Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred Is One of the Best Travel Credit Cards

Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred Is One of the Best Travel Credit Cards

If you’re trying to turn money you’re already planning to spend into a vacation, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® is one of the first travel cards I would look at.

And there’s one big reason:

Flexibility.

Some travel cards lock you into one airline or one hotel chain. Chase Ultimate Rewards® points give you considerably more options. You can use your points through Chase Travel or transfer them to participating airline and hotel loyalty programs.

That flexibility can be especially useful if you’re planning a honeymoon, anniversary trip, family vacation, or other major trip and don’t know exactly which airline or hotel you’ll ultimately use.

1. The Welcome Bonus Can Give Your Travel Fund a Huge Head Start

As of September 2026, Chase is advertising 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

That’s exactly the type of opportunity we love at I Do! Let’s Go!

The goal isn’t to spend an extra $5,000 just to earn points.

Instead, look at expenses you already know are coming.

Planning a wedding?

You may already be paying for a photographer, caterer, flowers, invitations, decorations, deposits, clothing and dozens of other expenses.

Planning a home renovation? Moving? Making a large planned purchase?

The same idea applies.

If you can responsibly put those already-planned expenses on a new rewards card and then pay the balance off, you may be able to earn a substantial welcome bonus without changing what you were going to spend in the first place.

That is the IDoLetsGo strategy: turn planned spending into travel.

2. Chase Points Aren’t Tied to Just One Airline

This is one of my favorite things about Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Instead of earning miles that can only be used with a single airline, eligible Chase cardholders can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to a variety of travel loyalty programs.

Current airline transfer partners include:

• United MileagePlus

• Southwest Rapid Rewards

• Air Canada Aeroplan

• Air France-KLM Flying Blue

• British Airways

• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

• JetBlue TrueBlue

• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

• Iberia

• Aer Lingus

Hotel partners include:

• Marriott Bonvoy

• IHG One Rewards

• World of Hyatt

• Wyndham Rewards

Most Chase travel partners currently transfer at 1:1, meaning 1,000 Chase points become 1,000 points or miles with the participating program. One important exception is World of Hyatt, which now transfers at 4:3 for newer Sapphire Preferred accounts.

Why does any of this matter?

Because you don’t have to decide today exactly how you’re going to use your points.

You can earn Chase points first and figure out the trip later.

3. You Can Shop Around Before Using Your Points

Imagine you’re ready to book your honeymoon.

Instead of saying:

“I have Delta miles, so I have to fly Delta.”

You can search for the trip you actually want and then investigate which Chase transfer partner gives you the best redemption opportunity.

Maybe United has the flight you need.

Maybe Southwest works better.

Maybe Flying Blue has a great award to Europe.

Or maybe booking through Chase Travel makes more sense.

Having options is valuable.

You don’t just want points. You want useful points.

4. The $95 Annual Fee Is Relatively Easy to Understand

The Chase Sapphire Preferred currently has a $95 annual fee.

But Chase now offers up to a $100 Chase Travel hotel credit each account anniversary year when you book an eligible hotel through Chase Travel.

If you were going to book at least $100 in hotel accommodations anyway and can make use of the credit, that single benefit can potentially offset the card’s annual fee.

That doesn’t mean everyone should automatically get the card. You should always make sure the benefits fit your actual spending and travel plans.

But for someone who travels at least occasionally, a $95 annual fee is much easier to justify than some premium travel cards carrying annual fees of several hundred dollars.

5. You Earn Extra Points on Things People Actually Buy

The Sapphire Preferred isn’t useful only when you’re traveling.

As of September 2026, the card earns:

5X points on eligible Chase Travel purchases

3X points on dining

3X points at gas stations and EV charging

3X points on eligible vacation-home purchases at brands such as Airbnb and Vrbo

3X points on eligible online grocery purchases

3X points on select streaming services

2X points on other eligible travel purchases

1X point on other purchases

That makes the card potentially useful long after you’ve earned the initial welcome bonus.

6. There’s Now a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry Credit

Chase has also added another nice travel benefit.

Sapphire Preferred cardholders can receive a statement credit of up to $120 every four years toward the application fee for:

TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry or NEXUS.

If you’re planning to start traveling more frequently, that’s a useful perk that can make airport travel a little easier.

7. Chase Includes Valuable Travel Protections

Travel rewards aren’t only about earning points.

The Sapphire Preferred also includes a collection of travel protections, subject to the card’s terms and eligibility requirements.

These include benefits such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, auto rental coverage and emergency evacuation and transportation coverage.

Those protections can be easy to overlook when comparing credit cards, but they’re worth considering when you’re putting an expensive trip on a card.

8. Chase Points Give Beginners Room to Learn

This may be the biggest reason I like Chase for someone who is just getting started with travel rewards.

You don’t need to become a points expert before applying.

You don’t have to know which airline you’re flying next year.

You don’t have to know which hotel you’re staying at.

And you don’t have to understand every airline loyalty program on Day One.

You can start earning Ultimate Rewards points and learn how to maximize them as you go.

That’s much less intimidating than committing immediately to a single airline or hotel program.

Why Chase Fits the I Do! Let’s Go! Strategy

At IDoLetsGo.com, our philosophy is simple:

Don’t spend more money to earn travel rewards. Earn travel rewards from money you were already going to spend.

That’s why a flexible rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred can be such a powerful tool.

If you’re about to spend thousands of dollars on a wedding, honeymoon expenses, home improvement project, moving expenses or another major planned purchase, that spending could potentially help fund your next trip.

Instead of simply swiping a debit card or using a credit card that earns very little, learn how to make your planned spending work harder for you.

You were going to spend the money anyway. Why not let some of it help pay for the trip?

Before You Apply

Travel rewards only make sense when you use credit responsibly.

Never spend extra money just to earn a welcome bonus, and ideally, pay your statement balance in full so that interest charges don’t erase the value of the rewards you’ve earned.

Also remember that applying for a credit card can result in a hard inquiry and opening a new account can affect your credit.

The goal isn’t more debt.

The goal is turning responsible, planned spending into travel.

Ready to See Where Your Spending Could Take You?

Visit IDoLetsGo.com to learn how credit card rewards and welcome bonuses can potentially turn expenses you already have planned into flights, hotels and unforgettable vacations.

I Do! Let’s Go!

Credit card offers, welcome bonuses, benefits and transfer ratios can change. Information above is current as of September 2026. Always review the issuer’s current terms before applying. IDoLetsGo.com is for educational purposes and does not provide financial advice.