Sapphire Preferred vs Delta Reserve

Sapphire Preferred currently has the stronger offer: 75,000 Ultimate Rewards (~$1,538 value) after $5,000 spend in 3 months, vs 100,000 Delta SkyMiles (~$1,200) after $6,000 in 6 months for Delta Reserve. Welcome offers change frequently — verify the current offer on the issuer's application page before applying.

For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~$1,538) and statement credits alone typically cover the $95 fee several times over. After year one, the math depends on your spending patterns. Use our Annual Fee Calculator with your actual numbers to verify before renewing.

For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~$1,200) and statement credits alone typically cover the $650 fee several times over. After year one, the math depends on your spending patterns. Use our Annual Fee Calculator with your actual numbers to verify before renewing.

Yes — these cards are from different issuers (Chase and Amex), so holding both is fine. Each card has its own welcome bonus and benefits with no overlap rules between the two issuers. One sequencing tip: Sapphire Preferred is subject to Chase 5/24, so if you're close to the limit, apply for it first. Also note Delta Reserve's welcome bonus is once per lifetime under Amex's rules — time that application for when the offer is elevated.

If you fly Delta several times a year, Delta Reserve is built for you: first 2 checked bags free, priority boarding, an annual companion certificate (~$500 value), airline lounge access, a boost toward Platinum Medallion MQMs. Those perks only pay off on Delta flights, though. If your travel is spread across airlines, Sapphire Preferred is the stronger pick — its Chase UR points transfer to 14+ airline and hotel partners instead of being locked into SkyMiles.

Sapphire Preferred transfers to World of Hyatt at 1:1 through its Chase UR ecosystem — one of the highest-CPP redemptions in the points game. Delta Reserve doesn't transfer to Hyatt — Delta SkyMiles has no Hyatt partnership.

Delta Reserve includes Delta Sky Club (unlimited). Sapphire Preferred doesn't include lounge access — you'd need to pay for it separately or upgrade to a premium card.

Based on first-year math (welcome bonus + tracked statement credits − annual fee), Sapphire Preferred comes out ahead at ~$1,603 of net value vs ~$1,463 for the other card. After year one, the better card for YOU depends on how naturally you'll use the credits and category bonuses.

Yes — Sapphire Preferred is issued by Chase, so the 5/24 rule applies. If you've opened 5 or more cards in the last 24 months, Chase will likely deny your application. Delta Reserve is issued by Amex and isn't subject to 5/24.

Sapphire Preferred has the easier bar — $5,000 in 3 months — vs $6,000 in 6 months for Delta Reserve. Don't manufacture spend just to hit a higher threshold — if you can't reach it through normal spending, the card isn't the right fit right now.

Sapphire Preferred wins on raw partner breadth — 14 transfer partners vs 0 for Delta Reserve. More partners means more routing flexibility for award flights and hotel redemptions. That said, partner *quality* often matters more than partner *count*: a single great partner (e.g. Hyatt at 1:1) can outweigh a dozen weak ones.

Every comparison uses the same fixed methodology: welcome offer value (bonus × current points valuation minus AF), category earning rates, annual fee vs benefit math, transfer-partner depth + redemption value, lounge tier, travel protections, and foreign transaction handling. Card facts come from issuer pages (verified via Playwright on the "Last reviewed" date), card-program award charts, and TPG monthly valuations. Nothing on this page is paid-placement — the Quick Winners, Real-World Scenarios, and Comparison Table are deterministic outputs from the data, not editorial opinion.