Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Review: Is It Still the Best Travel Card in 2026?

In June 2026, Chase gave the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card its biggest refresh in years. It now earns 3x on gas, vacation rentals at top brands, dining, streaming and online groceries, the hotel credit doubled to up to $100, and it picked up an up to $120 TSA/Global Entry credit (every 4 years) and emergency evacuation coverage. And the annual fee stayed at $95. Here’s my full, honest breakdown of the card and why I love it so much.

TLDR:

• Just a $95 annual fee, and the up to $100 Chase Travel hotel credit can cover it on its own
• 3x points on dining, gas and EV charging, vacation rentals, select streaming and online groceries
• 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel and 2x on all other travel
• Transfers to 14 airline and hotel partners, with Hyatt now at 4:3
• An up to $120 Global Entry / TSA PreCheck® / NEXUS credit every 4 years, free DashPass and a year of Apple TV (activate by 12/31/26)
• Primary rental car coverage and some of the best travel insurance you can get for a card that has an annual fee under $100

The Annual Fee: $95

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a $95 annual fee, and authorized users are free to add.

That’s what makes this card so easy to recommend. Unlike the Sapphire Reserve®, you don’t need to juggle a dozen monthly credits to make it worth it. Use the up to $100 hotel credit once a year and the card can basically pay for itself. Everything else is a bonus.

The Welcome Bonus

The current offer is up to 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Chase points can be worth up to 1.5 cents each when you use Points Boost or even more when you transfer them to airline and hotel partners, which means that bonus could be worth up to roughly $1,125 in travel with Points Boost. That alone could cover up to 10+ years of the annual fee!

Just know that Chase won’t approve you if you currently have the Sapphire Preferred® open, and you may not get the bonus if you’ve had the card or received its bonus before. Having the Sapphire Reserve® does not disqualify you. Chase’s 5/24 rule also comes into play, so if you’ve opened five or more cards in the last 24 months, you’ll likely be denied.

Learn More about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

Ways to Earn Points on the Sapphire Preferred®

Here’s how you can earn Chase points with the card:

• 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel, including flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, activities and vacation homes
• 3x points on dining worldwide, including takeout and eligible delivery
• 3x points on gas and EV charging (new)
• 3x points on vacation rentals at top brands booked directly with Airbnb, Vrbo and more (new)
• 3x points on select streaming services like Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, Disney+ and YouTube TV
• 3x points on online grocery purchases (not Target, Walmart or wholesale clubs)
• 2x points on all other travel, like flights and hotels booked direct, Ubers, trains and parking
• 5x points on Lyft rides (through 9/30/2027)
• 5x points on Peloton equipment and accessories over $150 (through 12/31/2027)
• 1x points on everything else

The new 3x on gas is a big deal for everyday spending, and 3x on Airbnb and Vrbo is perfect if you book vacation rentals for family trips. One thing I really like: unlike the Reserve, the Preferred still earns at least 2x on all other travel, including Ubers, trains, parking and tolls.

Every Credit and Perk on the Sapphire Preferred®

The Up to $100 Hotel Credit

This is the credit that makes the card pay for itself. Once per account anniversary year, you get up to $100 back on a hotel stay you prepay through Chase Travel with your card. It doubled from up to $50 in June 2026, so it can now cover the $95 annual fee.

Bestie tip: it only works on prepaid hotels booked through Chase Travel, so compare the rate to booking direct first. And if you have hotel status, Chase Travel bookings usually don’t get your elite perks, and only select hotels earn hotel loyalty points.

The Global Entry / TSA PreCheck® Credit

New for 2026! You get up to $120 back every 4 years on Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS. If you don’t have Global Entry yet, this is a no-brainer, and it’s a really nice perk to get on a $95 card.

DoorDash and Apple TV

• DashPass: Free delivery on eligible orders. If you already order DoorDash, this is easy value.
• Up to $10 monthly DoorDash promo: Works on non-restaurant orders like groceries and household essentials. It doesn’t roll over, so set a reminder.
• Apple TV: One free year if you activate by December 31, 2026. Heads up that it may auto-renew at full price after the year.

Points Boost and Transfer Partners

Points Boost

When you book through Chase Travel, Points Boost can make your points worth up to 1.5 cents each on select hotels and flights. Outside of Points Boost, Chase Travel bookings are usually worth 1 cent per point, so look for the Points Boost label.

14 Transfer Partners

This is where Chase points get REALLY valuable. You can transfer your points to these partners:

• Airlines (1:1): Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways, Iberia, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Southwest, United and Virgin Atlantic
• Hotels: IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Wyndham and World of Hyatt

Some of my favorite ways to use them: Virgin Atlantic for Delta and partner flights, Air France-KLM Flying Blue for Europe, and United for Star Alliance flights.

Hyatt Transfers

Transfers from the Sapphire Preferred® to World of Hyatt are now 4:3, so 1,000 Chase points become 750 Hyatt points. It’s still a great way to book Hyatt stays. And if you love Hyatt, the Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve® (which still transfers at 1:1) make a great pair down the road.

The Travel Insurance Is Excellent

This is honestly one of the best reasons to get this card. When you pay with the card, you’re covered by:

• Primary rental car coverage for theft and collision damage, in the U.S. and abroad (decline the rental company’s coverage)
• Trip cancellation and interruption up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip
• Trip delay up to $500 per ticket for delays over 12 hours or an overnight stay
• Lost luggage up to $3,000 per passenger
• Baggage delay up to $100 a day for 5 days when bags are delayed over 6 hours
• Emergency evacuation and transportation up to $100,000 (new in 2026)
• Travel accident insurance
• Purchase protection for 120 days, up to $500 per claim
• Extended warranty, adding up to 1 year to eligible warranties of 3 years or less
• No foreign transaction fees

Primary rental car coverage alone can save you a ton, since you don’t have to file through your personal car insurance first.

What Else Changed in 2026

A couple of other things changed with the 2026 refresh:

• Hyatt transfers are now 4:3 instead of 1:1
• The 10% anniversary points bonus ended. It ended for new cardmembers on June 15, 2026, and for everyone else who applied before that date, purchases after October 1, 2026 no longer earn it

The new 3x categories, the bigger hotel credit and the Global Entry credit more than make up for it.

My Take on the Sapphire Preferred®

The Sapphire Preferred® is the card I recommend most, whether you’re just getting started with points or you’ve been at it for years.

Use the up to $100 hotel credit once a year and the card can pay for itself. Then you’re earning 3x on dining, gas, online groceries and streaming, at least 2x on travel, and flexible points that transfer to 14 airlines and hotels. Add in primary rental car coverage and trip protections, and it’s hard to beat for $95.

It’s easy to use, easy to get value from, and the points open up so many amazing trips. It’s a great card, and I’d recommend it to anyone.

Final Thoughts

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card got even better in 2026. It’s simple, it’s affordable, and it earns some of the most valuable points out there. If you want one travel card, this is it.

Learn More about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

FAQ

Is the Sapphire Preferred® worth the $95 annual fee?

Yes! The up to $100 Chase Travel hotel credit alone can cover the fee, and the welcome bonus could be worth up to 10+ years of annual fees with Points Boost.

Can I have both the Sapphire Preferred® and the Sapphire Reserve®?

Yes. Chase now lets you hold both. You just can’t get the Preferred if you currently have one open, and you may not get the welcome bonus if you’ve had the Preferred before.

Sapphire Preferred® vs Sapphire Reserve®: which should I get?

Start with the Preferred. It has a much lower annual fee, earns the same transferable Chase points, and is easier to get value from. The Reserve can be a great add-on later once you travel enough to use its credits and lounges.

Read my full Chase Sapphire Reserve® review.

Do authorized users cost extra?

No. Authorized users are free, and they’re covered by the primary rental car coverage when they pay with their card.

Do Chase points expire?

No. Your points don’t expire as long as your account is open.

Is there a foreign transaction fee?

No. The Sapphire Preferred® has no foreign transaction fees, so it’s a great card to bring abroad.

taytrox_travel may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers like nextcard when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. Credit score ranges are estimates only, and approval is not guaranteed. Offers were valid at time of publishing on November 4, 2026.