10 Reasons the Chase Sapphire Preferred is Worth It

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is one of the most versatile travel credit cards out there, making it ideal for both experienced points and miles earners and those new to the world of travel credit cards. Plus, with a recently announced welcome offer that is one of the largest, now is a great time to take advantage of the deal. Here are some reasons why the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is worth it. 

1. The New 75,000 Bonus Points Intro Offer

A lot of credit cards have flashy intro offers to lure you into opening an account, and it just so happens that the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s offer recently increased. If you open an account and spend $4,000 in the first three months, you now get 75,000 bonus points rather than 60,000. And that’s on top of the points you earn with each purchase! 

What does 75,000 points even mean? At Chase, that translates to $750 when redeemed for cash (given against your credit card balance) or a $938 value when redeemed for travel purchases. That might get you a free roundtrip flight between the US and Europe, a few nights at a high-end hotel, or a long-term car rental. 

2. Solid Rewards Rates

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s reward rates are excellent, giving you many opportunities to rack up points. You earn 5 points to the dollar when booking travel through the Chase portal, 3x points on dining, 2x on travel booked with external vendors, limited-time deals with partners like 5x points on Lyft rides through March of 2025, and the 2x travel rate.

3. It’s Beginner-Friendly

While its $95 annual fee and credit score requirement of 690 mean the Chase Sapphire Preferred card isn’t accessible to everyone, it’s still an excellent option for those who are new to the points and miles system. That’s because it offers various benefits that can be redeemed with multiple travel partners, so you’re not locked into spending your miles with just one airline. Plus, the reward points accumulate quickly and are easy to use. 

4. Redeem Points With Multiple Airline and Hotel Partners

Unlike airline credit cards, which penalize you for redeeming your points with travel partners by decreasing their value, Chase Sapphire Preferred allows you to transfer points to travel partners at a 1:1 value. Those travel partners include 13 different airlines and IHG, Marriott Bonvoy, and Hyatt hotel groups. 

5. You Can Redeem Points Directly

Redeeming your points with travel partners is easy, but booking through Chase Travel is even easier. Go ahead and skip the points transfer altogether, instead gaining access to all Chase travel partners in one convenient place. There, you can look for flights, hotels, rental cars, and more, then use your points (or card) to pay. 

6. Pay Over Time

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you can split up purchases of over $100 into monthly payments with no interest. That means you can book that trip to Asia months in advance and pay it off by the time you board the plane. When you log into your Chase account, you’ll see the “pay over time” option next to purchases over $100, then you can choose a plan that works for you. 

7. Ultimate Rewards

The Ultimate Rewards program gives you additional perks for being a card user. Not only do your points have more excellent value when redeemed for travel purchases, but they also never expire. You get yearly bonus points of 10% of your annual spending. If you spend $20,000 in a year, for example, you’ll get 2,000 bonus points as thanks! 

8. Thorough Travel and Purchase Coverage

Another handy benefit of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is travel coverage. You can choose a leaner plan or skip travel insurance altogether since insurance is included for all trips you book on the card. That includes cancellation insurance of up to $10,000 per person, car rental coverage, baggage delay insurance, trip delay reimbursement, and emergency services to get you connected to the assistance you need if something happens while you’re abroad.

9. No Foreign Transaction Fees

If you’ve relied on credit cards while traveling, you probably know that many charge foreign transaction fees, which can add up over a trip. The great thing about the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is that there are no foreign transaction fees and no need to set up a travel alert before leaving the country—just continue to use your card as usual. 

10. Annual Hotel Credit

As an added perk, Chase Sapphire Preferred card users get an annual hotel credit of $50. In order to qualify, you need to book a hotel through the Chase Travel platform and use your card to pay for it. You won’t earn points on this purchase, but you will get a $50 statement credit—it seems like a sweet tradeoff! 

How to Make the Most of Your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Once you’ve opened a Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’ll want to use it strategically in order to reap the most significant benefits. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Direct most of your spending onto your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for the first three months so you get that hefty intro offer. 
• To maximize your point earnings, use the card when booking travel (hotels, flights, rental cars, and more), going out to eat, and shopping with Chase partners. Then, use other credit cards for additional purchases if they offer better rewards.
• Don’t redeem your points for non-travel purchases—that wastes the extra 25% value!
• When it’s time to book a trip, head to the Chase Travel portal, it’s the easiest way to redeem your rewards and earn more points per dollar. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is an excellent credit card option for those ready to maximize their travel spending. With plenty of opportunities to earn points, convenient ways to redeem those points, and additional perks like free travel insurance, this is a card that keeps on giving.