Amex Gold and Sapphire Preferred, ranked
American Express Gold Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred — every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.
Everything else
- Sapphire Preferred 2.1% 1x base rate
- Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate
Dining
- Gold Card 8.0% 4x, capped
- Sapphire Preferred 6.2% 3x
Groceries
- Gold Card 8.0% 4x, capped
- Sapphire Preferred 2.1% 1x base rate
Gas
- Sapphire Preferred 6.2% 3x
- Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate
Travel
- Sapphire Preferred 4.1% 2x
- Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate
Travel · portal
- Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel 10.3% 5x
Streaming
- Sapphire Preferred 6.2% 3x
- Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate
Flights
- Gold Card 6.0% 3x
- Sapphire Preferred 4.1% 2x
Rideshare & taxis
- Sapphire Preferred 4.1% 2x
- Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate
Peloton
- Sapphire Preferred 10.3% 5x
- Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate
Lyft
- Sapphire Preferred 10.3% 5x
- Gold Card 2.0% 1x base rate
What the numbers are doing
Gold Card's 4x on dining runs out: it applies to the first $50,000 of dining spend a year, and everything past that earns 1x.
Sapphire Preferred tops everything else at 2.1% only because this table values its points at 2.05 cents each. Value them at one cent and Gold Card wins that category instead.
The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Gold Card $325 and Sapphire Preferred $95 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.
| Category | Best card |
|---|---|
| Everything else | Sapphire Preferred2.1% |
| Dining | Gold Card8.0% |
| Groceries | Gold Card8.0% |
| Gas | Sapphire Preferred6.2% |
| Travel | Sapphire Preferred4.1% |
| Travel · portal | Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel10.3% |
| Streaming | Sapphire Preferred6.2% |
| Flights | Gold Card6.0% |
| Rideshare & taxis | Sapphire Preferred4.1% |
| Peloton | Sapphire Preferred10.3% |
| Lyft | Sapphire Preferred10.3% |
Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.
Every category, every card
Everything else
- Sapphire Preferred — 2.1%
- Gold Card — 2.0%
Dining
- Gold Card — 8.0%
- Sapphire Preferred — 6.2%
Groceries
- Gold Card — 8.0%
- Sapphire Preferred — 2.1%
Gas
- Sapphire Preferred — 6.2%
- Gold Card — 2.0%
Travel
- Sapphire Preferred — 4.1%
- Gold Card — 2.0%
Travel · portal
- Sapphire Preferred · Chase Travel — 10.3%
Streaming
- Sapphire Preferred — 6.2%
- Gold Card — 2.0%
Flights
- Gold Card — 6.0%
- Sapphire Preferred — 4.1%
Rideshare & taxis
- Sapphire Preferred — 4.1%
- Gold Card — 2.0%
Peloton
- Sapphire Preferred — 10.3%
- Gold Card — 2.0%
Lyft
- Sapphire Preferred — 10.3%
- Gold Card — 2.0%
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