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Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

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Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Updated July 2026 · 5 min read
Quick verdict

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best starter travel card on the market. At $95 a year you get 100,000 bonus points, 5x on Chase Travel, 3x on dining and gas, a $100 hotel credit, and transfer partners including Hyatt, United, and Air France. The June 2026 refresh added real value with no fee increase.

9
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
Chase - Flexible Travel Card
The Sapphire Preferred got better with no fee increase. The June 2026 refresh added 3x on gas, EV charging, and vacation rentals, doubled the hotel credit to $100, and added a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. The 100,000-point bonus is one of only three times in the card's history it has reached that level.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you apply for a credit card through our links, we may receive a commission from the issuer at no additional cost to you. We maintain editorial integrity; all opinions expressed are our own and are not provided or influenced by the card issuers. For more information, please see our Financial & Affiliate Disclaimer.
Welcome offer
100,000 Bonus Points
Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee $95
Minimum spend $5,000
Approx. signup value 2256
Yearly recurring value 256
Apply now →
Rates & fees · Terms apply

Pros & cons

Pros
  • Best-in-class welcome offer for a $95 card
  • Transfer partners include Hyatt, United, Air France, British Airways and more
  • $100 Chase Travel hotel credit offsets most of the annual fee
  • 3x on dining, gas, streaming, vacation rentals, and online groceries
  • Strong travel protections including trip cancellation and primary rental car coverage
  • New: Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years
Cons
  • Hyatt transfers now at 4:3 ratio for new applicants (was 1:1)
  • 10% anniversary bonus eliminated for new applicants
  • 5x on Chase Travel requires portal booking, not direct with airline or hotel
  • 3% foreign transaction fee on cash back variant

Who this card is for

✓ Good fit

New-to-points travelers who want one strong flexible card

✓ Good fit

Diners and road-trippers who hit 3x categories naturally

✓ Good fit

Hyatt loyalists who can live with the 4:3 transfer ratio

✓ Good fit

Anyone pairing with a no-fee Chase card like Freedom Unlimited

✕ Skip it

Cash-back-only cardholders who will never transfer points

✕ Skip it

Frequent Hyatt guests who need the 1:1 transfer ratio (get the Reserve instead)

✕ Skip it

Travelers who spend heavily on direct airline or hotel bookings

Earning rates

5X
Points on all travel booked through Chase Travel including flights, hotels, cars, and cruises.
3X
Points on dining, online groceries, select streaming, gas and EV charging, and vacation home rentals.
2X
Points on all other travel purchases not booked through Chase Travel.
1X
Points on everything else.

Benefits breakdown

The Sapphire Preferred covers travel, dining, and everyday spending with bonus points, plus travel protections that rival cards costing four times as much.

$100 Hotel Credit
Annual statement credit for prepaid hotel stays through Chase Travel. Resets each account anniversary.
$100
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit
Up to $120 every 4 years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee.
$120
DashPass
Complimentary DashPass through 12/31/27. Includes $0 delivery fees and $10/month in non-restaurant promos.
$120
Apple TV
One year complimentary subscription when activated by 12/31/26.
$156
Trip Cancellation Insurance
Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for covered cancellations.
Perk
Primary Rental Car Coverage
Primary collision damage waiver on rental cars. Rare on a $95 card.
Perk
Emergency Evacuation
Up to $100,000 for emergency evacuation 100+ miles from home.
Perk
Estimated value 256
After 95 fee ~$161 net

What to look out for

Hyatt Transfer Devaluation

New applicants transfer to Hyatt at 4:3. The Reserve still transfers at 1:1 if Hyatt is your primary program.

5x Requires Chase Travel Portal

To earn 5x on flights and hotels, book through Chase Travel. This may forfeit hotel or airline loyalty credits.

100K Offer Is Limited-Time

The standard offer is 75,000 points. Apply before the elevated offer reverts.

Our take

The Sapphire Preferred is the card we recommend most often to travelers just getting started with points. The June 2026 refresh added genuine value: gas, EV, and vacation rental 3x are useful, and the doubled hotel credit nearly covers the fee on its own. Learn more about maximizing points in our Ultimate Rewards guide.
The 100,000-point limited-time offer is only the third time this card has hit that level in 17 years. At 1.5 cents per point through transfers, that is $1,500+ in travel value for a $95 card. Hyatt transfers now come at a 4:3 ratio for new applicants. If Hyatt is central to your strategy, the Reserve still transfers 1:1. See how the Sapphire cards compare in our Chase card overview.
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Sid

I'm Sid, the traveler behind this site. My journey started as a simple "back-up plan" to help pay for expensive personal travel. I realized that with the right strategy, this hobby scales incredibly well. Since then, I have earned and spent over 15 million miles across nearly every major global loyalty program. This blog is where I share what I've learned about this hobby (and ramble a bit), hoping it will also help you travel and see the world. Learn more about me. Want to get in touch? Drop me a line.

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