Make sure you do these 5 things when you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and card details. 

There’s no question that the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of my all-around favorite credit cards. Before the Chase Sapphire Reserve launched, I used the Sapphire Preferred for years to cover most of my purchases — thanks to the 2x points earned on all travel and dining, two broad categories that cover far more than just the obvious restaurants and hotels.

And those points earned are incredibly valuable with all sorts of redemption options. Add in the current all-time high sign-up bonus — 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening, plus a $50 statement credit on grocery purchases in the first year of account opening — and it’s easily one of the best travel credit cards out there, especially for beginners to points and miles.

If you just got your Chase Sapphire Preferred, make sure you take these steps so that you’re maximizing your card from day one.

New to The Points Guy? Sign up for our daily newsletter and check out our beginner’s guide.

Consider adding an authorized user

Having an authorized user on your Sapphire Preferred account lets you earn points faster and makes it easier to hit the card’s $4,000 spending threshold to earn the current 80,000-point sign-up bonus. It can also enable you to transfer the points to a frequent flyer or hotel program account in the name of one household member who is also an authorized user on your card.

It takes less than a minute to add an authorized user online, and there are a ton of ways to maximize Chase points.

Related: Adding your kids as authorized users to your credit cards

Add your card to takeout and delivery apps

By adding the Chase Sapphire Preferred to delivery services such as Seamless and Grubhub, you’ll maximize your point-earning ability, since you get 2x points on all dining purchases. If you have other cards that earn extra points for dining at restaurants, such as the American Express® Gold Card (4x per dollar spent worldwide), you may want to use those cards instead. Regardless, be sure to add your card to dining rewards programs to earn bonus points for eating at restaurants.

And you definitely don’t want to forget DoorDash! You’ll want to add your card to your account and activate your complimentary year of DashPass as soon as you can so you can start enjoying $0 delivery and reduced service fees on eligible orders.

Related: The best credit cards for dining out, taking out and ordering in

Set the card as your default for future travel purchases

When you pay for travel with the Sapphire Preferred, you’ll earn 2x points for every dollar spent, even on expenses such as E-ZPass tolls and monthly parking. Based on TPG’s valuations, this equals a 4% return on spending.

When taking a Lyft ride charged to your Sapphire Preferred you’ll actually earn 5x points until March 2022.

Chase defines travel very broadly, counting “airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages” as travel for 2x points on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Not only that, but the card comes with some built-in travel protections that make it a really smart choice when booking your next flight, car rental, etc.

Update your rental car profile

Adding your Chase Sapphire Preferred info to your various rental car profiles lets you take advantage of the card’s primary rental car coverage, which will save you a bundle on each car rental. This gives you full coverage for many car rentals around the world. Plus, car rentals count as travel and earn the 2x point bonus, so you’ll get double points and enhanced protections.

As travel starts to return and domestic road trips are being planned, this is an increasingly important step to take.

Complete the Chase Quartet

When the time is right for you, adding the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, Chase Freedom Flex and/or Chase Freedom Unlimited cards, you’ll be able to build your Ultimate Rewards balance more quickly.

With the Ink, for example, you can earn 3x on the first $150,000 spent each account anniversary on travel; shipping purchases; internet, cable and phone services; and advertising purchases made with social media sites.

Meanwhile, the Freedom Unlimited offers 1.5% cash back on purchases, but that cash back comes in the form of Ultimate Rewards points that can be combined with the ones from your other Chase Trifecta cards and transferred to valuable airline and hotel partners.

Finally, the rotating quarterly categories on the Chase Freedom Flex let you earn at 5x points per dollar with specific types of merchants each quarter, on up to $1,500 in spending per quarter. Both the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited also offer 5% back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and 3% back on dining and drugstores.

Remember Chase’s 5/24 rule, under which Chase won’t approve your application for additional credit cards if you’ve opened five or more credit cards (from any bank) in the last two years, and make sure you sign up for these three cards before adding others to your portfolio.

Related: Maximize your wallet with the perfect quartet of Chase cards

Bottom line

Even after 10 years, I still love the Chase Sapphire Preferred as a great card with an annual fee under $100, and I think you will, too. Just be sure to follow the steps above to make sure you’re earning as many points as possible. Your hard work when you get the card can definitely pay off with some epic award trips just around the corner.

Apply here for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card with an 80,000-point bonus.

Featured photo by Isabelle Raphael/The Points Guy.