60,000-point bonus for a top travel card: Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card review

Editor’s observe: This publish has been up to date with the newest bank card data.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is without doubt one of the best-known travel rewards credit cards, that includes 5 factors per greenback on journey booked by means of the Chase journey portal and Lyft purchases, 3 factors per greenback on eating, choose streaming companies and on-line grocery retailer purchases (excluding Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment), 2 factors per greenback on all different journey purchases and 1 level per greenback on all the things else.

These beneficial factors will be transferred to airline and resort companions or redeemed straight for journey at a charge of 1.25 cents per level by means of Chase Final Rewards. Card score*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

*Card score is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

At TPG, we at all times get requested an necessary query from newbie vacationers seeking to plan journeys: Which travel credit card must you begin with?

We virtually universally suggest the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. It earns one among our favourite rewards currencies. It provides profitable perks. It includes a low annual price. In truth, many people started our journey into factors and miles with the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked.

The cardboard is at the moment providing a sign-up bonus of 60,000 Final Rewards factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Right here’s what you’ll want to know concerning the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked and why it is one of many best cards out there.

Able to get the cardboard? Apply here for the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is designed to work for each frequent and informal vacationers. With a $95 annual price, it’s not an costly card, which makes it a good choice for beginners.

I additionally suggest beginning your journey into the world of loyalty factors with Chase playing cards, as a result of you’ll want to strategically plan round Chase’s 5/24 rule concerning functions. The Sapphire Most well-liked is certainly value contemplating for one among your coveted five slots for opening new playing cards inside two years.

Associated: Who should (and who shouldn’t) get the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you’ll earn a sign-up bonus of 60,000 factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, sufficient to take you nearly wherever on the planet you need to go.

This haul of factors is value a minimal of $750 when redeemed for journey by means of the Chase portal, however in case you maximize Chase’s switch companions, TPG’s valuations peg the total worth of the bonus at a whopping $1,200.

In Aug. 2021, Chase revealed a slew of exciting changes to its Sapphire cards, together with the Sapphire Most well-liked. Certainly one of these new perks was a $50 assertion credit score on resort stays bought by means of the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal upon opening the cardboard, in addition to every following cardmember anniversary. It’s routinely utilized to your account annually whenever you make an eligible cost. Be aware that the $50 credit score doesn’t earn Chase Final Rewards factors.

Associated: How to use the new $50 hotel credit on the Chase Sapphire Preferred

10% annual factors bonus

One other change Chase added to the cardboard is a 10% anniversary points bonus. Cardholders will obtain a ten% bonus based mostly on their complete spending through the account anniversary yr at a charge of 1 level for every $10 spent. For instance, in case you spent $100,000 in your Sapphire Most well-liked throughout your cardmember yr, you’ll obtain 10,000 bonus factors on the finish of the yr.

Be aware that this 10% is calculated on the {dollars} you spent moderately than the factors you earned. You thus don’t obtain extra factors by leveraging the cardboard’s bonus classes.

DoorDash

The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked additionally contains at the least one yr of complimentary DashPass membership with DoorDash, which provides you free supply and decreased service charges on eligible purchases. There’s a cost associated with using food delivery services reminiscent of DoorDash, however this is usually a beneficial profit in case you already use the service.

Journey protections

This card is a perfect option to pay for journey bookings reminiscent of automobile leases, cruises, aircraft tickets and motels due to the great journey and buy protections it affords. Amongst them, cardholders can anticipate the next:

You possibly can learn extra concerning the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked purchasing and journey advantages here.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with a simple earning structure that is easy to maximize. Right here’s the way you earn factors on the Sapphire Most well-liked:

• 5 factors per greenback on journey booked by means of the Chase travel portal.
• 5 factors per greenback on Lyft purchases (by means of March 2025).
• 3 factors per greenback on eating, choose streaming companies and on-line grocery retailer purchases (excludes Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment).
• 2 factors per greenback on all journey not booked by means of the Chase journey portal.
• 1 level per greenback on all the things else.

Once you’re able to redeem the factors you’ve earned with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you’ll perceive why the cardboard shines. Listed below are some methods you should utilize your Final Rewards.

Chase Final Rewards journey portal

You should utilize your factors to buy airfare, reserve resort rooms and even lease a automobile by means of Chase Travel — all at a hard and fast charge of 1.25 cents per level. Which means you don’t want to fret about blackout dates or discovering award area; you’ll at all times have the choice to e-book journey utilizing your factors. So long as there’s a seat on the market on the flight you need, or a resort room obtainable to order with money, you’ll have the ability to pay for it along with your factors.

Simply observe that resort reservations booked by means of third-party websites (together with Chase Journey) usually will not earn factors and will not depend towards elite standing qualification.

Switch to Chase journey companions

It’s doable to obtain rather more than 1.25 cents per level in worth by transferring rewards to Chase airline and hotel partners.

A number of the finest Chase switch companions embrace Hyatt, United, British Airways and Singapore Airlines for fancy motels or aircraft seats.

Pay Your self Again

If you wish to use the factors out of your Sapphire Most well-liked at a hard and fast worth for one thing aside from journey, contemplate Chase’s Pay Yourself Back option. Cardholders can use factors for a price of 1.25 cents apiece to cowl donations to pick charities (by means of Dec. 31, 2023) or a price of 1 cent per level for fuel station and grocery purchases (by means of March 31, 2023).

Associated: How to donate points and miles to help Ukraine

There are a lot of worthwhile mid-tier journey bank cards, however the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the one which goes toe-to-toe with the Sapphire Most well-liked. The cardboard at the moment provides the next:

*Advantages solely obtainable to accounts authorized for the Visa Signature card. Phrases apply.

If attempting to resolve between these two playing cards, take into consideration which one’s incomes formulation fits your spending behavior, and which one’s switch companions you’re extra more likely to maximize.

Associated: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture Card

One other different possibility could be a cobranded card with a selected airline or resort program. These aren’t practically as versatile because the Sapphire Most well-liked, however in case you’re flying predominantly with one airline or staying continuously at properties underneath a selected resort umbrella, these perks could come in useful.

1. You possibly can obtain the 60,000-point sign-up bonus.
2. You’re in search of beneficial journey protections.
3. You at the moment maintain the Chase Freedom Unlimited and/or Chase Freedom Flex card.

Once you carry the Sapphire Most well-liked together with one among these playing cards, you may freely move points from one account to another, successfully augmenting the worth of your Freedom earnings by translating them from cash-back rewards into absolutely transferable Ultimate Rewards points.

The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked continues to signify a stable worth proposition for a large swath of the general public. As long as you’re utilizing the cardboard continuously sufficient to get greater than $95 in worth from the rewards earned and advantages utilized, this card is certainly definitely worth the annual price.

When you’re prepared to maneuver past cash-back or fixed-value travel rewards bank cards, there is no such thing as a higher place to start out than with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

After its debut a decade in the past, it’s nonetheless considered one of many best rewards credit cards. It earns a few of the most valuable points around, and it’s versatile sufficient to satisfy the journey rewards wants of virtually each factors and miles ability stage. It additionally comes with a low sufficient price ticket for a lot of to have the ability to give it a attempt.

Apply here for the Chase Sapphire Preferred with a 60,000-point bonus.

Extra reporting by Ryan Wilcox, Chris Dong, Stella Shon, Jennifer Yellin, Joseph Hostetler and Eric Rosen.