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Chase Doubles Earning for Travel and Dining on Sapphire Preferred Card

by on July 25, 2011 · 27 comments

in Chase, Credit Cards

UPDATE: Sapphire Preferred sign-up bonus offer is now reduced to 40,000 points.

I’ve been a big fan of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card (review, application link) since they upped the sign-up bonus to 50,000 in May. This is an all-round powerful card with a waived annual fee, 7% bonus on all points accrued (so the sign-up is actually 53,500 points) and the points can be transferred instantly at a 1:1 ratio to Continental, British Airways, Hyatt, Marriott, Priority Club and Amtrak – plus the card has no foreign transaction fees, which will save you about 3% on all of your foreign spend.

Chase now announced that they are doubling the points earned on dining and travel (flights, hotel, car, timeshare, etc) to 2 per every dollar spent. This is a significant increase in the power of this card, because most of us travel and eat!

As for the sign-up bonus, many of you have asked whether I think it will go up from 50k or down. In my honest opinion (I have no insider knowledge), I would put money on the sign-up offer going down before it goes up. Remember, Amex ran the Platinum card at a 50k bonus and then randomly one day dropped it to 25k (though realistically many people are still getting 100,000 points).

While there are some attractive Chase offers out there right now (50k Southwest, 60-80k Priority Club, 2 Free Night Hyatt), I think the Sapphire Preferred is the best card and overall sign-up bonus.

Hat tip Frugal Travel Guy!

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author.s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program.

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  • Phil

    This is a big addition to the card and starts making it a real competitor to the Amex Premier Rewards Gold card and/or SPG cards. I will still use Amex PRG for 3x on airfare but the 2x on hotels and restaurants with 0% foreign transaction fees means this will be by my go-to card for all foreign spend. Will still use SPG card for domestic SPG spend. I guess from Chase’s perspective the real upshoot is I will keep the card and thus pay next year’s annual fee (though am sure a call will result in some form of credit/discount/points rebate for the fee)

  • Phil

    This is a big addition to the card and starts making it a real competitor to the Amex Premier Rewards Gold card and/or SPG cards. I will still use Amex PRG for 3x on airfare but the 2x on hotels and restaurants with 0% foreign transaction fees means this will be by my go-to card for all foreign spend. Will still use SPG card for domestic SPG spend. I guess from Chase’s perspective the real upshoot is I will keep the card and thus pay next year’s annual fee (though am sure a call will result in some form of credit/discount/points rebate for the fee)

  • Phil

    Actually according to you add it is only 2x on airfare & hotel booked through Ultimate Rewards website. That is not much use for me

  • Phil

    Actually according to you add it is only 2x on airfare & hotel booked through Ultimate Rewards website. That is not much use for me

  • Anonymous

    Its 2x on all travel spend and you get an additionanl point if you book through their portal. Check out their benefits guide page 4 http://cache.u47.net/11703/sapphire2/downloads/Sapphire_Preferred_Product_Benefits_Guide.pdf

  • Matt

    This makes a very strong play to make this card my regular visa, and really starts to offer a compelling alternative to the Premier Rewards Gold, depending on how much you spend on airfare and how you feel about the different programs’ transfer partners. Chase is definitely stepping it up.

  • http://infamousdx.com Mike L

    That HAS to be the go-to combo for all spending.

    Amex PRG for any airline spend (3x). Amex PRG for gas ‘n groceries (2x).

    Chase Sapphire Preferred for airfare booked thru UR (3x)… and also dining & travel (2x).

  • Phil

    Wish it were that simple :) –

    PRG for Airfare and Gas and Groceries – check!

    Chase Sapphire for hotel & dining – check!

    Then I have my carve outs….

    Chase BA for everything else (aiming to get the 2-4-1)

    Banana Republic Card for spend there (cash rebates too valuable)

    Target card for spend there (cash rebates too valuable)

    Gosh but I also want to make 30k on the PRG to get the 15k booster….

    It’s all getting too much! lol

  • Phil

    Oh and of course SPG for domestic SPG (do a lot of that)

    Then maybe a Chase Hyatt for any Hyatt stays

  • https://launchpad.net/~bac bac

    If I were to use this card and get points I could transfer to BA, is there a way to combine them with existing AA miles? I’m hoping to get a reward on CX — can it be done via a combo of BA and AA miles? If not, I’d be left with two insufficient pools of miles.

  • Anonymous

    You cannot combine miles from two different programs (save for special situations like the airlines merging)
    However BA and AA are partners and both allow one way awards so you can book one potion using BA miles and the other AA. If you don’t have enough AA miles, there are plenty of ways to bump that balance, like getting 150k with their credit cards http://thepointsguy.com/2011/05/citi-american-airlines-75000-mile-bonus-still-active/

  • Tim

    TPG what would we all do without you?! Seriously – you know the mile world inside out and we all love for for your help and advice. If we ever run in to each other I’m buying you several large strong cocktails of your choice.

  • cbender

    Do you think if I’m approved for this via application I can call Chase and request my current no-fee Freedom card (points earning $1=1) be upgraded to the Sapphire? That way it would still show as an older card on my credit but get the perks and bonus of the new approved app?

    I’m hesitant to pull the trigger on another Chase card just yet outside of this due to getting the Hyatt and BA cards in the past (February and May, respectively). Any insight from anyone is appreciated :)

  • Guest

    Do you know when this 50,000 sign up promotion might end?

  • Anonymous

    No clue.. its been going since May 16. I hope forever, but as we know- all good deals must come to an end

  • Anonymous

    This is great news! I assume, as an existing cardholder, I don’t have to do anything for this added benefit.

  • Anonymous

    Right- you’ll be automatically enrolled. If for some reason you dont see the enhanced earning on your statement, I’d call, but you shouldn’t have to do anything

  • Sandeep

    Not sure if you are aware of it, but its also double points on Dining for the regular Chase Sapphire card now too. No double points on Travel yet on this one…unless you use the UR mall.

  • mw

    TPG, do you have any idea whether Sapphire points will be transferable 1-1 to United after the merger?

  • Anonymous

    It hasn’t been announced yet, but my bet would be Yes since Chase and United are close partners.

  • PJ

    I have BOTH Chase freedom Visa and Master card as well as Sapphire (in my daughter’s name) . If you dont have a signon bonus to “chase” on Chase, it is an ez math to take advantage of their 5 % rebate on Travel category for this third quarter of the year. I also have chase checking account to earn more on their 10 % bonus and 10 cents each swipe Thanks Chase :)

    Very tempting to take on another Chase Sapphire in my own name with the ‘reduced’ 50K incentive versus the previous 100K . Last card i got from Chase was the BA card in Mid April . Any idea if Chase would let me ( still excellent credit rating per creidtsesame) ENJOY another one of their cards ?

  • Julie

    Does anyone know whether a VRBO rental charged through paypal would qualify as travel for the double points??? I’m getting ready to pay for a vacation rental.

  • PJ

    best try is to use your Chase Freedom card to get the 5 % off. of simply pay it with Sapphire. my experience with Citi world platinum rewards was: I paid amazon to get my laptop and Citi claimed it was not coded as ELETRONIC category and thus no 5 % rebate the shipment/receipt DID NOT GO ANYWHERE

  • http://twitter.com/syalam sheehan alam

    I am using my Chase card a lot to eat out internationally in Europe. Will this be counted as dining spend?

  • http://twitter.com/syalam sheehan alam

    i got the BA card in April and got my Sapphire Preferred 2 months later. Credit score around 780

  • Anonymous

    I don’t see why not

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