The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great pick for the beginner and the frequent traveler. Valued at $1,200 by TPG, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has superb travel benefits, double points on certain purchases, and a 60,000 point sign up bonus.
Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is designed to work for travelers both frequent and infrequent. It can benefit both the points and miles expert and the one just starting out. With a $95 annual fee, it’s not an expensive card, which makes it a good choice for a beginner. But since the card earns Ultimate Rewards points — one of the top flexible points currencies — you’ll also find this card goes a long way if you’re an experienced loyalty program whiz looking to get maximum value.
New cardholders earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. According to TPG valuations, that sign-up bonus is worth a whopping $1,200 dollars in travel rewards. That’s more valuable than the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve‘s sign-up bonus.
Spending $4,000 in just three months may sound like a hard task for some budgets, and it does mean charging $1,334 to your card each month from your approval date. But there are plenty of ways
With 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points at your disposal, this card opens up a ton of redemption options. The point is, this bonus alone offers a ton of value for cardholders and can open the doorway for redemptions that average travelers otherwise may not have been able to afford.
The Sapphire Preferred comes with two basic but popular bonus categories. You’ll earn 2 points per dollar spent on both travel and dining, and the way those categories are defined is one area where the card offers a lot of flexibility. The travel category on the CSP is broad, encompassing a great number of purchases that you might not think of as travel expenses.
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