Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred worth it?

Whether or not you are a frequent traveler or points and miles beginner, there are a lot of causes the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card® (see rates and fees) is a good choice for you.

However with a $95 annual payment, chances are you’ll ask, is the Chase Sapphire Most popular price it?

The Sapphire Most popular was my first transferable rewards card and my first one with an annual fee. A few years into holding the cardboard, I can strongly affirm that I’ve obtained considerably extra worth from the cardboard than I’ve paid in annual charges.

Highest-ever supply: Earn 100,000 bonus factors with the Chase Sapphire Preferred after spending $5,000 on purchases inside the first three months of account opening.

Let’s discover the way you, too, can get far more worth from the Chase Sapphire Most popular than it prices to hold annually.

That is travel rewards card 101: A big portion of the worth you obtain from a brand new card (particularly in the first year) comes from earning its welcome bonus. That is very true with the Sapphire Preferred.

At the moment, new candidates can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening. This matches the highest bonus we have seen on the cardboard, final provided over three years in the past.

TPG’s March 2025 valuations place this bonus at a whopping $2,050 if you leverage the Chase Final Rewards program’s valuable transfer partners.

Nevertheless, if you wish to go a less complicated route, you possibly can nonetheless get at the very least $1,250 in worth out of redeeming your factors for journey purchases made by way of Chase Travel℠.

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The worth of this bonus alone fully offsets the first-year $95 annual payment.

Associated: Reasons to choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred over the Chase Sapphire Reserve

In the event you maintain the Sapphire Preferred, you may obtain a $50 statement credit every account anniversary yr to e-book lodge stays bought by way of the Chase journey portal.

All you must do is log into Chase Travel, choose your Sapphire Most popular (in case you have a number of Chase playing cards), seek for inns and e-book your keep.

Simply do not forget that for those who e-book the Chase journey portal, you seemingly will not earn any lodge factors or elite night credits or obtain elite standing advantages.

In our expertise, the statement credit usually posts inside 4 enterprise days.

This credit score primarily wipes out greater than half of the cardboard’s $95 annual payment annually.

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

A welcome bonus is not the one strategy to earn factors. The Sapphire Preferred accrues factors at a excessive price throughout a number of widespread bonus classes, which lets you proceed stacking up these worthwhile factors lengthy after incomes the welcome bonus.

Here is a breakdown of factors incomes on the Sapphire Most popular:

• 5 factors per greenback on journey booked by way of the Chase journey portal
• 3 factors on eating, choose streaming providers and on-line grocery retailer purchases*
• 2 factors on all journey not booked by way of the Chase journey portal
• 1 level on all the things else

*Excludes Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment

Plus, you may earn a 10% bonus on all purchases made annually. So, for those who spent $25,000 on purchases final yr, you may earn 2,500 bonus factors. By TPG’s March 2025 valuations, they’re price $52.

I recommend you switch your Final Rewards factors to one among Chase’s travel partners — 11 airline and three lodge applications. Excessive-value ones embrace Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club and World of Hyatt.

There are numerous sweet spots to leverage together with your Chase factors. You should utilize factors to e-book luxurious Hyatt stays at a excessive worth or transfer points to British Airways to e-book flights with Oneworld partners, together with American Airways.

Maximizing your redemptions may simply internet journey financial savings of greater than $95 — the price of the Sapphire Most popular’s annual payment.

If leveraging switch companions is not your factor, you may nonetheless get good worth if you e-book by way of Chase Journey. That is as a result of Sapphire Preferred cardholders get a hard and fast 1.25 cents in worth for every level they redeem by way of the portal.

So for those who wished to e-book a $500 American Airways flight, you can use 40,000 Chase factors to buy it by way of the Chase journey portal. Plus, you may earn AAdvantage miles on this flight.

Associated: Tips on how to use your points and miles better

Nevertheless, if the time comes that it’s essential leverage one among these perks, the Sapphire Preferred‘s suite of advantages is prone to have you ever lined. And, in lots of cases, only one profitable declare would internet you extra in returns than you paid within the annual payment.

As an instance the airline loses your bag for 5 days on a visit to Europe. In the event you bought your flight together with your Sapphire Most popular card, you may be reimbursed for important purchases like clothes and toiletries.

Chase will cowl as much as $100 a day for 5 days, providing you with as much as $500 — greater than 5 instances the cardboard’s annual payment. Simply ensure to maintain all of your receipts.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is price holding yr after yr. Greater than half of its $95 annual payment is offset by an annual $50 lodge credit score. And if you add within the excessive incomes charges and worthwhile redemption choices, this card pays for itself.

When you redeem the Chase Sapphire Preferred‘s $50 annual lodge credit score, your efficient annual payment annually is greater than halved. Between the cardboard’s worthwhile perks and worthwhile protections, it must be simple for many cardholders to get greater than $45 in worth out of the remainder of the cardboard annually.

In fact, it is best to contemplate your pockets’s present playing cards and private journey preferences earlier than making use of. However for many vacationers, the Chase Sapphire Most popular is price it.

To be taught extra in regards to the card, learn our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred