Which Credit Card Is Better for Dining — Chase Freedom or Chase Sapphire Reserve?
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"Reader Questions" are answered three days a week — Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays — by TPG Senior Writer Julian Mark Kheel.
The third quarter just started and the Chase Freedom card is offering an intriguing bonus category for the next three months. (No longer open to new applicants.) But TPG reader Rochelle wants to know if she should forgo points for the extra cash back...
[pullquote source="TPG Reader Rochelle"]Chase Freedom is offering 5% cash back on restaurants from July 1-September 30. Is this a better deal than 3x points on the Chase Sapphire Reserve?[/pullquote]
Chase Ultimate Rewards points are one of the most valuable loyalty currencies out there, so if you're going to give them up for cash back, then you'd better be getting an even better return. But in this case, there's actually a way to have the best of both worlds.
First though, let's consider the value of 5% cash back versus 3x Ultimate Rewards points. According to TPG's most recent points valuations, Ultimate Rewards are worth 2.2 cents apiece. That means if you're getting 3 points on your dining purchases using your Chase Sapphire Reserve, you're effectively earning 6.6 cents per dollar spent. With the Chase Freedom restaurant bonus category this quarter, you're only getting 5% cash back or 5 cents per dollar spent.
Now, there's always something to be said about the flexibility of cash versus points. Cash is king — you can spend it anytime, anywhere, without having to worry about award availability or redemption charts. It's also possible if you already have a ton of Ultimate Rewards points sitting in your account that you don't really need to earn any more at the moment, while almost no one has ever been worried about having too much cash available to spend. So there might be a reason to give up earning an extra 1.6 cents worth of points in order to get the cash, but it'd have to be a pretty compelling reason.
However, here's where the good news comes in — in this case, you don't have to choose one over the other at all. That's because cash back earned with the Chase Freedom actually comes in the form of Ultimate Rewards points. Normally with just the Chase Freedom, those points can only be redeemed for cash at 1 cent per point. But if you also have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the points can be combined between the two cards and used just like normal Ultimate Rewards points. So basically, you can earn 5% cash back in the form of 5x Ultimate Rewards points by dining out with the Chase Freedom card during the months of July, August and September. Then instead of redeeming those points for cash, combine them with the CSR to get 2.2 cents per point in travel value for a whopping return of 11 cents per dollar spent.
Just don't forget that you'll need to activate your Chase Freedom bonus category and bonus spend is capped at $1,500 per quarter, so you'll want to switch back to your Chase Sapphire Reserve if you hit that cap before September 30.
Thanks for your question, Rochelle, and you're a TPG reader who'd like us to answer a question of your own — or teach me something new! — tweet us at @thepointsguy, message us on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
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- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.