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Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite: Which Is Better in 2026?
July 1, 2025
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
Editor's Picks
Both cards are premium travel cards with lounge access and large annual credits, but they reward different kinds of cardholders. The Sapphire Reserve is built around Chase Travel and transferable points, while the Premium Rewards Elite pays a flat, simple rate and rewards existing Bank of America customers.
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is our pick for frequent travelers who want elevated points on travel and dining, airport lounge access, and the option to transfer points to airline and hotel partners.
- The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite Credit Card is our pick for travelers who already bank with Bank of America and want straightforward points on travel, dining, and everything else.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Breakdown
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The Sapphire Reserve earns 8x points on purchases through Chase Travel℠, 4x on flights and hotels booked directly, 3x on dining worldwide, and 1x on all other purchases. It carries a $795 annual fee.
Key benefits include a $300 annual travel credit, access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club and 1,300+ Priority Pass™ lounges, and a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS fee credit of up to $120 every four years. Points can be transferred to Chase's airline and hotel partners.
Points are not earned until after the first $300 is spent annually on travel purchases. The first $300 goes toward the $300 Annual Travel Credit.
Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite Breakdown
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The Premium Rewards Elite earns unlimited 2 points per $1 on travel and dining and 1.5 points per $1 on all other purchases. It has a $550 annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.
Benefits include up to $300 per year in airline incidental statement credits, up to $150 per year in lifestyle credits for streaming, food delivery, fitness subscriptions, and rideshare, up to four Priority Pass™ Select memberships, and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® credit of up to $120 every four years. Members of Bank of America's BofA Rewards program can earn bonus rewards on purchases, with the boost depending on their tier.
The information for the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite Credit Card has been collected independently by Kudos. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Sapphire Reserve vs Premium Rewards Elite: Which Is Better?
Earning
The Sapphire Reserve pays the most on travel booked through Chase Travel and on flights and hotels booked directly, plus 3x on dining. The Premium Rewards Elite pays less on travel and dining but more on everyday purchases, with 1.5 points per $1 everywhere else versus the Reserve's 1x.
Credits
The Reserve's $300 annual travel credit applies to a broad range of travel purchases. The Premium Rewards Elite splits its value between up to $300 in airline incidental credits, such as seat upgrades and baggage fees, and up to $150 in lifestyle credits.
Redemption
Sapphire Reserve points can be used through Chase Travel or transferred to airline and hotel loyalty programs. Premium Rewards Elite points can be redeemed for travel, cash back into eligible Bank of America or Merrill accounts, statement credits, and gift cards, and airfare booked with points through Bank of America Travel or the Concierge gets 20% savings.
Lounge Access
Both cards include Priority Pass™ lounge access. The Reserve adds Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club, while the Premium Rewards Elite offers up to four Priority Pass Select memberships, which can be useful for families or couples.
Compare Cards With Kudos
Premium cards only pay off if you use the credits. Kudos helps you test drive cards against your real spending and compare them side by side in the card explorer.
The free Kudos browser extension can also autofill your best card at checkout, which makes it easier to put dining and travel on the right card.
The Benefits Tracker in Kudos Premium shows how much of each card's travel and lifestyle credits you've used and what's left, with step-by-step redemption instructions. Its annual fee vs. value comparison shows which cards are worth keeping.
Who Should Choose the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® suits frequent travelers who book through Chase Travel or directly with airlines and hotels, spend regularly on dining, and will use the $300 travel credit and lounge access.
It's also the better choice if you want to transfer points to airline or hotel programs. Our Chase Sapphire Reserve review goes deeper on the card's benefits.
Who Should Choose the Premium Rewards Elite?
The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite Credit Card suits travelers who already hold deposits or investments with Bank of America or Merrill and can earn a BofA Rewards bonus on purchases. It also fits people who prefer a simple earning structure with a higher rate on non-bonus spending.
Households that want lounge memberships for several travelers may also prefer it, since it offers up to four Priority Pass Select memberships.
Alternatives to Consider
If neither premium card fits, two lower-cost options are worth comparing.
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns transferable Chase points for a much lower annual fee.
- The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card has no annual fee and earns unlimited 1.5 points per $1 on purchases, with BofA Rewards bonuses available to eligible customers.
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The information for the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Kudos. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit. Premium travel cards are generally designed for applicants with good to excellent credit.
- Plan your spending. Welcome offers usually require a minimum spend within the first few months, so make sure you can meet it with normal purchases.
- Know the ecosystem. The Premium Rewards Elite is most valuable if you qualify for a BofA Rewards tier, so check where your balances would place you.
Application Strategy
- Read the bonus eligibility rules. Chase says the new cardmember bonus may not be available if you previously held the card or received its bonus, and it may consider how many cards you've opened and closed.
- Time your application. Applying before a large planned purchase can help you meet a spending requirement without extra spending.
Our Methodology
Kudos evaluates nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market, far more than the roughly 150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. The goal is a complete, unbiased view of the market so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team verifies card terms against issuer sources. You can also explore the full dataset yourself in the Kudos card explorer, which includes thousands of cards, more than 95% of which do not pay us commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do the Travel Credits Differ?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a $300 annual travel credit that applies to a broad range of travel purchases. The Premium Rewards Elite provides up to $300 per year in airline incidental statement credits for purchases like seat upgrades, baggage fees, airline lounge fees, and in-flight services.
Points are not earned until after the first $300 is spent annually on travel purchases. The first $300 goes toward the $300 Annual Travel Credit.
Do Both Cards Offer Airport Lounge Access?
Yes. Both include Priority Pass™ lounge access. The Sapphire Reserve also includes Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club, and the Premium Rewards Elite offers up to four Priority Pass Select memberships.
Can I Transfer Points to Airline and Hotel Partners?
Sapphire Reserve points can be transferred to Chase's airline and hotel partners. Bank of America does not list transfer partners for the Premium Rewards Elite, so its points are best used for travel, cash back, or statement credits.
Which Card Has the Lower Annual Fee?
The Premium Rewards Elite has a $550 annual fee, compared with $795 for the Sapphire Reserve.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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