How dining out and DoorDash can help fund your next trip

It’s been a busy year, and between moving and traveling, I’ve found myself relying on DoorDash, dining out, and online grocery delivery more than usual.

At first, I felt a little guilty that I was spending so much money just for convenience. Then I remembered one of my favorite credit card strategies: use Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See Rates & Fees), earn reward points on dining (including DoorDash) and online grocery orders. What once felt like an indulgent purchase quickly turned into a growing pile of Chase Ultimate Rewards points and a tangible step toward my next trip.

The points I’ve accumulated so far may not cover the entire vacation, but they yes Enough to cover most costs.

Here’s how my daily spending translates into travel savings, and it can do the same for you.

Related: 6 Ways to Maximize the Beginner’s Preferred Chase Sapphire

Turn DoorDash, dining out and online groceries into valuable points

With a cross-country move and a packed schedule, food expenses add up quickly. Here’s an online order at Whole Foods, followed by a night out at a local restaurant—with plenty of DoorDash orders in between. Before I knew it, a huge portion of my monthly budget was going to food.

Luckily, almost all of these purchases were mine Sapphire preferredone of my favorite rewards cards in my wallet.

One of the card’s biggest advantages is the higher earn rate on everyday reward categories, including dining and online groceries.

Here are some of the card’s key earn rates:

• Earn 5 points per $1 spent on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ (excluding $50 hotel credit)
• Earn 3 points per $1 spent on dining, select streaming services and online grocery shopping*
• Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other travel not booked through Chase Travel

*Higher revenue rates for online grocery shopping exclude Target, Walmart and Wholesale Club.

One benefit I didn’t expect to use (or enjoy) so much is DoorDash DashPass. Sapphire Preferred cardholders will receive at least one year of free DashPass membership (requires activation before December 31, 2027), which includes free shipping and reduced service fees on qualifying orders.

Cardholders with an active DashPass membership also receive $10 per month toward non-restaurant DoorDash purchases, which is great for convenience store and grocery orders.

After placing dozens of orders with DoorDash this year, the amount I’ve saved on delivery and service fees alone is huge, and the points add up quickly.

By putting almost all of my dining, DoorDash, and online grocery purchases in Sapphire preferredI earned over 22,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points in 2025. The total is broken down into:

• 20,307 points on dining purchases (including DoorDash)
• 1,829 points on online grocery orders

Based on TPG’s December 2025 valuation, these points are worth approximately $450 when maximized through transfer partners. That’s not enough to cover the cost of an entire vacation, but it’s enough to effectively offset the cost of one.

Related: Your complete guide to Chase and DoorDash

Convert points to trips

After noticing how quickly my points were piling up from everyday dining and grocery purchases, I started dreaming about how I could turn them into an actual trip.

One of the best ways to maximize the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points is to transfer them to one of Chase’s 10 airline and 3 hotel partners, which almost always yields more value than redeeming your points for cash or travel through the portal.

With 22,000 points, I can pay for domestic or international flights or hotel stays that I would otherwise pay with cash. When paired with points from other purchases or welcome bonuses, the points earned on these meals can offset a significant portion of the cost of travel.

Here are a few ways I’m considering using my views:

• Redeem 22,000 United Airlines points on round-trip flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Hawaii’s Allison Onizuka-Kona International Airport (KOA) in March
• Earn 19,000 Air France points on one-way flights from Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Daniel Odubel Queiroz International Airport (LIR) in Costa Rica in April
• Earn 15,000 points when you stay at the Grand Hyatt Berlin for one night in May

Related: How I turned 100,000 Chase points into a multi-country trip in Europe

Tips to Earn More Income from Everyday Spending

Earning income from everyday spending is as easy as swiping a credit card, and you don’t need to drastically change your habits to make this strategy work. Some small tweaks can go a long way:

• Note the bonus categories: Learn which cards pay the most for dining, groceries, and delivery services, and use them intentionally. Even a difference of 1 or 2 percentage points per dollar can add up quickly over time.
• Benefits can be stacked when you can: Take advantage of built-in benefits like DashPass, monthly points, or limited-time promotions. These benefits can save you money and increase the effective value of every purchase.
• Pay attention to the fees: If you’re not careful, delivery and service fees can affect your rewards. Memberships like DashPass help reduce these costs and make the points you earn even more valuable.

Related: How Credit Cards Can Turn Today’s Spending into Tomorrow’s Rewards

bottom line

Use Eat Out, DoorDash, and Online Grocery Delivery Sapphire preferred Have yet to turn my daily expenses into a full vacation. Still, it provided a meaningful start to my next trip.

Now, every burrito, latte, and grocery delivery brings me one step closer to traveling, proving that even small, everyday purchases can have big benefits.

By using my card to earn extra points on dining, DoorDash, and groceries, I can convert everyday expenses into flights, hotel stays, or travel expenses without having to pay out of pocket.

To learn more, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card