There are many factors to consider when choosing a travel credit card.
Middle level Chase Sapphire Priority® Card (See Rates and Fees) is a great option to collect valuable Chase Ultimate Reward Points and enjoy precious Ultimate Reward Points for a relatively low annual fee of $95. Sapphire Preference is one of our favorite travel beginner cards for these reasons.
However, sapphire preference is not for everyone. If you want a perk like lounge access or multiple statement credit, this card may be insufficient for you.
Let’s dive into the benefits of this card to help you determine if you should (or shouldn’t) apply.
Key Benefits
Let’s first review the greatest sustained benefits Sapphire prefers.
Additionally, new applicants can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months of opening an account.
According to TPG’s September 2025 valuation, the offer is worth $1,538.
Additionally, the card provides a reliable revenue rate:
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- Spend 5 points per dollar on a trip booked through Chase Travel (excluding $50 hotel credit)
- Spend 5 points per dollar on Lyft purchase (as of September 2027)
- Spend $150 or above per 5 dollars on Peloton equipment and accessories (limited to 25,000 bonus points as of December 2027)
- Spend 3 points per dollar on dining, featured streaming services and online grocery shopping (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- Spend 2 points per dollar on all trips instead of booking by chasing trips
- Spend 1 cent per dollar
Travel partners who transfer points to Chase can unlock extraordinary value for flights and hotels. If you choose to redeem points via Chase Travel, you can earn up to 1.5 cents of up to 1.5 cents in selected hotels and receive 1.75 cents per flight using selected airlines, thanks to points improving redemption features.
Related: How My Chase Sapphire Saves Me Nearly $250 in Cancellation Trip
Who should make sapphire prefer?
After considering the benefits of the card, it’s time to decide whether to Sapphire prefers Meaning. Here are some reasons why you might want to add this card.
You are looking for the first card for each fee
Many beginners believe that they need to avoid having a card that is fully paid. But if you’ve already started using one of our favorite cards without an annual fee and are ready to take the next step in the world of points and miles, Sapphire Preferred is a great option.
That’s because its $95 annual fee is relatively low, especially if you consider chasing the value of points.
You have a chase card
If you already have Chase FreedomFlex® (See rates and fees) or Chase for Freedom® (See rates and fees).
Combining your preferred sapphire with one (or two) of these cards is one of the best ways to maximize your perspective.
The final rewards program allows you to freely transfer points between participating cards. As a result, dots on the two free cards that are usually only redeemed for cashback can be sent to your sapphire preferred account, increasing its value immediately.
You are a small business owner with ink
If you are a business owner Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (See Rates and Fees), Ink BusinessPreferred® Credit Card or Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (See Rates and Fees) You can use the same strategy as the Free Card.
While we recommend separating business and personal expenses, you can combine business and personal rewards.
The preferred information for ink business is collected independently by partners. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
You currently have no card to win a chase point
Chase’s Ultimate Rewards Program is one of the most profitable programs, especially if you know how to redeem points for maximum value.
If you don’t currently have a card for the program, then Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great start. As mentioned above, the card comes with valuable welcome bonuses, a reliable income rate and several additional allowances, and sells for $95.
Related: The Power of Chase Trifecta: Maximize your revenue with 3 cards
Who shouldn’t make sapphire prefer?
Although many travelers should apply Sapphire preferscertain types of travelers should not purchase this card. Here are some reasons why this card may not be suitable for you.
You want access to the lounge or quality allowance
Sapphire’s preferred low annual fee means it doesn’t come with luxury items like airport lounge access and elite identity.
If you value these privileges, consider their quality counterparts Chase SapphireReserve® (See rates and fees).
The highest privileges include Chase Sapphire Airport Lounge Access and Priority Pass featured memberships, which are not included in Sapphire Preferred.
Sapphire Reserve also offers valuable statement credits for travel purchases, editing luxury hotel reservations, exclusive dining opportunities.
You currently have sapphire reserves
While you can hold sapphire preferences at the same time as Sapphire Reserve, if you currently hold Sapphire Reserve, you cannot get the bonus of sapphire preferred.
This is because Chase changed its sapphire card bonus eligibility requirements after its Sapphire Reserve refresh in June.
You have received a Sapphire-first welcome bonus
Along these lines, if you have previously held a card and received a bonus, you won’t get the current bonus of Sapphire’s preferred choice.
Because so many sapphire preference values can be found in its welcome quotes, if you already have it, it doesn’t make sense right now.
In the past 24 months
The person who should not apply for sapphire preferences is the person who will be affected by the chasing 5/24 rule.
If you are unfamiliar, Chase will usually reject your application if you have opened five or more new credit cards in the past 24 months (and therefore the “5/24” name).
Related: Want to open a new chase card? This is how to calculate the 5/24 stand
Bottom line
this Sapphire prefers It is a great choice to explore travel rewards more deeply. It offers many opportunities to redeem valuable rewards for points that go far beyond the rewards offered by simple, fixed value cards.
That is, this is not the best choice for those who value high-quality card allowances. Consider your travel and spending habits to determine if the card is appropriate.
To learn more, read our full review of Chase Sapphire’s preferred choice.
Apply here: Sapphire prefers
