Why the average traveler needs the Sapphire Prefer...

At TPG, we love the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees). It was the primary journey rewards bank card for many people and stays one of many playing cards we won’t stay with out.

We love that it earns versatile Chase Ultimate Rewards points and has our backs if one thing goes fallacious whereas we’re touring. It is good for the common traveler who takes one or two massive journeys a yr and needs journey advantages however does not want the extras that include a extra premium journey card.

Whereas many people have upgraded to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) as our journey habits have advanced, the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked continues to be one of many prime playing cards we suggest to novices and anybody searching for a strong set of journey advantages.

Here is why we take into account the Sapphire Most well-liked the perfect card for the common traveler.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred prices a $95 annual charge, which is much extra cheap than what you will pay for a more premium travel card. Whereas the trade-off is fewer perks, most common vacationers will not use advantages like lounge access or airline fee credits sufficient to warrant the upper charges that accompany them.

Chances are you’ll be skeptical of annual charges should you’re new to bank card rewards. However when you’ve a robust card with a manageable charge, such because the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked, it is easy to make up the distinction so that you simply aren’t really paying something out of pocket for the cardboard every year.

In the event you’re like TPG bank cards editor Olivia Mittak and use DoorDash continuously, you will get all your Sapphire Most well-liked’s annual charge again with some to spare by way of its complimentary DoorDash DashPass profit (activate by Dec. 31, 2027).

Since a DashPass membership prices $9.99 every month, utilizing your Sapphire Most well-liked’s complimentary membership would get you $120 a yr in worth. Because the Sapphire Most well-liked prices $95 a yr, you would be within the inexperienced by $25.

That is not even factoring on this card’s $50 annual hotel credit for Chase Travel℠ bookings and the worth of the Final Rewards factors you will earn.

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Associated: Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred worth the annual fee? I say yes

New cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. That is the best offer we have seen on the Sapphire Preferred in years, and it might not come round once more for some time. This supply ends on Could 15 at 9 a.m. EDT.

Whereas spending $5,000 in simply three months might sound like a tough process for some budgets, there are many methods you possibly can meet the minimum spend requirement to unlock the welcome bonus.

Based on TPG’s Could 2025 valuations, this welcome bonus is price a whopping $2,050 in journey rewards. With 100,000 Chase Final Rewards factors at your disposal, you’ve a ton of redemption choices.

You will not cease incomes these precious factors whenever you’re achieved incomes the Sapphire Most well-liked’s welcome supply. This card has a few of the finest incomes charges of any mid-tier card accessible.

Associated: I thought I’d hardly use my Sapphire Preferred, then it became one of my go-to cards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, a few of the most versatile factors accessible.

The welcome bonus offers you a terrific begin towards incomes the factors essential to your subsequent trip, but it surely is not the one solution to earn factors. You may earn factors on a variety of frequent purchases, together with:

• 5 factors per greenback spent on journey booked by way of Chase Journey (excluding the $50 lodge credit score)
• 5 factors per greenback spent on Lyft purchases (by way of Sept. 2027)
• 5 factors per greenback spent on Peloton tools and accent purchases of $150 or extra (by way of Dec. 2027, with a restrict of 25,000 bonus factors)
• 3 factors per greenback spent on dining, choose streaming services and online grocery store purchases (excluding Walmart, Goal and wholesale golf equipment)
• 2 factors per greenback spent on all different journey not booked by way of Chase Journey
• 1 level per greenback spent on every thing else

Chase’s eating class is extremely broad. Many issuers limit eating purchases to simply customary eating places and possibly quick meals, however Chase also includes bars, breweries, college eating halls, merchandising machines and even some restaurant supply companies like DoorDash and Grubhub.

The travel category is also quite generous. You may earn bonus factors on typical journey purchases like inns and airfare, however you will additionally earn on purchases that different in style journey playing cards do not cowl. These embrace ferries, toll bridges, parking garages, low cost journey websites and a few campgrounds.

Associated: How to maximize your rewards earning with the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Along with flexibility in what earns bonus rewards, the Sapphire Preferred presents flexibility in how one can redeem your factors.

As of Could 2025, TPG values Chase Final Rewards factors at 2.05 cents every. That is as a result of Chase has many valuable travel partners that offer you entry to all three main airline alliances and three completely different lodge manufacturers (IHG, Marriott and Hyatt).

Chase Final Rewards transfers to every of its companions at a 1:1 ratio, and plenty of of these transfers process almost instantly.

Transferring your factors to airline companions is vital if you wish to fly enterprise or top quality internationally, but it surely presents actual worth to those that want journey with out bells and whistles, too.

For instance, you may switch simply 10,800 Final Rewards factors to United and e-book a one-way economic system flight from Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) to Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO) on choose dates this August. Or, you may switch as few as 3,500 factors per night time for an off-peak keep at a Class 1 Hyatt property.

Many TPGers, together with TPG senior bank cards editor Giselle Gomez, use their Final Rewards factors for Hyatt redemptions. A few of her finest current redemptions weren’t for hard-to-snag worldwide flights or world-class luxurious inns however as a substitute to meet her MLB park bucket list.

If you wish to begin with one thing simpler, you possibly can redeem your factors for 1.25 cents every when booking through Chase Travel. This redemption charge is mostly deal should you’re reserving economic system awards or customary room charges. Simply remember the fact that you will not earn elite night time credit when reserving inns by way of Chase Journey.

One other bonus to reserving airfare, particularly by way of the portal, is that airways take into account your redemption money. Which means your factors may also cowl any taxes and charges related together with your flight.

Associated: 21 ways to use 100K Chase Ultimate Rewards points: Budget-friendly redemptions and luxurious trips

The Sapphire Preferred might not include lounge entry or a whole lot of {dollars} in journey credit, however that does not imply it lacks precious advantages.

The Sapphire Most well-liked has a few of the finest journey protections of any mid-tier bank card in the marketplace, together with:

This card additionally comes with primary rental car insurance — a rarity for any card, not to mention a mid-tier card. Be aware that your Sapphire Most well-liked’s insurance coverage insurance policies might have further phrases, so be certain to examine your card’s information to advantages for full particulars.

TPG bank cards author Augusta Stone lately used her Sapphire Most well-liked’s journey cancellation insurance coverage to cover a missed hotel stay. Because of her card’s protection, she saved nearly $250.

The Sapphire Most well-liked additionally comes with a $50 lodge credit score for bookings made by way of Chase Journey. This credit score is nice for reserving boutique inns that are not a part of a serious lodge loyalty program, or if there is not nice award availability to your keep. Giselle used this credit score along with transferring her factors to Hyatt for her bucket checklist baseball journey.

Lastly, the cardboard presents Visa Signature benefits (together with entry to the Visa Signature Concierge Service) and no foreign transaction fees.

Associated: How I got a 20X return on my Chase Sapphire Preferred last year

Most common vacationers in all probability do not have 15-plus credit cards of their pockets, which suggests the playing cards you’ve must make an impression. The Chase Sapphire Preferred can simply be paired with Chase’s no-annual-fee cash-back cards that can assist you maximize your incomes potential throughout spending classes, with out including a whole lot of {dollars} in annual charges to your plate.

The rewards you earn on the Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees) and Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) cannot be transferred to companions with out assist from a card just like the Sapphire Most well-liked.

With the Sapphire Most well-liked in your pockets, you possibly can move the rewards you earn from both of the Freedom playing cards to the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked to take advantage of transfer partners or an elevated redemption charge by way of Chase Journey.

The Chase Freedom Flex has rotating quarterly bonus categories that earn 5% money again on the primary $1,500 you spend every quarter you activate, whereas the Chase Freedom Limitless earns at the very least 1.5% money again on all purchases.

Each playing cards additionally earn 5% again on Chase Journey and three% again on eating at eating places and drugstores. Neither card has an annual charge.

The Freedom Flex and Freedom Limitless may also help fill gaps in your pockets that the Sapphire Most well-liked cannot cowl. Widespread quarterly classes for the Freedom Flex that are not included among the many Sapphire Most well-liked’s bonus classes embrace Amazon, PayPal, gyms and charity donations.

The Freedom Limitless can cowl any purchases that do not fall into the Sapphire Most well-liked or Freedom Flex’s bonus classes.

Associated: Chase Freedom Flex vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited

Not satisfied but? To be taught extra, take a look at our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred with a present supply of 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.