How To Unlock Chase Sapphire Preferred Card’s 100k Bonus Without Stressing Your Wallet

The credit card everyone seems to be buzzing about is offering its biggest welcome bonus ever. New applicants of the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card can score the following:

• Earn 100,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

This threshold is a notable increase from the previous requirement of a 60,000-point bonus for a $4,000 spending threshold. While $5,000 might appear to be quite a bit to spend in 3 months, you can achieve this goal by utilizing your usual spending habits and thoughtful planning.

Here are 5 practical ways to meet the minimum spend requirement to unlock the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s 100,000-point welcome offer — its largest welcome bonus offer ever — while managing your expenses appropriately.

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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.

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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 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

100,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$2,000

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 28.24% 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 cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 100,000 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, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

1. $2,000 on Everyday Expenses (40% Done)

Consolidating your everyday expenses to meet minimum spending requirements is the easiest way to reach a credit card welcome bonus without overspending or purchasing unnecessary items.

You should set aside all your other credit cards and exclusively use your Chase Sapphire Preferred card for everyday purchases, such as groceries, gas, dining out, and online shopping. Using your new Chase Sapphire Preferred card for everyday expenses, you can rack up the required charges for the 100,000-point welcome bonus without manipulating your budget.

2. $1,000 on Prepaid Bills (60% Done)

Consider prepaying your regular bills to make it easier to meet the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s minimum spend requirement of $5,000 in 3 months.

You can often pay for expenses such as auto insurance, health insurance, utilities, or streaming services several months ahead. This approach accelerates your journey toward your spending goal and redirects payments you were already planning to make, ensuring your spending remains purposeful and aligned with your plans.

Some providers might even offer discounts or incentives for those who choose to pay in advance, particularly for annual insurance premiums. It’s a good idea to contact your service providers and find out if they offer any benefits for making early payments.

3. $1,000 on Bill Payment Services (80% Done)

When you aim to meet your credit card’s minimum spend requirement, using bill payment services like Melio can be a smart choice, particularly for expenses that usually don’t accept credit cards, like rent, taxes, or tuition.

You can use third-party services like Bilt Rewards (3% fee for credit cards) PlacePay (2.99% fee for credit cards), RentTrack (2.95% fee for credit cards), and RentMoola (2.99% for Visa) to pay your bills with a credit card. By sending the payment to your recipient through a check, ACH transfer, or wire transfer, you can utilize your Chase Sapphire Preferred card for these transactions.

However, you should be mindful of the associated fees. You will incur a minimum of a 2.95% fee when paying with a credit card with these bill pay services. For instance, if you make a $2,000 rent payment, you’ll have to pay an extra $58 fee. These fees can be offset by how you earn and redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points to exceed the cost of the fee, but you need to calculate whether this strategy aligns with your financial goals.

Additionally, you should be aware that not all credit card issuers support payments to certain categories through third-party services. For example, you cannot use Visa cards to make mortgage payments through Plastiq. Always check with your card issuer to ensure compatibility and to understand how they process such payments.

4. $500 on Gift Cards (90% Done)

Buying gift cards from retailers you often visit, like supermarkets or gas stations, is a smart way to help you meet the spending requirement on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s elevated offer. This approach ensures that you will use the cards for necessary expenses, which aligns with your usual spending habits.

Buy gift cards in amounts you’re sure you’ll use soon to avoid tying up your funds. By strategically purchasing gift cards for future use, you can make a big dent in the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s $5,000 minimum spending requirement while remaining consistent with your spending.

5. $500 on Reimbursable Group Expenses (100% Done)

A creative way to meet the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s minimum spending requirement without altering your usual expenses is to cover group expenses and then get reimbursed later.

When dining out or making group purchases with friends or family, consider offering to pay the total bill with your Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Afterward, you can have others reimburse you using cash or payment apps like Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal.

Final Thoughts

You can unlock the best-ever welcome bonus offer of 100,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of opening your Chase Sapphire Preferred card. There’s never been a better moment to apply than now, and we’re not sure how long this offer will be available.

By shifting most of your natural spending to 1 card for the expenses you already have regularly, you can easily meet the minimum spend requirement to unlock the 100,000-point bonus on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, all while keeping your budget intact and avoiding overspending.