Compare the Features and Benefits of Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and
United Quest℠ Credit Card

We consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® the best starter travel rewards credit card available today. For a modest $95 annual fee, you’ll earn bonus points in several categories, get up to a $50 statement credit for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠, plus get a slew of travel protections.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® credit card earns bonus points on travel purchases, dining, online grocery shopping, and select streaming services. Plus you’ll earn an annual Ultimate Rewards bonus of 10% of the prior year’s spending. Although the credit card doesn’t earn bonus points on other purchases, you can pair the card with other Chase credit cards to boost your Chase Ultimate Rewards earning rate.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points have a cash value of 1 cent each. But, you can get more value when you redeem points for travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (1.25 cents), through Chase Pay Yourself Back, or when you transfer points to airline and hotel partners.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card justifies its annual fee year after year by providing the best set of travel protections on a card with under a $100 annual fee. Your car rentals will be automatically covered against theft and damage when you use your card and primary coverage means your own insurance won’t have to get involved. You’ll be protected against weather delays, lost luggage, and trip interruptions or outright cancellations.

Additionally, you’ll get benefits from several partners. For example, earn 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 2025. Plus, you can get lower service fees when you use DoorDash by enrolling to get one complimentary year of DashPass through December 2024.

The United Quest Card is a fantastic option for United flyers that travel with the airline at least several times per year. There are also a number of unique perks that you don’t see on other airline credit cards. Let’s take a closer look.

First, a $125 annual United credit is easy to use since it’s applied as an automatic statement credit as you make United purchases on the card. You’ll also automatically get 5,000 United miles back into your account after you redeem United miles for an award flight — up to two times per anniversary year. Finally, this card also benefits those that overpack when they travel — the Quest card provides not one, but two free checked bags for the primary card holder and one companion traveling on the same reservation. That’s a potential luggage reimbursement savings of up to $320 per round trip.

Two of the perks, the $125 United credit and up to 10,000 mileage reimbursement, already go far in making the $250 annual fee worth it, especially since these are unique benefits that aren’t duplicated on other United credit cards.

In addition to offering a generous United Quest Card bonus, the card also includes a 25% discount on food and beverages on United operated flights and a wide array of travel and purchase protections. On the bonus category front, there’s a wide array including the ability to earn 3X miles on United Airlines purchases (after the $125 United credit is applied), 2X miles on the broad category of travel, 2X miles on dining, including eligible delivery services, and 2X miles on select streaming services.

And don’t forget the ability to earn PQPs towards elite status from spend. You’ll earn 25 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) for every $500 you spend on purchases – up to 6,000 PQPs per year.

More frequent United Airlines flyers may want to consider the $525-per-year United Club Infinite card, a more premium card that offers airport lounge access. Meanwhile, those United travelers who travel a bit less frequently may want to consider the $95-per-year United Explorer card.