One of the finest credit cards for first-time travelers is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card which offers a low annual fee, a big rewards program, and a number of travel insurance options. The Sapphire Preferred should be a great option for both frequent shoppers and rewards specialists thanks to its new and expanded bonus categories, $50 yearly Chase hotel stay credit, and anniversary incentive of 10% point match.
The card should be a good fit for first-time travelers looking to earn rewards on their flights and hotel stays without having to pay a high annual fee, even though it lacks some of the robust benefits found in more premium travel cards, such as priority boarding, lounge access, and free checked bags.
Card Benefits
Shopping
High spending restrictions are available with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, and items made with the card are covered by extended warranty and purchase protection.
Exclusive shopping discounts are offered by Chase Offers at a few particular retailers. Within 14 business days, your account will get a statement credit in the amount of cash back specified in these offers.
Additionally, Chase provides an online shopping gateway where transactions made using a unique link are eligible for additional rewards. By using the portal’s given link and making a purchase with your eligible Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can earn extra points.
Sign-up Bonus
After you spend $4,000 on purchases during the first three months of opening your account, you’ll receive 60,000 bonus points as part of the current Chase Sapphire Preferred welcome offer. When you redeem with Chase Ultimate Rewards®, that is equal to $750.
Spending just over $1,333 per month for the first three months is required to get the Sapphire Preferred’s welcome bonus points, which may be out of reach for some cardholders, particularly if you’re still hesitant to travel.
This is a respectable sign-up bonus for a card with only a $95 annual fee.
How to Earn Rewards
Purchasing dining will earn you 3X points per dollar and booking travel outside of the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal will gain you 2X points per dollar, but booking travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards will earn you a superior 5X points rate. Additionally, certain streaming services and online grocery shopping will earn you 3X points, however wholesale clubs and big-box retailers like Walmart and Target are not included in the grocery category.
On any purchases made outside of these categories, cardholders receive 1X the usual points. Since the total number of points you may earn in each of these categories is unrestricted, the Sapphire Preferred has a strong chance of becoming your main credit card.
Fortunately, there are a few additional options for resourceful cardholders to increase their Ultimate Rewards points. If your friends are approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you could be able to benefit from the 15,000-point referral incentive. This approach might be a simple way to gain up to 75,000 more points every year through a maximum of five referrals. In addition to the new online grocery shopping area, the Chase Offers card-linked program is another reliable option to earn additional rewards for a little bit of extra work as you shop online.
How to Redeem Rewards
Chase Ultimate Rewards points earned with the Sapphire Preferred can be used for travel, 1:1 airline and hotel transfer partners, cash back, statement credits, gift cards, goods (including purchases of Apple products), and Chase Experience events.
If you aren’t using your points for travel through Chase, we advise sticking to cash back. You may also utilize your points at the PayPal and Amazon checkout screens for a reduced value (0.8 cents each).
Additional Travel Benefits
-
Insurance coverage for trip interruption and cancellation of up to $20,000 per trip and $10,000 per person. This covers travel expenses that are non-refundable, such as airfare, lodging, or sightseeing tours.
-
If your bags are delayed for more than six hours, you can acquire baggage delay insurance for up to $100 each day for five days. This insurance will pay for any necessities you might require, such clothing, toothpaste, or shampoo.
-
For rentals paid for with your Sapphire Preferred card, an auto rental collision damage waiver is required. This provides coverage for theft and collision damage up to the car’s cash value.
-
Travel held back for longer than 12 hours is eligible for a trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket.
-
The Sapphire Preferred cardholder, their spouse, and any minor children are provided with round-the-clock travel and emergency assistance services.
Any card-specific features
Warranty Extension
For warranties of three years or less, the extended warranty protection provided as a perk of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card will extend the manufacturer’s guarantee by an additional year. To qualify, an item must have a current, signed warranty from the manufacturer. For qualifying purchases, coverage is available up to $50,000 per account and $10,000 per claim.
Zero Foreign Transaction Fees
You can use your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card overseas without paying any additional costs because there are no international transaction fees. For the conversion of your international purchases into dollars, many banks impose a 3% fee. You will not be charged this fee if you use the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Purchase Protection Program
Purchase protection against damage or theft is offered for 120 days on new purchases made with your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card , up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. Some situations and things (like used goods, antiques, and computer software) are not covered.
Additional Information
Cardholders can receive up to $10 back in statement credits each month on Gopuff orders through December 31, 2023. Additionally, cardholders can sign up for a free, minimum-year-long DoorDash DashPass membership through December 31, 2024.
If you like to have your groceries delivered, you can also use Instacart to receive up to $15 back in statement credits each quarter and six months of free delivery through Instacart+.
Fees
The annual fee for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is $95. Compared to other travel credit cards, like the opulent Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which has an annual cost of $550, this fee is lower. If you make the most of the rewards program, it can be readily countered.
Spending as little as $3,800 annually on travel, eating, and/or entertainment could allow you to repay the $95 annual cost for the Chase Sapphire Preferred by using Chase Ultimate Rewards to cash in your points. You would have to spend $4,750 annually on travel and eating if you didn’t redeem points through the gateway.
Required Credit Rating
Generally, to be eligible for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card you must have a credit score of at least 700. Having a score above 700 will increase your chances of being accepted, though you could still be approved with a lower or even a higher score.
Is this the right card for you?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card provides enough features for a reasonably cheap price that almost anyone wishing to use a credit card to earn travel rewards may understand its attraction. This is why the Sapphire Preferred earned a spot on the Forbes Advisor list of top travel cards. Look at a different card and be ready to spend more if you’re searching for super-swanky, high-end benefits. But the Sapphire Preferred is the only option for anyone looking for a convenient way to earn rewards they may put toward future travel.
