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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) is one of the top travel credit cards available, ranking as CNBC Select's best travel credit card with an annual fee under $100 and one of the top travel rewards credit cards for beginners.
And right now it has an all-time high, limited-time welcome bonus. You can only earn a welcome offer from this card once per lifetime, so now is the best time to apply.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections, flexible rewards and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- Annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 - a value of $156.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
- Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Chase Sapphire Preferred review
Welcome bonus
New Chase Sapphire Preferred Card cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This is worth at least $1,000 in travel or statement credits.
Benefits and perks
Cardholders can benefit from various travel and purchase protections that increase the value of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Shopping
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers high spending limits, and purchases made with the card are eligible for purchase protection and extended warranty protection.
There's also the Chase Offers program, which provides exclusive shopping discounts at select retailers. These offers typically give you a set dollar amount of cash back as a statement credit, applied to your account within 14 business days.
Chase's online shopping portal provides extra rewards on purchases made through a special link. You can receive extra points by using the link provided through the portal and paying with your qualifying Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Travel
There are a variety of protections that can add peace of mind to travelers, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, primary rental car insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay reimbursement, travel and emergency assistance services and more. Plus, cardholders benefit from no foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside the U.S., which saves you the typical 3% fee other cards may charge.
Every year, you can receive up to a $100 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, which more than offsets the annual fee. Plus, every four years, you can receive up to $120 back for application fees to the following trusted traveler programs: TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS.
Other benefits
Through Dec. 31, 2027, cardholders can enroll for a complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership, valid for a minimum of one year. You can also receive one year of complimentary Apple TV when you activate by Dec. 31, 2026.
How to earn and redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards® points
Earning
This Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is geared toward travelers and foodies with the ability to earn:
- 5X on travel purchased through Chase Travel
- 3X on dining, select streaming services, online groceries, vacation homes and gas and EV charging
- 2X on all other travel purchases
- 1X on all other purchases
Redeeming
There are many ways to redeem Ultimate Rewards® points. To start, you can redeem points for straight cash back or gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point.
The card also offers an option that can potentially increase the value of your points when booking through Chase TravelSM. Certain flight and hotel bookings qualify for Points Boost redemptions, which make your points worth up to 1.5 cents each.
The most valuable option is generally to transfer your points to one of Chase's hotel and airline partners. Transferring your points to partners typically yields much higher value, especially if you want to redeem for luxury travel.
Chase Ultimate Rewards® transfer partners
| Chase transfer partner | Transfer ratio for Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Sapphire Reserve for BusinessSM cards | Transfer ratio for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus AerClub | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| The British Airways Club | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Flying Blue (Air France and KLM) | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Iberia Club | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| United MileagePlus | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| IHG One Rewards | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| World of Hyatt | 1:1 | 4:3 |
| Wyndham Rewards | 1:1 | 1:1 |
Check out our guide to the best ways to use Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to learn more about this valuable travel hack.
Don't miss: What are Chase Ultimate Rewards® points worth?
Rates and fees
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a $95 annual fee. This fee isn't as high as other travel credit cards, such as the luxury Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), which has a $795 annual fee. It has no foreign transaction fees.
Card comparison
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are two comparable cards that both have $95 annual fees and an array of travel perks. For the same $95 annual fee, the Venture Rewards Card offers 5X miles on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles on all other purchases.
The Venture Rewards is a better flat-rate travel credit card. However, it doesn't offer the same level of travel protections, bonus categories or travel credits that you get with the Sapphire Preferred.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a reasonable annual fee and earns flexible travel rewards, which makes it a great travel card for beginners or heavy travelers.
- Valuable welcome offer worth at least $750 in travel
- You can transfer miles to over 15 Capital One partners, including Emirates Skywards, Choice Privileges and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- No foreign transaction fees
- Lacks ongoing travel benefits such as statement credits or lounge access
- Limited bonus spending category that only applies to certain Capital One Travel bookings
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fee
None
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. American Express® Gold Card
If you spend a lot of money on food — whether it be at grocery stores or restaurants — consider the American Express® Gold Card. The card has a slightly higher annual fee of $325 (see rates and fees) but also comes with more statement credits to make up for it.
You'll earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year (then 1X points). It also earns 4X points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per year (then 1X points).
You can take advantage of over $400 in annual benefits for Uber, Resy, Dunkin' and dining. Even if you don't maximize what this card offers, you could still offset its annual fee.
The American Express Gold Card is great for earning valuable Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets. Membership Rewards® points transfer to many of the top airline and hotel loyalty programs, which makes this card one of the best options for earning travel rewards.
- You can earn $400+ in dining and rideshare credits every year (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Exceptionally rewarding for eligible restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Large annual fee
- Credits are more complicated, you earn them monthly or semi-annually
- Spending caps on the top bonus categories
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Foreign transaction fee
None
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For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
