Premium credit cards vs. mid-tier credit cards: Which should you get?

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Broadly speaking, there are three types of credit cards: entry-level (often with low or no annual fees), mid-tier ($100-$300 in annual fees) and premium ($400 or more). Much of the attention goes to the two ends of the spectrum, focusing on …

May 19, 2025 - 19:04

Premium credit cards vs. mid-tier credit cards: Which should you get?

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Broadly speaking, there are three types of credit cards: entry-level (often with low or no annual fees), mid-tier ($100-$300 in annual fees) and premium ($400 or more).

Much of the attention goes to the two ends of the spectrum, focusing on the best credit cards with no annual fee or the best premium credit cards. While we regularly receive questions about whether premium credit cards justify their annual fees, the middle ground often gets overlooked

So, how exactly are mid-tier credit cards unique? What do they offer to justify their annual fees, and what do they lack when compared to their premium counterparts?

In this guide, we’ll compare the most popular premium and mid-tier cards from American Express, Capital One and Chase. (We’ve excluded Citi because while the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees) is a popular mid-tier travel card, its luxury sibling — the Citi Prestige® Card — is no longer available to new applicants.)

The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

American Express mid-tier vs. premium cards

In its vast card portfolio, American Express offers The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Green Card. Here’s how they’re similar and different:

	Amex Platinum Card	Amex Gold Card	Amex Green Card
Annual fee	$695 (see rates and fees)	$325 (see rates and fees)	$150
Welcome offer	Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. You may be targeted for a higher offer through the CardMatch tool; not everyone will receive the same offer, and offers may change at any time.	Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.	Earn 40,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
Value of welcome offer*	$1,600	$1,200	$800
Key benefits	Eligible cardmembers have access to lounges, including American Express Centurion lounges, Delta Sky Club lounges*, Priority Pass Select lounges, Escape Lounges — The Centurion Studio Partner, Airspace lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Lufthansa lounges and other Global Lounge Collection partner lounges A variety of statement credits per calendar year, including up to $200 in airline incidental credits, up to $200 in hotel credits on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings made through Amex Travel (minimum two-night stay required at The Hotel Collection†), up to $200 in Uber Cash for U.S. spending (up to $15 each month, up to an additional $20 in December; can be used with Uber Eats; Amex Platinum Card must be added to the Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $199 in reimbursement for your Clear membership fee as a statement credit (subject to auto-renewal) and reimbursement for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee as a statement credit ($120 for Global Entry every four years or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck every 4½ years) Travel protections and shopping protections Enrollment is required in advance for select benefits. Terms apply. †Eligible charges vary by property.*	Up to $120 in dining statement credits per calendar year (up to $10 each month) Up to $120 in Uber Cash per calendar year for U.S. spending (which can be used with Uber Eats; Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Gold as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card; up to $10 each month) Up to $100 in Resy statement credits per calendar year (up to $50 biannually) at U.S. Resy restaurants or toward other eligible Resy purchases Up to $84 in Dunkin’ statement credits per calendar year (up to $7 each month) at U.S. Dunkin’ locations Travel and shopping protections Enrollment is required in advance for some benefits. Terms apply.	Up to $199 statement credit toward your annual Clear Plus membership fee every calendar year (subject to auto-renewal) Travel protections and shopping protections Enrollment is required in advance for some benefits. Terms apply.
Earning rates	5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines and with American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 of these purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel bookings through Amex Travel 1 point per dollar on other purchases	4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and on takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com 1 point per dollar on other purchases	3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) 3 points per dollar on travel and transit 1 point per dollar on other purchases
Credit score required	670 or above^	670 or above^	670 or above^

* Based on TPG’s May 2025 valuations; valuations are not provided by the card issuer.
**When traveling on same-day Delta flights; eligible Platinum Card Members will receive 10 Visits per Eligible Platinum Card per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight
^ Based on TPG’s research and not provided by the card issuer.

The information for the Amex Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The argument for the Amex Platinum Card

If you’re looking for a card stacked with benefits and perks, you can stop scrolling — you’ve found it in the Amex Platinum.

Cardmembers who take advantage of all the annual perks and benefits on the Amex Platinum will realize that this card is well worth its annual fee in the right hands.

It’s also among the best cards for buying airfare and paying the taxes and fees on your award flights. You’ll earn 5 points per dollar on those purchases (up to $500,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) and also enjoy travel and purchase protections that apply when paying with your card (terms apply).

Still, these perks come at a cost: a hefty annual fee of $695. If you can maximize the value this card offers, that annual fee is easily justified. But if not, you’ll likely prefer one of Amex’s more affordable options.

To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Platinum Card.

Apply here: The Platinum Card from American Express

The argument for the Amex Gold Card

For those looking for a card that has better earning rates on common spending categories, the Amex Gold packs a punch. It’s one of the best cards to use at restaurants, for food delivery in the U.S. and supermarkets.

With an annual fee of $325, this card falls somewhere between the mid-tier and luxury card categories and doesn’t have a clear competitor from other issuers. But no matter how you classify it, this card offers up to $424 in annual value for those who can maximize the monthly Uber Cash benefit and credits for select dining merchants, easily offsetting the card’s annual fee.

Plus, Amex Gold cardmembers still earn a respectable 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com. Based on TPG’s May 2025 valuations, that’s a 6% return on spending.

To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Gold Card.

Apply here: American Express Gold Card

The argument for the Amex Green Card

The versatility of the Amex Green is what so many people like about it.

It comes with an up to $199 Clear Plus statement credit every calendar year to fully cover the cost of your Clear membership (subject to auto-renewal; enrollment required), which more than justifies the annual fee alone.

Earning categories on the Amex Green Card are also strong. Cardmembers earn 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on broadly defined travel and commuting categories, plus 3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and 3 points per dollar on takeout and delivery in the U.S.

Learn more: Amex Green

Capital One mid-tier vs. premium cards

The Capital One premium credit card is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and its mid-tier counterpart is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

	Capital One Venture X	Capital One Venture Rewards
Annual fee	$395	$95
Welcome offer	Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.	Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Value of welcome offer*	$1,388	$1,388
Key benefits	A $300 credit per year for bookings made in the Capital One Travel portal 10,000 bonus miles on your account anniversary each year Reimbursement for your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee Access to Priority Pass, and Capital One Lounges, including guest privileges Protections include lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, primary rental car insurance and cellphone protection	Reimbursement for your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee Protections include travel accident insurance, secondary rental car insurance and extended warranty protection
Earning rates	10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases	5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases
Credit score required	740^	670^

* Based on TPG’s May 2025 valuations; valuations are not provided by the card issuer.
^ Based on TPG’s research and not provided by the card issuer.

The argument for the Venture X

The Venture X clearly offers more benefits than its cheaper counterpart. If you’re looking for perks like lounge access, cellphone protection and an annual travel credit, this is a card that offers all of that — and more.

According to TPG’s May 2025 valuations, the combination of the anniversary bonus miles and annual travel credit is worth more than the cost of the annual fee.

The card’s earning rates aren’t bad, but you need to book your travel through a portal to maximize these rates. Even so, 5 to 10 miles per dollar on most travel bookings is definitely a great return on spending.

To learn more, read our full review of the Venture X card.

Learn More: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The argument for the Venture Rewards

The best argument for Venture Rewards against Venture X is that its annual fee is $300 lower.

While you won’t get benefits like unlimited lounge access, you will get reimbursement for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee — a solid perk for a much lower annual fee.

To learn more, read our full review of the Venture Rewards card.

Learn More: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Chase mid-tier vs. premium cards

Chase’s premium credit card is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and its popular sibling is the mid-tier Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees).

	Sapphire Reserve	Sapphire Preferred
Annual fee	$550	$95
Welcome offer	Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.	Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Value of the welcome offer*	$1,230	$1,230
Key benefits	Priority Pass Select membership An up to $300 annual travel credit Reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee Up to $25 per month in DoorDash credits and a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription (when activated by Dec. 31, 2027) Primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, a concierge service and access to The Edit by Chase Travel℠ hotel collection	An up to $50 annual hotel credit for bookings made through Chase Travel℠ 10% anniversary points bonus based on your spending during the previous year At least one year of complimentary DashPass membership with DoorDash (activate by Dec. 31, 2027) and up to $10 savings per month on non-restaurant DoorDash orders Primary rental car coverage, trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, purchase protection and extended warranty protection
Earning rates	10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Travel§ 10 points per dollar on dining purchases through the Chase portal 5 points per dollar on flights purchased through Chase Travel§ 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027) 3 points per dollar on all other travel and dining purchases worldwide§ 1 point per dollar on everything else §Elevated earnings on travel purchases will kick in after the annual travel credit is received.	5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Travel (excluding purchases that trigger the $50 annual hotel credit) 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027) 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery store purchases (excludes Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs) 2 points per dollar on all other travel 1 point per dollar on everything else
Points redemption rates in Chase Travel	1.5 cents each	1.25 cents each
Credit score required	740^	670^

* Based on TPG’s May 2025 valuations; valuations are not provided by the card issuer.
^ Based on TPG’s research and not provided by the card issuer.

The argument for the Sapphire Reserve

While the Sapphire Reserve‘s $550 annual fee seems high at first, consider that you get $300 in travel credits that apply automatically to a broadly defined concept of what counts as travel.

Moreover, perks like reimbursing your application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and complimentary food and drinks in airport lounges can bring that annual fee down to very little — or could make it effectively $0.

The Sapphire Reserve also has some of the strongest travel protections in the industry, making it a great card to use when paying for even a small part of your trip.

Plus, its 1.5-cent redemption rate through Chase Travel makes it ideal for flights or hotels outside loyalty programs.

To learn more, read our full review of the Sapphire Reserve.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve

The argument for the Sapphire Preferred

Sapphire Preferred cardholders still get a great number of travel protections to help when something goes wrong during a trip.

On top of that, there’s a $50 hotel credit to use each year and a 10% points bonus on your cardmember anniversary each year. This card’s potential value here can’t be understated.

Chase Sapphire Preferred_April 2024 Update — THE POINTS GUY

And despite the fact that the Sapphire Preferred carries just a $95 annual fee, it still has strong earning categories. It earns highly on dining, streaming services and online grocery orders — categories where many spend regularly.

To learn more, read our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Bottom line

In this guide, we compared the top premium credit cards and mid-tier credit cards. This way, you can see how they’re similar and how they’re different while earning while earning similar rewards from the same issuer.

On the one hand, seeing a ton of perks and benefits attached to a credit card can be enticing. On the other hand, people see the high annual fees on premium credit cards and question whether those annual fees are worth it.

After looking through these comparisons, there should be something that works for your wallet based on your travel style, travel goals and spending habits.

If one of these cards caught your eye and you plan to apply, make sure to look at our guide to credit card application rules and restrictions to improve your chances of being approved.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, click here.