Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review with flexible travel

This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Disclosure, visit this page.

If there’s one card I recommend to friends and family, it’s this one. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card stands out as one of the best travel credit cards. I’ve held the Chase Sapphire Preferred in my wallet for years and have used its benefits and travel rewards to travel the world.

• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• Member FDIC

The Sapphire Preferred has a good sign-up bonus, and I love the flexibility of being able to transfer points out to several travel partners like Hyatt, Southwest, and United. I’ll break down all the nuances of the Chase Sapphire Preferred in the 2024 review below.

New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Review 2024

Like I mentioned above I’ve held the Chase Sapphire Preferred for the last few years and have used it as my go-to rewards card. With a low annual fee of $95 and no foreign transaction fees, this contactless card has helped me travel around the globe. Even during the pandemic, when I wasn’t traveling, I was still able to use the Sapphire Preferred on several items, including everyday spending. I love the ability to earn more points in the bonus categories.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Review Contents

Use this table to jump to specific portions of this review:

• 60,000 Point Bonus
• Other Perks
• Should the Chase Sapphire Preferred be the First Rewards Card You Apply For?
• Reasons the CSP Card Might Not be Good for You
• Chase Transfer Partners
• Airline Partners
• Chase Bank Credit Card Perks
• Credit Requirements
• Do You Qualify for the Sign-up Bonus?
• How to Get the Most out of Chase Points
• Upgrading to Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Other Travel Credit Cards
• Conclusion
• FAQs

Chase Sapphire Preferred Bonus Offer

Want a great Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus? New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.

Chase points are my personal favorite rewards points, mostly for their transfer partners and flexibility.

Other Perks

Beyond the sign-up bonus, you’ll earn unlimited:

• 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Anniversary Hotel Credit)
• 3x points on dining (including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out)
• 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart®, and wholesale clubs)
• Also, 3x points on select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel purchases
• 1x point per $1 spent on all non-bonus purchases 

There is a $50 annual Hotel Credit. It comes in the form of a statement credit that will automatically be applied to your account when your card is used for hotel accommodation purchases made through Chase Travel℠, up to an annual maximum accumulation of $50.

Plus, on each account anniversary, you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year. So, if you spend $25,000 on purchases, you’ll get 2,500 bonus points.

Combined with the Sapphire Preferred card’s array of travel protections and insurances (not to mention its lack of a foreign transaction fee), this card is a solid option for earning points while traveling abroad. It’s often considered one of the best credit cards for international travel.

Additional Chase Sapphire Preferred Perks

Once activated, Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders can enjoy complimentary DoorDash DashPass benefits through December 31, 2027. Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.

The Sapphire Preferred also earns 5x points per $1 spent on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025.

So, if you order in and use ridesharing programs (like I do when I travel), these additional perks are a plus. It’s one of the best credit cards for eating at home.

The Sapphire Preferred Points Program

The Chase Travel℠ program is one of the most important points that make the Sapphire Preferred a top card. You can see my review of the best travel credit cards here. Of course, you can redeem UR points for merchandise, gift cards, cash back, or statement credits.

For travel, you can redeem your points through their online portal, and you will get a 25% redemption bonus.

Not bad. This can be a good use of your UR points if you want to book a cruise or domestic flight (when there’s no availability on a transfer partner or you want to fly an airline that isn’t a transfer partner).

60,000 points bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits

The Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits are versatile and unique, making them an appealing reason to apply for the Sapphire Preferred card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred carries an annual fee of $95. As an incentive, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with some protections:

• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
• Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
• Roadside Dispatch
• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
• Extended Warranty Protection
• Purchase Protection
• Price Protection
• Return Protection

It’s also one of the best credit cards with travel insurance perks.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Foreign Transaction Fee

Great news, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has no foreign transaction fees and is a great card to use internationally.

Other Enticing Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits

The value of Chase points is what really sets the Chase Sapphire Preferred review apart from competitors, but it still has a lot of daily spending and travel perks.

You will earn 3x points on dining (one of the best credit cards for restaurants and dining).

Also, enjoy Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits such as a $50 annual Hotel Credit, 5x points on travel purchased through Chase, and 2x points on all other travel purchases, plus more.

Nifty. It’s also great for traveling since there are no foreign transaction fees, and it’s enabled with chip technology.

I’m also a big fan of the dedicated customer support that you have by calling the number on the back of your card. Other travel benefits include trip cancellation/insurance, baggage or trip delay reimbursements, primary CDW car rental insurance, and travel accident insurance. Plus, you get the benefits of purchase protection and an extended warranty on eligible purchases. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a metal credit card, making it strong and durable for all of the travel adventures you’ll be having.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is also a Visa Signature card, so it comes with additional sweet benefits.

Is It Worth Getting the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?

Yes, this Chase Sapphire Preferred card review confirms that it is worth getting simply for the bonus, travel redemptions, and spending benefits. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card strives to make it easy to earn points and redeem them for multiple rewards at peak value. Plus, there are several reasons why this Sapphire card is a popular wallet fixture when you travel or stay at home.

Points don’t expire as long as your Sapphire Preferred card account remains open and in good standing. However, there is a $95 annual fee but no foreign transaction fee.

60,000 Bonus Points: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Is It Hard to Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?

It is harder to get approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card than it was a couple of years ago. Many people are reporting being denied if they have had more than 5 other credit card applications in the last 24 months (due to the Chase 5/24 rule). This means that it’s more important than ever to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card before other cards if you’re new to travel rewards credit cards.

This is simply because if you were to apply for some other cards before the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you wouldn’t be eligible. No one wants that.

If you’ve had the Chase Sapphire Preferred card before, you can apply again as long as it’s been 24 months since you last received the bonus (and you’re within the 5/24 rules above). The Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture review may be worth checking out if you want to compare it to another top travel credit card.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Cons:

• Have no interest in redeeming points for travel
• Don’t travel often
• Your job has issued you a credit card to cover any travel expenses
• Don’t commute to work or pay for tolls
• You don’t eat out often
• No interest in traveling

If none of the above apply to you, the Chase Sapphire Preferred can be a great addition to your wallet.

Chase Travel Transfer Partners

Now, to my favorite part. The transfer partners are a huge reason why the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the first card I recommend to new users. You can just do so many things with your points. Whether your travel goal is an international trip to Europe or you just want to go to Orlando, Florida, points can make it happen.

What airlines can be used with Chase Sapphire?

Domestic airline transfer options include Southwest and United. I’ve flown Southwest from Austin to Newark for just over 7,000 points one-way. United domestic awards start at 10,000 miles one-way. But the great thing about being able to transfer your UR points out to travel partners is that once you have a mile in a certain airline’s loyalty program, you can fly ANY airline that’s a partner or in the same alliance as that airline.

Chase Sapphire Transfer Examples

Let me explain: You can fly American Airlines by transferring your points to British Airways Avios because they are in the same OneWorld Alliance. British Airways has a distance-based award chart that starts at only 4,000 miles one-way internationally and 7,500 Avios domestically. Whaaaaat.

You can also use your UR miles to transfer out to Singapore Airlines and fly United domestically since they are both in the Star Alliance. Why do that? You can actually use fewer Singapore miles for United flights domestically (40k round-trip in business) and to Hawaii (35k round-trip in economy class) than through redeeming with United miles. Go figure.

International Flights with Chase Sapphire Preferred Points

Don’t care about domestic flights? Let’s talk about how to use your Chase Sapphire Preferred points for international travel. I love transferring my UR points out to Singapore Air for travel in one of their premium cabins.

You can fly Singapore Suites for as cheap as 57,375 KrisFlyer miles from JFK-FRA. United Airlines is also a great option for international flights since they have a lot of flights to & from a lot of cities.

For example, award flights to Europe start at only 60,000 miles one-way in economy class. United is in the Star Alliance, where a favorite airline of mine, Lufthansa, is also a partner. There was even a sale this year on Lufthansa business class awards through United. Using only 57,500 United miles for a Lufthansa business class seat is a good deal.

Hyatt

I’ve also used my points from my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card many times for hotel redemptions. Usually, I’m transferring my UR points out to Hyatt for an award stay or cash & points stay. We’ve stayed at 2 Hyatt properties in Australia and loved both of them. Hard not to like a Park Hyatt, though.

60,000 points bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Airline Partners

This Chase Sapphire Preferred review wouldn’t be complete without looking at the travel partners. The Chase Sapphire Preferred’s airline transfer partners include:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

The full list of partners is Aer Lingus, Air Canada, British Airways, Air France KLM, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Southwest, United, Virgin Atlantic, Iberia, Emirates, World of Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Why Go With a Chase Bank Travel Card?

The perks vary with each Chase credit card, but here’s what you can gain by taking advantage of the Chase Sapphire Preferred:

Combine points between your eligible Chase cards: With Chase, you can transfer your points to other Chase Travel℠ credit cards (as long as it’s in good standing) held by you, your spouse, or your domestic partner. If you’re saving up for a big trip, that can be hugely helpful.

Transfer your points to an airline partner: The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card let you transfer your points at a 1:1 ratio to any of its airline transfer partners, including United, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, and Southwest Airlines—not to mention all of their partnered airlines.

Transfer your points to a hotel partner: The same Chase cards will also let you transfer your points to its 4 hotel partners: IHG, Marriott Bonvoy, and Hyatt. You’ll generally get much better value out of transferring your points to an airline partner, but Hyatt stands out for offering great value on some of its award bookings.

Redeem points for more toward travel: With the Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred, your points will be worth 1.25 cents each toward travel purchases made through Chase Travel℠. You can take advantage of that redemption rate to book flights, hotel stays, car rentals, cruises, and more through Chase.

Earn more on your purchases in 7 spending categories: If you carry all 3 of these cards, you can maximize your rewards by using each card primarily for its bonus categories. Those 7 spending categories include a wide variety of purchases, like travel, dining, shipping costs, internet, cable, and phone services, and more.

What About Your Credit?

To get your hands on this sleek blue metal Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and open your world up to a renowned points system, you’re going to need an ‘excellent’ credit score. The average score for approval is 741.

But, take note, that isn’t a hard line. One review on CreditKarma said they got approved with only ‘fair’ credit, claiming a score of 690 on FICO and 680 on Equifax.

1. Credit score from a credit report

In doing research on the web, we found many people who applied for the Sapphire Preferred had their Equifax credit report checked. It’s not necessarily normal for lenders to check all 3, but it can pose a problem because not all lenders report to the 3 bureaus.

This means there’s a chance there’s varying information out there. So, we suggest checking out your Equifax score before applying and see if it’s in line with your other scores.

2. How much debt do you have

Rule of thumb: don’t use more than 30 percent of your available credit. So, if you have a credit line of $2,500 – you shouldn’t have a balance of over $750. And by balance, we mean debt. You can spend more than that a month – just pay it off.

After reviewing reports online, we found some people who applied for the Chase Sapphire Preferred claim to have been denied for holding high balances – or debts – on other cards.

3. How many credit cards you have open

We also found that people claimed they were denied for having too many cards open. Some people even had ‘excellent’ credit scores but were denied anyway. So, if you’ve opened a number of cards in the last few years it could be a problem for approval for the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

But remember, just because one person got denied doesn’t mean you will. When applying, it’s important to take a comprehensive look at all three elements of your credit above, as well as other factors, and weigh your chances.

Do You Qualify For the Chase Sapphire Preferred Bonus?

Before you apply for this larger sign-up bonus, it’s key that you review the Chase Sapphire application guidelines and the bonus offer qualifications.

Hint: There’s more to the fine print than spending $4,000 in the first 3 months to earn the bonus.

Returning Sapphire Members Must Wait Months

For starters, you qualify for the Sapphire Preferred bonus when you haven’t received a new card member bonus from any Sapphire card in the past 48 months. You also cannot currently own another Sapphire product.

For example, if you currently own the Sapphire Reserve, you would have to cancel your card and wait 48 months to apply for the Sapphire Preferred to earn the signup bonus. Are the extra points worth waiting for 4 years?

Every person needs to remember the “Chase 5/24 rule.” This is an unpublished policy that disqualifies you from owning the best Chase credit cards when you open at least 5 new credit card accounts in the most recent 24 months.

How to get the most out of your Chase Points

Now that we know how to earn points and some of the basic ways to redeem them – let’s dive into the fun stuff: learning how to make your points go further and get you better deals.

Another great aspect of the Sapphire Preferred points is that there are a lot of ways you can make your points go further.

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred Reviews with other Chase cards

Chase allows you to combine the points you earn with your Sapphire Preferred with the other Chase credit cards you use, like the Chase Freedom Flex® credit card or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Your total points are going to vary though, depending on how much you spend on each card and the categories you’re earning points in.

It’s all about maximizing the points earning potential on each card, so make sure you purchase the right things on the right card – like all travel and dining on Sapphire Preferred, and business expenses on the Ink Business.

2. Chase shopping portal

By using the Chase shopping portal to purchase everything from big expenses to appliances or even household items you can earn 3 to 12 times the number of points you would simply by using the Sapphire Preferred.

This is an awesome option because the Sapphire Preferred is really about travel and not everyday purchases – as those will only get you 1 point per $1 spent. So, if you want to use your Sapphire Preferred to buy an everyday item, be sure to check out the Chase shopping portal first. By purchasing items through Chase partners like Sam’s Club, Apple, and Bed Bath & Beyond in the portal, you can earn some serious extra points you’d otherwise miss.

3. Partner programs

As we mentioned above, retailers like Walmart partner with the Chase shopping portal often to offer you extra points and earning potential you might otherwise be excluded from on your card. These extra points can vary from 3x the points to 12x the points – so it’s always a good idea to check out what’s being offered in the Chase shopping portal before you do any online shopping.

Chase also partners with a variety of companies in the travel industry, so you can redeem all those travel points you’ve been racking up. Best yet – their travel partners often offer better deals than the Chase standard points-to-dollar conversion of 1 point to $.0125. In fact, you can earn up to $.05 per point depending on the travel partner.

4. Booking travel with cash rather than points can save you more

The Chase travel portal offers some awesome deals – but that doesn’t mean they’re always the best deal out there. It’s important when shopping for a travel ticket or hotel through the travel portal that you still shop around – checking out comparative websites like Kayak, TripAdvisor, etc.

This is because if the deal on the Chase Travel Portal is about the same as the ticket price on other websites, you can actually earn more by buying the ticket outside the portal than cashing in on the points you’ll earn from buying the ticket. This way, you can use your points to buy a ticket that’s a bit more pricy down the line or really snag a great deal through the travel portal later on.

5. Don’t use the travel portal for international travel

By using the travel portal itself, you’re only getting $0.0125 per every point you have – and hey, international travel is expensive! So, instead, make sure you check out the Chase travel partners and the deals they have. A Chase travel partner can get you up to $0.05 per point – meaning your points can take you further.

Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card a Good Credit Card?

Yes, the Sapphire Preferred card is a good credit card because you can enjoy Chase Sapphire benefits such as a $50 annual Hotel Credit, 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x points on dining, and 2x points on all other travel purchases, plus more.

60,000 points bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

6 Best Perks of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the go-to travel credit card for many travelers. Its flexible redemption options and reasonable $95 annual fee make it easy for occasional and frequent travelers to get maximum value from this card. To help better understand why this is a top credit card, here is a breakdown of the seven best perks of the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Let’s continue this Chase Sapphire Preferred review by looking at the six best perks.

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred Bonus

New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.

This bonus is most valuable when you redeem the points for award travel by booking upcoming travel using the Chase Travel℠ travel portal.

If you’re a returning Sapphire card member, you can qualify for this bonus if you haven’t received a Sapphire signup bonus in the past 48 months and you currently don’t have a Sapphire product.

This is one of the best credit card signup bonuses available today.

2. 25% Travel Redemption Bonus

It’s possible to get a 25% travel redemption bonus on any upcoming travel you book through your Chase Travel℠ account. With most travel credit cards, each point is worth 1 cent each for travel redemptions, but you get 1.25 cents for each point with the Sapphire Preferred.

For example, every 10,000 points are worth $125 for award travel bookings but only $100 for cash redemptions.

The redemption bonus applies to these award travel bookings:

• Flights
• Hotel rooms
• Rental cars
• Experiences and tours

You can also pay for your travel booking with cash and points if you want to conserve some of your points for a future trip.

This redemption bonus doesn’t apply to requesting a statement credit to cover recent travel purchases.

If you currently have one of the Chase Freedom family cards, you earn points but don’t get the 25% redemption bonus or the 1:1 point transfers. You can combine your point accounts and redeem the balance using your Sapphire Preferred to get enhanced travel redemptions.

Given all of the best perks that come with the Sapphire Preferred, it may come as no surprise that it is one of the best Chase credit cards.

3. 1:1 Chase Sapphire Point Transfers

Chase has an awesome lineup of 1:1 transfer partners for airlines and hotels. You can transfer points in 1,000-point increments to the following loyalty programs:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Aeroplan Air Canada
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• FlyingBlue Air France KLM
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• IHG Rewards Club
• Marriott Bonvoy
• World of Hyatt

Most point transfers will be completed within several minutes. Transferring your Chase Sapphire Preferred points can be a better option when you can get a better redemption value than the 25% redemption bonus.

You might also prefer booking directly from the travel brand if you have an existing loyalty points balance you want to redeem but need some credit card points to have the necessary balance.

Another benefit of the point transfers is booking Southwest Airlines award flights. This discount carrier doesn’t list their flights on third-party booking sites, including the Chase Travel℠ portal.

4. Travel Protection Benefits

The Sapphire Preferred offers some of the best credit card trip protection benefits that can offer financial relief if your travel plans go awry.

These perks can supplement your travel insurance policy or let you no longer purchase trip insurance for most trips.

Here are some of the perks you can receive:

• Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for covered reasons, including sickness and severe weather.
• Trip delay reimbursement: Up to $500 per ticket when common carrier travel is delayed at least 12 hours or requires an overnight stay
• Baggage delay insurance: Up to $100 a day for 5 days for baggage delays over 6 hours
• Auto rental collision damage waiver: Primary coverage on most US rentals that replaces up to the actual cash value of the car for theft and collision damage

Primary rental car insurance is one of the best benefits, as most cards only offer secondary coverage. With primary coverage, you submit a claim through Chase first before your car insurance provider.

In addition to the built-in travel insurance, you also get purchase protection (up to $500 per claim) and extended warranty protection.

5. Partner Benefits

One of the best perks of the Sapphire Preferred is the partner benefits. Cardmembers can also scoop up limited-time partner benefits with select brands that essentially provide free memberships and statement credits.

New offers launch periodically giving you additional opportunities to get more value from being a Sapphire member and potentially explore new brands.

6. Earn Chase Points on Purchases

All Chase Sapphire Preferred Card purchases earn Chase points, which are some of the most valuable credit card points currently available.

There are several Chase Sapphire reward categories. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns unlimited:

• 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Anniversary Hotel Credit)
• 3x points on dining (including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out)
• 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart®, and wholesale clubs)
• Also 3x points on select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel purchases
• 1x point per $1 spent on all non-bonus purchases 

There is a $50 annual Hotel Credit. It comes in the form of a statement credit that will automatically be applied to your account when your card is used for hotel accommodation purchases made through the Chase Travel℠ program, up to an annual maximum accumulation of $50.

Plus, on each account anniversary, you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year. So, if you spend $25,000 on purchases, you’ll get 2,500 bonus points.

The qualifying travel purchases include booking travel directly from the carrier or with a third-party platform. For dining, you earn bonus points on in-restaurant, carryout, and qualifying delivery apps.

Related Chase Sapphire Preferred Expert Articles:

• Best Credit Cards for Travel Rewards
• Q&A: Is The Chase Sapphire Preferred Still Worth It?
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs American Express Platinum

Upgrade Your Chase Sapphire Preferred to a Sapphire Reserve: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you wondering if it’s possible to upgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred to a Chase Sapphire Reserve? The process is easier than you might think to get one of the best rewards cards. Upgrading is also the quickest way to get a Chase Sapphire Reserve if you are a current Sapphire Preferred owner.

For current and returning Sapphire members, there are strict Chase Sapphire application rules. Chase explicitly states either Sapphire credit card, “is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 48 months.”

If you want a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, your best option is to request an upgrade. Closing or downgrading your Sapphire Preferred account means you have to wait 48 months (that’s 4 really long years) from the month you received your Chase Sapphire Preferred sign-up bonus before Chase approves your Chase Sapphire Reserve application.

Can You Upgrade Your Chase Sapphire Preferred?

Before attempting to upgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred, make sure you meet these basic qualifications:

• Your Chase Sapphire Preferred account is at least 12 months old
• The account is in good standing
• You have excellent credit

The Sapphire Reserve is a Visa Infinite product that carries a minimum $10,000 credit limit. However, the Sapphire Preferred is a Visa Signature card that only guarantees a minimum $5,000 credit limit.

Like any credit card application, approval isn’t guaranteed when requesting an upgrade. Chase doesn’t publicly disclose its upgrade criteria.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Signup Bonus

The largest potential downside of upgrading to the Chase Sapphire Reserve is that you won’t qualify for its current signup bonus.

In the signup bonus offer details, Chase states, “You will not receive the new cardmember bonus if you change products.”

To be fair, this is the same policy when you downgrade from a Sapphire Reserve to the Sapphire Preferred.

Call Chase to Upgrade

If you’re ready to upgrade, the upgrade process is very straightforward.

On the Chase Sapphire Reserve information page, Chase recommends existing Sapphire card members call the phone number on the back of their current Sapphire credit card to check their eligibility status. In most cases, you should receive a decision within a few minutes.

Another option is sending a secure message by logging into your Chase online account. Simply say you want to upgrade to a Sapphire Reserve account and you should receive a response within four hours, though this may vary.

No Hard Inquiry (Possibly)

One benefit of upgrading products is that Chase shouldn’t perform a hard credit check. This should be the case if your Sapphire Preferred credit limit is at least $10,000. But if your credit limit is below this magic mark, it’s like requesting a manual credit limit increase instead of waiting for Chase to automatically raise your card limit.

If Chase only conducts a soft pull, the upgrade won’t count against your Chase 5/24 limit.

Other Travel Credit Cards to Consider

If after reading this Chase Sapphire Preferred review is no longer at the top of your wish list, you might try one of these travel rewards cards instead.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 2 miles for every $1 spent. However, earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. There is a $95 annual fee, though.

You can redeem your points as travel statement credits or future award flights and even transfer them to Capital One airline transfer partners. The Capital One transfer ratios aren’t as valuable as Chase, but you still have plenty of valuable point redemption options. Another exciting benefit is a fee credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Avianca Credit Cards

The information for the Avianca Vida Visa® Card and the Avianca Vuela Visa® Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Though there are different types of credit cards, this one can help you travel through a pretty sweet welcome bonus.

The Avianca credit cards currently have some simple signup bonus offers:

• Avianca Vida Visa® Card: 20,000 welcome bonus miles after first card use
• Avianca Vuela Visa® Card: 40,000 welcome bonus miles after first card use

Citi Rewards Credit Card

The information for the Citi Rewards+® Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Citi Rewards+® Card earns unlimited point roundups (to the nearest 10) on purchases. You will earn 2x points per $1 spent at supermarkets and gas stations (on the first $6,000 annually, then 1x points per $1 after). You’ll also earn an unlimited 1x point per $1 on all non-bonus categories. Cardholders also get 10% Points Back when they redeem up to the first 100,000 points redeemed per year.

Plus, for a limited time, earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions booked on the Citi Travel Portal℠ through June 30, 2024.

New Citi Rewards+® Card cardholders can earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 in purchases with their card within 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com.

There is no annual fee.

Speaking of Citi, you may also want to compare the Sapphire Preferred card to the Citi Premier® Card, which also comes with a hotel credit and earns rewards for travel. Read more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Citi Premier Card review.

The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a cashback credit card that comes with the ability to earn:

• 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
• 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% cash back on transit, including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and more
• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations
• 1% cash back on other purchases

Cash back comes in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com at checkout.

Plus, with their enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card, cardholders who spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription receive a monthly statement credit of $7. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.

This card is great for those everyday purchases like groceries, streaming services, and gas. It’s one of the best credit cards for grocery purchases.

The welcome bonus is the ability to earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express within the first 6 months. There is a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (See Rates & Fees).

FAQs and Summary of Key Points in the Chase Sapphire Preferred Review

Here are a couple of questions that get asked often. Additionally, you’ll find a summary of the key points that make this card so valuable.

What is Chase Sapphire Preferred’s spending limit?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred’s minimum spending limit is $5,000. On average, most cardholders have reported that their credit limit was raised to $10,000 after a few months of making payments on time and paying their card in full. Still, as many as 10% of users have reportedly received a credit limit of $20,000 or more.

Does Chase Sapphire Preferred give hotel upgrades?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has three hotel partners – IHG®, Marriott Bonvoy™, and World of Hyatt®. You can transfer your points to these three hotels at a 1:1 transfer rate.

Plus, your points are worth 25% more when you redeem for hotels through Chase Travel℠.

In regards to the hotel upgrades, you can use your points and apply them to an upgrade at your preferred accommodation, given that it is with one of the three hotel partners. If you’re looking for more hotel benefits and are loyal to one brand, a co-brand hotel credit card might be worth checking out.

Additionally, enjoy Chase Sapphire benefits, such as a $50 annual Hotel Credit.

How do I cancel my Chase Sapphire Preferred card?

If you are looking to cancel your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, there are a few things you can do. Simply log on to your account at Chase.com and send an email requesting the cancelation to customer service. Alternatively, you can call the number on the back of your card.

However, note that closing your account may actually hurt your credit score due to it affecting your credit history. Instead, consider downgrading your card to an eligible no-annual-fee Chase credit card such as one in the Chase Freedom family. You may even be able to keep your card number and credit line.

By doing this, you’ll avoid hurting your credit score. Additionally, you’ll possibly be able to keep your options open. A call to a Chase representative can help you decide what’s best.

How does rental car insurance work for Chase Sapphire Preferred?

Rental car insurance for the Chase Sapphire Preferred works by offering the Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) as reimbursement for damage due to a collision or theft (up to the cash value) on most rental vehicles globally. Vehicles not covered include expensive or antique automobiles, motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, vehicles with an open cargo bed, and more. You can learn more here.

This is considered primary coverage. That means you will not have to file a claim with a third party before you can receive coverage. This car rental insurance benefit can save you money and help you avoid many hassles when traveling.

To enable Auto Rental CDW, use your Chase Sapphire Preferred to make the rental purchase (you’ll get 2x points per $1 spent). And decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver if offered.

If they refuse to accept this rental car insurance perk, call the number on the back of your card.

What are the spending categories for the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns unlimited:

• 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Anniversary Hotel Credit)
• 3x points on dining (including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out)
• 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart®, and wholesale clubs)
• Also 3x points on select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel purchases
• 1x point per $1 spent on all non-bonus purchases 

There is a $50 annual Hotel Credit. It comes in the form of a statement credit that will automatically be applied to your account when your card is used for hotel accommodation purchases made through the Chase Travel℠ program, up to an annual maximum accumulation of $50.

Plus, on each account anniversary, you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year. So, if you spend $25,000 on purchases, you’ll get 2,500 bonus points.

What’s the signup bonus for the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.

What’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred Annual Fee?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred’s annual fee is $95.

Are there foreign transaction fees associated with the Sapphire Preferred?

No, there are no foreign transaction fees with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

How can I avoid paying interest on my Chase Sapphire Preferred card?

If you pay your balance by the due date, you don’t owe interest. Important note: Interest is charged on balance transfers, cash advances, and overdraft advances on the day of the transaction.

If someone steals my Sapphire Preferred credit card or card information, will Chase hold me responsible?

If someone else gets ahold of your card and racks up a balance you didn’t authorize, Chase won’t hold you responsible for the charges.

How can I redeem the points I earn with my Sapphire Preferred?

You redeem your points for dining, food, travel, and shopping through Chase Travel℠.

What is the ratio of points to dollars in the Chase Travel Portal?

Each point you earn is worth $0.0125 – that’s a 25 percent increase in value for just shopping with Chase.

Are there blackout dates or restrictions when booking through the Chase Travel Portal?

If there’s a seat on the flight you want – Chase lets you book through their Portal.

How can I get the maximum dollar-to-point ratio with my Chase Sapphire Preferred?

You can get the maximum dollar-to-point ratio by transferring your points from the Chase Portal to one of the Chase Travel Partners’ air miles programs. Here, a single point will be worth anywhere from $0.0125 to $0.05.

Who are the Chase Travel transfer partners?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred’s travel transfer partners include:

Aer Lingus AerClub, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Emirates Skywards, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Iberia Plus, JetBlue TrueBlue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Southwest Airline Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, IHG Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt. 

Who are the Chase Portal partners?

The Chase portal partners include Apple, Adidas, Amazon, Clarins, Kiehl’s, Nike, Walgreens, Sam’s Club, Vistaprint, ProFlowers, Aveda, Groupon, Sephora, Blue Apron, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Restaurant.com, and more. 

Is there a way I can earn extra points by shopping with my Sapphire Preferred?

Yes, you can shop through the Chase Portal and buy products from their partners.

What are some of the extra benefits provided with the Sapphire Preferred?

Chase offers different kinds of insurance like travel accidents, trip cancellation or interruption protection, car rental insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, trip delay reimbursement, a global lifeline in case of emergency, extended warranties, purchase protection, and return protection.

What is Chase Sapphire Preferred’s spending limit?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred’s minimum spending limit is $5,000. On average, most cardholders have reported that their credit limit was raised to $10,000 after a few months of making payments on time and paying their card in full. Still, as many as 10% of users have reportedly received a credit limit of $20,000 or more.

How can I redeem the points I earn with my Sapphire Preferred?

You redeem your points for dining, food, travel, and shopping through the Chase Portal.

60,000 points bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Related Posts: 

• Are the Sapphire Preferred Benefits Worth the Annual Fee?
• Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture 
• Best Credit Cards for Travel Miles
• Best Credit Cards for International Travel

For rates and fees of The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.