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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.
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6 reasons why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the perfect card for the average traveler
Madison Blancaflor is the managing editor for TPG's content operations team. She focuses on helping TPG's broader editorial team bring news, features and advice to readers. She has nearly six years of experience covering the credit cards and travel industries.
Compliance associate Paige Balcom joined TPG in 2022 and has spent her time working in the credit card industry reviewing content across sites such as CNET, CreditCards.com and Bankrate. She has used her knowledge to train new writers and other compliance members on the intricacies of compliance across multiple brands and partners.
Olivia Mittak is a credit cards editor at TPG. She specializes in maximizing earn for points and miles, finding the best welcome bonuses and choosing the right credit cards for your wallet.
also contributed to this story
May 12, 2025 • 11 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Editorial note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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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.
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Quick summary
A popular mid-tier travel rewards card is highlighted for its versatile points, strong travel protections and broad redemption options.
The card is positioned as ideal for average travelers seeking meaningful travel benefits without premium-level extras or high costs.
Notable features include a manageable annual fee, a valuable welcome bonus, and flexible point transfers to major airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Additional perks such as a complimentary food delivery membership, hotel credit and primary rental car insurance add to its appeal.
What to consider
The welcome bonus requires a significant spend within three months to qualify.
Point transfers to one major hotel program will shift to a less favorable ratio for new cardholders after June 15, 2026 and for all others after Oct. 1, 2026.
Some benefits, such as the complimentary food delivery membership, require activation by Dec. 31, 2029.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of earning categories, redemption strategies and real-world examples of maximizing travel rewards with this card.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
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.
At TPG, we love the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees). It was the first travel rewards credit card for many of us and remains one of the cards we can’t live without.
We love that it earns versatile Chase Ultimate Rewards points and has our backs if something goes wrong while we’re traveling. It’s perfect for the average traveler who takes one or two big trips a year and wants travel benefits but doesn’t need the extras that come with a more premium travel card.
While many of us have upgraded to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) as our travel habits have evolved, the Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to be one of the top cards we recommend to beginners and anyone looking for a solid set of travel benefits.
Here’s why we consider the Sapphire Preferred the best card for the average traveler.
You may be skeptical of annual fees if you’re new to credit card rewards. But when you have a strong card with a manageable fee, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred, it’s easy to make up the difference so that you aren’t actually paying anything out of pocket for the card each year.
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If you're like TPG credit cards editor Olivia Mittak and use DoorDash frequently, you'll get all of your Sapphire Preferred's annual fee back with some to spare through its complimentary DoorDash DashPass benefit (activate by Dec. 31, 2029).
Since a DashPass membership costs $9.99 each month, using your Sapphire Preferred's complimentary membership would get you $120 a year in value. Since the Sapphire Preferred costs $95 a year, you'd be in the green by $25.
That's not even factoring in this card's $100 annual hotel credit for Chase Travel℠ bookings and the value of the Ultimate Rewards points you'll earn.
New cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
While spending $5,000 in just three months may sound like a hard task for some budgets, there are plenty of ways you can meet the minimum spend requirement to unlock the welcome bonus.
According to TPG’s July 2026 valuations, this welcome bonus is worth a whopping $1,538 in travel rewards. With 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points at your disposal, you have a ton of redemption options.
You won't stop earning those valuable points when you're done earning the Sapphire Preferred's welcome offer. This card has some of the best earning rates of any mid-tier card available.
The welcome bonus gives you a great start toward earning the points necessary for your next vacation, but it isn’t the only way to earn points. You'll earn points on a wide range of common purchases, including:
5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel (excluding the $100 hotel credit)
5 points per dollar spent on Lyft purchases (through September 2027)
5 points per dollar spent on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $150 or more (through December 2027, with a limit of 25,000 bonus points)
3 points per dollar spent on gas and electric vehicle charging
2 points per dollar spent on all other travel not booked through Chase Travel
1 point per dollar spent on everything else
Chase’s dining category is incredibly broad. Many issuers restrict dining purchases to just standard restaurants and maybe fast food, but Chase also includes bars, breweries, university dining halls, vending machines and even some restaurant delivery services like DoorDash and Grubhub.
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The travel category is also quite generous. You'll earn bonus points on typical travel purchases like hotels and airfare, but you'll also earn on purchases that other popular travel cards don't cover. These include ferries, toll bridges, parking garages, discount travel sites and some campgrounds.
In addition to flexibility in what earns bonus rewards, the Sapphire Preferred offers flexibility in how you can redeem your points.
As of May 2025, TPG values Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each. That's because Chase has many valuable travel partners that give you access to all three major airline alliances and three different hotel brands (IHG, Marriott and Hyatt).
For Sapphire Preferred Card holders, Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to most of its partners at a 1:1 ratio, with World of Hyatt being the exception. (Chase points transfer to World of Hyatt at a 4:3 ratio for new cardholders as of June 15, 2026 and beginning Oct. 1, 2026 for all other cardholders.) Many of these transfers process almost instantly.
Transferring your points to airline partners is key if you want to fly business or first class internationally, but it offers real value to those who prefer travel without bells and whistles, too.
For example, you could transfer just 10,800 Ultimate Rewards points to United and book a one-way economy flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) on select dates this August.
Many TPGers, including TPG senior credit cards editor Giselle Gomez, use their Ultimate Rewards points for Hyatt redemptions. Some of her best recent redemptions weren't for hard-to-snag international flights or world-class luxury hotels but instead to fulfill her MLB park bucket list.
Your Ultimate Rewards points are great for booking domestic hotels, like the Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade. GISELLE GOMEZ/THE POINTS GUY
If you want to start with something easier, you can redeem your points for up to 1.75 cents each (depending on the specific redemption) when booking through Chase Travel (see your rewards program agreement for full details). This redemption rate is generally a good deal if you’re booking economy awards or standard room rates. Just keep in mind that you won't earn elite night credits when booking hotels through Chase Travel.
Another bonus to booking airfare, especially through the portal, is that airlines consider your redemption cash. That means your points will also cover any taxes and fees associated with your flight.
Up to $100,000 in emergency evacuation and transportation coverage
This card also comes with primary rental car insurance — a rarity for any card, let alone a mid-tier card. Note that your Sapphire Preferred's insurance policies may have additional terms, so make sure to check your card's guide to benefits for full details.
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TPG credit cards writer Augusta Stone recently used her Sapphire Preferred's trip cancellation insurance to cover a missed hotel stay. Thanks to her card's coverage, she saved almost $250.
The Sapphire Preferred also comes with a $100 hotel credit for bookings made through Chase Travel. This credit is great for booking boutique hotels that aren't part of a major hotel loyalty program, or if there isn't great award availability for your stay. Giselle used this credit in addition to transferring her points to Hyatt for her bucket list baseball trip.
Most average travelers probably don’t have 15-plus credit cards in their wallet, which means the cards you have need to make an impact. The Chase Sapphire Preferred can easily be paired with Chase's no-annual-fee cash-back cards to help you maximize your earning potential across spending categories, without adding hundreds of dollars in annual fees to your plate.
The rewards you earn on the Chase Freedom Flex® (see ) and Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see ) can't be transferred to partners without help from a card like the Sapphire Preferred.
With the Sapphire Preferred in your wallet, you can move the rewards you earn from either of the Freedom cards to the Chase Sapphire Preferred to take advantage of transfer partners or an increased redemption rate through Chase Travel.
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The Chase Freedom Flex has rotating quarterly bonus categories that earn 5% cash back on the first $1,500 you spend each quarter you activate, while the Chase Freedom Unlimited earns at least 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Both cards also earn 5% back on Chase Travel and 3% back on dining at restaurants and drugstores. Neither card has an annual fee.
The Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited can help fill gaps in your wallet that the Sapphire Preferred can't cover. Common quarterly categories for the Freedom Flex that aren't included among the Sapphire Preferred's bonus categories include Amazon, PayPal, gyms and charity donations.
The Freedom Unlimited can cover any purchases that don't fall into the Sapphire Preferred or Freedom Flex's bonus categories.
The points and miles world isn’t just for those who travel for work or spend all of their free time on the road. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the average traveler can earn valuable points that can turn into flights and/or hotel stays for a much-deserved vacation.
Having the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great first step to exploring the world through award travel. If you're sold on this being the right card for you, don't wait. The card's best offer this year will be gone soon, and you don't want to miss out.
