The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the best travel rewards credit cards for beginners. It hits on all cylinders: lucrative earning rates, valuable perks and versatile rewards — all for an affordable annual fee of $95.
And, right now, the card is offering the highest sign-up bonus in almost a year, making it a great time to apply. For a limited time, you can earn 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. We value those points at $1,538.
The regular bonus on this card is 60,000 points. The last time we saw an elevated bonus (of up to 90,000 points) was almost a year ago.
It’s worth noting that the same bonus is available on the premium version of this card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Along with Bilt Rewards points, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are the most valuable points of any credit card issuer.
Let’s dive into why you should consider adding the card to your wallet.
Why you should apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Sapphire Preferred is well worth opening, partly because it is easy to rack up points after you’ve spent the sign-up bonus.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has many generous bonus-earning categories:
- 5 points per dollar on travel booked through the Chase Travel℠ portal
- 5 points per dollar on Lyft (through March 2025)
- 3 points per dollar on dining
- 3 points per dollar on select streaming services
- 3 points per dollar on online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
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Cardmembers also receive a 10% annual point bonus based on their total spend during the account anniversary year at a rate of 1 point for each $1 spent. So, if you spend $20,000 on the card in a year, you’ll get 2,000 extra points at the end of it.
In addition, Chase Ultimate Rewards can transfer to 14 airline or hotel partners, including valuable programs such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and World of Hyatt. You can maximize your rewards by booking aspirational business-class tickets or picturesque stays at island resorts for far less than their cash equivalent.
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the top travel rewards credit cards on the market. It comes with travel protections and up to $50 in annual hotel statement credits for hotel purchases made through Chase Travel after each member’s anniversary (one of my favorite perks). That covers more than half the card’s already reasonable $95 annual fee.
No wonder many TPG staffers continue to carry the Chase Sapphire Preferred year after year. Given its easy-to-maximize perks, strong earning rates and the usefulness of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, it probably deserves a place in any traveler’s wallet.
Learn more in our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. And compare it to the Sapphire Reserve if you’re tossing up between the two.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred
