Chase Sapphire Preferred: travel rewards with strong protections

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card is a travel rewards card with a $95 annual fee. It earns Ultimate Rewards® points at elevated rates on travel, dining, gas and several everyday categories, and it includes some of the strongest travel protections available on a card at this price.

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In 2026, Chase added new bonus categories and benefits while keeping the annual fee the same. Below, we explain how the points work, what the card includes and costs, and who gets the most out of it.

How you earn points

• 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel
• 3 points per dollar on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery; gas stations and EV charging; vacation homes at select top brands; select top streaming services; and online grocery (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
• 2 points per dollar on all other travel
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases

Several time-limited promotions add more: 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027, and 5 points per dollar on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 through December 31, 2027. Points don’t expire while your account is open.

How you can use your points

You can redeem points for cash, gift cards and travel through Chase Travel, or use them to pay for purchases. You can also transfer points to 14 airline and hotel partners, including United MileagePlus®, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Flying Blue, JetBlue, Marriott Bonvoy®, World of Hyatt® and IHG®. Redemption values vary by option, and transfer partners often deliver the most value for travelers willing to compare award prices.

Welcome bonus

New cardmembers can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The bonus posts 6 to 8 weeks after you qualify.

Chase notes that you can’t get the card if you currently have one open, and the bonus may not be available if you previously held the card or received its bonus. Chase may also consider how many cards you’ve opened and closed when deciding bonus eligibility. Spending $5,000 in three months is about $1,700 a month, so check that it fits your normal spending before you apply.

Annual credits and benefits

• Up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel
• A statement credit of up to $120 every four years for the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fee
• At least 12 months of complimentary DashPass when activated by December 31, 2027, plus a $10 monthly promo on one non-restaurant DoorDash order
• At least 12 months of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026

Travel and purchase protections

When you pay with the card, you’re covered by a strong set of protections, including:

• Primary auto rental coverage of up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage on most rental vehicles
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $10,000 per traveler and $20,000 per trip
• Trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per traveler when a trip is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay
• Baggage delay insurance of up to $100 a day for 5 days, and lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per traveler
• Emergency evacuation and transportation coverage of up to $100,000 on trips 100 miles or more from home
• Purchase protection for 120 days, up to $500 per item, and one extra year of extended warranty

Restrictions and exclusions apply, and some limits differ for New York residents. Full details are in the card’s Guide to Benefits.

Pros of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Elevated points on travel, dining, gas and several everyday categories
• Points transfer to 14 airline and hotel partners
• Primary rental car coverage and a strong set of travel protections
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• $95 annual fee
• $5,000 spending requirement for the welcome bonus
• Getting the most value from points takes some effort, especially with transfer partners
• No intro APR on purchases or balance transfers

Chase Sapphire Preferred® rates and fees

• Annual fee: $95
• Purchase APR: 19.24% to 27.49% variable, based on the Prime Rate plus a margin
• Intro APR: none
• Foreign transaction fee: none

Eligible cardmembers can use Chase Pay Over Time to split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly payments with a fixed monthly fee instead of interest.

Terms checked in September 2026. Chase notes that offers may vary depending on where you apply and can change over time, so confirm the current terms on Chase’s official website before you apply.

About Chase

The card is issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., part of JPMorgan Chase & Co., the largest bank in the United States. Chase traces its history back to 1799 and offers banking, lending, investing and credit card products for individuals and businesses.

Managing the card

You manage the card through chase.com and the Chase Mobile® app, where you can make payments, track points, redeem rewards and activate benefits like DashPass and Apple TV. If you’re approved, you can add the card to Apple Pay®, Google Pay™ or Samsung Pay and use it the same day. Through Chase Credit Journey®, you can also monitor your credit score and sign up for identity monitoring alerts.

Our take on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a strong fit if you travel at least a few times a year, eat out regularly and want flexible points you can transfer to airlines and hotels. If you book at least one hotel stay through Chase Travel each year, the $100 hotel credit can offset the $95 annual fee on its own, and the travel protections add real value when plans go wrong.

If you rarely travel or prefer simple cash back without comparing redemption options, a no-annual-fee cash back card may serve you better. And like any rewards card, it pays off only if you pay your balance in full, since there’s no intro APR and interest would quickly cancel out your points.

The card is generally aimed at applicants with good to excellent credit. You can check for preapproved offers on Chase’s website before applying.

In the next article, we walk through how to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

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