/static-assets/statics-12493/images/financebuzz.png)
/images/2018/01/23/navina-side-hustle-mid_MPfEDfV.jpg)
/images/2019/12/06/smart_strategies_to_save_money_on_car_insurance.jpg)
/authors/kat_tretina_updated.png)
/authors/image.jpg)
/images/2024/03/28/chase_sapphire_preferred_032824.png)
Key takeaways
- We recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card because it’s one of the best travel rewards credit cards since it offers valuable rewards and benefits.
- Using this card, you can earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.
- We like that this card helps you enjoy various perks, such as a generous welcome offer, up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays booked via Chase Travel, an anniversary bonus, and valuable travel benefits like trip delay reimbursement and auto rental collision damage waiver.
- You earn Ultimate Rewards points with the Sapphire Preferred, which you can redeem for various things, including statement credits, travel through the Chase Travel℠ program, or point transfers to airline and hotel loyalty programs.
- Although the Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, we think it can be easy for occasional and frequent travelers to benefit enough from this card to justify the cost.
Who should get the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
We think the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great fit for people who travel at least a couple of times per year and typically spend on travel purchases, eating out, and online grocery orders.
Chase launched this metal card in 2009, but it has managed to stay with the times by consistently offering great travel rewards value for its holders.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred does have an annual fee of $95, so you should make sure you’ll get enough value from this card. For instance, you could use its benefits of up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel bookings via Chase Travel, anniversary bonus, and rewards earning rates to make sense of its cost.
However, if you don’t anticipate benefiting enough from this card, we recommend considering one of the best no-annual-fee travel cards.
To qualify for the card, you’ll need a credit score that is good to excellent. With that in mind, it may not be the best choice for those just starting out with a limited credit history, and you may want to consider other beginner travel credit cards.
Chase Sapphire Preferred basics
| Card type | Travel |
| Card issuer | Chase |
| Credit card network | Visa |
| Annual fee | $95 |
| Welcome offer | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening |
| Reward rate | 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases |
| Recommended credit score | Excellent, Good |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
Why we like the Chase Sapphire Preferred: benefits and perks
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers several valuable card benefits and perks, including:
- A killer welcome offer: You can earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Redeem those points through the Chase Travel℠ program, and that bonus is worth $750.
- Amazing earnings: With this card, you'll earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.
- Additional points value: Your points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel℠.
- Statement credit for hotel stays: Enjoy up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠. This by itself can help offset the annual fee.
- Account anniversary bonus: Each account anniversary, earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases from the previous year. For example, if you spend $25,000 on purchases the previous year, you'll receive 2,500 bonus points on your account anniversary.
- Points for sharing with friends: If you refer a friend and they’re approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you’ll earn 20,000 bonus points. You can get up to 100,000 bonus points a year through referrals.
- Valuable travel benefits: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers complimentary travel protections, such as trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, trip interruption insurance, and primary auto rental collision damage waivers.
Lyft: You'll earn 5x total points on qualifying Lyft rides.
- Purchase protections: With the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, eligible purchases are covered for up to 120 days from damage or theft, and eligible purchases will have their warranties extended by up to one year.
- Access to unique experiences: As a cardholder, you qualify for the Chase Preferred Experience, a program that gives you access to exclusive Chase Sapphire events and experiences, such as concerts or restaurant tastings.
/authors/yahia-barakah-financebuzz.jpg)
/authors/yahia-barakah-financebuzz.jpg)
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is my favorite card in my wallet since I dine out a lot, and I love the 3X rewards rate it offers for dining. It’s very easy to redeem these rewards on Chase Travel, not to mention that booking a hotel through this portal helps me use the $50 statement credits for hotels booked through Chase Travel. That’s how this card helped me with the cost of more than one trip.
- No foreign transaction fees: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has no foreign transaction fees, making it a great choice for international travelers. And, because it’s a Visa, it’s more likely to be accepted by retailers than other card networks.
- DoorDash benefits: As a cardholder, you'll have to ability to opt in to free DashPass subscription benefits. With DashPass, you'll pay zero delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12. A DashPass subscription normally costs $9.99 per month.
- Instacart benefits: Receive six free months of Instacart+ and $15 per quarter in statement credits toward Instacart purchases. You must join Instacart+ with your eligible card to receive these benefits.
What we don't like about the Chase Sapphire Preferred: Drawbacks
- Annual fee: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card does have an annual fee. While the benefits and perks can offset this cost for many people, the fee may make it less desirable for some. If you would like to earn Chase Rewards without the annual fee consider the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card.
- Requires spending to be worthwhile: For the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to be most beneficial, you'll need to be someone who spends a few thousand dollars per year on dining purchases and travel expenses.
- No premium benefits: If you're looking for high-end travel benefits — such as Priority Pass lounge access, TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee reimbursement, or an annual travel credit — then a card like The Platinum Card® from American Express would be a better fit for you. You can weigh the luxury travel benefits against the higher annual fee of the Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred cards and see which better fits your needs.
The right travel card for you is the one that matches your interests and spending habits, allowing you to earn valuable rewards and travel the way you like — for less. Learn more about these top cards and choose what's best for you.
»Compare Travel Credit CardsEarning & redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers significant value with its rewards. By using the card strategically, you can maximize its value.
Potential earnings in years one and two
Here's a look at how your Ultimate Rewards points can add up with the Chase Sapphire Preferred. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of 1.25 based on the value you can get for your rewards by booking travel through the Chase travel portal.
Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.
Year one earnings: $1,413.75
Year two earnings: $663.75
These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee. The spending bonuses factored into the final values assume the average cardmember isn't going to make all their grocery purchases online, but that they could turn the majority of their travel spending to the Chase travel portal because of the increased earning rate. The value of this card will be even further increased if you take advantage of the DoorDash benefits.
Best ways to earn
| Category | Rewards Rate |
| Travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ |
5X |
| Dining, select streaming services, and online groceries | 3X |
| Other travel purchases | 2X |
| All other purchases | 1X |
When using your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, you’ll earn 2X points on other travel purchases and 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries. Dining out can include restaurants, fast food, and even delivery services. The travel category includes some expenses you might not consider, such as:
- Airfare
- Hotels
- Car rentals
- Taxis
- Toll roads
- Parking garages
- Travel agencies
To get the most rewards, use the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card whenever you travel, dine out, order online groceries, or pay for streaming services. However, it likely makes sense to use another credit card to pay for other transactions — such as gas or in-store groceries — that offers more rewards for your purchases.
For example, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express allows you to earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (for first $6,000 per year, after that 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on eligible transit, and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. (Cash back is received in the form of a statement credit.) Keeping at least two credit cards in your wallet helps you to get the most bang for your buck.
Maximizing your redemptions
| Redemption Method | Value |
| Statement credits | 1 cent |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | 1.25 cents |
Points are generally worth 1 cent each, but if you redeem through the Chase Travel℠ program, they’re worth 1.25 cents each because you get a 25% bonus. If you’re trying to maximize value, it makes sense to go through the Chase Travel℠ program rather than redeeming points in other ways, such as statement credits. You can book hotel stays, flights, cruises, and even car rentals with the program.
To offset the annual fee when redeeming your points through the Chase Travel℠ program, you’d have to spend at least $1,520 at the 5X-point level, about $2,533 at the 3X-point level, $3,800 at the 2X-point level, and $7,600 at the 1X-point level.
Booking travel through the Chase Travel℠ program is easy. Just log in to your account and search for the travel arrangements you want to make. You’ll have the option of booking your travel using your accumulated points.
Chase transfer partners
While the Chase Travel℠ program is probably the easiest way to redeem your points, there’s another redemption method that can provide even more value: point transfers. With this approach, you transfer points to a frequent traveler program, such as Marriott Bonvoy or United MileagePlus. Depending on the program and the availability of airfare or hotel stays, you could redeem your points for as much as 1.6 cents each.
Chase has a number of hotel partners and airline partners. Current Chase travel partners include the following airline loyalty programs:
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- British Airways Executive Club
- Emirates Skywards
- Flying Blue Air France KLM
- Iberia Plus
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
- United MileagePlus
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
And the following hotel loyalty programs are also Chase transfer partners:
- World of Hyatt
- IHG Rewards Club
- Marriott Bonvoy
Other credit cards to consider
While the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a favorite among people using travel cards, it’s not necessarily right for everyone. You might want to also explore the travel cards available from other credit card issuers.
American Express® Gold Card
We recommend the American Express® Gold Card if you spend a decent amount on travel and restaurant purchases each month. While the Amex Gold card has a higher $250 annual fee, it also comes with up to $120 in annual dining statement credits and up to $120 in annual Uber Cash (enrollment required).
It also helps you earn 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X) and at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases.
Read our American Express® Gold Card review or learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred versus Amex Gold comparison.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Another strong option that we recommend is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which rewards cardholders for all purchases made with the card, not just travel and dining.
The Venture Rewards Credit Card offers straightforward earning rates of 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25.
It also offers a TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry fee reimbursement, while the Sapphire Preferred doesn’t.
Read our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review or learn more in our Capital One Venture versus Chase Sapphire Preferred comparison.
Great for Flexible Travel Rewards
Why We Like It
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
See how these cards compare:
/images/2021/02/12/amex_rose_gold.png)
American Express® Gold Card
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership
- Choose your color: gold or rose gold
- Up to $120 in dining credits per year
- Up to $120 in Uber Cash per year
- $250 annual fee
- Select benefits require enrollment.
- See rates and fees | Terms Apply
/images/2021/07/20/capital-one-venture-072021.jpg)
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
- Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® credit
- No foreign transaction fees
- 19.99% - 29.99% (variable) purchase APR
- Rates and fees
Chase Sapphire Preferred FAQ
Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred worth it?
If you’re a traveler who spends a decent amount on hotels, airfare, and dining out each year, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is well worth the annual fee. It provides substantial rewards and useful travel benefits that will enhance your experience.
If you'd consider yourself a frequent traveler who wants to take it up a notch in terms of benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® may be a better choice for you. Both Chase Sapphire cards offer a serious amount of value if you're able to maximize the perks but one might be a better fit for you than the other. So you'll want to learn about the differences between the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Alternatively, if you find your budget is more heavily weighted towards spending at supermarkets and gas stations, the Citi Premier® Card offers a wider range of bonus categories that can rack up valuable Citi ThankYou Rewards points quickly. You can see how the Citi Premier vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred cards compare and see which best fits your spending habits.
What is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card made of?
If you’re looking for a card that stands out, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card may be for you. Similar to the Chase Sapphire Reserve, it’s a metal card, rather than plastic, which looks impressive and has weight to it.
What does your credit score need to be for a Chase Sapphire Preferred?
To be eligible for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, make sure you have good to excellent credit. When you’re ready to apply for the Sapphire Preferred, be prepared to submit your personal information, like your name, address, Social Security number, and income.
Are there limits to how many Ultimate Rewards points I can earn?
No, there are no limits to how many points you can earn. Even if you spend your money exclusively in the travel and dining categories, you’ll continue to earn points.
Do my Chase Ultimate Rewards points expire?
Your Ultimate Rewards points never expire as long as you keep your Chase account open. You only lose your points if you close your account. If you know you know you are going to be closing account, the best thing to do is transfer your unused rewards to a different Chase credit card or to a loyalty account with one of the Chase transfer partners.
What is the Chase 5/24 rule?
The Chase 5/24 rule is not an official rule that has been announced by Chase, but its existence and enforcement has been well-established by card applicants and credit card experts. This unofficial rule prevents you from qualifying for a new Chase credit card if you've recently opened too many other cards. Specifically, you'll likely be denied for a new Chase card if you've opened five or more credit cards within the past 24 months.
Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred get you into airport lounges?
No, the Chase Sapphire Preferred does not come with complimentary lounge access. You may want to consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve if lounge access is important to you. The Sapphire Reserve comes with Priority Pass membership.
Alternatively, you might consider a card like the American Express® Green Card, which comes with a $100 LoungeBuddy statement credit. Understanding how the perks between the Amex Green Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred cards compare can be very helpful in deciding which card to choose.
All information about American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by FinanceBuzz.
Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred offer an introductory APR on purchases?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred does not offer an introductory APR on purchases. If you are interested in an introductory APR, consider the Chase Freedom Flex℠ card.
The Freedom Flex offers 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then a 20.49%-29.24% Variable APR after that. If you need to finance a large purchase, this card will give you plenty of time to do so. You can compare the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Freedom Flex cards directly and see which one – or maybe both – better fits your needs.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: bottom line
We like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and typically include it in our travel credit card recommendations. This is because it fits occasional and regular travelers alike thanks to its various great perks.
You can earn a sizable welcome offer, statement hotel credits for stays booked via Chase Travel, and Ultimate Rewards points on everyday purchases. This is true whether you're using the Chase Sapphire Preferred card internationally or domestically since it doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.
Keep in mind that the Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, so you should make sure that you get enough value to make up for its cost.
If the Chase Sapphire Preferred doesn’t fit your needs, we recommend exploring more options in our lists of the best credit cards for travel or the best travel credit cards with no annual fees.
Great for Flexible Travel Rewards
Current Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$95
Rewards Rate
5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases
/images/2024/04/23/woman_sitting_on_luggage_being_pushed_by_a_man_through_the_airport.jpg)
/images/2024/04/12/smiling_man_holding_a_credit_card_and_looking_at_his_phone.jpg)
/images/2024/04/05/man_holding_a_credit_card_and_looking_at_a_laptop.jpg)
/images/2024/03/23/woman_looking_at_her_phone_and_holding_a_credit_card.jpg)
/images/2024/03/18/smiling_woman_looking_at_her_phone.jpg)
/images/2024/03/14/happy_woman_holding_a_credit_card_and_cheering.jpg)