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[Expired] Why It Makes Sense To Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Before Summer

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Stella Shon
Edited by: Jessica Merritt
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One of the best travel credit cards features its highest-ever welcome bonus of 100,000 points — just in time for summer getaways. But when you apply for the card can make a big difference in how much value you get.

Whether booking flights, hotel stays, or planning a road trip, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card stands out as one of the most rewarding options. Here’s why now is the ideal moment to scoop up this travel card.

BEST FIRST TRAVEL CARD
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
75,000 points
$1,500
$95
19.49 - 27.74% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
Good to Excellent
Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands, and streaming services.

It offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and strong travel insurance coverage, including primary car rental insurance. If you travel a few times a year and spend on dining, the card is likely to be a good choice, but it’s hard to justify if you don’t dine out or travel often.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 5x points on all travel booked via Chase Travel
  • 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands (such as Airbnb and Vrbo), and select streaming services
  • 2x points on all other travel worldwide
Cons
  • $95 annual fee
  • Subject to Chase’s 5/24 application restrictions
Card Highlights
  • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes at top brands, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.
  • Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation, and more.
  • Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 - a value of $180.
  • Complimentary DashPass membership, a $120 value for 12 months. Enjoy $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders, plus exclusive Chase savings on grocery, everyday essentials, and more. Activate by 12/31/29.
  • Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
  • Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
  • Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 19.49 - 27.74% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

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Redeem an Amazing 100k Point Offer This Summer

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a welcome bonus offer worth $1,500 for travel:

  • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Chase points are some of the most valuable rewards you can earn from any loyalty program. Ultimate Rewards points are worth an impressive 2 cents each when redeemed for travel, making this historic 100,000-point welcome bonus an exceptional offer compared to its $95 annual fee.

While the large number of points from this welcome offer is enticing, the real key is meeting the minimum spending requirement. Without that, you won’t qualify for the bonus at all.

To earn it, approved cardholders need to spend $5,000 within 3 months — about $1,700 per month. Once you hit that target, it can take up to 2 billing cycles for the bonus points to post, though many cardholders see them appear after only one.

Bottom Line:

The best strategy is to funnel as much of your regular spending as possible onto this card to hit the requirement quickly — without stretching your finances too thin. If you plan on taking a vacation this summer, ensure you can meet the welcome bonus thresholds and account for the time it takes for Chase to post these points so you can start using them immediately.

How To Redeem 100K Chase Points

Our guide to redeeming Chase points breaks down all the amazing ways to turn rewards into travel. There are so many possibilities as you can transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to top airline and hotel partners like United, Southwest, Hyatt, and Marriott — unlocking serious value.

Iberia A350 business class seat 3L 2
Iberia Avios (a Chase transfer partner) has some of the best points rates to Spain. Image Credit: Daniel Ross

This 100,000-point welcome offer can go a long way — think round-trip business class flights to Europe (when airfares are at their peak) or several nights at a beachfront resort.

Maximize 5x and 2x Bonus Categories

Beyond the generous welcome bonus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns lots of points. It offers 2x points on travel and dining, and 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel — a perfect fit for summer plans that include dining out, catching Ubers, or booking excursions with Chase Travel.

Marriott Puerto Vallarta pool and beach
How’s this for a pool view? Image Credit: Katie Corrigan Seemann

The sooner you open the card, the more summer spending you can put on it — and the more points you’ll rack up to put toward your next trip.

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Use the $50 Hotel Statement Credit Immediately

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers many hidden perks to save money, and the $50 hotel credit is a great example.

Each cardmember year, you’ll get a $50 statement credit for hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal. As soon as you’re approved, you can start using this benefit to score some easy savings right away — and recoup more than half of that $95 annual fee!

Take Advantage of Built-in Travel Protections

Summer travel rarely goes as planned. Combine the busiest travel season of the year with severe weather delays, and it’s easy to see why you’ll want travel insurance before your next trip.

British Airways LAS LHR gate E2 waiting for delay
Trip delay reimbursement to the rescue. Image Credit: Ryan Smith

Fortunately, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card comes with solid travel protections that will save you from headaches of delayed flights, lost bags, or even rental car mishaps. These complimentary protections range from trip cancellation and interruption insurance to primary rental car insurance, and so long as you book your travels with this card, you’re covered.

While nobody ever plans to use their travel insurance perks, this coverage can easily save you hundreds in the event of a disruption. For most travelers, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card benefits are sufficient to not necessitate additional coverage.

Final Thoughts

Applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card can make sense if you want to save money on a summer 2025 trip. From the 100,000-point welcome bonus offer to the $50 hotel credit and built-in travel protections, no other card provides as much value for travelers.

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About Stella Shon

With a degree in media and journalism, Stella has been in the points and miles game for more than 6 years. She most recently worked as a Corporate Communications Analyst for JetBlue. Find her work in The New York Times, USA Today, and more.

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