurance takes effect.

Roadside Assistance

Although roadside assistance is an increasingly rare benefit, both cards offer roadside dispatch for a flat service call fee. Each service call includes:

• Fuel delivery (up to 5 gallons, the cost of fuel is not included)
• Jump starting (battery boost)
• Lockout service (key replacement is not included)
• Tire changing (must have a good, inflated spare)
• Towing (up to 5 miles)
• Winching (within 100 feet of paved or county-maintained roads only)

Trip Interruption and Cancellation Insurance

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers impressive trip interruption and cancellation insurance , which allows you to get reimbursed for up to $10,000 per claim and up to $20,000 per trip for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses lost due to covered interruptions and cancellations, including eligible illness, weather, or covered incidents. You can also get up to $40,000 in reimbursements every rolling 12 months.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card doesn’t offer this coverage.

Trip Delay Reimbursement

One of the most useful benefits we love about the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the trip delay reimbursement. On covered delays of more than 12 hours, or on delays that require an overnight stay, you can get up to $500 in reimbursements with a maximum of 1 approved claim per trip.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card doesn’t offer trip delay reimbursement.

Lost and Delayed Luggage Insurance

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers coverage for lost luggage and delayed luggage. You can get up to $3,000 per person in lost luggage reimbursements and $100 per day for up to 5 consecutive days in delayed luggage reimbursement for covered delays over 6 hours.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card offers the same lost luggage reimbursement but does not offer delayed luggage coverage.

Travel Accident Insurance

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card boasts up to $500,000 in travel accident insurance when you pay for your common carrier ticket using your card.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card doesn’t have this perk.

Travel and Emergency Assistance Services

With both the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card, you will have access to select travel and emergency assistance services while traveling. Remember that assistance includes referrals only, and all costs are strictly your financial responsibility.

Here are the included services:

• Emergency message service
• Emergency ticket replacement
• Emergency translation service
• Emergency transportation assistance
• Legal referral assistance
• Lost luggage locator service
• Medical referral assistance
• Pre-trip assistance
• Prescription assistance
• Valuable document delivery arrangements

DoorDash Benefits

Another benefit we love about the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for at least 1 year when you activate by December 31, 2027.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card has no DoorDash benefits.

Purchase Protection

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a generous purchase protection policy if items you buy are damaged or stolen up to 120 days past the date of purchase . You can cover up to $500 per item and up to $50,000 in total reimbursements per calendar year.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card doesn’t have purchase protection.

Extended Warranty

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 1 additional year of warranty on eligible original manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less — when a claim is filed, you can get up to $10,000 in reimbursements per item and up to $50,000 in total reimbursements per calendar year.

The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card doesn’t offer an extended warranty.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card have no foreign transaction fees.

Annual Fees

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has an annual fee of $95 while the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card has an annual fee of $0 .

Adding Authorized Users

There are no additional annual fees to add authorized users to either card.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is one of the most popular rewards credit cards on the market and for a good reason.

For a reasonable annual fee, you can access an award-winning points system in Ultimate Rewards, excellent rewards structures on dining, travel, and more, as well as travel benefits and protections that rival even ultra-premium credit cards.

Meanwhile, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card is an unfussy cash-back credit card. You can maximize this card’s potential by participating in Bank of America Preferred Rewards, which earns you bonus rewards points depending on your total investment and deposit balances with Bank of America, Merrill Edge, or Merrill Lynch.

We recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred card to the vast majority of consumers. We only recommend the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card if you’re a cash-back fiend or if a $95 annual fee is more than you want to pay.

The information regarding the Bank of America ® Customized Cash Rewards credit card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation  calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

Bank of America Travel Rewards vs Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase is a CreditDonkey partner. We receive compensation if you apply and get approved for a card through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do. ( read more )

Keep in mind, the Bank of America Travel Rewards has a $0 annual fee , while the Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee .

Still need help deciding which travel credit card is better? Read the in-depth reviews below. You may also be interested in comparing Bank of America Travel Rewards or Chase Sapphire Preferred .

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*See the card issuer's online application for details about terms and conditions. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. However, all information is presented without warranty. When you click on the "Apply Now" button you can review the terms and conditions on the card issuer's website.

CreditDonkey does not know your individual circumstances and provides information for general educational purposes only. CreditDonkey is not a substitute for, and should not be used as, professional legal, credit or financial advice. You should consult your own professional advisors for such advice.

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The complete guide to travel insurance.

Quick insights

• Travel insurance can provide financial protection from unforeseen circumstances associated with traveling.
• There are many kinds of travel insurance that cover common hiccups and disruptions like cancelled flights, lost baggage and medical emergencies.
• Some credit cards provide travel insurance but it's also available through insurance companies. Rates and coverage will vary.

There’s nothing quite like the excitement leading up to a trip. Whether it’s a weekend getaway with your best pals or a two-week international adventure with your partner, the anticipation is one of the best parts of booking a vacation. But that excitement can quickly turn to worry if you get sick or have an unexpected storm barreling down on your destination. It’s for this reason that many people turn to travel insurance. In this article, we’ll explain the purpose of travel insurance, how it works, and the different types of insurance available to most travelers.

Travel insurance explained

Travel insurance can provide financial protection for risks and losses associated with domestic or international travel. In other words, travel insurance is meant to protect you should some worst-case scenarios occur before or during your trip.

Depending on the coverage, you can be reimbursed for financial losses if your trip is cancelled, delayed or interrupted for several reasons. Travel insurance can also provide easy access to help with some insurance including emergency assistance services like interpreters and help replacing lost or stolen passports. Lastly, it can even provide medical coverage for serious injury, illness or even death while traveling.

How does travel insurance work?

Travel insurance may kick in if something happens to disrupt your trip. In the case of a qualifying event covered by your travel insurance, you submit a claim for costs associated with the disruption. Qualifying events vary based on the insurance provider, but common types of travel insurance cover costs associated with travel delays or cancellations, lost, delayed or damaged baggage, car rentals and medical issues.

Types of travel insurance

Many unforeseen events can happen while traveling. That’s why there are several types of insurance coverage that mitigate your risk for everything from severe weather to car accidents. There are several types of travel insurance, including:

• Trip delay, interruption or cancellation
• Baggage delay, loss or damage
• Medical insurance

Travel accident insurance

• Rental car insurance
• Emergency and travel assistance services

With so many types to consider, let’s look at some common travel insurance options a little more in-depth.

Trip cancellation or interruption coverage

Your trip may get cancelled or need to be cut short. Unfortunately, it happens.

Trip interruption insurance can cover you for expenses incurred when your trip ends unexpectedly. It provides reimbursement for prepaid, unused and non-refundable travel expenses, such as plane tickets, hotel stays or cruise line reservations. With interruption insurance, only the part of your trip that was interrupted will be eligible for reimbursement in most cases.

Trip cancellation coverage applies to trips that never happen. This insurance may reimburse you if you’re forced to cancel a trip for a covered reason, like severe weather or serious illness or injury. Even jury duty is a covered reason on some policies.

Baggage loss coverage

Showing up at your destination is usually a highlight of any trip. However, your excitement can quickly fade should your bags not make it with you. Baggage loss is a common form of travel insurance and provides reimbursement if your if your bags are delayed, damaged or lost.

If your bags are delayed, you may be covered up to a certain amount for any clothes, toiletries, or other necessities you purchased while waiting for your luggage to arrive. If your bags are damaged or lost during your trip, you may be entitled to reimbursement to replace your lost or damaged items. For example, the Chase Sapphire ® card  provides up to $3,000 per passenger for you or any immediate family member whose checked or carry-on luggage is damaged or lost by the carrier.

Accidents happen, even while traveling, which is why you can purchase travel accident insurance. This insurance typically covers a wide range of physical injury and dismemberment – even death - while traveling. This type of coverage is most practical for those who travel frequently or visit areas of the world prone to conflict.

Travel accident insurance will cover medical costs associated with any injuries you sustain while traveling, with some exceptions. For example, participation in extreme sports while traveling will likely not be covered should you get injured.

Primary and secondary coverage

You can be covered by more than one insurance policy at a time. One policy will act as primary coverage while the second will only be used when the primary coverage benefits are exhausted.

Primary insurance is determined by the situation. For example, you may be covered by medical insurance through your employer, but if you’re traveling internationally, it’s common that your travel insurance would be your primary coverage in the event of a medical emergency. If you’re traveling domestically, your employer provided healthcare would likely be primary.

Comprehensive travel insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance is the most common and wide-ranging travel insurance. When people think of travel insurance, they often think of comprehensive coverage.

Typically, comprehensive coverage includes trip cancellation coverage, baggage loss or damage, medical coverage, and emergency assistance while traveling. It doesn't cover everything though, so some people opt for these comprehensive coverage add-ons:

• Cancel for any reason: allows you to cancel all or part of your trip for any reason, meaning you don’t need to worry about meeting coverage requirements or having a qualifying event. You can receive a partial refund of what you paid without providing a reason.
• Pre-existing condition waiver: this provides coverage for medical issues while traveling even if you have a pre-existing condition. Without this add-on the insurance provider may look at your medical history to determine whether you’re filing a claim related to travel incident or an ongoing medical condition.

Some travel insurance may already include a pre-existing condition waiver, so as with any policy, read the terms and conditions carefully to know your coverage and determine if you need more.

How to get travel insurance

You can purchase a travel insurance policy from an insurance company, or you may find your credit card has travel insurance . For example, the Chase Sapphire cards provide travel insurance that includes emergency assistance services, trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, travel accident insurance, and more. Keep in mind there may be an annual fee associated with these kinds of travel credit cards, including Chase Sapphire.

If you don’t have a credit card with travel insurance or find that coverage provided isn’t what you want, contact an insurance carrier and learn about their policies and rates. When applying, you likely will be required to answer a few questions, like:

• Where you are going
• The cost of trip
• Where you live

Policies are customizable depending on your needs. You can get insurance for a single trip or a full year. The rates you are quoted and what is covered will vary based on the coverage and carrier you choose. You’ll find that the insurance rates are often influenced by the price of the trip and age of the traveler.

Don’t let worry over the unexpected ruin your next trip. If you’re about to embark on or book a vacation, check your credit cards terms and conditions to see if travel insurance is a cardmember benefit. And if you don’t have it, you can purchase a policy with an insurance provider.

With travel insurance, you can seek reimbursement for cancelled flights, lost baggage, medical issues and many other travel disruptions. You may find peace of mind knowing that you’re covered should something unforeseeable happen.

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The Platinum Card® from American Express vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which is right for you?

Dia Adams is the senior editor leading the credit cards team at Fortune Recommends. Previously, Dia was a managing editor on the credit cards and travel rewards team at Forbes Advisor. She has been featured on national television, radio, print, and online media as an expert in the realms of credit cards, points and miles, Disney and family travel. 

Glen Luke Flanagan is a deputy editor at Fortune Recommends who focuses on mortgage and credit card content. His prior roles include deputy editor positions at USA TODAY Blueprint and Forbes Advisor, as well as senior writer at LendingTree—all focused on credit card rewards, credit scores, and related topics. 

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit  americanexpress.com  to learn more.  

Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.  

In the world of premium travel rewards cards , two heavyweights dominate the scene: the The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . These cards are renowned for their exceptional rewards, exclusive perks, and comprehensive protections, and cardholders pay a hefty price tag in the form of high annual fees in exchange for all that. Let’s take a look at the American Express Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve so you can determine which card best suits your travel and lifestyle needs.

Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve at a glance

The platinum card® from american express.

  Rates and fees

at Bankrate.com

Welcome Bonus

• 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year)
• 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
• 1x points on other eligible purchases

Notable Perks

• Most robust airport lounge access available
• Litany of monthly and annual credits

Read our review

of the The Platinum Card® from American Express

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

at Cardratings.com

• 10x points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠
• 5x points on flights through Chase Travel℠
• 3x points on other travel and dining
• 1x point on all other purchases
• $300 travel credit
• Comprehensive travel insurances

of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The American Express Platinum card carries a sky-high annual fee of $695, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve comes in slightly lower at $550. Justifying its higher fee, at least for some travelers, the American Express Platinum offers a set of airport lounge benefits unrivaled by any other card.  On the other hand, the Chase Sapphire Reserve provides a higher rewards rate on travel, essential travel protections and a $300 annual travel credit.  

Winner: The lower annual fee of the Sapphire Reserve card wins because of valuable rewards and extensive travel protections. Amex Platinum wins only if you want access to Centurion Lounges . 

My favorite Amex Platinum perk is the Centurion lounge access. I know the long lines get a bad rap but I’ve only had amazing experiences at the Miami one. From the living wall at check-in to the free Bliss Spa mini massage to the excellent food, it’s a stellar way to kick off a trip. Adam Frankel, Fortune Contributor

Intro bonus

Rewards Rates

• 10x 10x points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
• 5x 5x points on flights through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
• 3x 3x points on other travel and dining immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
• 1x 1x point on all other purchases
• Additional perks: Airport lounge access, purchase protection, extended warranty protection, trip cancelation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, cell phone protection, complimentary Doordash and Instacart+ membership along with monthly Instacart+ credits
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Both the American Express Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer generous rewards on travel if you book through their respective portals. The Platinum card grants 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, while the Sapphire Reserve offers 10x points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠.

Winner: The Chase Sapphire Reserve gets the nod on earnings because it also earns 3X points on travel (after earning the $300 travel credit) booked through any provider and on dining. 

To view rates and fees of the The Platinum Card® from American Express see  this page . 

Transfer partners

Both the Amex Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer a long list of airline partners along with a few hotel partners. Transferring points to a partner can help you supersize how much value you get out of your rewards. While many partners such as Aeroplan and Flying Blue overlap, Chase uniquely has World of Hyatt which is widely seen as the most valuable hotel transfer partner. 

Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve

I consistently get high value from Ultimate Rewards transfer partners, including using points with Hyatt’s lowest-tier hotels when cash rates are high around holidays. But I also love the ability to redeem points in the travel portal for theme park tickets and activities. This helps me pay for as many aspects of my trip as possible with points, keeping cash costs down. Ryan Smith, Fortune contributor

Both cards offer juicy welcome bonuses. The American Express Platinum offers 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of card membership. In comparison, the Chase Sapphire Reserve provides a welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 

Winner: If you’re seeking a substantial signup bonus, the American Express Platinum may be the better choice. But offers vary from time to time so be sure to take a look at both before applying. 

Many welcome bonuses require a certain amount of spending on the card within 90 days, and the clock starts ticking when you approved, not when you get the card. Be sure you have a plan as to how you will meet the spending requirement or you risk losing your bonus.

See Rates and Fees

at Bankrate

Reward Rates

• 5X Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year)
• 5X Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
• 1X Earn 1x points on other eligible purchases

Other benefits

• Travel benefits including hotel and car rental chain statuses, car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption and travel delay protection
• Consumer protections including extended warranty and return protection

When it comes to additional benefits, both cards have impressive offerings including Airport Lounge access. The Amex Platinum has the largest network of lounges including Centurion Lounges while the Chase follows along with less robust Priority Pass airport lounge access and a nascent group of Chase Sapphire Lounges .  Both cards also offer reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fees, but Amex Platinum also has CLEAR membership reimbursement. 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a $300 annual travel credit, while the Amex Platinum offers up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. The Amex Platinum also offers a suite of credits to merchants including Uber, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Walmart+ membership. Just be aware that Amex doles out credits in increments that are use or lose. 

Winner: Tie. Amex Platinum has more extensive lounge access and more credits on paper, but the Sapphire Reserve’s travel credit is much easier to use. 

I used the Amex Platinum Card’s annual $200 prepaid hotel credit for a night at the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian (when rates were around $300). I even received free breakfast, a $100 property credit, and a room upgrade facing Edinburgh Castle thanks to the card’s exclusive access to the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts booking platform. Joseph Hostetler

The takeaway

Choosing between the American Express Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve depends on your individual travel preferences and spending habits. If you can maximize the Platinum card’s perks and are willing to pay the higher annual fee, it offers an unparalleled luxury experience with exclusive benefits. 

However, if you prefer a slightly lower annual fee while still enjoying substantial travel rewards and protections, the Chase Sapphire Reserve may be the better option. Both cards provide exceptional value, as long as you can maximize the perks and credits.

For all except the most frequent flyers who value wide-ranging airport lounge access, we think the Chase Sapphire Reserve has the edge.

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.   Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit  americanexpress.com/benefits  guide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.  

Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRatings may r eceive a commission from card issuers.  

• Help your travel dollars go the distance with the best travel credit cards .
• The best airline credit cards help stretch your flight budget farther.
• Earn free nights and other hotel perks with the best hotel credit cards .
• Love to travel? Check out our list of the best no-annual-fee travel credit cards .
• Find credit cards that grant you cheap airline lounge access .
• Roadwarriors should check out our list of the best hotel credit cards for free nights .

About the contributors

EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE : The advice, opinions, or rankings contained in this article are solely those of the Fortune Recommends ™ editorial team. This content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of our affiliate partners or other third parties.

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Chase Ink Business Cash card review: Great for office supplies and technology services

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card overview

Chase's Ink Business Cash Credit Card provides a healthy 5% cash back on office supplies and select utilities, as well as 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations. Given these categories, it's a solid no-annual-fee small-business credit card. And you can more than double the value of your rewards if you transfer them to a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

If your business doesn't have significant travel costs, you may not see the value in having a travel rewards card. But the Chase Ink Business Cash Card offers generous returns on a broad spectrum of office expenses like supplies, internet, cable and phone services while charging no annual fee and offering various redemption options.

The recommended credit score to apply for this card is 670 or above.

The Chase Ink Business Cash Card is a cash-back business card , which means redeeming your rewards is straightforward. However, more lucrative redemption options are available if you pair it with a card that earns Ultimate Rewards points .

Let's take a closer look at the Ink Business Cash Credit Card so you can decide if it's a good fit for your business.

Ink Business Cash pros and cons

Ink business cash welcome offer.

The Ink Business Cash Card has a lucrative offer of up to $750 bonus cash back: $350 cash back after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening an account, plus an additional $400 cash back after spending $6,000 in the first six months. That's the standard offer for this card's history, tweaked a bit so it's easier to get the first chunk of its cash-back rewards.

Additionally, if you have a Chase business checking account on your first card anniversary, you'll earn a one-time 10% bonus of all eligible cash back earned in your first year if you open your card by November 2024.

You can turn the cash-back bonus into Ultimate Rewards points if you transfer your cash-back rewards to a card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, such as the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card , Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . According to TPG's valuations , 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points are worth $1,538.

Related reading: Why do Chase and TPG list different values for Ultimate Rewards points?

Ink Business Cash benefits

The Chase Ink Business Cash Card is a no-annual-fee card that offers modest benefits and perks.

One of the card's best perks for many small-business owners is that you can request cards for employees at no additional cost. You'll earn rewards for their spending, and you can even set individual employee spending limits for greater control.

When you purchase eligible items with the Ink Business Cash Card , these purchases will be covered by purchase protection and extended warranty protection . Purchase protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft at up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account, while extended warranty protection extends the period of a U.S. manufacturer's warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less. These protections can save your business some serious cash.

When you rent a car, you can be covered by the Ink Business Cash Card's auto rental collision damage waiver when you decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. Coverage is primary when renting for business purposes and provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most rentals in the U.S. and abroad.

Whether you're at home or abroad, you can call the Benefits Administrator for legal and medical referrals as well as other travel and emergency assistance. Agents can provide guidance and information when needed, but you'll be responsible for the cost of any services you obtain.

Finally, the Chase Ink Business Cash Card features zero-liability protection , which means you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information. Chase will help safeguard your account using real-time fraud monitoring.

Related reading: Reasons to apply for the Chase Ink Business Cash Card

Earning rewards on the Ink Business Cash

With the Chase Ink Business Cash Card , you'll earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 you make in combined purchases each account anniversary year at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services. Plus, you'll earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 you make in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. You'll also earn 1% cash back on all other purchases, including on spending over $25,000 each account anniversary year in the 5% and 2% categories.

5% cash back is impressive for a no-annual-fee card, one of the best cash-back credit card earning rates on the market, and it's even better if you have a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points . Then you can transfer your cashback to Ultimate Rewards points and effectively earn 5 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services. Since TPG values Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each, that's a ~10% return on spending in these categories.

Related reading: Chase Ink Business cards showdown: Cash vs. Unlimited vs. Preferred

Redeeming rewards on the Ink Business Cash

Just because the Chase Ink Business Cash Card is a cash-back card doesn't mean you don't have options for redeeming your rewards. If you redeem for cash, you can receive your money as an account statement credit or through an electronic deposit into an eligible U.S. checking or savings account.

Other options will provide less than face value for your cash-back rewards, such as gift cards, travel, unique experiences, Amazon Shop with Points and Apple Ultimate Rewards Store. We generally don't recommend redeeming your rewards for these lower-value options.

Transferring rewards on the Ink Business Cash

If you have a card like the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card , Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you unlock an additional redemption option: You can convert the cash-back rewards on your Ink Business Cash Card to Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

The other card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points must be registered to the company's owner, you or a household member to qualify. Once you move points to an Ultimate Rewards-earning account, you can transfer them to airline and hotel travel partners or book travel directly through Chase Travel℠ at a better rate.

TPG managing editor for credit cards Matt Moffitt converts the cashback he earns on his Ink Business Cash to Ultimate Rewards points as he holds the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Then he transfers those points to World of Hyatt for high-value hotel redemptions.

Related reading: How to maximize your Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Which cards compete with the Ink Business Cash?

The Chase Ink Business Cash Card is an excellent choice if your primary spending aligns well with the office supply and utilities bonus categories. But here are some other options:

• If you tend to spend more on travel, shipping and advertising: The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card works well with the Ink Cash since having the Ink Preferred allows the Ink Cash to effectively earn Ultimate Rewards points. For a $95 annual fee, the Ink Preferred earns 3 points per dollar on up to $150,000 in spending each account anniversary year on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone services and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines. For more information, read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred .
• If you spend more than $25,000 in combined purchases per year: You may want to consider the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card . It offers similar spending categories to the Ink Cash and carries no annual fee. For more information, read our full review of the Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards .

For additional options, check out our full list of the best business credit cards .

Read more: How to get a business credit card

Is the Ink Business Cash worth it?

The Ink Business Cash is best suited to small-business owners who spend less than $25,000 per year in combined purchases. With solid, simple benefits and no annual fee, it's a smart pick for business owners who want a cash-back boost for their purchases, especially at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services.

Bottom line

The combination of simplicity and the potential for redemptions make the Ink Business Cash Card a good choice if you're looking for cash-back rewards or the ability to convert cash back to transferrable travel rewards . If you frequently shop at office supply stores or pay internet, cable or phone utilities by credit card, adding the Ink Business Cash Card to your wallet could elevate your earnings on these expenses without requiring you to pay an additional annual fee.

Apply here: Ink Business Cash Credit Card