Overview
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has long been one of our favorite travel rewards cards. Thanks to its relatively low $95 annual fee and strong mix of travel perks, transfer partners, and bonus categories, it’s garnered a reputation as an excellent starter card or a high-value workhorse for specific spending. I’ve had one in my own wallet for the better part of five years now.
Change was always going to come eventually, and I assumed it would take the form of an increased annual fee. Thankfully, it’s keeping that where it is, choosing instead to add some new benefits to the product and some elevated earning rates. But it’s also dropping some much-loved perks, too. The changes take effect on June 15, 2026, and apply to both new and existing cardholders, but the question is…is it a net positive?
Let’s take a look at all the changes.
- Best for: Beginner Travelers
- Annual Fee: $95
- APR: 19.24% - 27.49% Variable
- Reward Rate: 1X - 5X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
100,000 Bonus Points
Offer Details:
Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Why we like it
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is the ultimate all-around travel credit card. It fits perfectly into almost any points-earner’s wallet. Points novices can enjoy a significant intro bonus and easy to grasp spending categories with an approachable annual fee. The more experienced can utilize its high value earning potential as a secondary card and also gain access to Chase’s strong travel booking portal.
Reward details
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
3x on dining
3x on vacation homes
3x on gas & EV charging
3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs)
2x on all other travel purchases
1x on all other purchases
Pros & Cons
Pros
-
Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel, which already negates the annual fee.
-
Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
-
Along with all of the above, cardholders also have access to a string of travel protections like rental coverage, cancellation insurance, and purchase protection.
Cons
-
It’s subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule. So, if you’ve opened five cards in the last two years, you’re most likely not going to be accepted.
-
Competing cards like the Capital One Venture have a better earning rate for non-bonus spend.
Terms Apply
The Annual Hotel Credit Doubles to $100
One of the headline changes is an increase to the card’s annual Chase Travel℠ hotel credit. Previously, cardholders could receive up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year when booking prepaid hotels through Chase Travel℠. That benefit is now doubling to $100 annually.
This change alone effectively offsets the card’s $95 annual fee, which is obviously great news. Better yet, it’s not split into two segments like many other cards are. Instead, you can use it all in one booking. Just like before, the booking must be made through Chase Travel℠, but the larger credit should make it easier for travelers to extract value from the benefit each year. Existing cardholders who have already used their previous $50 credit will receive an additional $50 credit after the new benefits launch.
The big attraction here is the simplicity. Instead of forcing you to book two, three, or four times a year to get the full credit, you can simply set a reminder to book a hotel through Chase and take the value. That’s a big win and a welcome change.
New 3X Rewards on Gas and EV Charging
Chase is also adding some serious value via a brand-new bonus category for drivers. Starting June 15, cardholders will earn 3 points per dollar on gas purchases and EV charging expenses. I love this shift, because it’s a huge spending category that makes this card even more useful on a day-to-day basis. In the past, I’ve found that while it paired well with other cards, it would only really work for me in one category. That’s no longer the case.
In one move, I think this shifts the Sapphire Preferred’s role to being more competitive as an everyday spending card, especially for beginners. For road trippers and frequent drivers, it’s a massive win as the only other issuer that really offered this kind of earning was with Citi. That’s not to say Citi isn’t valuable, but Chase Ultimate Rewards, on the whole, are a strong rewards currency.
Vacation Rentals Join the 3X Bonus Categories
Another new bonus category will make travelers who prefer vacation rentals over traditional hotels very happy. The Sapphire Preferred will now earn 3 points per dollar on purchases made with major vacation rental brands, including platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. I’m gutted this wasn’t around when I was traveling full-time, as I lived almost exclusively in Airbnbs for the better part of six years.
These kinds of accommodation options are skimmed over a lot, so it’s a huge perk to have a high-earning category specifically designed for them, and it’s a sign that Chase understands what its customers are looking for.
A New Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS Credit
The Sapphire Preferred is also adding a solid benefit that’s typically associated with more premium travel cards. Cardholders will now receive up to $120 in statement credits every four years toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS application fees.
If you already have a premium card of some sort, you’ll know how these work. For everyone else, these programs are designed to speed up your airport days by letting you skip the traditional security line or immigration counters in lieu of specific members-only lines. Global Entry is particularly valuable as it also includes TSA PreCheck® access for eligible travelers. So, really, you’re getting two-in-one.
I like this a lot, as it’s offering value that most entry-level cards don’t usually get. It’s doing what it can to bridge the gap between the two and give new rewards enthusiasts something to really chew on.
Expanded Travel Insurance Protections
Chase’s Sapphire line has always been one of the best when it comes to insurance protections, and that’s continuing with the shifts. The refresh has added Emergency Evacuation and Transportation coverage, providing protection if a traveler experiences a serious medical emergency while away from home.
It’ll cover emergency medical transportation and evacuation expenses when a covered traveler is more than 100 miles from home and requires specialized transport due to illness or injury. Coverage can reach up to $100,000 in qualifying situations.
Look, these benefits aren’t sexy or fun. No one’s walking around bragging about how good their insurance is on their card. They save that for the Global Entry or any lounge access a card might have. But these can save you literally thousands of dollars if the need arises. Don’t underestimate how useful that is.
Complimentary Apple TV+ Subscription
I actually glanced over this when I first saw the changes, assuming it was a credit for a month or two off of an Apple TV+ membership, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is literally offering a complimentary one-year subscription. You just need to activate the benefit by December 31, 2026, to make sure you get it.
Don’t get me wrong, this shouldn’t be a deciding factor in whether you open the card or not, but that’s damn generous, especially if you’re already paying for the subscription. That makes it a true saving for you. If you don’t use Apple TV+, it’s a nice add-on, and you can enjoy it for the year and decide if you want to renew. Everyone’s happy.
The 10% Anniversary Bonus Is Going Away
And now onto the bad.
Chase has made the call to eliminate the Sapphire Preferred’s 10% anniversary points bonus for new applicants. Existing cardholders will continue earning toward the bonus through October 1, 2026, with final bonus points awarded afterward.
It’s a super simple benefit. Cardholders received bonus points equal to 10% of their total spending from the previous year. If you put a lot of spending on the card, it was often a sizeable chunk of extra points. The good news is that the hotel credit change and the added bonus categories will likely offset whatever points you earned this way. I reckon they’ll probably go beyond that. Still, it feels like a bit of a blow. But not as bad as the next one…
Hyatt Transfers Are Becoming Less Valuable
This is the one that hurts the most. Chase announced that Ultimate Rewards points will transfer to World of Hyatt at a 4:3 ratio rather than the usual 1:1 ratio.
Ultimate Rewards Points are super valuable, and a big part of that was because they had Hyatt as a partner. The hotel program is one of the strongest programs on the market — across both hotels and airlines — and having a weaker transfer rate is a sad day for everyone. It’s staying the same with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, though, just in case you panicked for a minute.
If you use Hyatt a lot, which you should, this will be a frustration. If you don’t want to upgrade to the Reserve, you’re limited to Bilt products and Hyatt co-branded cards if you’re hoping to earn some serious points with the hotel.
The Bottom Line
Overall, the changes to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card are positive. The new earning rates and the $100 hotel credit are super-strong in particular, as they make it incredibly easy to ensure you’re earning back the value lost from the $95 annual fee (which thankfully didn’t go up). If you’re already a cardholder, it’s great news, and if you’re not, it’s making a strong case to be your wallet’s newest arrival.
Of course, credit card issuers can giveth, and they can taketh away, and Chase has done so. Dropping the transfer ratio to World of Hyatt stings, as it added so much value to the card, and dropping the 10% bonus is also a sad loss, too, even if it’s probably cancelled out by the new benefits. If the fee had gone up and we lost these, that would be a different story altogether, but for now, we can be pretty happy overall.
- Best for: Beginner Travelers
- Annual Fee: $95
- APR: 19.24% - 27.49% Variable
- Reward Rate: 1X - 5X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
100,000 Bonus Points
Offer Details:
Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Why we like it
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is the ultimate all-around travel credit card. It fits perfectly into almost any points-earner’s wallet. Points novices can enjoy a significant intro bonus and easy to grasp spending categories with an approachable annual fee. The more experienced can utilize its high value earning potential as a secondary card and also gain access to Chase’s strong travel booking portal.
Reward details
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
3x on dining
3x on vacation homes
3x on gas & EV charging
3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs)
2x on all other travel purchases
1x on all other purchases
Pros & Cons
Pros
-
Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel, which already negates the annual fee.
-
Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
-
Along with all of the above, cardholders also have access to a string of travel protections like rental coverage, cancellation insurance, and purchase protection.
Cons
-
It’s subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule. So, if you’ve opened five cards in the last two years, you’re most likely not going to be accepted.
-
Competing cards like the Capital One Venture have a better earning rate for non-bonus spend.
by your friends at The Daily Navigator
