Both CSP and CSR have primary rental car CDW coverage. The difference is CSR has a higher upper limit on car theft which IIRC is more than $50K, plus covers certain brands/models CSP does not cover. Honestly for ordinary needs CSP rental car coverage is more than adequate.
CSR othe major benefit is the Priority Pass and also the new Chase airport lounges. But if you dont travel enough, or your long trips are all in business class (you get airline lounge access by class of service), this benefit also does not have much added value.
Other miscellaneou extra benefits are really useless to many people.
Chase travel portal is worthless as the prices there often higher, negate a good part of the discount paying with UR pts. Worse, for airline tickets in the case of changes / cancellation, it is far easier / better to directly deal with the airlines than deal with Chase travel. Personally I stopped using points to "buy" travel on Chase Portal even before Pandemic. Not worth the few bucks saved with too much headache when you need help.
Both cards can transfer UR pts to airlines / hotels partners at 1 to 1 ratio. For airlines, Air Canada, British Airways often have 20 to 30% transfer bonus one to two times a year. United used to be the most popular choice but not anymore due to the big devaluation March of 2023. There are several other partners have niche value, for those who want to maximize their points value.
On the internet blogs that have talked about "gaming CCs for maxi gain" has a saying of Chase "Trifacter", CSR or CSP, + Freedom + Ink Cash. All points earned combine to the CSR or CSP for better value. Freedom Flex is a mastercard (strange for Chase!) that has 5% earning up to $1500 spend per quarter. This quarter is at grocery stores excl the wholesale clubs + Walmart and Target. The quarterly 5% bonus is on a rotation basis. You do need to activate the offer on Chase online.
Ink Cash offers 5% earning at Office Supply Stores up to $25K a year. These Office Supply Stores have gift cards for sale, particular the Cash Equivalent Visa or Mastercard gift cards. They run promotion at least once a month, that those hefty activation fees are waived during that one week promotion. I buy those cash equivalent cards and use them for ANYTHING I can use to pay with a CC - essentially making all grocery shopping / miscellaneous shopping a 5% earning year round.
The "net" annual fee difference is, CSR $250 ($550-$300 travel credit), versus CSP $95.
Too bad the Florida Power and Light does NOT take CC payment. Condo association fee used to only charge $14.95 for CC payment up to $5K but raised to a whopping 2.95% since Jan 2024. So back to eCheck payment again. Sad.
Lots of people pay their Fed Est Tax with CC to meet the minimum spend for sign up bonuses, I believe the lowest site charges 1.87%. This can work depends on of course one's own calculation.
