Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Is It Worth It in 2025?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred promises great rewards, but is it really the best option for you? Choosing the wrong card could mean missing out on travel perks, overspending on fees, or earning fewer rewards than you deserve. I’ve reviewed and compared the Chase Sapphire Preferred to help you determine if it lives up to its reputation and fits your needs in 2025. Let’s dive in!

Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Overview

What is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a mid-tier travel rewards credit card designed for people who want to earn flexible points on everyday purchases and travel. It stands out for its generous rewards structure, travel-friendly perks, and versatile redemption options.

With this card, you can earn points on dining, travel, groceries, and more, and redeem them for extra value when booking travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards or transferring to airline and hotel partners. It’s a perfect balance between affordability and premium benefits, offering a gateway to maximizing rewards without the hefty annual fees of luxury cards.

Key Features and Benefits

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card is packed with rewards and perks that make it a standout choice for travel and dining enthusiasts. Let me break it down for you:

1. Generous Rewards Program

• 5x Points on Travel: You earn 5x points on travel purchases made through Chase Travel (excluding hotels that qualify for the $50 annual credit).
• 3x Points on Dining: Whether you’re dining out, ordering takeout, or using delivery services, every dollar gets you 3 points.
• 3x on Groceries and Streaming: Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs) and select streaming services like Netflix and Spotify.
• 2x Points on Travel: For travel expenses outside Chase Travel, you still earn double points.
• 1x Points on Everything Else: All other purchases rack up 1 point per dollar.

As a nice touch, Chase adds a 10% points bonus each year based on your total purchases. For example, if you spend $25,000 in a year, you’ll get 2,500 extra points just for being a loyal user.

2. Big Welcome Bonus

This card offers one of the best sign-up bonuses I’ve seen: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. That’s worth $750 if you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards for travel, thanks to their 25% bonus value on points.

3. Travel Partner Perks

If you love loyalty programs, this is where the card shines. You can transfer your points 1:1 to top airline and hotel partners like United MileagePlus®, World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy®, and many more. It’s a simple way to stretch your points for maximum value.

4. Annual Perks that Offset the Fee

• $50 Annual Hotel Credit: If you book hotels through Chase Travel, you’ll get $50 back every account anniversary.
• DashPass Membership: Enjoy complimentary DashPass for food delivery ($0 delivery fees) for a year, worth $120.
• Lyft and Peloton Bonuses: Earn 5x points on Lyft rides and 5x on Peloton equipment purchases (up to 25,000 points).

5. No Foreign Transaction Fees

For travelers like me, the lack of foreign transaction fees is a game-changer. You can spend internationally without worrying about extra charges—perfect for vacations or business trips.

In short, the Chase Sapphire Preferred rewards you generously for everyday spending, especially on travel and dining, and offers perks that can easily justify its $95 annual fee. It’s built for people who want to make their money work harder—just like I do.

Travel and Purchase Protections

In this Chase Sapphire Preferred review, I must mention that one of the things I love most about this Card, and that is the peace of mind it offers when I travel or shop. Here’s how it keeps you covered:

1. Travel Protections

• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: If your trip is canceled or cut short due to sickness, bad weather, or other covered reasons, you can get reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for prepaid, non-refundable expenses like flights and hotels.
• Trip Delay Reimbursement: If a flight or train is delayed over 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, the card covers up to $500 per traveler for meals and lodging.
• Baggage Delay Insurance: When your bags are delayed more than 6 hours, you get up to $100 per day (for 5 days) to cover essentials like clothing or toiletries.
• Primary Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Decline the rental car company’s insurance, pay with your card, and you’re covered for theft or damage, up to $60,000.

2. Purchase Protections

• Purchase Protection: New purchases are covered for up to 120 days against damage or theft, with a limit of $500 per item.
• Extended Warranty: The card adds an extra year to eligible U.S. warranties of three years or less.

These protections are incredibly valuable. I’ve personally used the trip delay coverage to get reimbursed for a last-minute hotel stay when my flight was delayed overnight. It made a stressful situation much easier.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Fees

When it comes to costs, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® keeps things simple and transparent:

1. Annual Fee

• The card comes with a $95 annual fee, which is easy to offset with perks like the $50 hotel credit, DashPass subscription, and all the rewards you’ll earn.

2. APR

• The variable APR ranges from 20.74% to 27.74%, depending on your creditworthiness. To avoid high interest, I always make sure to pay my balance in full each month—this card works best for people who don’t carry a balance.

3. No Foreign Transaction Fees

• There’s no extra charge when you use the card abroad, which saves you about 3% on international purchases compared to cards that charge foreign transaction fees.

Overall, the costs are reasonable, especially for the value this card brings. The key is to use it wisely—maximize the perks, redeem rewards strategically, and avoid carrying a balance to keep interest charges at bay.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Pros and Cons

After using the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, here’s what stands out as its biggest strengths and a few drawbacks you should consider:

Pros

✅ Generous Rewards: 3x on dining, streaming, and online groceries, plus 5x on travel booked through Chase Travel, makes earning points easy and quick.
✅ Valuable Welcome Bonus: 60,000 points (worth $750 when redeemed for travel) is one of the best bonuses for a card with a $95 annual fee.
✅ Travel-Friendly: No foreign transaction fees, 1:1 point transfers to top travel partners, and great insurance protections make this card ideal for frequent travelers.
✅ 25% More Value Through Ultimate Rewards: Redeeming points for travel boosts their value, which is like getting extra money back.
✅ Solid Annual Perks: $50 hotel credit, DashPass subscription, and 10% anniversary bonus points are nice recurring benefits.

Cons

❌ $95 Annual Fee: While the perks outweigh the cost, some may hesitate to pay an annual fee.
❌ Grocery Limitations: Online grocery rewards don’t apply to major stores like Walmart, Target, or wholesale clubs.
❌ High APR: The 20.74%–27.74% variable APR can be expensive if you carry a balance.
❌ No Luxury Travel Perks: Unlike premium cards, there’s no airport lounge access or luxury hotel status.

Sapphire Preferred vs Capital One Venture Rewards vs Amex Gold

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card against similar mid-tier travel cards:

How It Stacks Up:

• If you want all-around value and flexibility, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® is the clear winner with its Ultimate Rewards points and travel protections.
• If you prefer simplicity, the Capital One Venture Rewards card offers flat 2x miles on everything, but it lacks dining and grocery bonuses.
• For heavy spenders on dining and groceries, the Amex Gold card’s 4x rewards are unbeatable, but the $250 annual fee is steep.

From my experience, the Sapphire Preferred strikes the perfect balance between value, affordability, and rewards—especially for travelers who want flexibility without a premium price tag.

Should You Get This Card?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is perfect for:

• Frequent Travelers: If you travel often, the 5x points on Chase Travel bookings, 2x on other travel, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel protections make this a must-have.
• Foodies: With 3x points on dining, takeout, delivery, and select streaming services, this card rewards every meal and binge-watch session.
• Moderate Spenders: The $95 annual fee is manageable, and the card offers high value without needing luxury-level spending.
• Maximizers: If you love stretching your points, Chase’s 1:1 transfers to travel partners and 25% boost through Ultimate Rewards give you incredible redemption options.

This card is ideal for someone looking to elevate their travel and dining rewards without committing to a premium credit card.

Tips for Applying for Chase Sapphire Preferred

Getting approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is relatively straightforward if you’re prepared. Here’s what I recommend:

1. Check Your Credit Score: This card is best suited for those with a good to excellent credit score (700+). If your score is lower, work on improving it before applying.
2. Watch the 5/24 Rule: Chase typically denies applicants who’ve opened 5 or more credit cards in the past 24 months. Check your recent card history before applying.
3. Plan Your Spend: To earn the 60,000-point welcome bonus, you’ll need to spend $4,000 within 3 months. Make sure you have big purchases or regular expenses planned to hit this goal easily.
4. Apply Online: The online application process is quick and secure, and you may get instant approval. Have your income and financial details ready to speed things up.
5. Leverage Pre-Approval: If you’re unsure about qualifying, check Chase’s pre-approval tool—it won’t affect your credit score and gives you an idea of your chances.

 Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Final Verdict

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card delivers exceptional value for its $95 annual fee, especially if you love earning points on travel and dining. With a strong rewards program, flexible redemption options, and valuable travel protections, this card has been my go-to for both everyday purchases and international adventures.

What really sets it apart is the Ultimate Rewards program, offering 25% more value when booking travel or transferring points to partners. Even the sign-up bonus alone (worth $750 for travel) makes the card worth trying for a year.

While it’s not the card for luxury perks like lounge access, it’s the sweet spot for people who want premium rewards without premium costs. If you’re ready to turn everyday spending into travel adventures, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a card I can confidently recommend.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Sapphire Reserve

FAQs

1. What is the Chase Sapphire Preferred welcome bonus?

You can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. This is worth $750 when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

2. Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred have an annual fee?

Yes, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee. However, the rewards and benefits often outweigh the cost, especially for frequent travelers.

3. What are the earning rates for the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

You’ll earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x on dining, 2x on other travel, and 1x on all other purchases.

4. Is there a foreign transaction fee with the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

No, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has no foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for international travel.

5. How can I redeem my Chase Sapphire Preferred points?

Points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, cashback, or transferred to 1:1 travel partners (airlines and hotels) for even more value.

6. What travel protections are included with the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

The card offers trip cancellation insurance, auto rental coverage, baggage delay insurance, and more, giving you peace of mind while traveling.