If you’re a frequent flyer looking to save on flights and get solid travel perks, check out the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®.
The Sapphire Preferred is one of the most popular travel rewards cards because it offers nice welcome bonus and extra points on travel and dining, which can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel℠. The Sapphire Preferred also offers great travel and purchase protections for a card with a $95 annual fee.
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum makes earning American Airlines elite status easier by turning your everyday purchases into Loyalty Points, with no cap on how many you can earn. The card’s standout benefit is free checked bags on domestic flights for you and up to four companions, making it valuable for families and frequent travelers.
This article will compare each card based on several factors to help you make an informed decision on which card is the best to add to your wallet.
Overview: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select
Welcome Bonuses
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Let’s begin with one of the most attractive aspects of the Chase Sapphire Preferred: the welcome bonus. Currently, new cardholders can earn the following welcome bonus:
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Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum currently offers the following welcome bonus:
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Remember that you won’t be eligible for this offer if you’ve earned a sign-up bonus from a Citi Platinum Select card in the past 48 months.
Earning Rewards
The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns Ultimate Rewards points and offers bonus points on spending in several categories:
- 5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Travel;
- 5 points per dollar on Lyft purchases (through March 2025);
- 5 points per dollar on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $250 or more (through March 2025, with a limit of 25,000 bonus points);
- 3 points per dollar on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out;
- 3 points per dollar on online grocery store purchases (excludes Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs);
- 3 points per dollar on select streaming services;
- 2 points per dollar on all travel not booked through Chase Travel; and
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible spending.
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select
Cardholders of the Citi AAdvantage Platinum will earn miles on the following spending categories:
- 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases.
- 2 miles per dollar at gas stations.
- 2 miles per dollar at restaurants.
- 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
Winner:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has more spending categories so you can earn points faster. Plus, Ultimate Rewards points are more flexible since you can transfer them to several airline and hotel partners.
Card Benefits and Perks
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers nice benefits, including:
10% Points Bonus: You will earn bonus points equivalent to 10% of your total spending in points earned with your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card during the past account anniversary year. For example, if you spent $10,000 during your cardmember year, you would receive an additional 1,000 points ($10,000 * 10% = 1,000 points).
$50 Hotel Credit: The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers up to $50 in statement credits every account anniversary year if you book your hotel stays through Chase Travel.
DashPass Membership: This card offers a one-year DashPass membership for free, which includes DoorDash and Caviar, offering unlimited deliveries with free delivery fees and reduced service fees for eligible purchases. The offer must be activated by December 31, 2027. Once the free membership is over, you will be automatically enrolled in DashPass at the prevailing monthly rate.
Instacart Membership: Have your groceries delivered to your doorstep with a complimentary 6-month Instacart+ membership plus a $15 credit once every quarter. Enrollment is required by July 31, 2024.
No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.
Travel Benefits
Primary Rental Car Insurance: When you rent a car and pay with this card, you’ll receive comprehensive coverage including damage and theft protection. Simply decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver and charge the entire rental to your card to activate coverage. This insurance covers damage, theft, and valid loss-of-use charges worldwide.
Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance: This protection reimburses you for non-refundable, prepaid travel expenses if you need to cancel before departure or cut your trip short due to covered situations like severe illness or weather events. Coverage activates when you pay for your trip with the card, but it’s important to note that reimbursement only applies for specific covered reasons rather than any cancellation.
Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Your checked luggage gets extra protection against loss, theft, or damage beyond the basic compensation offered by carriers when you pay for travel with this card.
Baggage Delay Insurance: Missing luggage doesn’t have to derail your trip – this coverage steps in to reimburse you for essential purchases when your checked bags are delayed by airlines, trains, or other carriers. You can grab the necessities you need, from a fresh outfit to personal care items, while waiting for your bags to arrive.
Purchase Benefits
120-Day Purchase Protection: Get 120 days of protection against damage, theft, and even loss of your purchases – one of the longest windows available. This premium coverage automatically applies when you pay with your card.
Extended Warranty Protection: Your purchases gain an extra year of warranty protection when bought with this card, extending manufacturer warranties of three years or less without the inflated prices of store warranty plans.
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum offers the following benefits:
Free First Checked Bag: You can get a free first checked bag for you and up to four companions on the same reservation by just holding this card. This perk only applies to domestic flights and does not apply to international flights.
Preferred Boarding: You and up to four travel companions on the same reservation can enjoy Group 5 Preferred Boarding.
25% Inflight Savings: You can get 25% savings as a statement credit when you use your card to purchase food and beverages on American Airlines-operated flights.
$125 American Airlines Discount: You can earn a $125 American Airlines discount when you spend $20,000 in a single year.
No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.
90-Day Purchase Protection: Your new purchases are covered against damage and theft for 90 days when you use your card. This protection helps safeguard your eligible items right from the moment you buy them.
Extended Warranty: This Citi credit card offers one of the best extended warranty protection because it extends the manufacturer’s warranty on an item for an additional 24 months for products with warranties up to 5 years.
ShopRunner Membership: As a cardholder, you’ll enjoy a complimentary ShopRunner membership, which provides free 2-day shipping and free returns at over 100 participating online retailers. This benefit can help frequent online shoppers save on shipping costs and streamline the return process.
Winner:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers valuable travel protections that the Citi AAdvantage Platinum lacks.
The AAdvantage Platinum could be a good companion card to the Sapphire Preferred for the free checked bags.
Value of the Annual Fees
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, which may give some people pause. However, as a frequent traveler, I’ve found that the card’s benefits and rewards can easily offset this cost.
Think about it this way: if you take advantage of the welcome bonus and redeem those points for travel, you’ve already recouped the annual fee many times over. Plus, the ongoing rewards and perks like travel insurance, hotel credit, and no foreign transaction fees can save you money and provide peace of mind during your trips.
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum card has a $99 annual fee, which is waived the first year.
This annual fee can easily be offset by the card benefits such as free checked bags, priority boarding, an in-flight discount, and many others.
Winner:
It depends on how often you fly American Airlines.
Redeeming Rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers exceptional flexibility when it comes to points redemption, allowing you to create the travel experiences you’ve been dreaming of.
One popular redemption option is booking travel through the Chase Travel portal. Here, your points are worth 1.25 cents apiece, meaning that a substantial amount of points can be redeemed for a significant value towards travel. I’ve used this option to book flights, hotels, and rental cars, and I appreciate the simplicity of the process. Plus, when you book through the portal, you can still earn airline miles and hotel points on your reservations.
If you’re looking to stretch your points even further, transfer to Chase’s airline and hotel partners. Some notable transfer partners include United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, British Airways, Air France/KLM, Hyatt, and Marriott. By strategically transferring points, you can unlock incredible redemption opportunities like first-class flights or luxurious resort stays.
In my experience, transferring points to Hyatt has yielded some of the most valuable redemptions. By leveraging my Ultimate Rewards points, I’ve booked top-tier properties like the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme and the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort for a fraction of the cash price.
Of course, if you’re not in the mood for travel, you can always redeem your points for statement credits or gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point. While this may not provide the most bang for your buck, it’s a decent option to have for those times when you need a little extra cash in your pocket.
Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners [1 to 1]
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Aer Lingus
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Air Canada Aeroplan
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Air France/KLM
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British Airways
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Emirates
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Hyatt Hotels
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Iberia
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IHG Hotels
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JetBlue
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Marriott
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Singapore
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Southwest
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United
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Virgin Atlantic
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Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select
American Airlines AAdvantage miles offer excellent value for savvy travelers, particularly for international premium cabin redemptions with its Oneworld partners. While domestic awards can be reasonable, the real sweet spots lie in partner airline bookings and long-haul flights.
One of the best uses is flying to the Middle East or India in business class for just 70,000 miles one-way. This can get you on Qatar Airways’ renowned Qsuite or Etihad’s luxurious business class product. Another standout option is business class to Africa for 75,000 miles, accessing destinations like South Africa or Kenya via Middle Eastern hubs.
Asia is another region where AAdvantage miles shine. You can fly business class to Japan or South Korea for 60,000 miles, or to destinations like Thailand or Singapore for 70,000 miles. While availability can be challenging, patience can score you seats on top-rated airlines like Japan Airlines or Cathay Pacific.
For those eyeing American’s own premium cabins, dynamic pricing sometimes yields attractive rates, especially on connecting itineraries. You might find business class to Europe for 62,000 miles or even first class to Australia for 75,000 miles.
AAdvantage also excels in bookings between other regions. For instance, Middle East to Asia in business class for 40,000 miles or South Pacific to Asia for the same price can offer exceptional value.
Winner:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred wins because it offers flexible redemptions. Chase also transfers to several airline and hotel partners, so you get more value for your points.
Chase doesn’t transfer directly to American Airlines, but a good strategy is to transfer your points to any OneWorld airline, and then redeem American Airlines award flights.
The Verdict
The Sapphire Preferred and Citi AAdvantage Platinum cards are great options for frequent flyers. It’s tough choosing between the two since each card offers unique advantages.
However, the Chase Sapphire Preferred wins because it offers better rewards and flexible redemptions. It’s a versatile card that suits all types of travelers.
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum is also a great option since it offers free checked bags and priority boarding, but you have to fly American several times a year to maximize them.
Which card are you going to choose?
