The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Apple Card are two entirely different cards. Each comes with its own unique set of perks and rewards that cater to different consumers.
The Sapphire Reserve offers premium travel benefits including lounge access, hotel elite status, and multiple statement credits that can offset its $795 annual fee. With bonus earnings on travel and dining purchases plus the ability to transfer points to 14 airline and hotel partners, this card delivers strong value for frequent travelers who can maximize its benefits.
The Apple Card is a no annual fee card offering 3% back at Apple, 2% on purchases via Apple Pay, and no foreign transaction fees.
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 Reserve vs Apple Card
- 3% Back on Everything You Buy from Apple (Apple Store, apple.com, the App Store, or iTunes).
- 2% Back for Purchases Made Using Apple Pay (no limits regardless of category).
- 1% Back on All Other Purchases which Come in the Form of Daily Cash.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $0 Annual Fee
Welcome Bonuses
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve currently offers the following welcome bonus:
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Apple Card
The Apple Card offers $75 in Daily Cash when you make your first purchase within 30 days (subject to change).
Earning Rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a powerhouse when it comes to earning rewards points, particularly in the travel and dining categories. Here’s a breakdown of the bonus points you can earn:
- 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $150 or more (through December 31, 2027, maximum 50,000 points).
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel, including The Edit.
- 5x points on Lyft rides (through September 30, 2027).
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly.
- 3x points on dining worldwide.
- 1x point on all other purchases.
Apple Card
The Apple Card lets cardholders earn points in the following categories:
- 3% Daily Cash on Apple Products (Apple Store, apple.com, Apple TV+, the App Store, iTunes, etc.);
- 3% Daily Cash when using Apple Pay at these merchants: Ace Hardware, Duane Reade, Exxon, Mobil, Nike, Panera Bread, T-Mobile, Uber/Uber Eats, and Walgreens;
- 2% Daily Cash on purchases made with Apple Pay; and
- 1% Daily Cash on all other purchases.
Winner:
Chase Sapphire Reserve. The Sapphire Reserve offers higher reward rates and several spending categories helping you earn points a lot faster.
Card Benefits and Perks
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers the following benefits:
Annual Credits: The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers up to $300 in automatic statement credits for travel purchases each year. This credit applies to a wide range of travel expenses including flights, hotels, rideshares, parking, and more, making it incredibly easy to use without any registration required.
Hotel Credits: You can earn up to $500 annually in hotel booking credits when you book through The Edit by Chase Travel. These credits are distributed as $250 every six months and require minimum two-night stays with pay-now bookings at luxury properties.
Dining Credits: The card provides up to $300 yearly in dining statement credits at select restaurants in major cities. You receive $150 credits twice per year, though the participating restaurant list is limited to specific establishments in key metropolitan areas.
Entertainment Credits: You’ll get up to $300 in annual credits for concert and event tickets through StubHub and Viagogo. The credits are split into $150 amounts every six months, making it easy to cover entertainment expenses for shows and sporting events.
DoorDash Benefits: Cardholders receive up to $300 in annual DoorDash credits plus a complimentary DashPass membership worth up to $120 per year. The monthly credits include $5 for restaurant orders and two $10 credits for groceries and retail purchases.
Apple Services: You can get complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions valued at up to $250 annually. This benefit covers both streaming services and remains active through June 2027 with proper activation.
Lyft Credits: The card offers up to $120 in annual Lyft credits distributed as $10 monthly credits. These credits apply to various ride types, including Standard, Extra Comfort, XL, Black, and Black SUV options.
Lounge Access: Cardholders enjoy Priority Pass membership with access to over 1,700 lounges worldwide, plus two complimentary guests per visit. You’ll also get unlimited access to Chase Sapphire Lounges and select Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges when flying Star Alliance airlines.
IHG Status: You automatically receive IHG One Rewards Platinum elite status through December 2027. This status includes 60% bonus points on stays, complimentary room upgrades when available, early check-in, and late checkout privileges.
Enhanced Benefits: After spending $75,000 annually, you unlock additional perks including IHG Diamond status, Southwest A-List status, a $500 Southwest flight credit, and $250 in credits for The Shops at Chase marketplace.
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / Nexus Credit: Receive an application fee credit of up to $120 every four years for either TSA PreCheck (expedited airport security), Global Entry (expedited airport security and customs), or NEXUS (expedited crossing between the US and Canada)for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®. These trusted traveler programs can save you time and hassle at the airport.
Travel Benefits
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Roadside Dispatch: Get access to 24/7 emergency roadside assistance for situations like dead batteries, flat tires, fuel delivery, and mechanical breakdowns. While you’ll need to pay for the actual service provided, having access to reliable help when stranded can be invaluable.
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.
Return Protection allows cardholders to receive a refund for purchased items within a certain timeframe for items that merchants may not accept for return.
Apple Card
The Apple Card offers the following benefits for its cardholders:
- Apple Card Monthly Installments lets you buy new Apple products, like iPhone, Mac, iPad, and more, and pay them off with interest-free monthly payments.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Complimentary ShopRunner Membership.
Winner:
The Chase Sapphire Reserve wins because it offers premium perks, including Priority Pass Lounge access, a $300 annual travel credit, and several travel and purchase protections.
Value of the Annual Fees
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve carries a hefty $795 annual fee, making it one of the most expensive premium travel cards on the market. However, the card offers numerous benefits that can help offset this cost, including a $300 annual travel credit, up to $500 in hotel credits, $300 in dining credits, $300 in entertainment credits, DoorDash benefits, Apple subscription benefits, and comprehensive lounge access.
If you maximize these perks, you can potentially receive over $2,000 in annual value, making the effective cost much more reasonable for frequent travelers.
Apple Card
One of the best features of the Apple Card is that it doesn’t have an annual fee.
Winner:
The Apple Card with its no annual fee.
Redeeming Rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve
When you’re looking to maximize your Chase Ultimate Rewards points from the Sapphire Reserve, your best strategy is transferring points to Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. This approach consistently delivers the highest value, especially for international flights and premium bookings.
The airline partners span multiple alliances, giving you extensive routing options. You can transfer to British Airways Executive Club for short-haul regional flights, Air Canada Aeroplan for excellent North American and international availability, or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer for premium Asian routes. Other valuable partners include Air France-KLM Flying Blue, United MileagePlus for domestic travel, Southwest Rapid Rewards for no-blackout flights, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club for competitive transatlantic business class, and Emirates Skywards for their premium Middle East network.
For hotels, you have three solid options. World of Hyatt consistently offers excellent redemption values, especially at luxury properties where cash rates exceed $400-500 per night. IHG One Rewards covers a massive global network with reasonable rates, while Marriott Bonvoy provides the largest hotel portfolio worldwide.
Chase’s travel portal has become less attractive since recent changes. While Chase markets redemptions “up to 2 cents per point,” this enhanced rate only applies to premium airfare and luxury hotels through The Edit collection. For everyday economy flights and standard hotels, you’ll get just 1 cent per point after October 2027 – a significant decrease from the previous consistent 1.5 cents per point.
The enhanced portal rates primarily benefit high-spending travelers booking expensive premium cabins and luxury properties, making partner transfers the smarter choice for most people.
Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners [1 to 1]
Aer Lingus
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air France/KLM
British Airways
Emirates
Hyatt Hotels
Iberia
IHG Hotels
JetBlue
Marriott
Singapore
Southwest
United
Virgin Atlantic
Apple Card
The Apple Card earns Daily Cash, which you can use through the Wallet app on purchases, as a statement credit to pay off your bill, or through the Messages app to pay friends and family.
Winner:
The Chase Sapphire Reserve wins because it offers flexible redemptions, letting you transfer to several airline and hotel partners or redeem via the Chase Travel Portal.
The Verdict
The Sapphire Reserve clearly outperforms the Apple Card in most of the categories mentioned above.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers higher rewards, more premium benefits, and flexible redemptions. What I really like about the card is it offers a $300 annual travel credit and a Priority Pass membership. These benefits alone are nearly worth thousands of dollars in value.
Meanwhile, the Apple Card is limited to Apple purchases, so it only caters to a smaller audience. But since the card has no annual fees, it can be a good supplemental card that you can pair with the Sapphire Reserve to maximize rewards potential.
Which card are you going to choose?
- 3% Back on Everything You Buy from Apple (Apple Store, apple.com, the App Store, or iTunes).
- 2% Back for Purchases Made Using Apple Pay (no limits regardless of category).
- 1% Back on All Other Purchases which Come in the Form of Daily Cash.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $0 Annual Fee
