6 ways to maximize the Chase Sapphire Preferred as a beginner
When I opened the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) a year ago, I had no idea how quickly it would become my go-to tool for earning travel rewards — or how much value I’d be able to unlock right away.
Since then, I’ve used it to book international flights, navigate unexpected travel hiccups and learn how to stretch points far more than I imagined when I first applied.
Whether you’re new to earning travel rewards or recently picked up the card yourself, here are six beginner-friendly ways to make the most of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Related: After more than 15 years, why the Chase Sapphire Preferred should still be your first rewards card
Use the welcome bonus to help cover your next trip
Earning a welcome bonus is one of the easiest ways for beginners to kick-start their points and miles journey, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred gives new cardholders the chance to earn a meaningful amount of Chase Ultimate Rewards points after meeting the minimum spending requirement.
Because Chase Ultimate Rewards points hold strong value and offer flexible redemption options, that welcome bonus can stretch surprisingly far. A substantial stash of points can easily cover a domestic round-trip, multiple hotel nights or even part of an international itinerary.
Right now, new cardmembers can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months — a strong offer that averages just under $1,670 in spending per month.
If you transfer those points to one of Chase’s airline or hotel partners, the bonus is worth about $1,538, according to TPG’s December 2025 valuations.
When I earned my 60,000-point welcome offer in 2024 (no longer available), I quickly built on it with everyday spending and ended up with 100,000 points in a few months, which was enough to cover a large portion of a three-week trip to Europe. Some of my redemptions included:
- 15,000 points for a nonstop flight on Air France from Washington, D.C., to Paris
- 8,000 points for a nonstop flight on Swiss from Zurich to Ljubljana, Slovenia
- 49,500 points for a three-night stay at IHG's Hotel Indigo Florence in Italy
One of the most exciting parts of starting your travel card journey with the Sapphire Preferred is watching your points transform into flights and hotel stays. Making my first travel redemptions taught me just how powerful a single welcome bonus can be — especially when you’re beginning your points and miles journey.
Related: How I turned 100,000 Chase points into a multicountry European trip
Use the card for everyday spending to consistently earn points
Another reason why the Chase Sapphire Preferred works so well for beginners is its simple high-value earning structure across categories most people spend in every day.
Some of its key earning rates include:
- 5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ (excluding purchases that qualify for the $50 hotel credit)
- 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft purchases (through September 2027)
- 3 points per dollar spent on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases
- 2 points per dollar spent on all other travel not booked through Chase Travel
- 1 point per dollar spent on everything else
As a new cardholder, the easiest way to build your points balance is simply to use the card for your everyday purchases.
During my first six months with the card, I put nearly every purchase on it and watched my points balance grow rapidly — all from transactions I would have made anyway.
It’s a good reminder that you don’t need a complicated strategy or a wallet full of cards to maximize value. Consistently putting your regular spending on one strong card is enough to grow a meaningful points balance while you learn how the system works.
Related: I thought I'd hardly use my Sapphire Preferred, then it became one of my go-to cards
Take advantage of the card’s built-in travel protections
One of the Chase Sapphire Preferred's most underrated benefits is its suite of travel protections that can save you hundreds of dollars if something goes wrong on a trip. These include primary rental car coverage, trip delay reimbursement and baggage delay insurance — perks many beginners don’t realize they have.
I learned the value of these protections firsthand after getting into a minor accident in a rental car.
It’s the kind of situation you never think will happen, but because I’d paid for the rental with my Sapphire Preferred, I knew the card’s primary rental car coverage was there to handle any damage. In the end, I didn’t need to use the benefit since I wasn’t at fault, but having that peace of mind in the moment was a benefit all its own.
The card’s trip delay reimbursement is another standout feature. If your flight is delayed by a qualifying number of hours or overnight, you can be reimbursed for essential expenses like meals and lodging, making an unexpectedly long travel day far less stressful.
For a card with a modest $95 annual fee, these protections offer outsize value, especially if you’re traveling internationally, renting cars or just want added security when you’re away from home.
Related: Chase Sapphire rental car insurance: What it covers and how to file a claim
Transfer points to travel partners for higher-value redemptions
One of the most powerful features of the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the ability to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners, including United MileagePlus, World of Hyatt, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and British Airways Club, at a 1:1 ratio.
Since Ultimate Rewards points are currently worth 2.05 cents each, according to TPG's December 2025 valuations, these transfers are often where beginners unlock the highest value.
Transferring points can feel intimidating at first — I hovered over the “confirm” button longer than I care to admit on my first transfer — but the process is surprisingly simple. And once you do it, the door opens to flights and hotel nights that would cost significantly more if you paid cash.
Transfer bonuses make this perk even better. For example, I recently took advantage of a 25% Chase to Air France-KLM Flying Blue bonus, which meant I only needed to transfer 15,000 Ultimate Rewards points for an overseas flight that required 18,750 Flying Blue miles.
Moments like that highlight just how far your points can go when you know how to take advantage of the right opportunities.
If you’re new to the Sapphire Preferred, think of transfers as a next-step skill — something you don’t need to master immediately but one that becomes incredibly rewarding as you grow more confident with your points.
Related: How to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United MileagePlus
Book travel through Chase Travel for simplicity
If you’re not quite ready to transfer points (or just prefer not to), the Chase Travel portal is one of the most beginner-friendly ways to use your rewards. As a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card holder, you have access to Chase’s Points Boost feature, which increases the value of your points when booking through the portal.
With Points Boost, Sapphire Preferred Card holders can redeem their Ultimate Rewards points on select hotels and flights at up to 1.5 cents apiece and premium cabin flights on select airlines at up to 1.75 cents apiece, all without needing to learn airline or hotel transfer partners.
I recently used Chase’s Points Boost feature for a three-night stay at Hotel Indigo Florence in Italy — a booking that would have cost nearly $800 in cash. By using Chase Travel, I was able to book the stay for just over 49,000 points plus fees, getting solid value without the hassle of transferring points.
While transferring points can sometimes unlock even higher value, the Chase Travel portal remains the most straightforward way to get reliable, predictable returns on your points, especially for beginners or anyone who wants to keep things simple.
Related: I'm a Sapphire Preferred Card holder: Here's my Chase Travel Points Boost strategy
Use additional perks for everyday value
Beyond its well-known travel benefits, the Chase Sapphire Preferred also comes with everyday perks that add real value, even if you’re not traveling frequently.
These benefits can help offset the annual fee and give beginners more reasons to keep the card at the front of their wallet. Key perks include:
- DoorDash benefits
- Exclusive access to Chase Offers
- Shopping and dining promotions
One of my personal favorite (and most used) perks is the complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership, valid through Chase’s partnership until Dec. 31, 2027 (depending on your activation date). Since DashPass normally costs $9.99 per month (or $96 annually), this benefit covers the card’s $95 annual fee on its own.
DashPass gets you $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12, plus 5% back in DoorDash credits on eligible pickup orders. Pair that with the card’s 3 points per dollar spent on dining, and you’re stacking everyday value: You save on fees while earning points you can later redeem for travel.
When you combine these perks with the card’s strong earning rates and reliable travel protections, it’s easy to see why the Chase Sapphire Preferred remains one of the best starter travel cards for beginners.
Related: Your complete guide to Chase and DoorDash
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Preferred stands out as one of the best beginner travel cards because it’s easy to use from Day 1, delivers immediate value and offers the flexibility to unlock even more as you learn the world of points and miles.
Start with the basics by using it for everyday spending, exploring the Chase Travel portal and taking advantage of built-in perks, and move into point transfers and more advanced strategies when you’re ready.
A year after opening the card, I’m still discovering new ways to maximize it. For beginners, that’s exactly what makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred such a smart and reliable place to start.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card