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Chase Freedom Flex vs Sapphire Reserve

Both are Chase cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.

Best card by category Card terms as of Sep 14

Everything else

  1. Sapphire Reserve 1.5% 1x base rate
  2. Freedom Flex 1.0% 1% base rate

Dining

  1. Sapphire Reserve 4.5% 3x
  2. Freedom Flex 3.0% 3%

Gas

  1. Freedom Flex 5.0% 5%, rotating this quarter
  2. Sapphire Reserve 1.5% 1x base rate

Travel

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel 12.0% 8x
  2. Freedom Flex · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
  3. Sapphire Reserve 1.5% 1x base rate
  4. Freedom Flex 1.0% 1% base rate

Drugstores

  1. Freedom Flex 3.0% 3%
  2. Sapphire Reserve 1.5% 1x base rate

Flights

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel 12.0% 8x
  2. Sapphire Reserve 6.0% 4x
  3. Freedom Flex · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
  4. Freedom Flex 1.0% 1% base rate

Hotels

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel 12.0% 8x
  2. Sapphire Reserve 6.0% 4x
  3. Freedom Flex · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%
  4. Freedom Flex 1.0% 1% base rate

Public transit

  1. Freedom Flex 5.0% 5%, rotating this quarter
  2. Sapphire Reserve 1.5% 1x base rate

Live events

  1. Freedom Flex 5.0% 5%, rotating this quarter
  2. Sapphire Reserve 1.5% 1x base rate

What the numbers are doing

Freedom Flex wins gas, public transit and live events at 5% only because the rotating calendar is on them this quarter. The quarter ends September 30, 2026; after it the card earns 1% there, and no later quarter in the published calendar brings it back.

Sapphire Reserve tops everything else at 1.5% only because this table values its points at 1.5 cents each. Value them at one cent and Freedom Flex wins that category instead.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Freedom Flex $0 and Sapphire Reserve $795 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseSapphire Reserve1.5%
DiningSapphire Reserve4.5%
GasFreedom Flex5.0%
TravelSapphire Reserve · Chase Travel12.0%
DrugstoresFreedom Flex3.0%
FlightsSapphire Reserve · Chase Travel12.0%
HotelsSapphire Reserve · Chase Travel12.0%
Public transitFreedom Flex5.0%
Live eventsFreedom Flex5.0%

Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.

Every category, every card

Everything else

  1. Sapphire Reserve — 1.5%
  2. Freedom Flex — 1.0%

Dining

  1. Sapphire Reserve — 4.5%
  2. Freedom Flex — 3.0%

Gas

  1. Freedom Flex — 5.0%
  2. Sapphire Reserve — 1.5%

Travel

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel — 12.0%
  2. Freedom Flex · Chase Travel — 5.0%
  3. Sapphire Reserve — 1.5%
  4. Freedom Flex — 1.0%

Drugstores

  1. Freedom Flex — 3.0%
  2. Sapphire Reserve — 1.5%

Flights

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel — 12.0%
  2. Sapphire Reserve — 6.0%
  3. Freedom Flex · Chase Travel — 5.0%
  4. Freedom Flex — 1.0%

Hotels

  1. Sapphire Reserve · Chase Travel — 12.0%
  2. Sapphire Reserve — 6.0%
  3. Freedom Flex · Chase Travel — 5.0%
  4. Freedom Flex — 1.0%

Public transit

  1. Freedom Flex — 5.0%
  2. Sapphire Reserve — 1.5%

Live events

  1. Freedom Flex — 5.0%
  2. Sapphire Reserve — 1.5%

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