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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best cards for everyday spending
Augusta Stone is a credit cards writer for TPG. She joined the TPG team in 2023 and is excited to take points and miles beginners with her on a journey toward maximizing rewards.
June 19, 2026 • 11 min read
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Quick summary
A refreshed mid-tier travel card now offers expanded bonus categories, including gas, electric vehicle charging and vacation home bookings at select brands.
The card provides strong value for a modest annual fee, with bonus rewards covering dining, online groceries, streaming services and more.
It is positioned as a versatile option for a range of users, from beginners to families and frequent travelers, due to its broad everyday coverage.
Recent changes mean it now outperforms some premium cards in certain categories, especially for vacation rentals.
What to consider
Bonus rewards apply to select vacation rental brands and exclude some major grocery merchants.
Point values are highest when transferred to travel partners, per TPG's June 2026 valuations.
The card may not be ideal for those seeking simple cash-back or who do not utilize travel transfer partners.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed breakdowns of potential annual value for different spending profiles and how to maximize rewards in each bonus category.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
With its recent refresh, the Sapphire Preferred added more bonus categories. Now, its suite covers nearly every aspect of the typical spender's everyday expenses.
The card is an excellent option for award travelers of all types, whether you're a points and miles beginner, a family traveler or a road warrior. Here's why it works for almost everyone.
: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Broad bonus categories on the Sapphire Preferred
There are multiple bonus categories on the , including two new additions. With the card, you'll earn:
5 points per dollar spent on all Chase Travel℠ purchases*, Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027) and eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 (through Dec. 31, 2027): 10.3% return on spending, per TPG's June 2026 valuations
3 points per dollar spent on gas† and electric vehicle charging†, vacation homes at eligible brands†‡, dining worldwide (including takeout and eligible delivery services), top streaming services, online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs): 6.2% return
2 points per dollar spent on all other travel worldwide: 4.1% return
1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases: 2.1% return
*Purchases include flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation homes, cruises, activities and tours
†New or updated benefit
‡Includes Airbnb, Vrbo, Plum Guide, HomeAway, Homestay.com and Vacasa
AIRBNB
With the addition of gas and EV charging and vacation homes booked directly, the Sapphire Preferred has turned into a genuinely competitive everyday spending card — and an excellent candidate for a one-card setup, if simplicity is what you value.
Plus, the (see rates and fees) notably lost the 3 points per dollar bonus category on general travel in last year's refresh. So, it's worth considering that the mid-tier Sapphire Preferred now earns more on eligible vacation rentals than its premium counterpart.
In the next two parts of this guide, we'll focus on the everyday spending categories that earn 3 points per dollar spent and on how different types of spenders can make the most of them.
How to maximize earnings with the Sapphire Preferred
The 's bonus categories cover many everyday purchases.
The addition of gas and EV charging is a major plus with the card's refresh. Gas can be an overlooked category for many major travel rewards cards, since many of the best cards for gas earn cash back. And with currently high fuel prices in the U.S., there are multiple ways to turn this high cost into valuable rewards. Per TPG's valuations, you'll get 6.2% back on every dollar you spend on gas or EV charging.
PHONLAMAIPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES
When it comes to food, you'll continue to earn 3 points per dollar spent on dining worldwide (including takeout and eligible delivery), with no limits. If you prefer to cook, most online grocery purchases will also earn 3 points per dollar spent.
The Sapphire Preferred's streaming services bonus category stands out as one of the best on the market, as it's rare for a non-cashback-earning card to offer bonus rewards on streaming services.
And for frequent travelers, the addition of a bonus category for vacation homes is a game changer. It's an earning category we haven't seen often on transferable rewards cards.
Consider familiarizing yourself with each of these programs (in addition to Chase Ultimate Rewards) before you make a decision. Overall, TPG's June 2026 valuations peg Ultimate Rewards points higher than both Citi ThankYou and Wells Fargo Rewards points, but there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer for all spenders.
The could easily work for a variety of spenders. Let's break down the math with three key groups and how they can maximize their earnings with the card.
Beginners
If you want a simple, one-card setup to get your award travel journey started, the Sapphire Preferred could be a great choice.
Here's a hypothetical chart of what a single person who's newer to rewards cards may spend, and how much they would earn in a month and a year with the Sapphire Preferred's 3-point-per-dollar categories:
With this math, an average single spender could earn 17,460 points annually with these bonus categories alone — worth about $358 per year, or more than three times the card's $95 annual fee.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
About 17,000 Ultimate Rewards points could easily get you a one-way domestic United Airlines economy flight. For example, an economy seat from Chicago to San Francisco costs 15,000 points (plus $5.60 in taxes and fees) when transferred to MileagePlus.
Families
Let's do the same with a family, which will naturally spend more money in certain categories than a single person:
Category
Estimated monthly spending
Points earned per month
Value per month§
Dining
$400
1,200
$25
Online groceries
$500
1,500
$31
Streaming
$50
150
$3
Gas and EV
$150
450
$9
Vacation homes
$100
300
$6
Total
$1,200
3,600 points
$74
§Per TPG's valuations
A family with this spending pattern could earn 43,200 points in a year, which would be about $886 in annual value. That's more than nine times the Sapphire Preferred's annual fee, just with this set of categories.
HYATT
There's a lot a family could do with 43,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Transferred to World of Hyatt at the new 4:3 ratio¶, that’s enough for four nights at a Category 3 property, such as the Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Airport, where award rates start at 8,000 points per night. For families, that could help cover multiple rooms or a few extra nights before or after a cruise.
¶Effective immediately for cardholders who applied on or after June 15; effective Oct. 1 for other cardholders
Frequent travelers
Given that the Sapphire Preferred is a travel card after all, a high-spending frequent traveler who enjoys dining out and booking vacation rentals often will certainly be able to maximize these categories. Here's a hypothetical:
Category
Estimated monthly spending
Points earned per month
Value per month§
Dining
$500
1,500
$31
Online groceries
$150
450
$9
Streaming
$40
120
$2
Gas and EV
$100
300
$6
Vacation homes
$400
1,200
$25
Total
$1,190
3,570 points
$73
§Per TPG's valuations
Frequent travelers with spending patterns similar to this could earn 42,840 points from these bonus categories in a year. With TPG's valuations placing it at around $878, you'd be getting more than nine times the annual fee back.
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
If you top off the roughly 43,000 points you'd earn from these bonus categories with 17,000 more points (plus taxes and fees), you could unlock a business-class seat to Europe on Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
The Sapphire Preferred is an excellent choice for a wide range of spenders, in part because it earns 3 points per dollar on the things people buy most. This includes the card's newly added gas and EV charging and vacation homes categories.
For beginners, families and frequent travelers especially, this could make the Sapphire Preferred the only card you need. Its bonus categories cover a wide range of purchases, giving it high earning potential for a $95 fee that's easy to justify.
However, the card is not ideal for spenders who prefer straightforward cash-back rewards or people who don't travel enough to maximize Chase's transfer partners.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
