Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Is Still My No. 1 Travel Card

I've tried a lot of credit cards over the years. Some had VIP perks, some were forgettable, and a few barely lasted a year in my wallet. But the one card that's earned my long-term loyalty -- and the one I recommend to friends and family most -- is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees).

It's not a premium card with a giant annual fee. It's only $95 per year, and it easily earns its keep between the rewards, protections, and valuable welcome bonus.

Here's why this card is still worth having going into 2026.

1. Hefty welcome bonus: worth at least $750 in Chase Travel℠ value

Right now, new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

That's equivalent to at least $750 in Chase Travel℠ value -- and even more if you score Points Boost deals, or transfer points to other rewards partners like Hyatt or United.

The bonus alone is enough to cover a few round-trip flights, hotel stays, or maybe even a full vacation.

How to hit the $5,000 spend:

• Use the card for all everyday expenses like groceries, gas, eating out, and bills.
• Move your recurring subscriptions or insurance payments to the new card.
• Prepay for any upcoming travel or big-ticket purchases.

If you've got travel plans (or just dreams) in 2026, now's the time to jump on this welcome offer and earn the points so you can use them to book.

2. 2X-5X points on flights, hotels, and dining out

Earning lots of points is a big deal if you're a regular traveler. And this card makes it easy to build up rewards on all types of regular spending. You'll earn:

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

I personally book flights and hotels through the Chase portal whenever possible. Not only does this let me rack up more points, but it also makes it easier to keep redemptions in one ecosystem.

3. Annual $50 hotel credit -- always useful

To be honest I sometimes forget about this little perk. Then after booking some travel I see a $50 credit to my account and am pleasantly surprised.

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card you can earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel. It's not a promo or limited window -- it's just automatic, every year.

I use this mostly in the summer when we road trip up to Montana. We usually break up the drive with a hotel stay near Salt Lake City, and the $50 credit helps knock down the cost.

Even more ongoing perks

Here's a quick rundown of the rest of what you get with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card:

• Point Boost can increase your redemption value (up to 1.5x on top booked hotels/flights with select airlines through Chase Travel, up to 1.75x on premium cabin tickets on select airlines) for select travel bookings
• Transfer points to 14 top travel partners
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay coverage, and rental car insurance.
• Purchase protection and extended warranties
• No foreign transaction fees

This is the card I recommend most often to people getting started with travel rewards. In my opinion, it has perks that rival some premium cards, but with a much more manageable annual fee.

To learn more, check out our full review. Or apply now and start working your way towards that welcome offer!