The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card just became a much stronger $95 travel card because Chase added new 3x categories, doubled the annual Chase Travel hotel credit to $100, and is advertising a 100,000-point limited-time offer after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. The card is still not a premium lounge card, but it now gives beginners and practical travelers more ways to earn without jumping to a high-fee product.
The Basics
Annual fee: $95
Best for: travelers who want transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, a modest annual fee, strong everyday categories, and useful travel protections.
Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, based on Chase's current offer details.
Purchase APR: 19.24% to 27.49% variable APR.
Standout benefit: Up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel.
Rewards currency: Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.
Key earning rates: 5x points on Chase Travel purchases, 3x points on dining, 3x points on gas stations, EV charging, and vacation homes at top brands, 3x points on top streaming services and online grocery purchases with exclusions, 2x points on all other travel, and 1x points on all other purchases.
Tip: The limited-time 100,000-point offer requires $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months, which means you need to average $1,666.67 in eligible monthly spending to hit it without rushing.
Why The Refresh Matters
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has long been the starter travel card that many points-and-miles readers outgrow slowly rather than immediately. The June 15, 2026 refresh makes that position stronger because Chase kept the annual fee at $95 while adding more earning categories and credits.
Chase says new and existing cardmembers gained access to the new benefits starting June 15, 2026. The most important change is not one feature by itself. It is the combination of a bigger hotel credit, 3x categories that match ordinary spending, and a higher public welcome offer.
The current offer is especially compelling for readers who can meet the spending requirement from planned purchases. Chase's offer details state that new cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus points after making $5,000 in purchases during the first 3 months from account opening.
Earning Rewards
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card now earns 5x points on Chase Travel purchases. Chase says that includes flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, activities, tours, and vacation homes booked through Chase Travel. That rate is strong if you are comfortable booking through Chase's travel platform.
The refreshed everyday categories are more useful than before. Chase lists 3x points on dining, gas stations, EV charging, vacation homes at top brands, top streaming services, and online grocery purchases, with exclusions for Target®, Walmart®, and wholesale clubs in the online grocery category.
The card also earns 2x points on all other travel and 1x points on all other purchases. That means airfare booked directly, hotels booked directly, taxis, trains, and many other travel purchases can still earn above the base rate even when they do not go through Chase Travel.
The main earning weakness is the 1x rate on purchases outside the bonus categories. If most of your spending is general, non-bonus spending, you may want to pair the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card with another Chase card that earns better on everyday purchases.
Credits, Protections, and Perks
The most concrete new recurring perk is the Chase Travel hotel credit. Chase says cardmembers can now earn up to $100 in statement credits each anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel. That credit alone can outweigh the $95 annual fee if you use it on a hotel booking you were already going to make.
Chase also added up to a $120 credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS every four years. That is a premium-style benefit on a card with a $95 annual fee, and it is useful for travelers who want faster airport screening or border processing.
The card continues to avoid foreign transaction fees, according to Chase. That matters because a travel card that charges extra abroad is hard to recommend, especially to readers who want one card for international trips.
Chase also says the card includes travel protections and added Emergency Evacuation and Transportation coverage in the 2026 refresh. Benefits always depend on the guide to benefits, so readers should check the current benefit terms before relying on any protection for a specific trip.
Redemption Strategy
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are valuable because they can be used in more than one way. You can redeem through Chase Travel, use other Chase redemption options, or transfer to participating travel partners.
The 2026 refresh also changed one important transfer detail. Chase announced that Sapphire Preferred cardmembers who apply on or after June 15, 2026 see World of Hyatt® transfers at a 4:3 rate immediately, while cardmembers who applied before June 15, 2026 see that update take effect October 1, 2026.
That change does not make the card weak, but it does make redemption planning more important. If your favorite use of Chase points was transferring to World of Hyatt®, you should factor the 4:3 rate into your future math.
For many readers, the practical answer is diversification. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can still be a strong core travel card, but you should compare Chase Travel redemptions, partner transfers, cash prices, and your own travel habits before assuming every point has the same value.
Where The Card Falls Short
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card does not include airport lounge access. That is fine for a $95 card, but it means readers who want lounge access, statement credits across many travel categories, or more luxury benefits should look at a premium travel card instead.
The new hotel credit is useful, but it is tied to Chase Travel. If you prefer booking hotels directly for elite benefits, property-level service, or loyalty-program preferences, you may not value the $100 credit at the full $100.
The welcome offer can also encourage overspending if you are not careful. A 100,000-point offer is attractive, but the $5,000 spending requirement should fit your normal budget. Paying interest at a 19.24% to 27.49% variable APR is a fast way to give back the value of any rewards.
Who Should Apply
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is best for someone who wants a first serious travel card, can use Chase Travel at least once per year, and spends regularly in dining, gas, EV charging, streaming, online grocery, or travel categories. It is also a good fit for readers who value travel protections but are not ready for a high annual fee.
It is less compelling for someone who wants lounge access, refuses to book through Chase Travel, or already has a premium travel card that covers similar ground. It may also be less useful if most of your spending falls outside the card's bonus categories.
The current 100,000-point offer is a strong reason to look now if the card already fits your plan. Still, the offer should be the final push, not the whole reason to apply.
Pros and Cons
Is It Worth It?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is worth it for travelers who can use the $100 Chase Travel hotel credit, want flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, and can earn meaningfully in the refreshed 3x categories. It is not worth it if you want premium lounge benefits, avoid Chase Travel entirely, or expect to carry a balance.
Bottom Line
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is still one of the easiest travel cards to recommend because the $95 annual fee is low, the current 100,000-point offer is strong, and the June 2026 refresh added useful everyday earning categories. The card now feels less like a beginner-only product and more like a practical long-term travel card for people who want flexibility without premium-card friction.
Skip it if your main goal is luxury airport perks or if you will not use Chase Travel enough to capture the $100 hotel credit. Consider it seriously if you want transferable points, a modest annual fee, and a card that rewards dining, travel, gas, EV charging, streaming, and online grocery spending in one place.
Related: See the current Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offer
Sources checked: Chase's Sapphire Preferred® product page and Chase's June 15, 2026 Sapphire Preferred® refresh announcement, both reviewed on July 1, 2026.