Chase Sapphire Preferred Review (2026)
The Sapphire Preferred earns 5x on Chase travel and 3x on dining with a 60,000-point sign-up bonus worth at least $750 through Chase Travel. Here is our full 2026 review.
- + 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after $4,000 spend in first 3 months
- + 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel portal
- + 3x on dining, including delivery services and eligible takeout
- + 25% bonus when redeeming through Chase Travel (points worth 1.25 cents each)
- + Transfer to 14 airline and hotel partners at 1:1 ratio, including United, Hyatt, Southwest
- + Primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation up to $10,000 per person
- + $50 annual hotel credit through Chase Travel
- - $95 annual fee (not waived the first year)
- - No lounge access (requires upgrading to Sapphire Reserve at $550/year)
- - 5x on travel is only in the Chase portal; direct airline bookings earn 2x
Overview
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the most recommended entry-level travel card in the United States for a reason: it combines a substantial sign-up bonus, a strong ongoing earn rate on the two biggest discretionary categories (travel and dining), and access to the most valuable points currency in consumer credit, Chase Ultimate Rewards. For $95 a year, the value proposition is difficult to beat if you travel at least a couple of times per year and eat out regularly.
Ultimate Rewards points are not like airline miles that lock you into a single carrier. They transfer at a 1:1 ratio to 14 partners including United Airlines, Southwest, British Airways, Air France/KLM, Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG. The Hyatt transfer is particularly valuable: 60,000 UR points can cover multiple nights at Park Hyatt properties that retail for $400 to $800 per night. When used this way, the effective value per point exceeds 2 cents, more than doubling the 1.25 cents-per-point Chase Travel redemption rate.
The card requires good to excellent credit (typically 700+ FICO). Chase applies its 5/24 rule, meaning applicants who have opened 5 or more credit cards in the past 24 months from any issuer will generally be denied. Plan your application timing accordingly if you are managing a credit card strategy.
Rewards Structure
- Chase Travel portal5x points
- Dining + eligible delivery3x points
- Online grocery purchases3x points
- Select streaming services3x points
- All other travel2x points
- All other purchases1x points
Transfer partners include United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, British Airways Avios, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Singapore KrisFlyer, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, and several others. All transfers are at a 1:1 ratio with no minimum transfer amount.
Fees and APR
- Annual fee$95
- Intro APRNone
- Ongoing APR20.49%--27.49% variable
- Foreign transaction fee$0
- Balance transfer fee5% (min $5)
Sign-Up Bonus
Earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Through Chase Travel, those points are worth $750 in travel redemptions at 1.25 cents each. If transferred to Hyatt for peak-demand hotel redemptions, the same 60,000 points can realistically be worth $1,200 or more depending on the property and dates. The $4,000 spend requirement is moderate; a household that puts groceries, gas, dining, and utilities on the card will typically hit it within 2 months.
Travel Benefits and Insurance
Primary rental car insurance: Collision damage waiver covers the full value of the rental vehicle when you decline the rental company's coverage. Primary means it pays before your personal auto insurance, keeping your personal premiums intact.
Trip cancellation and interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for non-refundable travel expenses if a trip is canceled or interrupted due to covered reasons such as illness or severe weather.
Baggage delay insurance: Up to $100 per day for 5 days when checked bags are delayed more than 6 hours.
$50 hotel credit: Earned annually on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel. Effectively reduces the net annual fee to $45 for cardholders who use it.
- Travel beginners who want points flexibility across 14 partners
- Households with high dining and food delivery spend
- Anyone willing to pay $95/year for primary rental car coverage alone
- You want lounge access (requires the Sapphire Reserve at $550/year)
- You prefer flat-rate simplicity (Active Cash or Double Cash at $0 annual fee)
- You spend heavily on non-travel, non-dining categories (catch-all rate is only 1x)