A few weeks ago, a reader made a comment comparing some aspect of the United MileagePlus Club Card and Sapphire Reserve. It made me think about what the two cards have in common and which one was worth the $450 annual fee. I definitely have my own opinions, but I’m going to try to stay objective while comparing the benefits and making a conclusion based on which one comes out ahead based on the highest overall ranking:
Sign-up Bonus
Both credit cards offer a 50,000 point sign-up bonus. The United MileagePlus Club Card has a $3,000 spending requirement in 3 months, while the Sapphire Reserve is higher at $4,000 in 3 months. In exchange for a higher spending requirement, you get more valuable points from the Sapphire Reserve. For starters, you can transfer these points to some valuable travel partners at a 1:1 ratio – including United! More importantly, your points are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed through the Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal. With the Sapphire Reserve sign-up bonus, you have more flexibility, which is why that card wins the battle of the sign-up bonuses.
Earning Points Via Credit Card Spending
One of the standout features of the United MileagePlus Club Card has always been the ability to earn 1.5 miles per $1 spent on everything. Plus 2 miles per $1 on United ticket purchases. Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve earns 3 points per $ 1 spent on travel and dining, and 1 point per $1 everywhere else. I’m giving the earning points trophy to the Sapphire Reserve. Why? Because most of us put a substantial amount of spending towards travel and dining, so that 3x bonus can be quite lucrative. As for the standard 1 point earning rate, those points are worth 50% more when redeemed through Ultimate Rewards Travel. So really, it’s not that different from the MileagePlus Club Card.
Club Lounge Access
The United MileagePlus Club Card comes with free United Club membership, which is valued at up to $550 per year. Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve offers Priority Pass Select Membership. Priority Pass Select gets you access to more lounges worldwide, so the Sapphire Reserve has the advantage when it comes to club lounge access.
Free Checked Bag vs. $300 Travel Credit
Like most airline credit cards, the United MileagePlus Club Card offers a free first and second checked bag to cardholders and a companion traveling on the same reservation. Considering United charges $25 for the first and $35 for the second checked bag, that’s pretty significant for some travelers. If you utilize this benefit on multiple trips, it can add up to well over $300 – the value of the annual travel credit issued by the Sapphire Reserve.
So which card wins this category? I think it depends on how often you fly United and utilize the free checked bag benefit. If the answer to that is “not often” then the $300 annual travel credit from the Sapphire Reserve is the best option. After all, it’s good on a variety of travel expenses – not just checked bags, restricted to a single airline. Since this depends on personal travel habits, I’m calling this category a tie.
Other Travel Benefits
The United MileagePlus Club Card is pretty competitive when it comes to travel benefits. Cardholders get close-in award booking fees waived on United tickets, Premier Upgrades based on availability, Premier Access travel services, World of Hyatt Discoverist status, Hertz President’s Circle elite status, and savings/perks through Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection.
Some of those benefits are valuable while others (i.e. Hyatt Discoverist status) are pretty useless – especially compared to what the Sapphire Reserve offers. Cardholders get a $100 credit every four years towards TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fees along with Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection perks. I find the Sapphire Reserve benefits to be way more substantial, so my vote goes to the Sapphire Reserve.
When it comes to comparing the United MileagePlus Club Card and Sapphire Reserve, the Reserve comes out way ahead. In addition to flexible rewards and superior travel benefits, the card also gets you access to the Ultimate Rewards portal, which in my experience has some of the highest shopping payouts and hotel deals. But don’t let my judgment trump your travel needs. It’s important to evaluate what you need out of a rewards credit card and choose accordingly.
I want to hear from you: Which of these cards do you prefer?
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