Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card Review: Full Details
Overview of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most famous places travel rewards credit cardEarn 5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ and Lyft purchases, 3 points per dollar spent on dining, select streaming services and in-store purchases online groceries (excluding Target®, Walmart® and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar spent on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar spent on all something else. These valuable points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at 1.25 cents per point through Chase Travel. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
*Card review based on the opinions of the TPG editorial board and not influenced by the card issuer.
At TPG, we always get an important question from travelers who are just starting to plan a trip: Which one? travel credit card Should I start?
We mostly recommend it Chase Sapphire Preferred Card because it earns one of our favorite bonus types and comes with valuable perks for a low annual fee. In fact, many of us start our journey earn points and miles with this card.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is designed for the casual and frequent traveler. With an annual fee of $95, this isn’t an expensive card, making it an especially good choice for beginners.
TPG recommends that applicants have credit score at least 700 came Eligible for Sapphire Preferredbut it’s not uncommon for someone to be approved with a lower score.
Here’s what you need to know about the Chase Sapphire Preferred and why it’s the one Best card available.
Pros and cons of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
| Advantage | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
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Chase Sapphire Preferred Welcome Offer
the Chase Sapphire preferred has a welcome offer of 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. New cardholders will also receive a $300 Chase Travel credit in the first year.*
the Typical offers for this card typically 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points, so whenever there’s an opportunity to earn additional bonus miles or statement credits like this current offer, we recommend taking advantage of it.
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These points have a minimum value of $750 when redeemed for travel through the Chase portal, but you can maximize value by using Chase’s transfer partners. According to TPG October 2024 valuationChase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2.05 cents each, making this reward worth $1,530 when you factor in the $300 Chase Travel credit.
*A statement credit will automatically be applied to your account when your card is used for purchases made through Chase Travel, up to a maximum cumulative amount of $300 within the first year of opening account. The credit statement(s) will appear on your monthly credit card billing statement within 6 to 8 weeks after the purchase is posted to your account. For more information about Chase rewards categories, see, Chase.com/RewardsCategoryFrequently Asked Questions.
Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards for maximum value
Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits
In addition to the welcome bonus, there are also many attractive perks when becoming a member. Sapphire preferred card holder.
You’ll receive up to $50 in statement credits for hotel stays purchased through Chasing travel when opening the card and on each account anniversary date. This fee is automatically applied to your account each year you make a qualifying charge. However, please note that the $50 credit does not earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
I always use this hotel credit when I’m abroad in a small city with no chain hotels where I won’t earn any elite nights or loyalty points since booking through OTA like Chase Travel typically doesn’t qualify you for elite status benefits at hotels.
Cardholders also enjoy benefits Bonus 10% anniversary points per year. This 10% bonus is based on your total spending during the account anniversary year at a rate of 1 point per $10 spent. For example, if you spend $100,000 on the Sapphire Preferred during your card year, you’ll receive 10,000 bonus points at the end of the year.
However, this 10% bonus is calculated from the dollars you spent, not the points you earned, meaning you won’t get additional points by taking advantage of the card’s rewards categories.
the Chase Sapphire preferred also include at least one year Free DoorDash DashPass membershipincludes perks like free shipping and reduced service fees on qualifying purchases (activated by December 31, 2027). have one costs associated with using food delivery services such as DoorDash, but this can be a valuable benefit if you already use this service.
Finally, Sapphire Preferred is ideal for travel bookings like car rentals, cruises, airline tickets and hotels because it comes with comprehensive travel protections and make purchases. Among them, cardholders can expect the following:
You can read more about the travel and shopping benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred This.
Related: 7 priority benefits of Chase Sapphire you may not know
Earn points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred
the Chase Sapphire preferred have one Simple monetization structure it’s easy to maximize:
- Earn 5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chasing travel
- Earn 5 points per dollar spent Buy Lyft (until March 2025)
- Earn 5 points per dollar spent Buy Peloton equipment and accessories for $150 or more (through March 2025, with a limit of 25,000 bonus points)
- Earn 3 points per dollar spent on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- Earn 2 points per dollar spent on all travel not booked through the Chase Travel portal
- Earn 1 point per dollar spent on everything else
Those are some of the best earnings rates in the game, especially when you consider you’re earning valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
Related: Why would you want to pay the $95 annual fee for the Chase Sapphire Preferred
Redeem points with Chase Sapphire Preferred
When you’re ready to redeem the points you’ve earned with Chase Sapphire preferredyou will understand why the card shines.
You can use your points to buy airline tickets, book hotel rooms, and even rent cars through Chase Travel – all at a flat rate of 1.25 cents per point.
That means you don’t have to worry about blackout dates or finding awards space; You’ll always have the option to book a trip using your points. As long as seats are available on the flight you want or a hotel room is available to book in cash, you can pay with your points.
Just keep in mind that hotel reservations booked through third-party sites (including Chase Travel) typically won’t earn points or count toward elite status qualifications.
You also have the option to Redeem your points for cash back or gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point or at a slightly higher value when you avail Chase’s Pay Yourself Back select. However, these redemption options are less valuable than transferring your points to Chase travel partners, so we recommend avoiding them whenever possible.
Related: 6 attractive points of Chase Ultimate Rewards
Transfer points with Chase Sapphire Preferred
By transferring your Chase points, you can get more value than 1.25 cents per point by transferring rewards to Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners. Some of Chase’s best transfer partners include Hyatt, Flower, British Airways And Singapore Airlines for luxury hotels and comfortable airline seats.
Using these transfer partners can bring you extraordinary value. Chase regularly runs transfer bonus promotions where you can earn up to 30% more points or miles when you transfer Ultimate Rewards to a transfer partner.
For example, TPG credit card writer Chris Nelson regularly transfer points to Hyatt and get rooms during high season in Europe for as low as 4,000 points per night. Hyatt has a ton of great deals, making it an especially valuable transfer partner.
One TPG reader took advantage of Ultimate Rewards points earned by Sapphire preferred for your first business class flight:
“I was able to make my first redemption in business class (Dublin to Boston on Aer Lingus for 50k).” – Alejandro P via X
Note: Responses submitted by readers have not been edited, reviewed or approved by the publisher and do not reflect TPG’s views on these tags.
Using transfer partners for aspirational travel is a solid way to Maximize your final bonus points and get value for your spending with the Sapphire Preferred.
Related: The complete guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners
What cards compete with the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
Many worthy mid-range travel credit cards exist, but few can compare Sapphire preferred. If you’re trying to decide which one is best for you, consider which card’s earning power suits your spending habits and which transfer partners you’re most likely to maximize.
For more options, see Our complete list of the best starter credit cards.
Information about the American Express Green Card has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Read more: Chase Sapphire Showdown: Sapphire Preferred vs Sapphire Reserve
Bottom line
If you’re ready to get over it Refund or Travel rewards have a fixed value credit cards, there’s no better place to start than with Chase Sapphire preferred.
After launching more than a decade ago, it is still considered one of the best rewards credit cards. It earned some most valuable points and flexible enough to meet the reward needs of both frequent and new travelers. As long as you use the card often enough to get more than $95 in value from it, this card is definitely worth the annual cost.
Register here: Chase Sapphire preferred
