Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Citi Prestige

Last month we covered the new Chase Sapphire Reserve launch and compared it to the American Express Platinum. Now, it’s time to tee it up against the Citi Prestige Card – one of the most elite cards out there! Can it live up to the new Chase card? Let’s get right to it…

                           Citi Prestige Chase Sapphire Reserve
Annual Fee $450 $450
Sign-up Bonus 40,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months 100,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
Sign-up Bonus Value $532 when redeemed for travel $1,500 when redeemed for travel
Travel Earning Rate 3x 3x
Dining Earning Rate 2x (includes Entertainment) 3x
Everywhere Earning Rate 1x 1x
Foreign Transaction Fees 0% 0%
Point Value When Redeemed for Travel 1.33 cents 1.5 cents
Annual Credits $250 annual travel credit for flights & airline fees $300 annual travel credit for flights & hotels
Global Entry or
TSA Pre✓ Credits
Up to $100 for either Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ every 5 years Up to $100 for either Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ every 4 years
Airport Lounge Access Priority Pass Select Membership (used to include AA Admirals Club) Priority Pass Select Membership
Authorized Users $50 $75
Premium Travel Protection  ✓  ✓

WINNER: Chase Sapphire Reserve! 
The Chase Sapphire Reserve easily beats the Citi Prestige in almost every category – especially with the sign-up bonus. The $300 annual credit that you receive immediately helps subsidize the annual fee. TPS values the first year of Sapphire Reserve membership at over $2,700 – a new record!

Recently, Citi did away with the extra bonus for redeeming on American Airlines and the Admirals Club access. If you were an American Airlines flyer, then this would have been a great card for you but with the removal of these key benefits it’s harder to justify.

However, the Citi Prestige card does offer a pretty unique perk – a 4th night free on a 4-night consecutive booking. If you stay in hotels for at least 4 days often, then this benefit can really add up!

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