Our Verdict
If the travel gods set out to design a perfect travel card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is their masterwork. For a relatively low annual fee of $95, the card comes jam-packed with juicy rewards and other perks that make it a worthy contender in a field crowded with cards that cost hundreds of dollars more a year to own. Use it on its own as a starter or low-cost travel card, or pair it with another in the Chase family to maximize your returns on every dollar spent.
Pros
- Earn high rewards on several areas of spending
- Transfer points to travel partners at 1:1 rate
- Many travel and shopping protections
Cons
- Annual fee
- No intro APR offer
- Best travel earning rates are only for bookings through Chase
Current Chase Sapphire Preferred Offer
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
Alternatives to the Chase Sapphire Preferred
Table of Contents
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Introduction
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Quick Facts
- What Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Best For?
- Chase Sapphire Credit Score Requirements
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Travel Rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Fees
- How To Maximize Chase Sapphire Preferred Rewards
- Complementary Cards for the Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Fine Print
- How the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Stacks Up
- Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for You?
- Methodology
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Chase Sapphire Preferred Introduction
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a top-notch choice when it comes to travel cards. That’s because it could be a natural fit for both reward point novices and reward maximizing experts.
For an annual price tag of $95, you’ll earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
Those are easy-to-understand earnings that someone dipping their toe in travel rewards can easily manage. But the card also offers plush extras that appeal to more experienced rewards wranglers, like a 25% increase in value when you use your rewards for travel booked through Chase and a $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠.
Top it off with the ability to transfer your points to over a dozen travel partners, like United and Hyatt, for potentially even more value and notable travel protections and insurances, to boot.
In addition, Chase’s Pay Yourself Back program allows you to redeem your rewards in eligible categories as a statement credit, potentially for increased value.
There’s another rewards-maximizing trick with this card: If you strategically pair it with another Ultimate Rewards®-earning card, like the Chase Freedom Flex℠* or Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you can combine all your points together and redeem them at the Sapphire Preferred’s elevated value.
And finally, Chase provides a 10% bonus points boost on your total purchase amount when you renew your card. So if you spend $25,000 on your card in a year, you’ll receive a 2,500-point bonus at your card anniversary.
Related: Best Credit Cards
Chase Sapphire Preferred Quick Facts
- Annual fee of $95
- A generous welcome bonus: 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases
- 10% anniversary points bonus
- Annual $50 credit on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠
- Rewards can be redeemed for travel at a 25% increase in value booked through Chase Travel
- 1 to 1 point transfer to select airline and hotel travel partners including United and Hyatt
- Redeem for cash back or gift cards where points are worth 1 cent each
- No foreign transaction fees
- No introductory APR offers
What Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Best for?
As one of the market’s best mid-tier credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred ranks highly on lists of the best credit cards for various uses across our site.
- Best Credit Cards
- Best Travel Credit Cards
- Best Ultimate Rewards-Earning Credit Cards
- Best Chase Credit Cards
- Best Credit Cards For Vacation Rentals
- Best Airline Credit Cards
- Best Metal Credit Cards
- Best Credit Cards For Road Trips
- Best Credit Cards For Excellent Credit
- Best Visa Credit Cards
- Best Credit Cards for Food Delivery Services
- Best Credit Cards for Cruises
- Best Hotel Credit Cards
Chase Sapphire Credit Score Requirements
Like most card issuers, Chase does not publish an exact minimum credit score (or range) required for approval for the Sapphire Preferred. Instead, they consider your full financial information—including your credit score and history, income levels, assets and any outstanding debt or other monthly payment obligations.
However, this is a premium credit card. For the highest likelihood of approval, you will need a good or excellent credit score. Learn more about how to improve your credit score and do what you can to raise your score before applying. A good FICO score is defined as one 670 or higher.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Travel Rewards
Earning Rewards
The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
Chase has a generous definition of travel. Purchases with airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways and parking lots and garages will all earn at an elevated rate.
The Sapphire Preferred also comes with a strong welcome bonus that allows new cardholders to earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Redeeming Rewards
Chase’s Ultimate Rewards® are one of the most flexible credit currencies. You can redeem your earnings in any of the following ways:
- Chase travel portal. Chase gives a 25% bonus when you redeem points for travel bookings through Chase with your Sapphire Preferred account— that’s an effective value of 1.25 cents per point.
- Transfer to travel partners. You can transfer Ultimate Rewards points at a 1 to 1 rate to a number of travel partners, where redemption value will vary.
- Statement credit. When you redeem your points as a statement credit you will get a value of 1 cent per point.
- Gift cards. Gift cards will provide different values for your points depending on the store and the amount of your purchase, typically 1 cent per point or less.
- Pay Yourself Back. Chase gives a 25% bonus when you redeem points for a statement credit towards eligible purchases, giving you an effective value of 1.25 cents per point.
- Pay with points. You can use your points to pay for purchases at certain merchants, like Amazon, for a value of about 0.8 cents per point.
Rewards Potential
To determine the rewards potential of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card we reviewed the elevated rewards categories and calculated what the average household might spend in those areas. Forbes Advisor uses data from multiple government agencies in order to determine both baseline income and spending averages across various categories. The 70th percentile of wage earners brings in $118,438 annually, and we estimate spending in each category from that number.
|
Category
|
Earning Rate
|
Estimated Annual Spend
|
Estimated Annual Earnings
|
|
Travel purchased through Chase Travel
|
5X
|
$3,628
|
18,140
|
|
Dining
|
3X
|
$4,622
|
13,866
|
|
Online grocery store purchases
|
3X
|
$4,708
|
14,124
|
|
Streaming services
|
3X
|
$679
|
2,037
|
|
All other travel purchases
|
2X
|
$4,945
|
9,890
|
|
All other purchases
|
1X
|
$20,755
|
20,755
|
|
10% anniversary bonus
|
3,934
|
||
|
Total: 82,746 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
|
|||
Related: How To Find the Best Chase Sapphire Preferred Bonus Offer
Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits
The Chase Sapphire Preferred’s benefit package helps it snag top spots on many of the best credit card lists across publications. Its collection of travel and purchase protections, statement credits and more help it achieve a particularly valuable offer for an annual fee of less than $100.
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance. If your trip is canceled or cut short by a covered situation, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for eligible prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours and hotels.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver. Decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. Coverage is primary and provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad.
- Purchase protection. Covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Extended warranty protection. Extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less.
- Baggage delay insurance. Reimburses you for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing for baggage delays over six hours by passenger carrier up to $100 a day for five days.
- Trip delay reimbursement. If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
Read more: Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits
Chase Sapphire Preferred Travel Benefits
Perhaps overlooked by many casual users, the Chase Sapphire’s 1:1 points transfer opportunities with over a dozen loyalty program partners can offer some of the most valuable redemptions. Cardholders have the power to turn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points into miles or points with airline or hotel partners and book deals that are only available from those programs.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Hotel Benefits
In addition to the card’s bonus rewards on hotels booked through Chase, Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders also receive a $50 hotel stay statement credit each year toward stays booked through the portal.
The card’s 1:1 points transfer to hotel partner loyalty programs includes opportunities to transfer points to IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Partner Benefits
Through March 31, 2025, cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides.
Other partner benefits include a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription when activated by December 31, 2024, a six-month complimentary Instacart+ subscription plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter for Instacart+ members through July 2024.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Fees
Chase Sapphire Preferred Authorized User Fee
If you’re looking to add an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you’re in luck. Not only does Chase allow you to do that, there’s no fee for Preferred authorized users.
You’ll get all the points and benefits when additional cardholders use the card and there’s no credit check for your authorized user. If whomever you’re giving a card to needs to build credit, having them on your account as an authorized user usually means that payments are reported to the credit agencies, which can allow them to build their credit.
Adding an authorized user is easy. Simply log into your account and choose “Account services” from the “More” menu on Chase.com or choose “Manage account” on the Chase Mobile app, then “Add an authorized user.”
Before adding an authorized user, remember you are responsible for any and all charges that the user makes. You can’t set purchase limits, and if you want to remove the authorized user, you’ll need to request a new card number. Fortunately, only the primary cardholder has digital access to the account, so authorized users won’t be able to change account information or account password.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Cash Advance Fee
If you’re in a bind, it may seem like a convenient option to pull cash out of your credit card, but cash advances are an expensive way to access funds. Not only will you have to repay the cash advance, but fees are high and cash advances begin incurring interest immediately.
The Sapphire Preferred charges a cash advance fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater. The interest rate for cash advances is higher than we can recommend. On top of that, there’s no grace period on cash advances, so interest begins accruing the day you make the transaction. This all adds up to paying a pretty hefty sum, just to get emergency cash.
How To Maximize Chase Sapphire Preferred Rewards
One of the best ways to maximize your Chase Sapphire Preferred rewards is to redeem them for travel. This is due to the potential outsized value you can receive from making a 1:1 points transfer or redeeming points through Chase Travel with a 25% increase in value. Thanks to these opportunities, travel redemptions increase the potential value of your rewards.
Remember, travel credit cards aren’t just about the rewards. The benefits can be just as useful, especially when it comes to travel protections. Trip interruption or cancellation insurance can not only provide peace of mind, but also save you thousands of dollars in lost reservations. Maximize your benefits by ensuring that you book travel on your card to access these built-in coverages.
Transfer Partners
The Chase Sapphire Preferred permits cardholders to transfer points 1:1 to a number of loyalty program partners, including popular airline and hotel programs. These include:
Complementary Cards for the Chase Sapphire Preferred
Pairing the Chase Sapphire Preferred with another Ultimate Rewards-earning card allows you to combine points for their best usage. Cards that pair well with the Sapphire Preferred include:
Fine Print
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
- Purchase intro APR: N/A
- Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
Fees
- Annual fee: $95
- Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Foreign purchase transaction fee: $0
How the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Stacks Up
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the higher-end version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It carries an annual fee of $550, but also comes with a slew of perks including a whopping 50% points value boost when booking travel through Chase, a flexible $300 annual travel credit, higher earnings rate on many travel purchases, Priority Pass Select lounge access and a TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry application fee credit. For someone who can fully use the extra benefits, the price tag may be worth it.
Read more: Chase Sapphire Preferred Vs. Reserve
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. American Express® Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) offers solid value for most travelers. The earnings rate on dining and groceries is among the highest in the industry, and Membership Rewards® are flexible and easy to redeem. You’ll earn 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 Membership Rewards® points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point per dollar), 3 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.
Ultimately, which card is better for you will depend on your personal spending habits. If your biggest expenses are mainly groceries, dining and takeout, then the Amex Gold may be worth the higher price tag over the Sapphire Preferred Card. But someone who spends a lot on transportation may fare better with the Sapphire Preferred.
Read more: Amex Gold Vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The no annual fee Chase Freedom Unlimited® notches above-average earnings with 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus an additional 1.5% cash back on the first $20,000 in purchases the first year, making it an ideal choice as an everyday card.
The card’s real superpower comes from pairing it with a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards®-earning card including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Use the Freedom Unlimited for all spending that isn’t a bonus category on the Sapphire Preferred and pool all your rewards together to take advantage of Sapphire Preferred’s 25% points boost on travel through Chase.
Read more: Chase Freedom Unlimited Vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred
Evaluate Credit Cards Side By Side
Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for You?
There’s a reason the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earned a spot on the Forbes Advisor list of best travel cards. It comes stuffed with features and appealing travel rewards for a relatively low price. If you’re looking for swanky high-end perks, look at a different card and be prepared to pay the price. But for anyone seeking a comfortable way to accrue earnings toward future trips, look no further than the Sapphire Preferred.
Methodology
Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including:
- Annual fees
- Welcome bonus offers
- Ongoing earning rates
- Value of individual points or miles
- Included travel or merchant credits
- Additional cardholder benefits
Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors come together to provide a star rating for each individual card.
Read more: How Forbes Advisor rates credit cards
To view rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What credit score do you need for the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
Chase does not offer recommendations on its website regarding minimum credit scores, but it does recommend applicants have good to excellent credit scores for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
FICO categorizes “Good” credit as 670 to 739, “Very Good” as 740 to 799 and “Exceptional” as 800 and up. Those seeking to get this card will likely have a better chance with a credit score closer to the very good range (or better). Keep in mind, there are multiple versions of credit scores available, and the score you check may not be the score used by Chase.
What is the credit limit on the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
A credit card issuer will review several factors to determine a cardholder’s credit limit, including employment status and annual salary, credit history and credit utilization and housing costs. There is no one set number when it comes to limits on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, as it is based on your personal financial standing.
As a Visa Signature card, the one thing you can be certain of is a credit limit of at least $5,000. In general, the younger your credit history, the less likely you are to be approved for a high credit limit. If you’re seeking a bigger credit limit than what you were approved for, you can try asking for a credit limit increase.
What counts as travel for Chase Sapphire Preferred?
According to the Chase Rewards Category page, the following counts as travel with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Merchants in the travel category include airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, parking lots and garages.
Some merchants that provide transportation and travel-related services are not included in this category. For example, real estate agents, educational merchants arranging travel, in-flight goods and services, onboard cruise line goods and services, sightseeing activities, excursions, tourist attractions, RV and boat rentals, merchants within hotels and airports, public campgrounds and merchants that rent vehicles for the purpose of hauling.
Purchases from gift card merchants or merchants that sell points or miles will not qualify in the travel category. Note that theme park charges purchased directly are excluded, but tickets purchased from some travel agents may count.
How do you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
Someone interested in applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a greater likelihood of approval if they have a good or better credit history and low credit utilization. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is also subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule, so if you’ve been approved for five new cards in the last 24 months, Chase will not approve you for the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Chase also has a “one Sapphire” card rule, so if you already have another Chase Sapphire card, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you also won’t be approved.
How do you redeem Chase Sapphire Preferred points?
Rewards earned on the Chase Sapphire Preferred are Chase Ultimate Rewards® points and can be redeemed in several ways. They can be redeemed through the Chase Travel Portal to cover the cost of flights, hotels and car rentals or used toward the cost of experiences, including theme park tickets or special events. Used this way, points are worth 25% more with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points can also be transferred to airline and hotel partners at a 1 to 1 ratio, and redeemed through their respective loyalty programs. You can redeem your rewards for cash back or to buy merchandise or gift cards usually at a value of a penny per point. You can also use your points to shop with Amazon or shop with Paypal, but this typically represents a poor value as points are worth less than a penny each this way.
How much is a Chase Sapphire Preferred point worth?
Chase Sapphire points are called Ultimate Rewards points, which can be combined across all of your accounts that earn Ultimate Rewards. Points can be redeemed for 1 cent each, if you redeem for cash back or gift cards and 1.25 cents by redeeming for travel via the Chase travel portal. They could potentially be worth even more when transferred to a Chase travel partner.
*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: Chase Freedom Flex℠. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
