Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card
Side-by-side comparison
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $795 | $395 |
| Welcome offer | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points | Up to 120,000 points |
| Dining | 3x | 4x |
| Groceries | 1x | 4x |
| Gas | 1x | 4x |
| Travel | 4x | 4x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $406 | $680 |
| Points type | Transfers to airlines & hotels | Locked to Wyndham Rewards |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® Points | Up to 120,000 points |
| To earn it | $6,000 in 3 months | $6,000 in 120 days + $750 on Wyndham in 180 days |
| Est. first-year value* | $2,719 | $1,705 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $1,719 | $505 |
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | Yes — Priority Pass, Sapphire Lounges | None |
| Annual credits | ~$2,108/yr (7 credits) | ~$220/yr (2 credits) |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable to airline & hotel partners | Locked to a single program |
On perks and redemptions, only the Chase Sapphire Reserve® gets you into airport lounges; the Chase Sapphire Reserve® carries the heavier credit stack (about $2,108 a year); the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns transferable points with a higher redemption ceiling, while the other is capped nearer a flat cent. Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Only the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns transferable points. Its Chase Ultimate Rewards move to World of Hyatt, United, Air Canada, Southwest, and British Airways Avios, where a point can be worth several cents on a premium-cabin redemption, far above its cash value. The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Premier Card stays locked to a single airline or hotel program, so its ceiling is nearer a penny per point no matter how you redeem.
Both are premium, but the Reserve is a flexible, any-airline-any-hotel travel card while the Wyndham Premier is locked to one hotel brand, so it’s flexibility vs Wyndham loyalty.
The Reserve earns transferable Ultimate Rewards, adds lounge access and a credit stack, and transfers to World of Hyatt for outsized value, useful anywhere. The Wyndham Premier concentrates its value at Wyndham, 8x earning, Diamond status, and $400+ in credits. Flexible premium travel vs deep Wyndham perks.
Pros and cons
- 4x travel and 3x dining, transferable to Hyatt and United
- Lounge access and a $300 travel credit
- Points usable across any airline or hotel
- A big welcome bonus
- $795 fee, needs travel to justify
- 1x on non-travel, non-dining spend
- A year-one play unless you use the credits and lounges
- 8x at Wyndham and 4x on dining, groceries, gas, and travel
- Automatic Wyndham Diamond status
- $400+ in annual credits that offset much of the fee
- A big Wyndham points welcome bonus
- Points locked to Wyndham (lower per-point value)
- Value tied to Wyndham stays
- Credits are Wyndham-centric
- No flexible transfer partners
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flexibility | Sapphire Reserve | Transferable points for any airline/hotel vs Wyndham-locked points. |
| Hotel perks | Wyndham Premier | Diamond status and 8x at Wyndham. |
| Lounge access | Sapphire Reserve | Broad lounge access the Wyndham card lacks. |
| Annual fee | Wyndham Premier | $395 vs $795. |
| Best for | Depends | Flexible travelers vs Wyndham loyalists. |
The verdict
If you want premium travel that works anywhere, the Reserve is far more flexible, its transferable points, lounge access, and Hyatt transfers deliver value on any trip, though at $795 it’s a year-one play unless you use the credits and lounges regularly.
If you specifically stay at Wyndham, the Earner Premier is the cheaper, more targeted card, its $400+ in credits can cover the fee and Diamond status rewards loyalty, but the value evaporates if you stray from Wyndham. The choice is flexibility versus focus: the Reserve for travelers who go anywhere, the Wyndham Premier for those loyal to one hotel brand.