Why I chose the Chase Sapphire Preferred as my next credit card

Choosing your next credit card can be a challenge. When I decided to open my fifth credit card, it came down to a showdown between the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and the Bilt Mastercard®. While the rewards and benefits of the Bilt card are appealing, I chose to go with the Sapphire Preferred.

There are many compelling reasons to have the Sapphire Preferred have it in your wallet. Here are the factors that swayed my decision in its favor.

The information for the Bilt Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: 6 reasons the Chase Sapphire Preferred should be your next credit card

Fantastic offer

The Sapphire Preferred has a very appealing welcome offer: Earn 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. TPG values this welcome bonus at $1,538.

It's hard to say no to an offer like this. I hold the Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees) and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees); by combining my earnings on those cards with the Sapphire Preferred, I can obtain even more Ultimate Rewards points. I'm hoping to take my first international trip next year. These points will allow me to make a flight or a hotel redemption through Chase's transfer partners, lowering the overall out-of-pocket cost for my trip.

Related: The best time to apply for these 9 popular travel credit cards

Useful hotel statement credit

This card offers up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠. I don't plan to book hotels through Chase Travel too often; I'll usually get better value by booking directly with the hotel.

That's because if I use Chase Travel to book a stay with a major hotel brand, I won't earn points with that brand's loyalty program. Since I often stay with Hilton, booking directly with them to earn Hilton Honors points makes more sense.

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I'll still pay for that charge with my Sapphire Preferred, ensuring I'll get bonus Ultimate Rewards points on top of hotel points. However, if I'm booking a hotel that doesn't have a loyalty program, I will book through Chase Travel. That's where the Sapphire Preferred's hotel statement credit comes into play.

It's nice to know that I'll still get some kind of benefit when booking with a boutique hotel. The statement credit can reduce the overall cost of my stay, helping me save money for experiences and dining. It makes bookings at nonbranded hotels much more appealing — especially on short trips when the cost of my stay isn't high.

Related: How to use the $50 hotel credit on the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Benefits that fit my lifestyle

As a young professional living in a city, I use DoorDash frequently. Delivery fees and other fees on every order can add up, so DashPass is an important membership for me.

With the Sapphire Preferred, I'll get a complimentary DashPass subscription for at least one year (activate by Dec. 31, 2027). Since an annual DashPass subscription is valued at $96, this benefit alone pays for the Sapphire Preferred's $95 annual fee.

Solid earning rates

As a prospective traveler, I love that the Sapphire Preferred earns 2 points per dollar in spending on travel purchases made outside of Chase Travel. If I book through Chase Travel, I'll earn 5 points per dollar on my purchase. Chase's definition of travel for this card is broad. It includes some purchases you may not expect, like campgrounds, toll bridges and highways, travel agencies and parking garages.

I'm a big fan of the outdoors, so earning bonus points on camping reservations is part of what makes this card so appealing. Regardless of how or where I travel, I know I can rely on the Sapphire Preferred to earn me bonus points.

Since I'll be using the Sapphire Preferred to pay for all my DoorDash orders, it's nice to know that it earns a lot in the dining category. I'll earn 3 points per dollar on dining. My American Express® Gold Card is my go-to card when I dine at restaurants worldwide, but the Sapphire Preferred is still useful at restaurants that don't accept American Express. The Sapphire Preferred doesn't have a foreign transaction fee, so I can also use it as my dining card abroad.

As a city dweller, I don't have a car. I often use ride-hailing apps whenever I need to travel somewhere that's too far to reach on foot. With the Sapphire Preferred, I'll earn 5 points per dollar in spending on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027).

Finally, I love that the Sapphire Preferred earns 3 points per dollar on streaming. Streaming isn't close to my biggest spending category each month, but I want to maximize the points I earn whenever and wherever possible. Earning extra points on my streaming services, like Spotify and ESPN+, greatly benefits me. Since TPG values Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents per point, I'll receive over 6% back on all my streaming purchases.

Related: How to pay less than $4 a month for 4 streaming services

Fits into my larger strategy

As mentioned, I can combine my rewards from the Freedom Flex, Freedom Unlimited and Sapphire Preferred to get greater value. This trio of cards isn't the only way the Sapphire Preferred fits into my bigger points and miles strategy.

I want to optimize my wallet across as many spending categories as possible. Since the Sapphire Preferred has such strong earnings on travel and streaming, I'll use it for all those purchases going forward.

I'll still use my Amex Gold at U.S. supermarkets and as my primary card for restaurants worldwide. I'll use my Freedom Unlimited for all other spending. My Freedom Flex earns bonus points on rotating quarterly categories, such as Amazon and fitness clubs, further strengthening my wallet (activation required).

With my travel, dining, streaming and grocery spending well covered, I can start thinking about other spending categories I want to earn bonus points on. Even though I chose the Sapphire Preferred this time, I still intend to apply for the Bilt Mastercard in the future. That card will allow me to earn points on rent — my largest spending category each month (on up to 100,000 points per calendar year; cardholders must use the card five times each statement period to earn points).

I also want cards with benefits that fit my lifestyle. Since I use food delivery and ride-hailing services a lot, I want cards that offer perks connected to these services. The Sapphire Preferred helps serve this with its complimentary DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027) and 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides (through Sept. 30, 2027). This card is a great step toward having a well-rounded and powerful wallet.

Related: No-annual-fee credit card strategies

Bottom line

The Sapphire Preferred offers great earning categories and useful benefits for an annual fee of just $95. By taking advantage of the complimentary DashPass subscription and hotel statement credit, I can easily get positive value out of this card. The Sapphire Preferred will have a prominent place in my wallet for a long time.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Related: 11 reasons to choose the Sapphire Preferred over the Sapphire Reserve