The premium rewards card market is full of options. If you’re into maximizing transferable rewards or ready to collect more perks to use with your favorite loyalty program, adding a credit card can be a great choice.
Two of our favorite options represent each of these choices. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) earns valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points that you can transfer to multiple programs, whereas the United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees) is the top-tier choice for United Airlines loyalists who want to earn more with the airline.
Let’s walk through earning rates, benefits and lounge access features with each of these premium cards to help you decide which is the best to add to your wallet.
United Club Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve comparison
| Card | United Club Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. | Earn 100,000 bonus points plus a $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit* after spending $5,000 in the first three months from account opening. *Note that the terms for the travel credit state: The promotional credit is valid for a one-time use only, if you apply the promotional credit to a transaction less than $500, you will forfeit the remaining balance. |
| Earning rates
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| TPG’s August 2025 valuation | 1.3 cents per mile | 2.05 cents per point |
| Annual fee | $695 | $795 |
| Lounge access |
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| Other standout benefits |
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United Club vs. Sapphire Reserve welcome offer
The United Club Card is offering 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations, this welcome bonus is worth $1,040 toward flights.
Meanwhile, with the Sapphire Reserve, you can earn a welcome offer of 100,000 bonus points plus a $500 Chase Travel promo credit after spending $5,000 in the first three months from account opening. TPG’s August 2025 valuations place this bonus at $2,550 when you factor in the value of transferring to Chase’s loyalty partners with the full $500 credit.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve.
Related: Have a new credit card? Here are 4 tips to help you earn your welcome bonus
United Club vs. Sapphire Reserve benefits
When it comes to benefits, these two cards provide lounge access and other valuable perks. Let’s compare them.
Lounge access
The United Club Card offers a United Club membership that grants the primary cardholder, one adult guest and dependent children under 18 years old access to more than 45 United Clubs worldwide. This perk is valued at $750, which more than offsets the card’s $695 annual fee.
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Then, if you spend $50,000 on purchases with your United Club Card in a calendar year, you’ll receive a United Club All Access membership. This upgraded tier includes access to participating Star Alliance lounges and the ability to bring an additional adult guest (for a total of two) into United Clubs. You’ll also receive four one-time passes for your authorized users each year.
The Sapphire Reserve provides access to all eight (and increasing) Chase lounges and a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. Priority Pass includes access to more than 1,700 lounges worldwide. Plus, cardholders receive access to over 20 Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges when they’re traveling with a Star Alliance airline.
If you prefer United Club lounges or can spend to unlock All Access membership, then the United Club Card will be a better choice for you. However, Chase continues to expand its own lounge footprint and comes with a broader perk with Priority Pass, giving cardholders access to a higher number of lounges across the globe. So, the Reserve will be the better choice for someone who isn’t so loyal to United.
Other benefits
The United Club Card is a great option if you’re flying United and looking for premium perks, including:
- The first two checked bags are free (for the primary cardholder and a companion on the same reservation)
- Premier access: Priority check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage handling (where available)
- Expanded award availability
- 25% back on United inflight purchases
With the card, you’ll receive up to $200 in annual statement credits to use on bookings with Renowned Hotels and Resorts. That’s United’s luxury hotel portal, which grants cardholders perks such as daily breakfast for two, complimentary Wi-Fi and room upgrades at check-in (when available).
You’ll also receive credits on ride-hailing, JSX and Instacart purchases, plus Avis/Budget car rentals booked through United’s car rental portal. To learn more, check out our full review of the United Club Card.
With the United Club Card, you can spend your way toward elite status with United. You’ll receive a boost of 1,500 Premier qualifying points each year, starting in 2026. You’ll also receive 1 PQP for every $15 spent on the card (up to 28,000 PQP in a calendar year). This can be applied up to and including the Premier 1K level.
As for the Sapphire Reserve, it offers one of the simplest travel credits on the market: a flexible $300 statement credit in travel. This credit automatically kicks in on your first $300 in travel purchases you make with the card each account anniversary year. Plus, Chase broadly defines travel, meaning you’ll receive it automatically on the first $300 you spend on purchases for everything from flights and hotels to tolls and parking.
Other standout Sapphire Reserve benefits include:
- Up to $500 in annual credits with The Edit, earned as two $250 biannual credits
- Up to $300 in annual StubHub and Viagogo credits (through Dec. 31, 2027), earned as two $150 biannual credits
- Up to $300 in annual dining credit with Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables, earned as two $150 biannual credits
- Up to $250 annually in complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions (through June 22, 2027)
- Up to $120 in annual in-app Lyft credits (through Sept. 30, 2027)
- Up to $120 in Peloton credits, earned as $10 monthly credits (through Dec. 31, 2027; activation required)
Both cards offer travel and shopping protections and up to $120 in statement credits toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus every four years. They also both offer a free DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027).
The Sapphire Reserve outshines the United Club Card for most travelers thanks to its flexible travel credit and broad list of perks that can apply to multiple facets of travel and lifestyle purchases. However, the United Club Card is better for those who are extremely loyal to United since its standout perks are related to flying with the airline.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. It has broader benefits for cardholders to use when traveling and making daily purchases.
Related: Valuable travel perks that you can get with a credit card
Earning rewards on the United Club vs. Sapphire Reserve
When you pay with the United Club Card, you’ll earn:
- 9 miles per dollar spent on United flights
- 5 miles per dollar spent on stays purchased through Renowned Hotels and Resorts
- 4 miles per dollar spent on all other United purchases
- 2 miles per dollar spent on dining and all other travel
- 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
That’s a near 12% return when you use the card to pay for United flights (based on TPG’s August 2025 valuations), which is higher than any other airline credit card.
Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve earns the following:
- 10 points per dollar spent on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases (through Dec. 31, 2027) of $150 or more, with a maximum of 50,000 points
- 8 points per dollar spent on purchases made through Chase Travel, including The Edit
- 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides through Sept. 30, 2027
- 4 points per dollar spent on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3 points per dollar spent on dining worldwide
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
The United Club shines brighter when you make purchases with United and is the better option if you frequently book with the airline and want to collect United MileagePlus miles.
However, with the Sapphire Reserve, you’ll receive a better return in a broader list of bonus categories, including flights and hotels booked directly and dining. It is important to note that the United Club Card earns bonus points on general travel, while the Sapphire Reserve does not. However, you can earn bonus points for using Chase Travel.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. The United Club offers lucrative earnings on United flights, but the Sapphire Reserve’s broader categories generally win out.
Redeeming and transferring rewards on the United Club vs. Sapphire Reserve
The Sapphire Reserve offers more flexible rewards than the United Club Card, making it a better option for most travelers looking to maximize rewards. You’ll get the most value from your Chase Ultimate Rewards points by transferring them to one of Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners.
Chase’s solid list of transfer partners includes United, which means you can still use your points earned with the Sapphire Reserve toward United flights if you want to fly the airline and its partners.
Plus, the flexibility of Chase points opens up the potential for incredible redemptions when you transfer your points. This is especially true with the award-friendly World of Hyatt hotel program.
For example, you could stay at the luxurious Park Hyatt Sydney for 35,000 to 45,000 points per night, which would be a fantastic deal for your points.
With the Sapphire Reserve, you can also book travel through Chase Travel with your points for up to 2 cents per point, thanks to Points Boost, depending on the redemption. This is a great option for boutique hotels that don’t belong to a larger brand. It’s also great for booking flights when cash prices are low.
Meanwhile, United miles are much more restrictive since they can only be redeemed for United flights, flights with its partners and other United-related purchases. They are also subject to devaluation. Dynamic award pricing also means that redemption rates vary significantly depending on the ticket you book.
However, the MileagePlus program still offers good value through sweet spots. For instance, Katie Genter, TPG’s lead points and miles writer, redeemed 6,000 United miles per person for a one-way flight from Amsterdam to Munich.
There are also other ways to find value in the program, such as the United Excursionist Perk or booking partner awards with United miles. For example, Rachel Craft, a travel writer at TPG, redeemed 88,000 United miles for a one-way business-class ticket on Ethiopian Airlines from Denver to Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Winner: Sapphire Reserve. Its redemption and transfer options are much more flexible.
Should I get the United Club or Sapphire Reserve?
The Sapphire Reserve is the better all-around travel card, as it earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points across multiple high-earning bonus categories. Plus, you can transfer these points to United if you’re really into the airline. However, the card features multiple statement credits that may be difficult for some to fully use, and the $795 annual fee is higher than the United Club Card.
The United Club Card is the better option if you are fiercely loyal to United, want access to United Clubs and value priority perks when flying the airline. Plus, the annual fee is slightly lower, at $695.
Bottom line
Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the United Club Card are solid premium cards, but they serve different purposes.
If you’re a United devotee looking for a suite of perks when you fly with the airline, the United Club is the better option. For travelers looking for broader luxury perks, multiple credits to maximize and more flexible rewards, the Sapphire Reserve is the choice.
Remember that no matter which card you choose, they’re both issued by Chase and will be subjected to the issuer’s 5/24 rule. If you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards in the past two years, you’re unlikely to be approved for either card.
To learn more, check out our Chase Sapphire Reserve review and United Club Card review.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Apply here: United Club Card
Related: Why transferable points and miles are worth more than other rewards
