Now is the time to apply for the Chase card.
When the benefits of the card were refreshed in 2021, it made the card more compelling. I wanted to take a closer look at this credit card.
A lot of people talk about the Chase Reserve card, but it was built on the basics of the Chase Preferred card. In recent years, the Sapphire Reserve has been overshadowed by the Sapphire Preferred, but I don't think that should be the case anymore.
It has a low annual fee, good return on spending, excellent perks, and a solid welcome bonus, which makes it one of the best cards for beginners.
After spending $4,000 in three months, the Chase Sapphire Preferred will give you 60,000 Ultimate rewards points.
Ultimate rewards points can be redeemed for 1.25 cents per point for travel purchases, meaning that 60,000 points will get you $750 worth of travel.
There are ways to get more use out of the points than the minimum of $750 offered by the bonus. The bonus is worth over $1,000.
There is a rule called the 5/24 rule. If you have opened five or more new card accounts in the past two years, you won't be approved for a Chase card. Make sure you are under the limit if you apply for the Chase preferred account.
If you haven't received a new cardmember bonus on a Sapphire card in the past 48 months, you can't be approved for the preferred tier. If you had the card in the past, you can still use it, but you can't get a bonus.
There are general rules for applying for a Chase card.
If you have had a Chase card for at least a year, it is possible that they will allow you to change from one card to another. One strategy would be to apply for the Sapphire Preferred, use it for a year, and then upgrade to the Reserve if you want to. To find out the options on your account, you have to call Chase.
It is one of the best low annual fee cards. authorized users can be added to the card at no extra cost, and any spending they put on their card will contribute towards the points you earn.
This is an industry-leading card for your spending because of the refreshed rewards structure. I always recommend getting a credit card that has bonus categories that match up with your spending profile, and I think the categories on the Sapphire Preferred will be useful to a lot of people.
5x points are offered on travel booked through the Chase travel portal. If you make your travel purchases through Chase's Ultimate rewards travel department, this includes online or by phone. Airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, vacation rentals, and cruises are eligible purchases. Quality won't be found in the Luxury Hotel & Resort collection.
I value Ultimate rewards points at 1.7 cents each, which is the same as a 8.5% return on travel spending, but only through the Chase Travel portal. Some people will benefit from that, but I don't think it's a good idea to not book directly with an airline, hotel, or anything else.
A partnership was formed in 2020. The Sapphire Preferred earns 5x points on rides on the platform. This card is one of the best for spending on ride hailing because of its return on investment.
3x points are offered on dining purchases around the world. Fine dining, fast food, and cafes are included in the dining category. Delivery and takeout also qualify. It is the equivalent of a 5.1% return on eating out.
3x points are offered on online grocery purchases, except Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs. Online purchases for grocery pickup and delivery are included.
This is an excellent bonus category for people who don't order groceries online. It is the same as a 5.1% return on online grocery store spending.
3x points are offered on certain streaming services. Disney+ is one of the select streaming services. That is a 5.1% return on spending on streaming services.
2x points are offered on travel purchases around the world. You can earn 5x points on travel purchases through Chase, but you can't earn 2x points on other travel purchases. I think that is the equivalent of a 4% return on travel spending. There is a travel category.
airlines, airports, car rental agencies (including truck, trailer, and RV), cruise ships, hotels and motels, timeshares, local and commuter transportation (including trains, buses, taxis/limos, ferries, bridges, tolls and parking), travel agencies
A 10% anniversary points bonus is offered by the sapphires preferred. Each account anniversary year you will earn bonus points equal to 10% of the total spending in points from purchases made with your credit card.
The 10% anniversary points bonus is only applicable to base spending and not sign-up bonuses. If you had $50,000 in eligible purchases on the card in an anniversary year, you would get 5000 bonus points.
Since the card has no foreign transaction fees, it is an excellent card to use for purchases around the world since you can earn valuable rewards while not having to pay foreign transaction fees.
One of the most valuable flexible points currency is the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Points can be transferred at a 3:1 ratio to other programs.
The points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel. Points can be applied for flights, hotels, car rentals, and more at a rate of 1.25 cents per point. When you book flights through the UltimateRewards portal, you will earn miles and those flights will count towards elite status.
If you want a first and business class flight, or a luxury hotel, you may get better value if you transfer your Ultimate rewards points to an Ultimate rewards partner.
You can transfer 25,000-35,000 points to World of Hyatt for a free night at the Park Hyatt.
If you transfer 60,000 points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, you can redeem them in All Nippon Airways first class between the US and Japan.
Benefits that can earn you more points, car rental coverage, and purchase protection are just a few of the things that make this card even more valuable. How do those benefits work?
A $50 annual Ultimate rewards hotel credit is offered by the SapphirePreferred. You can get a statement credit of up to $50 for making a hotel accommodation purchase through the Chase Travel portal. If you book a $50 hotel room, you can get a $50 statement credit.
The benefit is based on your account anniversary year, and you can get it in the first year that you have the card.
The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection is one of the perks that comes with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Travel and purchase protection are offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
If you decline the CDW coverage offered by the rental agency, you'll be able to get primary collision damage waivers against damage up to the cost of most rental cars.
Vans that carry fewer than seven passengers and SUVs are included in the economy. Check your agreement for full details.
The card's online shopping portal, "Shop Through Chase," can really speed up the points you earn. You can earn extra points with purchases at dozens of online retailers if you click through.
If I had clicked through the Shop Through Chase portal first, I would have made thousands of dollars worth of purchases.
The DoorDash DashPass membership is valid through the end of the year.
DoorDash DashPass pays a delivery fee when you place eligible orders with thousands of restaurants and grocery stores. If you place an order of at least $12 from an eligible restaurant or $25 from an eligible grocery store, you will receive a $0 delivery fee and a reduced service fee.
Some perks with Instacart are offered by the Sapphire preferred.
The value of this could be significant if you place orders with the service on a regular basis.
Chase offers provide savings on purchases with all kinds of retailers, and is one of the great features of the Chase card. I have seen offers with retailers I would make purchases with anyways, and this program has saved me a lot of money.
Contactless pay technology is included in the Chase sapphires preferred. Whenever you see the pay symbol on your card, you can use it to pay.
The first mainstream credit card to be metal was the Sapphire Preferred. A lot of people enjoy that.
The card is worth it if you don't have the Chase Preferred and are eligible. The welcome bonus is excellent, the bonus categories are great, and the perks are awesome.
Let's take a look at some of the factors to consider, from a comparison to the Sapphire Reserve, to other cards to consider in place of this, and cards to consider as complement.
Which of the two cards is better, the one with the higher price or the one with the lower price? They must be compared across a few categories.
If you value lounge access, the sapphires reserve could be worth it for a long time. I think the card is more compelling now that it has better bonus categories and a lower annual fee.
There is no right or wrong answer as to which card is superior. The call comes down to whether you like the perks of the reserve. Once you have had the card for a year, you can change the product on the other card.
It is worth getting the Chase Freedom Flex SM and Chase Freedom unlimited® if you have the Sapphire Preferred. These cards have no annual fees and can greatly increase your points earning.
Both cards give you better rewards on drugstores than the Sapphire Preferred does, and the Freedom Flex gives you more points on everyday spending.
In order to decide which card is best for you, let's take a look at how they compare.
The Citi Premier ® Card has a best-ever bonus and is the most direct competitor to the sapphires preferred. 3x points on dining, gas, groceries, air travel, and hotel are offered by the card. The bonus categories make this the best mid-range card.
There is a detailed comparison of the Chase preferred and premier cards.
4x points at restaurants, 4x points for purchases at U.S. supermarkets, and 3x points on airfare purchased directly from airlines are offered by the American Express Gold Card. There are some great bonus categories.
The annual fee of the Amex Gold is $250, but it offers up to $120 annual dining credits, which should help offset it. This is a great card for people who enjoy eating.
The Capital One Venture X rewards credit card has an annual fee of more than $400. The perks make this card a pretty close competitor.
The card has a $300 annual travel credit, 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, a Priority Pass membership, Plaza Premium lounge access, access to Capital One Lounges, and a president's circle elite status. It's difficult to justify not picking up the card.
One of the most well-rounded credit cards for beginners and travelers is the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which has been around for about a decade. I think it is as competitive as ever because of the refreshes that were made to the card in 2021.
There's a lot to love about this card, especially with such a reasonable annual fee.
This is a card that you will want to apply for early on. It makes sense to have at least one premium card for things like no foreign transaction fees, car rental coverage, etc., even if you don't use cards with annual fees.
Follow this link to learn more about the Chase Preferred.
The rates and fees can be found in the links. The American Express gold card has rates and fees.
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