Dedicated comparison page

American Express Gold Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve

American Express Gold Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve on Luminxo. Compare annual fees, rewards, welcome offers, credit requirements, and who each card is best for.

Lowest annual feeAmerican Express Gold Card$250
Highest reward rateAmerican Express Gold Card1.0%
Lowest starting credit rangeAmerican Express Gold Card700+

Quick Take

American Express Gold Card

by American Express

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American Express Gold Card is a dining card from American Express with a $250 annual fee, 60,000 points after $6,000 in 6 months, and good to excellent credit.

Best for: People focused on dining rewards who can justify a $250 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

  • 4% on Dining
  • 60,000 points after $6,000 in 6 months
  • No foreign transaction fee
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Chase Sapphire Reserve

by Chase

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Chase Sapphire Reserve is a travel card from Chase with a $550 annual fee, 60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months, and good to excellent credit.

Best for: People focused on travel rewards who can justify a $550 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

  • 10% on Travel
  • 60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months
  • No foreign transaction fee
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Side-by-Side Facts

MetricAmerican Express Gold CardChase Sapphire Reserve
Annual Fee$250$550
Reward Rate1.0%1.0%
Signup Bonus60,000 points after $6,000 in 6 months60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months
Foreign Transaction FeeNoneNone
Recommended CreditGood to excellent creditGood to excellent credit
Rewards SummaryEarn elevated rewards with 4% on Dining, 4% on Groceries and 3% on Travel, plus 1% on other purchases.Earn elevated rewards with 10% on Travel and 3% on Dining, plus 1% on other purchases.

Who Should Pick Which Card?

American Express Gold Card

Its strongest earning category is Dining at 4%, backed by 1% on general spending. It also avoids foreign transaction fees.

Best for: People focused on dining rewards who can justify a $250 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

Pros

  • 60,000 points after $6,000 in 6 months
  • Potentially worthwhile if you use the card enough to cover the $250 annual fee
  • Earns 4% on Dining
  • Earns 4% on Groceries

Tradeoffs

  • Annual fee of $250 means you need ongoing value from the card
  • Typically requires good to excellent credit
  • Signup bonus requires $6000 in spending within 6 months
  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Its strongest earning category is Travel at 10%, backed by 1% on general spending. It also avoids foreign transaction fees.

Best for: People focused on travel rewards who can justify a $550 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

Pros

  • 60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months
  • Potentially worthwhile if you use the card enough to cover the $550 annual fee
  • Earns 10% on Travel
  • Earns 3% on Dining

Tradeoffs

  • Annual fee of $550 means you need ongoing value from the card
  • Typically requires good to excellent credit
  • Signup bonus requires $4000 in spending within 3 months
  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between American Express Gold Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve?

The biggest tradeoffs are annual fee, reward concentration, and the level of credit usually needed to qualify. This page compares those inputs directly so you can choose the card that fits your spending and tolerance for annual fees.

Which card is easier to qualify for?

American Express Gold Card has the lowest published starting credit range in this comparison at 700.

Which card has the lowest annual fee?

American Express Gold Card has the lowest annual fee in this comparison at $250.