Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Bank of America Travel Rewards: Which should beginner travelers get?

If you're jumping into the travel rewards game, picking which credit card to start with can be overwhelming. There are a lot of competitive options, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

In this guide, we'll walk through two popular beginner travel credit cards — the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card. Both offer an entry point into earning travel rewards, but which is best for your wallet?

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Bank of America Travel Rewards comparison

Before we dive deeper into how these cards stack up against each other, let's run through a quick overview of each card's details.

Sapphire Preferred vs. BofA Travel Rewards welcome offer

The Chase Sapphire Preferred clearly has a superior bonus in terms of value. You'll earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This welcome offer is worth $1,538 according to TPG's April 2025 valuations.

By comparison, you'll only get 25,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening (a $250 value) from the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card.

However, something to keep in mind here is the spending requirements. While you must spend $5,000 in the first three months to earn the Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus, you'll only need to spend $1,000 in the first 90 days with the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card.

At the end of the day, the value of the bonus doesn't matter if you can't reasonably hit the spending requirements. For those on a smaller budget, the Bank of America Travel Rewards sign-up bonus might be the more attainable (and therefore more beneficial) option — though be sure to check out our guide on reaching minimum spending thresholds for tips on how to hit a higher requirement.

Winner: Sapphire Preferred. Its welcome offer provides superior value.

Related: The best Bank of America cards

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Sapphire Preferred vs. BofA Travel Rewards benefits

Neither of these cards is a premium travel card, which means they offer comparatively few benefits.

That said, the Chase Sapphire Preferred stands ahead in this category, as it does offer cardholders at least one complimentary year of DashPass service, which gives you $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash food delivery and takeout purchases (must activate by Dec. 31, 2027).

You'll also get a $50 annual hotel statement credit for reservations booked through the Chase travel portal, plus a solid lineup of credit card protections, including:

• extended warranty
• primary car rental coverage, baggage delay insurance
• purchase protection
• travel and emergency assistance services
• trip cancellation/interruption insurance
• trip delay reimbursement

Finally, Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders get a 10% anniversary points bonus each year. You'll earn at a rate of 1 point for each $10 spent.

On the other hand, the Bank of America Travel Rewards card is much more limited. Though — like the Sapphire Preferred — it is a Visa Signature card, so that will provide some benefits.

Winner: Sapphire Preferred also gets the edge here with its longer list of benefits.

Related: Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred remains the top travel rewards credit card year after year

Earning points on the Sapphire Preferred vs. BofA Travel Rewards

Once again, the Chase Sapphire Preferred comes out ahead in the earning department.

You'll earn 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs). Then, you'll earn 5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Travel and Lyft rides (through September 2027) as well as 2 points on all other travel. Other purchases earn 1 point per dollar.

On the other hand, the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card earns 3 points per dollar on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center and 1.5 points per dollar across all purchases.

However, if you're already a Bank of America customer, you may earn at elevated rates. Through the Preferred Rewards® program, you can earn up to 5.25 points per dollar on travel purchases through the Bank of America Travel Center and up to 2.62 points per dollar on all other purchases.

That means that those who are Platinum Honors Preferred Rewards members might end up getting more value from earning this higher flat rate across all purchases in the long term.

Winner: Sapphire Preferred. The Travel Rewards can't compete with its earning categories.

Related: 7 reasons you should get (and keep) a no-annual-fee credit card

Redeeming points on the Sapphire Preferred vs. BofA Travel Rewards

Another major difference between the two cards is the redemption options.

The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card earns fixed-value points, like cash back on eligible purchases. You can redeem your Bank of America Travel Rewards points at a value of 1 cent apiece as a statement credit to cover travel and dining purchases. Otherwise, you'll get 0.6 cents value from each point by requesting a check or deposit from the bank.

With the Sapphire Preferred, you can redeem your points at a rate of up to 1.75 cents each for some travel when you book through the Chase travel up to (depending on the specific redemption; see your rewards program agreement for full details).

Winner: Sapphire Preferred. Its redemption options are much more varied.

Related: Better together: The ultimate guide to the best credit card combinations

Transferring points on the Sapphire Preferred vs. BofA Travel Rewards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a lot more flexibility in its redemption options. You can transfer points at a 1:1 rate to one of Chase's 14 valuable transfer partners. You can get up to 1.75-cent value from your points through the Chase portal, but transferring to the right partner could get you even more value.

While there's something to be said about the simplicity of Bank of America's redemption process, especially for TPG editor Emily Thompson, Chase takes the cake with more potential value and flexibility.

Winner: Sapphire Preferred, since it offers the option to transfer points to hotel and airline partners.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value

Should I get the Sapphire Preferred or BofA Travel Rewards?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with a higher sign-up bonus, a more robust earning rate and more value and flexibility in redemption options. The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card is a simple card that's great for beginners, but for the most part, it can't compete with the Sapphire Preferred.

Bottom line

For those who hope to build a robust travel credit card strategy and learn about how to maximize transfer partners and card pairings, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great starting place.

But if the thought of navigating transferring points to a specific airline makes you break out into hives, the simplicity of the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card makes it a solid choice, too.

To learn more, read our full reviews of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Bank of America Travel Rewards.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Apply here: Bank of America Travel Rewards