Chase Sapphire Perks and Benefits Explained

The Chase Sapphire credit card is a popular choice for travelers and foodies alike, and for good reason. It offers a range of perks and benefits that can help you save money and earn rewards.

One of the biggest benefits of the Chase Sapphire card is its sign-up bonus, which can be as high as 60,000 points. This can be redeemed for travel, merchandise, or cash back.

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you'll earn 2X points on travel and dining purchases, and 1X point on all other purchases. This means you'll earn double points on your favorite restaurants and hotels, and can redeem them for travel or other rewards.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card takes it to the next level, offering 3X points on travel and dining purchases, and a $300 travel credit. This card is perfect for frequent travelers who want to earn rewards and get reimbursed for travel expenses.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers a range of benefits that make it an attractive option for travelers.

The card's generous rewards structure is one of its key benefits, earning you 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel and Lyft Rides, 3X points on dining and select streaming services, and 2X points on general travel.

You can redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards points for cash back, statement credits, merchandise, and gift cards, or transfer them to popular airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio.

One of the standout features of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is its sign-up bonus of 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Additionally, new cardholders can get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel℠ purchases in the first year.

Here are the key benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card at a glance:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a range of travel perks that can save you money and make your travels more enjoyable. You can get a $50 hotel credit each year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, which can be a big help when booking hotels.

Discover more: Chase Sapphire Reserve Hotel Partners

One of the most significant travel perks is the Annual Travel Credit, which can reimburse up to $300 of your travel expenses. This can be a huge benefit if you charge a lot of travel expenses to your credit card each year.

You can also earn bonus points on travel purchases, including airfare, hotels, car rentals, and more. Here are the details on how you can earn points:

Additionally, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers no foreign transaction fees, which can save you 1-3% in fees on purchases made abroad. This can add up to a significant amount over time, especially if you travel frequently.

You might enjoy: Chase Freedom Credit Card International Fees

Traveling abroad can be expensive enough without getting hit with surprise fees on your credit card statement. You won't be charged foreign transaction fees on purchases made in a foreign currency with many top travel credit cards, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

This can save you 1-3% in fees, which might not seem like a lot, but it can add up quickly, especially if you're making large purchases. Having no foreign transaction fees as a benefit will help protect you from being surprised upon your return from your trip.

Paying in the local currency can also help you get a more favorable conversion rate between the local currency and the U.S. dollar from Chase than from the bank that is processing the payment. This can save you even more money on your transactions.

If you charge everything outside your home country, you can save around 3% in fees, which is equivalent to $90 per month on a $3,000 budget, $120 per month on a $4,000 budget, and $150 per month on a $5,000 budget. This can be a significant savings over time.

Take a look at this: Chase Bank Foreign Currency Conversion Fees

You can earn a $50 hotel credit each year as a cardholder, which can be redeemed for hotel stays booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

This credit is applied as a statement credit, so you'll see it hit your account within a billing cycle or two.

To book a hotel and receive the credit, you'll need to go through the Chase travel portal.

You don't have to redeem points for the remaining balance, but it is an option if you'd rather save the money.

The hotel credit is available on each account anniversary year, so be sure to book your hotel stay around that time to take advantage of it.

You can use the $50 credit to book a hotel with cash through the portal, and then pay the cost with your Chase Sapphire Preferred.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve annual fee can be a bit daunting at first, but it's not as scary as it seems. The fee was $350 when the author first got the card, but they discovered it was almost meaningless because the card provided more than $350 in annual benefits.

The author researched the facts and found that the card's benefits far outweighed the fee. They repeated this process when the fee rose to $550 and still found it to be a great value. The card offers many benefits, but the author only needs and uses a few of them.

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a $300 annual travel credit, which is a great perk for new cardholders. This credit can be earned by booking travel through the issuer's portal within the first year of using the card. Considering the card's $95 annual fee, this is an incredibly generous offer.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve also offers an Annual Travel Credit benefit, which reimburses $300 of eligible travel expenses charged to the card annually. This means that cardholders can get a $300 credit on their statement each year.

If you're a Sapphire Preferred cardholder, you've got a great perk on your hands - a complimentary DashPass subscription. This means you'll get access to no delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders for at least one year.

To activate your DashPass subscription, you need to do so by December 31, 2027.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a powerhouse of a card when it comes to earning points on your everyday purchases. You'll earn 5x total points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

This means that if you book a flight, hotel, or rental car through the Chase Travel℠ portal, you'll earn a whopping 5 points for every dollar you spend. That's a great way to rack up points quickly.

You'll also earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Whether you're grabbing a quick bite or enjoying a fancy dinner, you'll be earning points.

Here's a breakdown of the bonus points you can earn on various purchases:

These bonus points can add up quickly, especially if you're already making purchases in these categories. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you'll be earning points on your everyday spending, which can be redeemed for travel, cash back, or other rewards.

Travel Assistance is a valuable perk of the Chase Sapphire credit card. Cardholders can request travel and emergency assistance, which can help with medical and legal referrals, cash advances, and transportation assistance.

A unique perspective: Chase Sapphire Roadside Assistance

The cost of services must be paid separately, but arranging them is free. This can be a huge relief when you're on the road and need help.

You can also get reimbursed for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fees. This can save you up to $100 every four years.

You can request travel and emergency assistance services for free, but the cost of services must be paid separately.

Cardholders can call into the hotline to arrange services such as medical and legal referrals, cash advances, and transportation assistance.

Roadside assistance is also available, covering up to $50 for each service event, up to four events per year, in the United States and Canada.

This benefit can be especially useful if you have a membership that covers borrowed and rented autos, like I did.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card offers emergency medical and dental coverage of $2,500, which can be a more robust option than some independent travel insurance plans.

In fact, my independently purchased travel insurance only offers $750 in emergency dental coverage, so I view the Chase coverage as my more comprehensive emergency dental option.

Take a look at this: Which Credit Cards Offer Roadside Assistance

You can get reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and up to $20,000 per trip if your trip is canceled or interrupted for covered reasons.

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance can provide some peace of mind when traveling, especially if you need to cancel a trip at the last minute due to an illness.

This benefit covers pre-paid non-refundable travel expenses, including airfares, tours, and hotels, up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip.

You don't even have to be traveling to use this coverage, and the cardholder and immediate family members are covered.

However, you do have to pay for your travel expenses with your credit card to qualify for this benefit.

My independently purchased travel insurance provides up to $2,500 for trip interruption/cancellation, but that's not enough to cover the cost of a more substantial trip.

That's why I love that my Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card offers a benefit of up to $10,000 per covered person or up to $20,000 per trip if a loss results in cancellation or interruption.

You might like: Chase Trip Cancellation Insurance

Global Entry and Trusted Travel Programs can make a huge difference in your travel experience.

The Global Entry program, which is part of the Trusted Traveler programs, allows for expedited customs and border protection processing when returning to the US.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can receive a reimbursement of the Global Entry application fee, which is $100 every four years.

This can save you a lot of time and hassle when traveling.

For your interest: Global Entry with Chase Sapphire Reserve

You can transfer Chase points to a wide range of airlines and hotels, making it a great way to use your points for travel.

Chase has airline transfer partners in all three major airline alliances, as well as non-alliance airlines like Southwest and Virgin Atlantic.

The points transfer to all travel partners at a 1:1 ratio, making it easy to use your points for travel.

Here are some of the airline transfer partners:

You can also transfer points to hotel loyalty programs like Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG, although Hyatt is generally the best option.

With these transfer partners, you can book flights and hotels for hundreds and hundreds of dollars in free travel.

A unique perspective: Hyatt Business Credit Card Benefits Rental Car Insurance

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can earn Ultimate Rewards points that are worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed for travel booked through Chase. This is a great way to get more value from your points.

One of the best ways to redeem your points is through the Chase Travel Portal, where you can get 1.25 cents per point, or by transferring them to travel partners like Marriott Bonvoy or World of Hyatt. You can also combine points from multiple Ultimate Rewards earning accounts, including Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards.

Here are some key redemption options to consider:

By redeeming your points strategically, you can get even more value from your Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

The Anniversary Boost is a great benefit of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. You'll automatically earn bonus points equal to 10 percent of the total spent from the previous year, which is a nice surprise on your account anniversary.

If you spend $30,000 on your card during a single year, for example, your anniversary point bonus would equal 3,000 points, which is a significant addition to your total points earned.

This bonus is limited to dollars spent, not on total points earned, so you won't get 10% of the total points earned back, just an extra 0.1 point for every dollar you spend.

The Anniversary Boost doesn't apply to extra points earned for bonus categories, so you won't get 0.5 points for every dollar spent through Chase travel, for instance.

The Chase Travel Portal is a great way to redeem your Ultimate Rewards points for travel. You can get a 25% bonus when redeeming your points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal as a Sapphire Preferred cardholder, making your points even more valuable.

One way to use the portal is to book travel directly through it, which can be a good option if you find a great fare sale. You can redeem points at 1.25 cents each, so for example, a $100 flight will cost 8,000 points.

Explore further: Chase Ultimate Rewards Sapphire Reserve

The portal also offers a wide selection of hotels, including non-chain and local chain hotels. This can be a good option if you're looking to book a room for more than two people or a larger suite.

Here are some benefits of booking travel through the Chase portal:

It's always a good idea to compare prices for economy flights or inexpensive business class flights on the portal with what transfer partners would charge.

If you have multiple Chase Ultimate Rewards earning accounts, you can combine points from each card to create a larger pool of points. This means you can combine points from cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited® with points from your Sapphire Preferred card.

The points from your other cards will be combined with your Sapphire Preferred points, turning cash back into travel points that can be transferred to a transfer partner or used on the travel portal.

Additional reading: Chase Freedom Flex Digital Wallet

You can also combine points earned with a business card with the points earned with a personal card. For example, if you have a business card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and a personal card like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, you can combine your points from both cards.

This can potentially get you much more value out of your points by transferring them to Chase's travel partners, such as Hyatt, United Airlines, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and more.

Here's an example of how combining points from multiple cards can work:

Total points: 35,000 points

With 35,000 points, you can transfer them to a travel partner like Hyatt, or redeem them for 1.25 cents each when booking travel through Chase.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has some amazing features that make it a great choice for travelers. You can earn 5X points on purchases when booking through Chase Travel.

One of the standout features is the ability to earn statement credits or bonus points on hotel and non-hotel purchases. For new bookers, you can earn 20,000 points on hotel purchases or 10,000 points on non-hotel purchases, which can be redeemed for travel through Chase.

To qualify, you'll need to spend at least $500 and travel by August 31, 2025. Repeat bookers can earn a $100 statement credit or 10,000 points on hotel purchases, with a lower minimum spend of $400.

You can earn statement credits and bonus points on your Chase Sapphire Preferred card through January 2025.

To earn 20,000 points on hotel purchases, you'll need to book for the first time on Chase Travel directly and spend at least $500.

You can earn a $100 statement credit or 10,000 points on hotel purchases booked through Chase Travel if you've recently booked travel with the card.

The minimum spend for this offer is lower at $400, and points are a better option as you'll get a value of 1.25 cents per point when booking through Chase Travel.

You'll earn 5X points on these purchases when using the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, regardless of whether you're booking for the first time or you're a repeat booker.

Discover more: Chase Sapphire Preferred 5x Travel

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a lot going for it, but you can squeeze even more value out of it by following these tips.

Booking travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal will earn you 5X points for each dollar you spend, and you'll also get a $50 hotel credit for bookings through the portal.

A unique perspective: Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Portal

You can transfer points to Chase's airline and hotel partners, which include popular programs like British Airways, Southwest Rapid Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy, increasing the value of your points.

Chase Offers is a program that allows you to earn cash back on eligible purchases, and you can add offers to your card before making a purchase.

Using the card to pay for travel automatically qualifies you for a range of included travel protections, such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, and trip delay coverage.

To maximize the benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, consider combining points from other Chase cards, such as the Chase Freedom Flex℠, to transfer them to Chase's travel partners.

Here are some Chase travel statement credits and bonus points to keep in mind:

These offers are available on eligible bookings made through Chase Travel, and you'll need to meet certain spend and travel requirements to qualify.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a range of protection and insurance benefits that can give you peace of mind when making purchases or traveling.

Purchase protection covers new purchases made with the card for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. This benefit applies to both the cardholder and the recipients of gifts purchased by the cardholder.

Extended warranty protection adds an extra year to the U.S. manufacturer's warranty on eligible items, covering up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account. Most purchases are eligible, as long as the original warranty is three years or less.

The card also offers rental car coverage, which provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad. This means you won't need to file a claim with your personal auto insurance if you incur damages to the rental car.

For more insights, see: Does Discover Credit Card Have Price Protection

Baggage delay insurance reimburses you up to $100 per day for up to five days when a baggage delay of at least six hours occurs, as long as you pay for your travel expenses with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Travel and emergency assistance services are also available, which can help with medical and legal referrals, cash advances, transportation assistance, and other services.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers purchase protection against damage or theft for up to 120 days, with a $500 per claim and $50,000 per account limit.

This protection applies to items purchased by the cardholder, as well as items purchased by the cardholder but gifted to someone else.

You can file a claim for reimbursement if a covered item needs repair or replacement within the defined coverage timeline.

The purchase protection is a great benefit, especially when purchasing small but expensive items like headphones or cell phones that could be easily damaged or stolen, especially when traveling.

The maximum coverage per claim is $500, but it's still a huge help if you need to replace a stolen or damaged item.

This protection can provide peace of mind when making purchases, knowing that you're covered in case something goes wrong.

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Rental car coverage is a fantastic benefit that comes with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. You can decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card.

The coverage is primary, meaning you won't need to file a claim with your personal auto insurance if you incur damages to the rental car. This can save you a lot of hassle and paperwork.

Rental car coverage provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad. You can use this benefit with any major rental car company.

However, this coverage doesn't extend to car sharing platforms like Turo, so be sure to check the rental agreement before using your card.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement is a valuable benefit offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card. It provides coverage for lost luggage up to $3,000, which is more robust than what you might get from independent travel insurance.

A fresh viewpoint: Chase Bank Number for Lost Debit Card

You can receive reimbursement for lost luggage due to loss, damage, or theft. This benefit is separate from baggage delay insurance, which covers delays of six hours or more.

To be eligible for this benefit, you must pay for at least part of your fare with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. This is in addition to any coverage you may have from independent travel insurance.

I've experienced firsthand the value of this benefit. During a trip to Europe, my bag was delayed for 40 days, and I had to purchase new clothes and toiletries. Chase cut me a check for $500 to reimburse me for these expenses.

Here are the details of the Lost Luggage Reimbursement benefit:

You can get emergency medical and dental services with your Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, which can be a lifesaver when you're traveling.

The card offers a $2,500 benefit that covers both medical and dental expenses.

Cardholders can request these services through a hotline, but they'll need to pay for them separately.

This benefit can be especially helpful if you have limited emergency dental coverage, like I do with my independent travel insurance, which only covers $750 in dental expenses.

Related reading: International Airline Program Platinum Card Benefit

If your trip is canceled or interrupted for covered reasons, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and up to $20,000 per trip.

This coverage is available to the cardholder and their immediate family members, and you don't even need to be traveling to use it. However, you do have to pay for your travel expenses with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card to qualify.

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance can reimburse you for pre-paid non-refundable travel expenses, including airfares, tours, and hotels. This benefit provides some peace of mind when traveling.

If you need to cancel a trip at the last minute due to an illness, you'll be eligible to be reimbursed for non-refundable travel expenses.

If this caught your attention, see: Chase Freedom Unlimited Trip Cancellation Insurance