How to get Free San Francisco Museum Tickets in Sep 2026
NCnextcard team
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
Chase Sapphire Preferred (75,000 points welcome bonus) vs Bank of America Premium Rewards: earning rates, transfer partners, value (2026)
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card Calculator
Advertiser Disclosure: nextcard may receive compensation from card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. For the most up-to-date terms & conditions, refer to the official credit card application on the issuer's website.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the better pick for travelers who want transfer partners, travel protections, Chase Travel credits, and higher category upside. The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card is better if you qualify for BofA Rewards and want simple, boosted cash-style earning. The main decision is whether you value Chase’s travel ecosystem or Bank of America’s relationship-based rewards bonuses.
TLDR
Choose the Sapphire Preferred for its 75,000-point welcome bonus (after $5,000 spend in 3 months), plus strong general earn rates and a potential ~$600 in credits/benefits
Choose Bank of America Premium Rewards if you qualify for BofA Rewards, especially Preferred Honors or Premier.
With BofA Rewards, Bank of America Premium Rewards can earn up to 3.5x on travel and dining and up to 2.625x on all other purchases.
Chase wins for transfer partners and protections; Bank of America can win for simple earning with high BofA Rewards status.
Quick Comparison
Feature | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card |
|---|---|---|
Annual fee | $95 | $95 |
Welcome offer | 75,000 points after spending $5,000 in 3 months | 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening |
Base earn rates | 5x Chase Travel; 3x key categories | 2 points for every $1 spent on travel/dining and 1.5 points on everything else (can be boosted by BofA Rewards) |
Maximum earnings | N/A; all rates stay the same | Up to 3.5x travel/dining and 2.625x all other purchases |
Credits | $100 Chase Travel hotel credit; up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS (every 4 years) | Up to $100 airline incidental credit; up to $100 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry (every 4 years) |
Best for | Travel rewards optimizers | Folks with existing BofA relationships |
When Chase Sapphire Preferred Wins
The Chase Sapphire Preferred wins if you want travel upside. It has a signup bonus of 75,000 bonus points after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
It earns 5x through Chase Travel and 3x on dining, gas, EV charging, streaming, online groceries, and select vacation homes. It also has stronger travel protections, a $100 Chase Travel hotel credit, up to $120 for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS, DashPass benefits, and a complimentary Apple TV subscription when activated by December 31, 2026.
Chase also wins for transfer partners. Sapphire Preferred has standout partners like World of Hyatt, United, and Southwest, which gives it more award-travel potential than Bank of America Premium Rewards. The caveat is that World of Hyatt transfers are changing to a 4:3 ratio under Chase’s 2026 timeline.
When Bank of America Premium Rewards Wins
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card wins if you have meaningful Bank of America or Merrill balances that qualify you for BofA Rewards tiers.
The card normally earns 2x points on travel and dining and 1.5x points on everything else, but BofA Rewards can boost those rates by 10%, 25%, 50%, or 75% depending on your BofA rewards tier.
That changes the comparison. At the Preferred Honors tier, the card gets a 50% bonus that effectively earns 3x on travel and dining and 2.25x on everything else.
At the Premier tier, it rises to an incredible 3.5x on travel and dining and 2.625x on everything else. That makes it one of the strongest $95 travel cards, especially if you’re a Bank of America loyalist.
It also has up to $100 in annual airline incidental credits that also offset the annual fee if you use it naturally. And you can even get free museum tickets.
Which Card Is Better Overall?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is generally better for travelers who want transfer partners, travel protections, and category bonuses. Bank of America Premium Rewards is better when you have existing relationships with the bank, since the BofA Rewards potential is incredibly strong.
Without BofA Rewards, Chase is the stronger default. With Preferred Honors or Premier status, Bank of America Premium Rewards becomes much more competitive and is likely the better overall spending card.
FAQ
Can I hold both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Bank of America Premium Rewards?
Yes. Holding both can make sense if you use Chase for transfer partners and travel protections, then use Bank of America Premium Rewards for boosted everyday earning (assuming you have BofA Rewards) .
Which is better for everyday spending: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Bank of America Premium Rewards?
Bank of America Premium Rewards is better for uncategorized spending, especially with BofA Rewards. At Preferred Honors, it earns 2.25x on all other purchases outside of its bonus categories; at Premier, it earns 2.625x.
Which card has better transfer partners: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Bank of America Premium Rewards?
Chase Sapphire Preferred wins easily on transfer partners, with standouts like World of Hyatt, United, and Southwest.
Bank of America (in general) has no transfer partners and is better for simple cash-style redemptions, not award travel.
Is Bank of America Premium Rewards worth it with BofA Rewards?
Yes. With Preferred Honors or Premier status, the boosted earning rates can make Bank of America Premium Rewards one of the strongest (yet simple) $95 rewards cards available. Even eligible BofA Rewards Members get a 10% rewards boost.
