The premium travel credit card landscape has shifted dramatically. If you are reading this, you are likely staring at two daunting numbers: $895 and $795. These are the new annual fees for the American Express Platinum Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve, respectively.
- At a Glance: The 2025 Sticker Shock
- The Earnings Engine: How You Accumulate Points
- The “Coupon Book” War: Credits and Perks
- Lounge Access: The Battle for the Airport Oasis
- Redemption: Membership Rewards vs. Ultimate Rewards
- Insurance: The Hidden Value
- The Final Verdict: Which Card Fits Your 2025 Life?
- FAQ: Premium Travel Cards in 2025
- Source Links & References
For years, this debate was simple. Amex was for luxury lounge lizards, and Chase was for flexible travel hackers. But in 2025, the lines have blurred. Both issuers have aggressively pivoted toward a “lifestyle” model, stacking hundreds of dollars in statement credits for dining, wellness, and retail to justify the sticker price.
This is not just a credit card comparison; it is a financial strategy session. Whether you are a Delta loyalist flying out of JFK or a digital nomad hopping between Hyatts, the right card can unlock thousands in value—while the wrong one will simply cost you nearly a grand a year.
As a veteran travel finance writer, I have dissected the fine print of the 2025 refreshes. Here is the definitive, deep-dive comparison to help you decide which heavyweight deserves the slot in your wallet.
At a Glance: The 2025 Sticker Shock
Before we analyze the value, we must address the cost. Both cards have seen significant fee increases in the last 18 months, pushing them into the ultra-premium tier.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Annual Fee: $895
- Current Welcome Offer: Typically 80,000 to 175,000 Membership Rewards points (targeted) after spending $8,000 in 6 months.
- Top Value Proposition: Unrivaled lounge access and over $1,500 in tangible annual credits if you fit the “urban luxury” profile.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Annual Fee: $795
- Current Welcome Offer: Typically 60,000 to 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in 3 months.
- Top Value Proposition: Best-in-class travel insurance, flexible 3x earning on all travel/dining, and the easiest-to-use travel credit in the industry.
The Earnings Engine: How You Accumulate Points
If you spend heavily on travel, the return on investment (ROI) comes from the points you earn. This is where the two cards diverge wildly in philosophy.
Amex Platinum: The Specialist
The Amex Platinum is not a card for everyday spending. It is a sniper rifle. You pull it out for two specific things: flights and prepaid hotels.
- 5x Points on flights booked directly with airlines or via Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 per year).
- 5x Points on prepaid hotels booked via Amex Travel.
- 1x Points on everything else.
Analysis: earning 1x on dining or general transit is painful in 2025. This card requires a companion driver, like the Amex Gold (for 4x on dining) or the Blue Business Plus (for 2x on everything), to truly maximize your point generation.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: The Generalist
Chase recognizes that “travel” is more than just flights. It covers Ubers, trains, tolls, parking garages, and cruises.
- 10x Points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel.
- 10x Points on Chase Dining purchases through Ultimate Rewards.
- 5x Points on flights purchased through Chase Travel.
- 3x Points on all other travel and dining worldwide.
- 1x Points on everything else.
Analysis: The 3x “broad travel” category is the single most valuable earning multiplier for independent travelers. If you pay a $2,000 Airbnb bill, Amex gives you 2,000 points. Chase gives you 6,000 points. Over a year, this difference is massive.
The “Coupon Book” War: Credits and Perks
To offset the nearly $1,000 fees, both issuers now shower you with credits. However, breakage (the industry term for credits you forget to use) is how they make money. Which stack of coupons is actually usable?
Amex Platinum: The Lifestyle Stack
Amex has leaned fully into the “lifestyle” branding with the 2025 refresh.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: For incidentals like bags and seat selection (not airfare). Rigid and annoying to use.
- $200 Uber Cash: Distributed as $15/month (plus a bonus in December). Great for city dwellers.
- $400 Resy Credit: Up to $100 quarterly at U.S. Resy restaurants. If you dine out in major cities, this is as good as cash.
- $600 Hotel Credit: Up to $300 biannually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings. This is a significant 2025 upgrade, tripling the previous value.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: $20/month for Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, NYT, etc.
- $300 Lululemon Credit: $75 quarterly. A new addition that signals Amex’s target demographic perfectly.
- $200 Clear Plus Credit: Covers the full cost of expedited airport security.
The Verdict: If you naturally shop at Lululemon, use Uber, and dine at Resy spots, the Amex Platinum effectively pays you to hold it. If you have to force your spending to fit these categories, the card is a burden.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: The Travel Stack
Chase has tried to match Amex’s complexity but retains one “golden goose” benefit.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit: The holy grail. It automatically applies to the first $300 you spend on any travel category. No enrollment, no airline selection. It just works.
- $500 “The Edit” Credit: Two $250 credits for bookings at “The Edit” (Chase’s luxury hotel collection). Similar to Amex’s hotel credit but newer.
- $300 Exclusive Tables Dining Credit: $150 biannually for reservations made via Chase’s specific dining platform.
- $300 StubHub Credit: $150 biannually. Great for concert-goers, useless for homebodies.
- DoorDash & Peloton: Rotating partnerships that offer monthly statement credits or membership waivers.
The Verdict: The $300 travel credit effectively lowers the CSR annual fee to $495 immediately. The other credits (The Edit, Exclusive Tables) are harder to use than Amex’s Resy credit because the footprint of supported venues is smaller.
Lounge Access: The Battle for the Airport Oasis
In 2025, airport overcrowding is the traveler’s nemesis. Which card gets you behind the velvet rope?
Amex Platinum wins on volume and prestige.
- Centurion Lounges: The gold standard. Hot buffets, craft cocktails, and generally superior design.
- Delta Sky Club: Access when flying Delta (though visits are now capped annually unless you spend $75k).
- Priority Pass: Enrollment required; access to 1,300+ lounges globally (no restaurant credit).
- Plaza Premium & Escape Lounges: Additional networks that fill the gaps.
Chase Sapphire Reserve is catching up fast.
- Chase Sapphire Lounges: These new lounges (in BOS, LGA, JFK, HKG, etc.) are spectacular, arguably beating Centurion Lounges in food quality and lack of crowding.
- Priority Pass: Includes the “restaurant” perk (approx. $28 credit at airport restaurants), which Amex removed. This is a secret weapon for airports with bad lounges but good dining.
Winner: If you live in a hub with a Chase Sapphire Lounge, the CSR is superior. For everyone else, the Amex Global Lounge Collection remains the king of coverage.
Redemption: Membership Rewards vs. Ultimate Rewards
You have earned 100,000 points. Now what?
Amex Membership Rewards are for the “optimizer.”
To get value, you must transfer points to partners like Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, or Virgin Atlantic.
- Sweet Spot: Booking ANA business class to Tokyo for 45k-55k points (via Virgin) or Delta One suites to Europe via Virgin Atlantic.
- The Trap: Redeeming points for cash or travel through the Amex portal yields a terrible value (0.6 to 1.0 cent per point).
Chase Ultimate Rewards are for the “realist.”
Chase offers a high floor for value.
- 50% Bonus: Points are worth 1.5 cents each when booked through the Chase Travel portal. That 100,000 point bonus is guaranteed to be worth $1,500 in travel. No blackout dates, no award availability hunting.
- Hyatt Transfer: The single best transfer partner in the game. Transferring to World of Hyatt often yields 2.0 to 3.0 cents per point at luxury properties like the Park Hyatt or Alila.
Winner: Chase. The combination of the 1.5 cent floor and the Hyatt partnership makes Ultimate Rewards more valuable and easier to use for 95% of travelers. Amex has a higher theoretical ceiling, but it requires hours of research to execute.
Insurance: The Hidden Value
You do not think about insurance until you are stranded in Munich with a cancelled flight.
Chase Sapphire Reserve is the undisputed champion here.
- Primary Rental Car Insurance: You can decline the rental company’s coverage, and Chase covers the car. Amex only offers secondary coverage (unless you pay extra for a premium tier).
- Trip Delay: Kicks in after just 6 hours. If your flight is delayed 6+ hours, Chase covers your hotel and meals (up to $500).
- Baggage Delay: reimbursement for toiletries/clothing if bags are delayed 6+ hours.
Amex Platinum has tightened its terms.
- Trip delay coverage kicks in after 6 hours as well (improved from 12), but the claims process is historically more rigorous.
- No baggage delay coverage on the Platinum (only lost luggage).
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve. It essentially replaces a third-party travel insurance policy.
The Final Verdict: Which Card Fits Your 2025 Life?
The decision between the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve is no longer about which card is “better” in a vacuum. It is about your specific spending habits and travel style.
Choose the Amex Platinum ($895) if:
- You want VIP treatment: The Centurion Lounge access and Hilton/Marriott Gold status are tangible luxury perks.
- You are a Delta flyer: Sky Club access (even capped) is valuable.
- You live the “City Lifestyle”: You can naturally use the $400 Resy, $200 Uber, $300 Equinox/SoulCycle, and $300 Lululemon credits without spending extra money.
- You buy expensive flights: Earning 5x on airfare is the best return in the industry.
Choose the Chase Sapphire Reserve ($795) if:
- You want flexibility: You want to earn 3x points on subways, Ubers, Airbnbs, and cafes, not just flights.
- You value simplicity: The $300 travel credit is automatic, and the 1.5 cent redemption portal is a fail-safe way to use points.
- You are a Hyatt loyalist: Transferring to Hyatt is the best way to stay at 5-star hotels for free.
- You rent cars often: Primary rental insurance saves you $15 to $30 per rental day.
In 2025, the Chase Sapphire Reserve feels like the more practical tool for the modern adventurer, offering robust insurance and flexible earning. The Amex Platinum remains the ultimate membership card for the luxury consumer who wants their credit card to double as a concierge and lifestyle subscription.
Analyze your wallet. Look at your last three months of bank statements. If you see lots of “Resy” restaurants and “Uber” charges, get the Amex. If you see “Expedia,” “local train,” and “Hertz,” get the Chase.
FAQ: Premium Travel Cards in 2025
1. Is the Amex Platinum annual fee worth $895?
Yes, but only if you use the credits. If you maximize the hotel, airline, Uber, and Resy credits, you recoup over $1,200 in value, making the card “profitable.” If you do not use the credits, you are overpaying for lounge access.
2. Does Chase Sapphire Reserve still have the best travel insurance?
Absolutely. The combination of Primary Rental Car Damage Waiver and the 6-hour trip delay reimbursement makes it superior to the Amex Platinum for peace of mind.
3. Can I have both cards?
Many travelers hold both. They use the Amex Platinum for flights (5x) and lounge access, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve for dining/transit (3x) and Hyatt transfers. However, you are looking at nearly $1,700 in annual fees.
4. What credit score do I need for these cards?
For the Amex Platinum, a score of 700+ is usually sufficient. Amex is more lenient on approval but stricter on credit limits. Chase is tougher; they generally look for 720+ and adhere to the “5/24 rule” (you cannot get approved if you have opened 5 or more cards in the last 24 months).