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If you want to add a travel credit card to your wallet without paying a high annual fee, both Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card and Chase SapphirePreferred® Card Worth consideration.
Comparing the two shows that one of the cards is better suited to spending patterns and financial goals. For example, the Bank of America Premium Rewards card rewards handsome people if they have a high balance in their Bank of America or Merrill Savings account.
On the other hand, with Chase Sapphire, you could really pay off if you use it to book Travel Travel or use a plan to transfer points to a high-value transfer partner.
Main details
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card | Chase SapphirePreferred® Card | |
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Welcome bonus |
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Remuneration rate |
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Annual fees | $95 | $95 |
Foreign transaction fees | none | none |
Bank of America Premium Rewards vs. Chase Sapphire Priority Highlights
Which cards make the most money?
In most situations, you can earn the most rewards using Chase Sapphire Preferred. But let’s take a look at an example scenario to look at.
Bank of America Premium Rewards vs. Chase Sapphire’s preferred spending example
Let’s say you use your Bank of America Premium Rewards card to buy a $500 meal, a $1,000 travel purchase, or a $1,000 $1,000 in a given month. In the dining and travel categories, you earn double points (no bonuses for the preferred reward layer), so you can earn 3,000 points on those purchases. You will also earn 1,500 points on other fees (1.5 times the points per dollar). Each point is worth 1 cent, so you can earn a reward of $45.
Now, imagine using your Chase Sapphire, which prefers to pay the same fee. The dining category earns 3x points, allowing you to earn 1,500 points for eating out. Travels not booked via the Chase Travel Platform will earn you double points (2,000 points), while all other purchases will earn you 1x points (1,000 points) for a total of 4,500 points. Assuming a cent point value is 1 cent, you will receive a $45 reward.
However, when you book a trip using the Travel Portal, you will earn 5,000 points instead of 2,000 (cardholders earn 5x points on trips booked through the portal). Then, later redeem those points via the platform, it’s worth at least $50 (1 cent each). That means you can earn more rewards than all of your monthly expenses on your Bank of America Platinum Rewards card by purchasing a $1,000 trip by using the Chase Travel Portal.
However, let’s say you’re a reward member who likes Platinum Honors Tier’s Bank of America. Earn 3.5x points on all other spending (2,620 points) with meal and travel purchases (5,250 points) and 2.62x points. Therefore, you can earn $78.70 in rewards with 1.0 cent points each.
Again, by transferring Chase Sapphire’s preferred rewards to a high-value travel partner, each may be worth an average of 2.0 cents. This equals a total of $150. This is almost twice the amount of value you get from Bank of America’s rewards.
Why do you need to get Bank of America Premium Rewards
The Bank of America Premium Rewards card is valuable to travel enthusiasts, especially those who are already participating in the Bank of America’s Priority Rewards Program.
Why should you prefer Chase Sapphire?
Chase Sapphire’s favorite has long been considered one of the best travel cards available. This card comes with an a $95 The annual fee and the rate of return on the card are definitely worth putting this card in your wallet.
Conclusion
If you are a loyal Bank of America or Merrill customer, and a Merrill customer with a significant deposit or investment account balance, the Bank of America Premium Rewards card may be the right option for you.
But if you’re planning on booking a lot of trips, if you prefer Chase Sapphire, it’s probably best for you.
Alternatively, we recommend considering getting both cards. That way you can take advantage of both set perks.
Information about Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit cards was last updated on June 30, 2025.