Key facts
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best starter travel rewards credit card available now.
A Perfect Starter Card for Miles and Points
Because of the large signup bonus combined with the ability to use Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel transfer partners with this card, it’s a great card for someone just getting started. The signup bonus alone is enough for some amazing redemptions and will help you learn the ins and outs of Chase Ultimate Rewards. Of course, the MilesTalk Facebook group is available to guide you there!
Annual Fee:
$95Min. Credit Score for Approval:
670-739 * GoodOngoing APR:
21.49%-28.49% VariableBalance transfer fees
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.Foreign Transaction Fee:
0%From earning versatile Chase Ultimate Rewards points to providing key travel protections like trip delay reimbursement, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the top travel rewards credit card for travelers looking for an annual fee under $100. And a generous sign up bonus is just a cherry on top of an excellent card.
If you have this card, bank policies restrict you from being approved for the following cards: Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Reward multipliers
The earning rates were recently improved on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Now, cardholders earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ and on Lyft rides through March 2025. All other travel purchases earn 2x points. Plus, cardholders earn 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases (excluding wholesale clubs), and select streaming services.
Earns bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
Earn this multiplier when you purchase via Chase Travel℠. If you purchase any other way, you will earn 2X points.
Estimated Rewards Value: 8.75%
Earn this multiplier when you purchase via Chase Travel℠. If you purchase any other way, you will earn 2X points.
Estimated Rewards Value: 8.75%
Earn this multiplier when you purchase via Chase Travel℠. If you purchase any other way, you will earn 2X points.
Estimated Rewards Value: 8.75%
Estimated Rewards Value: 8.75%
Estimated Rewards Value: 5.25%
Estimated Rewards Value: 5.25%
Estimated Rewards Value: 3.5%
Estimated Rewards Value: 3.5%
Estimated Rewards Value: 1.75%
ALREADY HAVE THIS CARD?
Pair another card and boost your rewards
In some cases, adding cards from the same points system will increase your rewards by unlocking a higher point value based on the ability to transfer points to air or hotel partners. In other cases, the cards simply work together to earn more points with one bank or diversify your bonus category rewards across banks.
Key features
Unique Card Benefits
Earn Valuable Ultimate Rewards points
Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to a variety of great airline and hotel partners, including United Airlines, World of Hyatt, and Southwest. See our guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards for all the details.
Pay Yourself Back
With Chase’s Pay Yourself Back feature, you can apply points towards purchases already made. The value per point and eligible categories change from time to time.
10% Annual Bonus on Base Points
Each account anniversary, Chase Sapphire Preferred® cardholders earn bonus points equal to 10% of purchases made in the previous year.
DoorDash benefit
Get lower service fees when you use DoorDash by enrolling to get at least one complimentary year of DashPass when you enroll through December 2027.
You must add your card to your DoorDash account to activate.
Also, you can get one discount of up to $10 off each month at checkout on one non-restaurant order on DoorDash (i.e. convenience store, etc.)
Primary Car Rental CDW Waiver
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card offers primary collision damage waiver (CDW) protection when you pay for a rental car with the card. There’s no limit to the coverage. However, certain car brands and vehicle types (e.g. motorbikes, pickup trucks, and RVs) are excluded from this coverage.
Annual Statement Credits
Get up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year when purchasing hotel stays through Chase Travel℠. If you take advantage of just this one card benefit, you’ll more than halfway offset the annual fee.
Earns Transferable Points
Cardholders can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to 14 airline and hotel partners including Hyatt, United, Southwest, JetBlue, British Airways, and Marriott.
See our Ultimate Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards for more information on Chase Ultimate Rewards and how to get maximum value out of them.
| Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners | ||
|---|---|---|
| Transfer Ratio | Expected Transfer Time * | |
| Aer Lingus Avios | 1:1 | Instant |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 | Instant |
| Air France Flying Blue | 1:1 | Instant |
| British Airways Avios | 1:1 | Instant |
| Emirates | 1:1 | Instant |
| Iberia Avios | 1:1 | Instant |
| JetBlue | 1:1 | Instant |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 | ~ 1 - 2 days |
| Southwest Airlines | 1:1 | Instant |
| United MileagePlus | 1:1 | Instant |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 | Instant |
| Hyatt | 1:1 | Instant |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1:1 | ~ 1-2 days |
| IHG Rewards Club | 1:1 | ~ 24 hours |
Extended Warranty
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® extended warranty protection extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year when the original warranty is 3 years or less.
Purchase Protection
Purchase protection covers against theft and damage to eligible purchases in the first 120 days, up to $500 per claim.
Trip Protections
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® offers a slew of travel protections: baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance, travel and emergency assistance services, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and trip delay reimbursement.
In addition to the travel protections covered above, Chase Sapphire Preferred® cardholders get lost luggage insurance. This protection covers your checked and carry-on baggage for unreimbursed losses of up to $3,000 per person per trip.
Roadside Assistance
Chase Sapphire Preferred® cardholders get access to Roadside Dispatch. This pay-per-use roadside assistance program is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without the need to pre-enroll or pay for a membership.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Chase Sapphire Preferred® cardholders are covered in case you have an emergency while traveling. Chase’s benefits administrator can connect you with legal or medical providers or provide other types of emergency assistance.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.
Free Access to Credit Score
Get complimentary access to your credit score through Chase Credit Journey.
Earn more rewards by combining credit cards
Pros & cons
- You can offset the annual fee by more than half with the $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠
- Earns valuable and highly flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
- Extensive travel protections -- including lost luggage insurance and a damage waiver on rental cars.
- A low earning rate of 1x point per dollar on other purchases keeps it from being an ideal everyday spending card.
- High credit scores required for account opening.
- Lack of travel benefits like a Global Entry application fee credit.
Our review
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.
Frequently asked questions
Does Chase Sapphire Preferred® get you into airport lounges?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card doesn’t currently provide airport lounge access. However, Chase recently announced the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club. We know Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders will be able to access these lounges. However, it’s unclear how the credit card issuer will handle access for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card.
Is it hard to get Chase Sapphire Preferred®?
Unfortunately, Chase requires great to excellent credit scores to open the Chase Sapphire Preferred®. While the credit card issuer doesn’t set a minimum credit score, there’s a minimum credit limit of $5,000 to get the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card.
Is it worth getting Chase Sapphire Preferred®?
Yes, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best starter travel rewards credit cards available. The credit card easily justifies its $95 annual fee with a valuable sign up bonus, no foreign transaction fees, travel protections (including on car rentals), and $50 in statement credits for hotels purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
How do I get 5X points with Chase Sapphire Preferred®?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card earns 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. As a Chase Sapphire Preferred® cardholder, Ultimate Rewards credit card rewards are worth 1.25 cents toward travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. That means you’re effectively getting at least 6.25% back on these travel purchases.
Is there a better credit card than Chase Sapphire Preferred®?
For an annual fee of under $100, it’s hard to find a better card than the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card. The Citi Premier Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards credit card give the Chase Sapphire Preferred® a run for its money.
However, many travelers will find Ultimate Rewards points easier to use as you can transfer points to United, Hyatt, Southwest, JetBlue, Marriott, and several other familiar programs.
Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred® charge foreign transaction fees?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.
Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred® have car rental coverage?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers primary collision damage waiver (CDW) protection when you pay for an eligible rental car with the card and follow all terms.
Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred® offer extended warranty?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® extended warranty protection extends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year when the original warranty is 3 years or less.
What credit score do I need to get a Chase Sapphire card?
Chase requires that applicants have a great to excellent credit score to be approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. That generally means you’ll need a credit score of at least 700.
What's the phone number for Chase Sapphire Preferred®?
To get ahold of a Chase Sapphire Preferred® agent, call the number on the back of your card: 1-800-493-3319. Or, you can call 1-614-776-7050 from overseas.
