Chase Sapphire Categories: A Guide to Earning More

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The Chase Sapphire categories are a great way to earn more rewards on your everyday purchases. You can earn up to 3X points on travel and dining purchases.

To maximize your earnings, it's essential to understand the categories and how they work. The Chase Sapphire categories include travel, dining, and grocery stores, among others.

By using your Chase Sapphire card for these purchases, you can earn a significant amount of points. For example, if you spend $1,000 on dining purchases in a single quarter, you can earn up to 30,000 points, which is equivalent to $300 in travel rewards.

Make sure to keep track of your purchases and categories to ensure you're earning the most points possible.

Card Basics

The Chase Sapphire cards have a range of annual fees, from $95 for the Chase Sapphire Preferred to $550 for the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a sign-up bonus of 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 5 points per $1 spent on all travel purchased through Chase.

Here's a breakdown of the ongoing rewards for the Chase Sapphire Preferred:

  • 5 points per $1 spent on all travel purchased through Chase.
  • 3 points per $1 spent on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout).
  • 3 points per $1 spent on select streaming services.
  • 3 points per $1 spent on online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
  • 2 points per $1 spent on travel not purchased through Chase.
  • 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee, and earns 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels (excluding The Edit) and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has an ongoing APR of 20.74%-27.74% Variable APR.

Rewards and Bonuses

The Chase Sapphire cards are known for their generous rewards and bonuses, making them a great choice for travelers and everyday spenders. With the Sapphire Preferred, you can earn 3x points on dining purchases and 2x points on travel purchases.

The Sapphire Reserve takes it to the next level with 3x points on travel and dining, and even higher rates for hotel and car rental purchases through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. You can earn 10x points on hotels and car rentals, and 5x points on flights.

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One of the most exciting benefits of the Sapphire cards is the ability to redeem points for travel and get more value in return. With the Sapphire Preferred, you can get 25% more value when redeeming points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.

The Sapphire Reserve offers an even better deal, with 50% more value when redeeming points for travel. This means you can get even more out of your points when booking airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, and cruises through the travel portal.

Here's a quick comparison of the rewards and bonuses offered by the Sapphire cards:

Keep in mind that these rates apply after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually with the Sapphire Reserve.

Benefits and Perks

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a versatile option for travelers, offering benefits that are hard to find at a similar price point.

One of the key benefits is the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, which is a powerful tool for redeeming points.

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The card offers a wide range of redemption options, including travel, dining, and shopping.

You can also transfer your points to popular airline and hotel loyalty programs.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has no foreign transaction fees, making it a great option for international travelers.

This means you can use your card abroad without incurring additional fees.

The card also offers a 60,000-point bonus after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

Rewards Categories

The Chase Sapphire cards have some amazing rewards categories that can help you earn points quickly. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can earn 3x points on dining and 2x points on travel.

The bonus categories on the Chase Sapphire cards apply globally, so you can earn points on purchases made abroad without worrying about foreign transaction fees. This is a huge perk for travelers.

One important thing to note is that the bonus categories are subject to individual merchant categorization, so some businesses may not have the categories you'd expect. This can be frustrating, but it's not a deal-breaker.

Credit: youtube.com, NEW Chase Sapphire Bonus Categories for 3Q 2020 - Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred

Here are some of the rewards categories you can expect with the Chase Sapphire cards:

  • Dining: 3x points on dining purchases, including sit-down or eat-in dining, fast food restaurants, and fine dining establishments.
  • Travel: 2x points on travel purchases, including airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, and more.
  • Select streaming services: 3x points on select streaming services, including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, and more.
  • Online grocery stores: 3x points on online grocery stores, excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs.
  • Chase Travel: 5x points on airfare, hotels, car rentals, vacation rentals, and cruises booked through Chase Travel.

These rewards categories can help you earn points quickly and redeem them for travel, dining, and other rewards. Just remember to always check the individual merchant categorization and terms to ensure you're earning the points you expect.

Comparison and Review

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a versatile and valuable choice for travelers, earning rewards in the form of Ultimate Rewards points that can be transferred to loyalty programs like United Airlines and Marriott.

One of the key benefits of this card is its ability to be used strategically for travel, allowing you to reap big value from your rewards.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is not the easiest card to use, but it's a go-to card for travelers who enjoy finding ways to maximize their rewards.

Other benefits of this card include its annual fee, which is $95, and its compatibility with other Chase cards that also earn Ultimate Rewards points.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is another option to consider, but it has some key differences compared to the Preferred card.

Credit Card Details

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has an annual fee of $95, which is relatively affordable compared to other travel credit cards.

You can earn rewards in the form of Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to loyalty programs like United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Marriott, and Hyatt.

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, you can earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel, but only after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card comes with a higher annual fee of $550, plus $75 for each authorized user.

Complementary Cards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is an excellent companion to other cards in the Chase Ultimate Rewards family. You can move points to this card from your other cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards, potentially opening up more redemption options.

Consider pairing it with the Chase Freedom Flex, which earns 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories in addition to rewards for other spending. This can help you earn even more rewards.

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card allows you to transfer points to other loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio, or redeem them for 1.25 cents apiece when booking travel through Chase. This can be a great way to get more value out of your points.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve have had their rewards, perks, and bonuses tweaked over the years to keep them competitive.

Sean Dooley

Lead Writer

Sean Dooley is a seasoned writer with a passion for crafting engaging content. With a strong background in research and analysis, Sean has developed a keen eye for detail and a talent for distilling complex information into clear, concise language. Sean's portfolio includes a wide range of articles on topics such as accounting services, where he has demonstrated a deep understanding of financial concepts and a ability to communicate them effectively to diverse audiences.

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