Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred Is My Top Travel Card for Summer 2026

If there’s one card I’m carrying around with me this summer, it’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card.

While it’s a great travel credit card any time of the year, it’ll easily be the most-used in my wallet during my upcoming travels. The Ultimate Rewards points I’ve earned are helping offset a major portion of my trip costs, but there are several practical, real-world benefits that I’ll be glad to have.

Here are the 5 major reasons why the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is my go-to.

1. I Can Book All of My Travel Using Points

Typically, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card features a 75,000-bonus-point welcome offer, but at the time I applied, there was a limited-time welcome bonus offer of 100,000 points.

Once I met the $5,000 spending requirement within the 3-month window, the bonus points were credited to my account just a few weeks later.

BEST FIRST TRAVEL CARD

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

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

Welcome Offer

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

75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.49 - 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

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

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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

We currently value Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents apiece when transferred to the program’s airline and hotel partners, so this bonus offer is like getting $2,000 for travel.

2. I Earn Bonus Points With No Foreign Transaction Fees

I’ve continued building my Ultimate Rewards balance by spending on the card, which offers a great variety of bonus categories:

• 5x points on Chase Travel bookings, including flights, hotels, rental cars, activities, vacation homes, cruises, and more
• 3x points on dining, gas and EV charging, select streaming services, and online groceries
• 2x points on all other travel purchases (outside of Chase Travel)

I still earn 1x points on all other eligible purchases, though I typically use other cards that offer elevated rewards rates whenever possible. For example, Costco runs, vet bills, car insurance, and everything in between go on my trusty $0-annual-fee Chase Freedom Unlimited^®, since it earns 1.5% cash-back on those same purchases.

While the Freedom Unlimited card is technically a cash-back card, pairing it with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card lets me combine those rewards into my Ultimate Rewards balance to use for travel.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!

Welcome Offer

Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening

$200

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$200

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.49% - 27.99%.

Credit Recommended

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 Freedom Unlimited^® is easily one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. There aren’t many no-annual-fee credit cards that offer multiple great bonus categories like 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.

When paired with other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards family, you can transfer that cash back into points if you wish – making it one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases
• 1.5% back on all other purchases

Cons

• 3% foreign transaction fee

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Card Highlights

• Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can use points to redeem for cash through an account statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.49% - 27.99%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited^® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.49% - 27.99%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

There is one important exception. When I head to France this summer, my Freedom Unlimited card will be staying at home. That’s because the Chase Sapphire Preferred card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, while the Freedom Unlimited card does: 3% of purchases made in another currency.

3. I Get a Complimentary International Data Plan

Visa Signature cardholders can access complimentary international data plans in more than 170 countries through Visa’s partnership with GigSky, an eSIM provider.

For travelers heading abroad, that benefit can help offset roaming charges or the cost of buying additional international data plans. Every 365 days, eligible Visa Signature cardholders can redeem a complimentary 15-day plan with 1GB of data, while Visa Infinite cardholders receive a complimentary 15-day plan with 3GB of data.

For my weeklong trip to France, being able to download the GigSky app (iOS, Android) and activate a complimentary 15-day data plan within minutes is a useful travel perk.

4. It Has Travel Protections, Including Primary Rental Car Insurance

For a travel credit card with just a $95 annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers surprisingly strong travel insurance protections that can compete with some more premium travel cards.

The benefit I use most is the card’s primary rental car insurance, which provides coverage for theft or collision damage up to $60,000 on eligible rentals lasting 31 consecutive days or less. To activate the coverage, decline the rental agency’s collision insurance and pay for the rental using your Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Primary rental car coverage is typically reserved for far more expensive cards (with annual fees climbing into the hundreds of dollars). Many other cards that offer rental coverage only provide secondary insurance, meaning you’d first need to file a claim through your personal auto insurance policy before the card’s coverage would apply.

I’m also no stranger to flight cancellations and delays, and I have additional coverage that gives me peace of mind when I travel, both domestically and internationally. Policies like emergency evacuation and transportation coverage, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, and trip cancellation and interruption insurance are included with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, as long as I use it to book all of my travels.

5. I’ll Save Money on an Airport Hotel

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a very simple way to offset more than half of the $95 every year with its $100 annual hotel credit.

Here’s how it works. Once per cardmember anniversary, you can save $100 off any Chase Travel hotel booking with no minimums.

On our last full day in Paris, we’ll check into an airport hotel to make catching our morning flight back to the U.S. much easier.

Saving $100 on an already fairly inexpensive hotel stay delivers excellent value. This is a great example of when it makes more sense for me to save my points for a future redemption and simply pay cash for the stay, especially since my out-of-pocket cost drops to around $50 per night. As an added bonus, I’ll earn 5x points when I book through Chase Travel.

Final Thoughts

At a time when premium travel cards with $500-plus annual fees are becoming increasingly common, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card continues to offer straightforward, easy-to-use perks that deliver value and savings for travelers. That simplicity may be exactly what many travelers are looking for as they head into another busy summer travel season.