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In this review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card credit card, we focus on its merits for travel rewards and the many ways you can earn and redeem reward points based on your travel, dining, and general purchases. The card also comes with an excellent welcome offer that further enhances the value. It combines a reasonable annual fee, bonus points for travel, dining and other activities as well as travel protection features.

Card Details to Know Up Front
- Bonus, Fee or FeatureHas or Not
- Has Annual Fee
- Has Balance Transfer Offer
- Has APR Offer
- Cash Back Rewards
- Travel Rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card at a Glance
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card credit card is a travel card that offers high rewards in many different areas, including 5x rewards on travel expenses, 3x rewards on dining and 2x points for all other travel-related purchases. You also receive one point per dollar for all purchases that don’t fall under these categories. This card is a great entry into the Chase Ultimate Rewards program and has a generous welcome offer of 80,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 in the first three months.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
A very good rewards card with no foreign transaction fees and comprehensive travel cover
- ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $95Annual Fee
- 1–2 Points per $1Rewards Rate
- 2xRewards Rate on Air Travel
- 2xRewards Rate on Dining
Pros & Cons Explained
While the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card brings many benefits to the table, we need to look at both its pros and cons to give you a clear picture.
Pros
- BenefitsDescription
- Excellent signup bonusThe Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card credit card offers one of the most enticing welcome offers in the industry. 80,000 bonus points are awarded if you can meet the minimum spending requirement of $4,000 in the first three months of use. This can give you a quick head start on points.
- High rate of rewardsThis card provides five rewards points for every dollar spent on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards, three points for every dollar spent on select streaming services, dining and grocery purchases and two points per dollar for all other travel-related purchases.
- Flexible redemptionYou have many ways of redeeming your rewards points. You can book through the Chase travel portal or transfer rewards points to Chase’s travel partners for even more value.
Cons
- DrawbacksDescription
- Complicated categoriesIn order to make the most of this card, you would need to keep track of the relevant bonus categories available on this card. Simpler cards can be much easier to use.
- Annual feeThe card comes with a $95 annual fee. While this is a very low fee compared to some other cards, some competing cards also have no annual fee. Good credit required. You need to have a good-to-excellent credit rating in order to qualify for this card.
MoneyGeek regularly updates its recommendations of credit cards across multiple categories by analyzing current data. While the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is not currently featured in the top cards, you can check out other top travel credit cards of 2022 to see what fits your needs.
Bonuses & Rewards Explained
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred® credit card, travel purchases have significant bonuses. You earn 5x rewards points on all travel purchases made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program. You earn 3x reward points for eligible dining, takeout and delivery services. On other travel purchases, you get 2x reward points. Meanwhile, all other purchases accrue one point per dollar. You can then redeem these points with Chase Ultimate Rewards or transfer them to several hotel and airline partners.
The card also includes a very generous welcome offer of 80,000 points, a value of about $1,250, once you complete $4,000 worth of purchases during the first three months of opening your card account. You can also earn 3x rewards points for grocery expenses and select streaming services.
>>MORE: CHASE ULTIMATE REWARDS: PROGRAM GUIDE
Other Features Explained
Many other features and benefits come bundled with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card credit card, including:
- Card FeatureDescription
- Primary rental car insuranceThe card includes an auto rental collision damage waiver which means you would not need to file a claim with an insurer to receive coverage. This covers physical damage, theft, towing charges and valid loss of use.
- Travel featuresSince this is a travel card, it comes with a plethora of travel-specific features. This includes baggage delay insurance, trip delay insurance and insurance for trip cancellation or interruption. You also have insurance for travel accidents, reimbursement for lost luggage, travel and emergency assistance and complimentary roadside dispatch.
- Purchase protectionNew purchases you make using this card are protected with purchase protection against theft or damage for a period of 120 days, with certain exceptions like used items and antiques. The protection includes up to $500 per claim and up to $50,000 per account.
"You can earn more bonus points by acquiring a separate Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card credit card for each adult member in your household. Earning both referral bonus points and an additional sign-up bonus for your household is a fantastic way to accumulate points for a travel redemption." - Alene Laney, Credit Card Journalist
Understanding the Fine Print
- Card FeatureAmount or Rate
- APR20.99% – 27.99% Variable
- Annual Fee$95
- Cash Back Rewards
- Rewards Rate1–2 Points per $1
- Airline Benefits
Regular APR
This card has no introductory APR offer, so you will have to work with a variable APR of 20.99% – 27.99%, which is quite high compared to other credit cards.
Annual Fee
The card has an annual fee of $95, which is reasonable considering market trends. In fact, you can easily recoup the value of the annual fee with your rewards spending, especially if you are primarily using your card for travel-related expenses.
Other Fees
With this card, you have a balance transfer fee of $5 or 5% of the transfer amount, whichever is greater. You also have a cash advance fee of the greater of $10 or 5% of the transfer amount. There is no foreign purchase transaction fee.
If you want to compare this card with other cards you have or cards we recommended in our top travel cards category, you need to pay attention to the APR and all relevant fees and charges. You can take a look at your billing statement or check the website or mobile app of the card provider. You can also find information through the credit card agreement database maintained by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Who Should & Shouldn’t Consider Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card?
Other Considerations for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Before getting the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card credit card, you need to decide how you plan to use it. Do you want it as your only credit card or should you add it to an existing collection of different types of cards?
Things to Consider if This Will Be Your First or Only Credit Card
If this is your only credit card, keep the annual fee and the high APR in mind. If you do not pay your balance monthly, the high APR would mean having to pay extra. If you frequently book your travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, the high rewards rate can work for you. However, if most of your purchases happen in other categories like grocery, delivery and dining, the rewards rate might not be as appealing.
Things to Consider if This Will Be an Additional Card in Your Wallet
As an additional card, this card can work well if you travel frequently. With no foreign transaction fees, this card is a good choice for international travel, along with all the other travel-focused perks. Similarly, if you have other Chase cards and use the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, the transferable rewards points can give you some good value.
MoneyGeek meticulously verifies and analyzes data while reviewing credit cards. We standardize data points for fair comparisons, estimate average spending profiles, determine long-term value and re-rank regularly. We collect information from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s database.
How Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Compares to Other Cards
This card is a good choice both for casual and frequent travelers who are looking for a streamlined experience with a solid reward accumulation rate with a low annual fee. It stacks up well against the competition. However, it is a good idea to compare it against other cards to see if it is the right fit for you.
In-Depth Credit Card Comparisons:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs American Express® Gold Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Citi Premier® Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Chase Sapphire Preferre ®Card vs Chase Freedom Flex℠
Quick Comparison of Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Annual Fee: $95
- APR : 20.99% – 27.99% variable
- Welcome Bonus Points: 80,000 bonus points by spending $4,000 in the first three months
- Best for: Casual and frequent travelers
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Annual Fee: $95
- APR : 20.74% – 28.74% variable
- Welcome Bonus Points: 75,000 bonus miles by spending $4,000 in the first three months
- Best for: Casual and frequent travelers
Other Helpful Decision-Making Q&As
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card credit card that you might want to know about.
Still not sure about this card? Consider these options.
If you are still not sure about this card, take a look at our top recommended travel cards. If you are not looking for a travel card, you can opt for a rewards card or a balance transfer card instead.
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Learn more about credit cards in general
sources
- Chase. "Sapphire Preferred." Accessed August 29, 2021.
- Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. "Credit card agreement database." Accessed August 29, 2021.
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