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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular cards on the market — for good reason. With a ton of transfer partners, access to Chase's travel portal, and a modest annual fee, this card has many benefits that travelers can take advantage of. If you don't already have it, the card is currently offering a mammoth 60,000-point welcome bonus.
There's one benefit that can offset more than half of the card's already reasonable annual fee each year: the Sapphire Preferred hotel credit of up to $50 each cardmember year. Let's go through how to maximize it.
- Earn 60,000 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.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Page Contents
What Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Hotel Credit?
When you use your Sapphire Preferred card to book a hotel through Chase Travel℠, a credit of $50 will automatically be applied to your account. You do not need to enroll to receive the credit.
This perk is surprisingly straight-forward. Here are a few things to know:
- A maximum of $50 annually is issued as a statement credit.
- This benefit is available each cardmember year — not the calendar year. That means it's based on the 12 months following your account opening date.
- You do not have to register for the credit; it will be applied automatically.
- You must book through Chase Travel℠ to receive the credit.
- There is no minimum spending amount required for using this benefit.
- The credit will usually be posted to your account within two days of a qualifying purchase; however, Chase states it can take up to two billing cycles.
- Credit will apply automatically to the first $50 of qualifying hotel bookings each cardmember year.
Cautions of Using the Sapphire Preferred Annual Hotel Credit
We love the Chase Sapphire Preferred hotel credit. However, there are some pitfalls to keep in mind.
No points earning or elite perks at chain hotels
The biggest potential downside is that you may not earn loyalty program points or elite night credits on the stay. That's because you are booking through a third party, and most hotel programs require direct bookings to earn points in the loyalty program.
This also means you may not receive any loyalty program benefits — like room upgrades or free breakfast — if you have elite status with that hotel's loyalty program. It's worth trying to add your loyalty number after making the reservation. You can do this by calling the hotel or asking at check-in. Just be aware that the hotel may not honor your status level or give you stay credit on these bookings.
Savvy travelers will want to be strategic about when they use this credit. Got an overnight layover between flights? If you're just looking for a place to crash for the night, elite perks like upgrades and late checkout may not make a difference. So, book through Chase Travel℠ to utilize this credit. Or, you may want to use this credit when booking a stay in locations that have good-value independent hotels, such as APA Hotels in Japan.
Chase Travel isn't always the cheapest option
Another potential downside is that Chase Travel may not always offer the best rates. Essentially, the $50 credit is useless if you're spending more money out of pocket by booking through the portal instead of directly with the hotel. So be sure to do your research before deciding when to use it, ensuring that the price in Chase Travel is lower once you factor in the $50 credit.
How To Maximize Your $50 Hotel Credit
So, how can you ensure you're getting the most value out of your Sapphire Preferred hotel credit? Here are a few things to consider:
- You can book a small boutique hotel where you wouldn't earn any loyalty program points.
- Try to book something as cheap as possible so that it covers a larger percentage of your bill.
- Along the same lines, book a one-night stay — perhaps on a road trip or for an overnight layover.
- Consider a chain hotel if the cash price is low for the night, and it would be worth paying less out of pocket.
How To Use Your Sapphire Preferred Hotel Credit
Now that we've covered what the Chase Sapphire Preferred hotel credit is and how it works, let's look at how to book a stay that qualifies for the credit.
First, log into your Chase account. Then, click on your Sapphire Preferred and navigate to your Ultimate Rewards. Once there, choose “travel” and then select “book travel” from the drop-down menu. Alternatively, go directly to the Chase Travel website.
Click on “hotels,” then enter your destination and dates, along with the number of people staying in the room.
When the results pop up, we recommend changing the search to list your options from lowest to highest price. This will show you options where your $50 credit may cover the entire cost. If you aren't as concerned about fully covering the price, you can keep the default sort option, which shows recommended hotels.
After this, select your hotel and choose your room preference.
Once you've done this, complete the booking process as normal by entering your personal information. It's important to use your Sapphire Preferred to pay. Additionally, you'll have the option to pay with a combination of points and cash. If you'd like to do this, make sure to pay at least $50 in cash so that it triggers your annual Sapphire Preferred hotel credit.
The credit will appear on your billing statement as “annual hotel credit.” As mentioned, it usually shows up within a few days of the hotel charge posting to your account. However, it can take up to two billing cycles.
Bottom Line
While $50 may not be much, it's just over half of the $95 annual fee for the Sapphire Preferred. Essentially, using the Sapphire Preferred hotel credit means you're only paying $45 for the card each year.
The hotel credit perk — along with other benefits like primary rental car coverage, trip delay or cancellation coverage, lost or delayed baggage protection, and a giant welcome bonus — make this card a staple for every traveler's wallet. For more details, see our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
- Earn 60,000 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.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees)
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