How to maximize your rewards earning with the Chase Sapphire Preferred

18.05.2024 - 22:59 / thepointsguy.com / Chase Sapphire-Preferred

We often say the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best first credit card for those learning about the points and miles hobby. That's not because the card is a "beginner" card — quite the opposite. Many of us at TPG still have the Sapphire Preferred because it's integral to our travel rewards strategy.

We highlight it for a few reasons:

In fact, right now, new applicants for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card can earn a limited-time bonus of 75,000 Ultimate Reward points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. The card comes with a $95 annual fee, but it's relatively easy to cover it (and then some).

Let's look at how you can maximize the Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits to ensure you're saving the most money — and earning the most points — as organically possible. It'll help you gauge whether the card is worth keeping year after year.

Here are the notable benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred:

You don't have to be a points and miles enthusiast to appreciate the card. These perks make the Chase Sapphire Preferred a very practical card for anyone who vacations even just once or twice per year.

With a $95 annual fee, the travel protections alone make this card worth the price tag. And because the card quickly racks up rewards, you'll have a small fortune in Chase points by the time you're confident enough to use them.

Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred review

The Chase Sapphire Preferred's current limited-time bonus is 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. TPG values that bonus at $1,538 — though you can get significantly more than that if you learn the Chase Ultimate Rewards sweet spots.

But once you've used the bonus, what's the best way to maximize this card?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 5 points per dollar on airfare booked through the Chase travel portal and 2 points per dollar when booked through an online travel agency or directly with the airline. However, amassing points is not the primary motivator for using the card.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred will automatically give you two significant benefits (among others) when booking air travel:

These perks alone are enough for many to keep the card year after year.

Each anniversary year, the Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with a $50 statement credit for a hotel stay booked via the Chase travel portal. You'll also receive 5 points per dollar for booking travel through the Chase travel portal (though the $50 credit won't earn points). That's a great pair of benefits capable of wooing anyone who normally books hotels via an online travel agency like Expedia or Priceline.

Just note that this may not be the best option if you're