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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
How couples can combine the benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve
Augusta Stone is a credit cards writer for TPG. She joined the TPG team in 2023 and is excited to take points and miles beginners with her on a journey toward maximizing rewards.
Compliance associate Lakeisha Robinson has 12 years of compliance experience. She uses her credit card knowledge, passion for travel and general compliance rules to ensure that she and her team share the most accurate and compliant content with TPG readers.
Credit card writer Danyal Ahmed is an avid traveler, averaging about 100,000 aeronautical miles per year. He regularly applies that knowledge and his expertise in credit cards to his role as a credit card writer at TPG.
also contributed to this story
July 11, 2025 • 9 min read
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Quick summary
Couples can maximize points and benefits by each holding one of two popular travel rewards cards, combining their strengths for greater value.
Holding both cards enables access to multiple bonus categories at various merchants, allowing for strategic use based on purchase type.
Lounge access, travel credits and lifestyle perks can be shared, with one cardholder able to bring a guest without needing to add an authorized user.
Points can be pooled within a household, unlocking higher-value redemptions and enhanced Points Boost offers through the travel portal.
What to consider
Eligibility for welcome bonuses depends on prior card ownership and specific issuer rules, including restrictions if a bonus was previously earned.
Applicants should be aware of the issuer's application limits and consider timing for adding authorized users to avoid affecting bonus eligibility.
Travel and purchase protections differ between the two cards, with one offering higher coverage caps and faster activation for trip delay benefits.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed guide to optimizing bonus categories, lounge access, and redemption strategies when managing two-person points portfolios.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Getting two players into the world of points and miles is an excellent way to quickly collect points, stack benefits and share perks.
Do you both have excellent credit scores and good financial habits? Are you and your partner ready to go all-in on Chase Ultimate Rewards? If so, here's how you can get maximum value from the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve together.
Earn 2 valuable welcome bonuses
Perhaps the most important action you'll take with any new rewards card is earning the welcome bonus, since you'll receive a huge chunk of points from doing so. If you and your partner are thinking about going in on both of the Chase Sapphire cards, now is an excellent time to apply.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. According to TPG's May 2026 valuations, this offer is worth $2,050.
Chase Sapphire Preferred: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. TPG's valuations deem this offer as worth $1,538.
If you're able to combine the value of these two high bonuses, you could end up with 175,000 Chase points, worth a whopping $3,588 per our valuations.
Consider your eligibility
You can hold both Sapphire cards, and, even better, earn a bonus on them each — though there is a caveat.
If you've previously held a Sapphire card and earned a welcome bonus on it, you're likely not eligible to receive a bonus on that product.
If you currently hold a Sapphire card, you're likely eligible to receive a bonus on the other. If you've previously held both Sapphire cards, you most likely won't be eligible for a bonus.
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This is one of the ways that a two-player setup could be advantageous. If your partner has never held a Sapphire card, getting them involved by applying for the Sapphire card you don't have is a great way for you both to earn one of these bonuses.
Also, remember to be under Chase's 5/24 rule any time you're applying for a new card with the issuer.
You'll be eligible to earn bonus points across multiple categories when you and your partner hold both Sapphire cards. If you want to maximize the categories across both cards, here's a breakdown of which one you should use for each purchase.
Earn 5 points per dollar spent on all Chase Travel purchases, including flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation homes, cruises, activities and tours
Earn 5 points per dollar spent on eligible Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027)
Earn 5 points per dollar spent on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 (through Dec. 31, 2027)
Earn 3 points per dollar spent on gas, EV charging, dining, vacation homes at brands like Airbnb and VRBO, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart® and wholesale clubs)
Earn 2 points per dollar spent on all other travel
Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
In general, if you're booking through Chase Travel, buying flights or hotel rooms directly or making an eligible Peloton purchase, the Sapphire Reserve is the card you should use. Streaming purchases, booking vacation rentals, gas or EV charging, and online grocery orders should go on the Sapphire Preferred. If you're dining or taking a Lyft, you could go with either card.
The Sapphire Reserve charges a much higher $795 annual fee than the $95 Sapphire Preferred, but it also includes more perks to help offset it.
One of the most useful perks for couples to maximize is the Sapphire Reserve's lounge access, which includes the eight gorgeous Chase Sapphire airport lounges currently open and three more locations on the way.
The Sapphire Reserve cardholder won't have to add their partner as an authorized user to grant complimentary access. That's because cardholders can bring up to two guests per visit at no additional cost, so just one person in the couple having the card will get both into the lounge.
The card also comes with a Priority Pass membership, which grants access to more than 1,700 Priority Pass lounges worldwide. Finally, this card lets you get into over 20 Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges when traveling on a Star Alliance airline.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
While you won't need to add an authorized user for lounge access if you're traveling as a couple, you may want to pay the extra $195 authorized user fee to get your partner their own Priority Pass membership for when they travel solo.
Authorized user spending will also count toward the Sapphire Reserve's flexible $300 annual travel credit, so couples could maximize this more easily if they add an authorized user to their account.
While being an authorized user on a partner's Sapphire Reserve shouldn't affect your ability to obtain a Sapphire Preferred, you may want to wait until after you apply for, accept and maybe even earn the welcome bonus on the Sapphire Preferred to be added as an authorized user on the Sapphire Reserve, just to be safe.
Points Boost is a potentially lucrative way to redeem points through Chase Travel. This perk will replace the flat redemption that allowed Sapphire Preferred cardholders to redeem for 1.25 cents per point and Sapphire Reserve cardholders to redeem for 1.5 cents per point through the portal.
Cardholders who held or applied for the Sapphire Reserve or the Sapphire Preferred before June 23, 2025, can still redeem for this original value until Oct. 26, 2027, as an alternative to Points Boost.
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Now, Sapphire Reserve cardholders can redeem for up to 2 cents per point for select hotels and flights with select airlines. Sapphire Preferred cardholders can only receive Points Boost offers up to 1.5 cents per point on select hotels and 1.75 cents per point on flights with select airlines.
So, if you're hoping to redeem your Chase points through Chase Travel, moving points to the Sapphire Reserve account unlocks the most Points Boost opportunities.
Couples can move points into each other's Ultimate Rewards account if they're in the same household.
Get the highest levels of travel and purchase protections
Both cards have solid travel insurance and purchase protection, but the Sapphire Reserve outpaces the Sapphire Preferred in terms of coverage.
With the Sapphire Reserve, you'll receive trip interruption and cancellation coverage of up to $10,000 per covered traveler and $20,000 per trip. Plus, trip delay coverage kicks in after six hours.
The Sapphire Preferred comes with the same amount of trip interruption and cancellation coverage, but you'll have to wait 12 hours for trip delay coverage to kick in.
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Purchase protection on the card covers items against theft or damage up to 120 days out and up to $10,000 per item, which is better than the Sapphire Preferred's protection cap of $500 per item.
So, if you have the option to book travel or make a large purchase with either card, the Sapphire Reserve is the more secure choice.
Like the perfect couple, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Chase Sapphire Preferred make a great pair. Having both cards together can supercharge your Chase points-earning, help you collect two big welcome bonuses and unlock a suite of benefits for both of you.
Plus, there's more value to be unlocked with the ability to move points over to the Sapphire Reserve account, since you can capitalize on Points Boost opportunities.
If you and your partner are serious about Chase points, coupling the two personal Sapphire cards is a great choice.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
