How the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Can Pay for Its Annual Fee 8 Times Over

If you can only name one travel credit card, there's a decent chance it's the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees). It's been one of the most popular travel cards for years now -- and that's for good reason.

For just a $95 annual fee, the card offers a potent combo of travel perks and earning rates, plus a super valuable welcome offer. In fact, with the current card bonus and one simple travel perk, you can cover the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card's annual fee eight times over in your first year.

Here's how to start racking up value with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

Strong earning rates and a $50 hotel credit

First, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with the following earning rates:

• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
• 2X points on all other travel purchases
• 1X points on all other purchases

5X points on travel and 3X points on dining is nothing to sneeze at. Anyone who flies once or twice a year, and eats out regularly, can rack up rewards.

You'll also get a versatile $50 annual credit for hotels booked through Chase Travel. Use that perk, and you've already cut the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card's annual fee down to $45.

A valuable welcome bonus, plus strong travel protections

Here's where it gets interesting: The welcome bonus. Right now, new Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months.

That's a bonus worth at least $750 in Chase Travel℠ value -- and potentially even more if you transfer to one of Chase's airline or hotel partners.

Combine that with the $50 hotel credit, and you've got at least $800 in tangible first-year value -- enough to cover the $95 annual fee a whopping eight times over. That's almost a decade of fee-free travel rewards.

Finally, this one's a bit harder to quantify -- but you'll also get tons of valuable travel and purchase protections, like:

• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: Reimburses up to $10,000 per traveler and $20,000 per trip for prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses.
• Baggage delay insurance: Up to $100 per day for essentials for delays over six hours.
• Travel and emergency assistance: Access to legal and medical referrals while traveling.
• Purchase protection: Covers new purchases against damage or theft for 120 days, up to $500 per item.
• Auto rental coverage: Primary coverage for theft and collision up to $60,000 on most rental vehicles.
• Trip delay reimbursement: Up to $500 per traveler for delays over 12 hours.
• Extended warranty protection: Extends U.S. manufacturer warranties by an additional year, up to four years total.

Add it all up, and it's easy to see how the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is an absolute win for all sorts of travelers.

What are you waiting for? Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to apply today.