Which Purchases Count as Travel on Chase Sapphire Preferred?
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
TPG reader Nik tweeted me to ask:
@thepointsguy—"I'm taking my Chase Sapphire Preferred card to Japan in April. Does the whole trip count as travel for double points since it's overseas?"
Nik, heading to Japan in April will be a great trip. I was just there recently and had a wonderful time, and so will you. While taking your Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a great idea (thanks to no foreign transaction fees), not every purchase outside of the United States counts as travel (don't we all wish).
"airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, campgrounds, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, operators of passengers trains, buses, taxis, limos, ferrys, tolls, bridges, highways, and parking lots and garages."
If you use your Sapphire Preferred for spending in any of those categories, you'll earn double Ultimate Rewards points. Chase provides very good customer service, so if you ever spend in those categories and don't earn a bonus, you can always call and take it up with a phone representative. So long as your request is reasonable, chances are good that it will be honored.
Chase just recently refreshed the Ultimate Rewards website, where you can monitor your account and check each transaction to see whether it counted for double points.
Have a great trip to Japan, and remember to use your Chase card for dining as well as travel expenses!
If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook, or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app