Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred isn’t just a starter card

Chase SapphirePreferred® Card (look Fees and fees) Often welcome The perfect starter card for travel rewards – The first card that beginners should point to and point to miles. And there’s a good reason.

However, it’s not just for beginner cards. Even more intermediate and advanced points and Miles Collectors often have this card in their wallets.

From this card Current Welcome Bonus After spending $5,000 on a purchase in the first three months of opening an account, you can earn 100,000 bonus points, but it’s even more valuable.

Below are six reasons why you might want sapphire to be a priority.

• You must be Less than 5/24which means they must have only had five new credit cards (all issues) over the past 24 months.
• You cannot receive bonuses with Sapphire Cards The past 48 months.
• You must not open your sapphire card at this time.

This eliminates many people who would otherwise want to apply Sapphire is desirable. However, what Sapphire likes is one of your earliest cards, and receive a welcome bonus, redeem all points, I closed or downgraded the card.

After more than 48 months have passed since you last received the bonus, you can get it again as long as it falls under Chase’s 5/24 rule of having fewer than 5 new credit cards in the last 24 months.

Don’t forget that the 48-month clock will be activated when you receive the bonus, not when you apply or close the card.

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The 48-month rule is one of the pluses for Chase compared to American Express. American Express limits are mostly limiting you to receiving bonuses for the same card again.

It’s important to maximize Daily expensesEarn welcome bonuses with new cards is one of the easiest ways to quickly accumulate many points.

In just three months (depending on how fast you spend $5,000), there may be plenty of points for a travel experience like:

• 3 round trip flights from From the West Coast to Hawaii Using British Airways Avios
• 4 nights at Grand Hyatt Bahamas (off-peak or standard rate) using the Hyatt Point world
• One-way Turkish Airlines Flights to Europe using Aeroplan points

Or, if you want to make a reservation Directly via Chase Travelyou will still get a ton of value on your trip. If sapphires are given priority, points are worth 1.25 cents per point if redeemed through the Chase Travel. It’s not so much that your points are worth through your transfer partner, but it’s a solid value in a simple redemption method.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Reward Points for Maximum Value

Many of Chase’s best cards are sold as cashback cards. ChaseFreedomFlex® (look Fees and fees),, Chase FreedomUnlimited® (look Fees and fees)and InkBusiness® Credit Card (look Fees and fees).

However, if any of these cards do not have the ultimate reward card, the reward is essentially just effective against cashback. In other words, you miss out on the best benefits of The Transfer Partners, the ultimate reward program.

To transfer the ultimate reward points to one of the airline and hotel partners, you must have a intermediate or premium card, such as: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (look Fees and fees),, Chase sapphire is desirable or Ink BusinessPreferred® Credit Card (look Fees and fees).

Whether you don’t care about the $550 annual fee for Sapphire Reserve, don’t want or need a business credit card (the side gig and the freelance meet, though Qualification for approval). This makes sapphires the best option for middle tier cards that can transfer points.

There is little or no learning curve

Sometimes people who are new to points or miles apply for credit cards without understanding the complexity of the program or how to redeem points. Many beginners can redeem bonus points from sapphires, which are directly preferred through Chase Travel.

That approach isn’t necessarily a problem right now. After all, it’s a trip worth hundreds of dollars that you wouldn’t have been.

However, according to TPG April 2025 evaluationThe ultimate reward points are worth 2.05 cents each, but more than you get from using points on Chase Travel. Thankfully, the learning curve for transferring the ultimate reward partner is not steep, and you can get the maximum value of points.

If you’re already feeling a bit deeper into another publisher’s reward program and worried about getting into another, that’s great news.

Related: From International Business Class to Domestic Hops: 6 Sweet Spots for the Best Chase Ultimate Reward

If you travel internationally once a year, Cards with no foreign transaction fees In your wallet, it is important to avoid paying more for your purchase.

Chase sapphire is desirable It meets that need. It can be used frequently while outside the US, as it earns 3 points per dollar in dining and 2 points per dollar in travel purchases made outside of Chay Travel.

Related: Foreign Transaction Fees: Everything you need to know

Travel protection and car rental insurance are considered good benefits, but we hope you don’t have to use them. Nevertheless, Sapphire is desirable Various insurance benefits can give you a sense of security. These include:

Even using Ultimate Reward Points and paying taxes on award flights will be covered by compensation.

Airline meltdowns occur more frequently, Flight delay or cancellationIt is important to have a card that includes these benefits.

The current welcome bonus from Chase Sapphire Preferred allows new cardholders to earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening an account. If you are an intermediate or advanced points and miles collector, you may have amortized this Beginner cards.

However, if you don’t currently have a card and meet Chase application restrictions, this is a card you’ll add to your lineup (or add it again if you’ve had it in the past).

For more information, please see A full review of sapphire is desirable.

Apply here: Chase sapphire is desirable