Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the Best Beginner's Travel Rewards Card Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the Best Beginner's Travel Rewards Card

Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the Best Beginner's Travel Rewards Card

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If you’re new to points and miles, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the advice and information. Today, we’re getting back to basics with a look at the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card from the beginner’s perspective.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Annual Fee$95
Welcome Bonus Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Our #1 recommended beginners rewards card featuring a 60,000-point signup bonus after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This card comes with great benefits and earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points.
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. 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, 2024.
  • Member FDIC
  • 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2025
  • 5X points on travel purchased through Chase
  • 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

To keep things simple, we've organized the post around seven key factors you should consider before you pick a credit card. The Sapphire Preferred is our top recommendation for beginners. So, we’ll highlight how it fits into each criteria with examples throughout the post.

What Makes a Great Card for Beginners?

  1. A valuable welcome bonus for new cardmembers
  2. A manageable spending requirement (to earn the welcome bonus)
  3. An easy path to redeem points without advanced knowledge
  4. Higher value ways to redeem points as you gain experience
  5. Points that are easy to earn
  6. A low annual fee
  7. Excellent benefits just for being a cardmember

A Valuable Welcome Offer

You can think of the new cardmember bonus as a massive downpayment the bank is offering for the chance to earn your business. Banks make a lot of money on credit cards. So, the welcome bonus is your chance to grab a fair share of the profits.

A typical welcome offer consists of the signup bonus (the number of points you’ll receive) and a spending requirement to earn the reward. The bank wants you to get in the habit of using your new card. So, a bonus points offer will usually come with a set period of time to reach the spending goal.

Related: How Does a Credit Card Signup Bonus Work?

Right now, the Sapphire Preferred is offering 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

If you're comparing other cards, it's important to know that not all points have the same value. Depending on the type of rewards, a 60,000-point bonus might be worth more money than a 100,000-point bonus with a different loyalty program. You should think of each type of point as a different foreign currency with its own exchange rate. We'll cover the reasons Chase Ultimate Rewards are one of the most valuable (and flexible) types of rewards below.

A Manageable Spending Requirement

A new cardmember bonus is usually an all-or-nothing proposition. If you don't reach the minimum spending requirement within the timeframe, you'll miss out on the entire bonus. Although increasing your spending to earn a bonus might be tempting, the ideal strategy is to move your existing expenses to your new card.

A “manageable spending requirement” will depend on your monthly spending habits. A few key strategies can help you shift purchases you had planned to make anyway to your new card. We've covered tactics to meet minimum spending requirements in a dedicated post. Here are a few examples:

  1. Pay your monthly bills — Some service providers are stuck in the last century. However, most will let you pay using a credit card. Power, phone, internet, cable, insurance, auto maintenance, daycare, and pet care can add up fast and contribute significantly towards your minimum spend.
  2. Pay your taxes with a credit card — If you time your application right or pay estimated quarterly taxes, you can often achieve the entire minimum spend in one go. Services like PayUSAtax allow you to pay Uncle Sam for a 1.85% fee (minimum fee of $2.69). This isn't a good deal if you earn only one point per dollar. However, reaching the minimum spend on a massive signup bonus is a great option. According to the IRS, those service fees might be tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for advice on your particular situation.
  3. Pay by check with a credit card — Plastiq is an awesome service that lets you send a check using your credit card as the payment method. This is perfect for big expenses like rent, mortgage payments (Mastercard only), or college tuition. Similar to paying taxes, the service fee makes this a bad deal unless the extra spending helps you capture a big signup bonus.

Redeem Points Without Advanced Knowledge

It's hard to overstate the importance of having an easy way to use points at a fair value. Too often, points and miles blogs jump right into complicated redemption strategies designed to maximize your savings.

Don't get us wrong; saving twice as much with a clever redemption is great. But, if you're just starting out, it's important to be able to use your points without any extra work.

This is one of the huge advantages of the Chase Ultimate Rewards points you'll earn with the Sapphire Preferred. Each Chase point is worth 1.25 cents, and using them on the Ultimate Rewards website is easy. If you know how to search for a flight or hotel on Expedia, you should have no problem using the Chase Travel Portal to book with points.

Higher Value Redemptions as You Learn

Now that we've checked the box for “easy options,” it's time to look at the potential for high-value redemptions. You won't be a beginner forever. So, it's important to earn points that have a higher upside as you gain more experience with redemption strategies.

Chase Ultimate Rewards are special because they can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to 14 partner loyalty programs. These transfer partners often require far fewer points than you'd pay by booking through the Chase travel portal, creating the opportunity to unlock huge savings. If you're curious about the options, check out our complete guide to the Ultimate Rewards transfer partners.

For a quick example, consider this booking with Chase points transferred to United MileagePlus: A business class ticket on All Nippon Airways from Chicago to Tokyo would cost 92,000 points plus $5.60 in taxes and fees.

NH J ORD-HND PointsThe same seat purchased with cash is $11,955. A value of over 12.9 cents per mile!

NH J ORD-HND Cash

Business and first-class international flights are a great example of the oversized value that is possible with Chase Ultimate Rewards redemptions. If you tried to book the same business class ticket through the Chase Travel Portal, you'd need almost a million points using a 1.25 cents per point redemption rate!

Points That are Easy to Earn

The Sapphire Preferred earns 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (2X on other travel); 3X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out; 3X points on streaming services; 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs); and 1X on all other purchases.

Since this card doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee for purchases outside the United States, it's an excellent card for you to use abroad. One of the nice things about the Ultimate Rewards ecosystem is that Chase offers a full lineup of business and personal cards that earn the same type of points as your Sapphire Preferred.

If you want to fast-track the number of points you earn, you can combine points from multiple Ultimate Rewards earning cards into a single account. We've written a comprehensive post about how to put together the ultimate travel rewards credit card combo.

This lets you earn a ton of bonus points across different spending categories. Then, you can combine your points to redeem. Chase also lets you pool points with family members living in the same household. Ultimately, this makes it easy for you to work towards a common goal with a spouse or partner.

Another easy way to earn points is using Shop through Chase℠, Chase's online shopping portal. With over 240 online stores — offering up to 25x bonus points earned for every dollar spent — this is an easy way for cardholders to accumulate thousands of extra points every year.

An Affordable Annual Fee

While we'd love it if rewards cards didn't charge an annual fee, the key consideration is whether you can consistently get more value than the cost of keeping the card each year. The Sapphire Preferred has an annual fee of $95, which is on par with other top travel rewards cards.

For many, the ability to earn Ultimate Rewards on everyday purchases can more than cover the cost of the card. However, the additional benefits you get just for being a card member do a great job of rounding out the card's value proposition.

Extra Perks and Benefits

The solid signup bonus and double points on dining and travel are fantastic incentives on their own but the Sapphire Preferred has a whole raft of advantages buried under the covers.

It pays to read the Sapphire Preferred Benefits Guide as these benefits are a significant reason you want this card as a permanent feature in your wallet. The auto rental Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and trip cancellation/interruption protection, in particular, are fantastic perks.

Sapphire Preferred BenefitsSummary
Auto Rental Collision Damage WaiverDecline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. Coverage is primary and provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad.
Purchase ProtectionCovers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Extended Warranty ProtectionExtends the time period of the U.S. manufacturer's warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
Trip Cancellation and Trip InterruptionTrip Cancellation insurance reimburses you or your Immediate Family Members for up to ten thousand ($10,000.00) dollars per person for each Covered Trip (up to $20k/trip & $40k/year) if a Covered Loss prevents you or your Immediate Family Members from traveling on or before the departure date and results in cancellation of the travel arrangements.
Lost LuggageIf you or your immediate family members' checked or carry-on bags are damaged or lost by the carrier, you're covered up to $3,000 per passenger per trip.
Trip Delay ReimbursementIf your common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
Baggage DelayReimburses you for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing for baggage delays over 6 hours by passenger carrier up to $100 a day for 5 days.
Travel Accident InsuranceWhen you pay for your air, bus, train or cruise transportation with your card, you are eligible to receive accidental death or dismemberment coverage of up to $500,000.
Travel and Emergency Assistance ServicesIf you run into a problem away from home, call the Benefit Administrator for legal and medical referrals or other travel and emergency assistance. (You will be responsible for the cost of any goods or services obtained.)

Final Thoughts

If you want to make a solid first push into collecting rewards points, it's hard to pass up the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It has the perfect mix of a fantastic signup bonus with an achievable minimum spend plus first-class purchase and travel protection benefits.

Plus, Chase Ultimate Rewards are arguably the most valuable reward points you can earn. If you don't have the time or knowledge to pursue more advanced redemptions, this card gives you a simple path to using points at a fair value. As you gain experience, your points will grow in potential value thanks to Chase's valuable transfer partners.

As noted previously, you can use the framework outlined in this post to evaluate any rewards card and welcome offer. This is by no means the only option on the table. But, if you're looking for a fail-safe starting point, you can't go wrong with the Sapphire Preferred card.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Annual Fee$95
Welcome Bonus Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Our #1 recommended beginners rewards card featuring a 60,000-point signup bonus after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This card comes with great benefits and earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points.
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. 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, 2024.
  • Member FDIC
  • 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2025
  • 5X points on travel purchased through Chase
  • 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
4.5 / 5 - (34 votes)
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Comments

  • I’m new to this platform, so I hope my question makes sense. If I apply for this card, and meet the requirements to earn the 80,000 bonus points ($1,000), would I be able to use the card to purchase air travel directly with an airlines, then later redeem the $1,000 as a statement credit towards that purchase? Or does the air travel have to be purchased through the chase ultimate rewards website, in order to use the bonus points?

    • JT Genter says:

      Great question. You have to redeem points through Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal to get the full value (1.25 cents per point = $1,000 for 80k points). With that said, you can redeem points for cashback at a lower 1 cent per point rate. So, you can still offset purchases made directly with the airline if you wanted.

  • So we’ve had these cards for years. Have not applied for a second Chase card in past two years. Had Ink at one point. Any other UR cards to add for additional bonus points?

    • Can you give more info? “We’ve had these cards for years” Which cards do you have? Without more info, I’d say if you have Sapphire Preferred, the Freedom Unlimited is a good companion with 1.5% / 1.5X points on all purchases.

  • Edward Monrad says:

    It’s been the best card for years and years and years! Chase hit a home run with this one.

  • Ultimate reward points are the best. While they are easy to earn, people forget about the burn side of the equation and here they really shine. If you want cash, no problem. Points for travel are good too. And they have promotions at times where your points are worth more.

  • It’s the card I recommend to most friends and family, partly because 1.25 cents/point is a good starting place for most people (who may find transfer partners confusing or difficult to use). It’s great for more advanced folks, too, where outsized value can be had (such as Hyatt) with a bit more work.

  • I just got approved for CSP in branch and had the AF waived. This is truly the best card as I have earned and burned at least half a million points by now by transferring to partners.

  • This was the first card I started with as well. The rewards were so awesome that I got hooked!

  • I still think the CSR is the better card. More benefits with only a small difference in annual fee after travel credit.

  • The sign up bonus is pretty good but I think there are more compelling products that provide better value.

  • I do love my Chase! I could see having this card maybe after trying out the no annual fee freedom. I would take the chance that Chase might put out a larger bonus amount later. I think that if Citi keeps American as a transfer partner then Chase will have some competition. I know that I am eyeing the Citi cards because of that.

  • Hopefully, they will not increase the affordable annual fee any time soon.

  • I started with the preferred and went to the reserve the day sign ups came out. No brainer there!

  • In the article it talks about combining points with other family members. So if my wife has the preferred card and I have the preferred card how can we combine the point into one account.

    Thanks

    • You have to call them and add them as a household member. I assume you and your spouse live under the same address.

  • Lillian Dikovitsky says:

    Just got my card yesterday and used a referral link from my husband so he gets 20,000 points too! Not a beginner but would like to learn more about how to book the ANA flights like your example. Downgraded my Reserve to the Freedom Unlimited recently.

  • I might agree with the notion the Preferred is the best beginner’s card IF the rumored changes to the card actually materialize AND there is no subsequent rise in the annual fee. As it stands now, its meager earning rate is overshadowed by even no annual fee cards such as the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited.

  • So…iI can only combine points collected from different Chase cards if I have the CSP? Just want to make sure I have that correct, because that is a big plus for me.

    • Hi Lauren, you can combine Ultimate Rewards points from the Chase cards that earn them, regardless of whether you have the CSP. For example, you can move points earned from the Freedom Unlimited card to your Freedom Flex card.

      CSP gives you the ability to transfer points to Ultimate Rewards partner hotels and airlines. For example, if you only have the Freedom Flex card, you can’t transfer points to partners.

      It’s also important to note that the points pooling applies just to Ultimate Rewards. You can’t combine United miles, Marriott points, or Southwest points even though the cobrand cards that earn those points/miles are issued by Chase Bank.

      Hope that helps. This post has more info: https://awardwallet.com/blog/chase-ultimate-rewards-transfer-partners/

  • Pamela Sackerman says:

    I would like to learn more about that award calculation chart. Where could I find and download it from? It looks quite valuable!

  • For a true beginner like someone out of college, might be best to start with a simple cashback card that does charge an annual (e.g., Citi double cash back).

  • With 80k bonus points, Preferred wins my vote over Reserved from Chase.

  • The CSP has been my go-to card for several years. You can combine UR points with the other Chase cards (Freedom, Ink) and can either redeem them via the UR portal or transfer them to various partners (my recommendation as you’ll get better value). For a $95 annual fee, the CSP is the perfect card for my personal spending and travel needs.

    FYI: Chase’s 5/24 rule is something to be aware of if you’re looking to apply for this card. If you’re new to the points and miles, you may want to get this card first before applying for other rewards cards.

  • Always had this card….wouldn’t mind getting CSR sometimes in the future though

  • Right now I am in hoarding mode. After having United’s card for the same price but not traveling enough to utilize the two free passes, I switched over to the Sapphire. Now the points are in my Chase account and I can transfer them to United or other partners when ready.

  • The only downside to the spending strategy is that those categories do not earn a bonus with the sapphire

  • It’s a good card for the sign on bonus. CSR may be a better card depending on the benefits you can take advantage of.

  • I wouldn’t call myself a beginner however I did find this article useful for adding insight into why I should reconsider getting CSP versus CSR

  • I always recommend this card for those who don’t travel enough to get the Reserve. (For those that do travel and would use Priority Pass and Lyft, the Reserve is a no-brainer) When they balk at the annual fee, I ask them if they ever buy travel insurance or rental car insurance. If the answer to those questions is “yes”, then it is easy to show them that the annual fee is just buying that insurance ahead of time, rather than with the airline ticket or car rental itself. Of course, for beginners, the first question is “do you pay your balance off every month? If the answer is “no”, I stop talking.

  • gotta agree it’s one of the best cards out there

  • This is awesome!!!

  • Leora ringelheim says:

    Thank you for this great article. I loved learning about Plastiq- never heard of that one before. I wonder if you find this card better than the reserve card while the rate is still only 450- really only 150 with travel discount?

  • I believe the CSR is a better card due to the benefits including the travel credit, so compare that before you decide since you cannot get the bonus for both cards.

  • I agree! This was my first travel card, and it was a good fit for me.

  • Steven William Van Meter says:

    The travel protection benefits are the most worthwhile part of this deal. I’ve reached out in the past to other cards when needed and it is very reassuring.

  • We should always remind beginners that if you cannot incur the $4,000, and cannot pay it back without interest, do not do this.

  • good article- can you change from the reserve to the preferred? I just got the reserve but the annual fee going up to $550 is a killer.

  • I wonder how you will be protected by the card benefits if you are inconvenienced by the coronavirus chaos during your travels.

  • The range of transfer partners is great for topping up to redeem towards last minute plans.

  • The card is great for the “rich beginners” who are simply too busy with the rest of their lives. 🙂

  • Up until this latest CSR change I would have disagreed as if you flew 2-3 times a year CSR was a money maker. Now you have to use priority pass significantly more or have an insurance claim to make it worth while if you’re not a lyft or doordash user.

  • I definitely agree with this article. Get your feet wet (and get your Sapphire clock started) and if it’s for you, upgrade to the CSR and if it’s not for you, product change to a Freedom.

  • If you travel 3 to 4 times a year internationally, the reserve comes out on top

  • I wonder if sign up bonuses of 100,000 will ever show up again?

    • I don’t know the history of loyalty programs, but I would have to believe as a group they’re cyclical… as in the industry goes thru an increase in the value of benefits to lure customers; then everyone devalues those benefits for a time; then the game beings all over again when someone bucks the trend and heads back up.

  • I think the CSP is not only good for beginners, but also pretty good for more experienced folks in the miles & points world as the CSR is now completely useless.

  • There is a much better case to be made for the Preferred now due to the increased annual fee on the Reserve. $450 could be justified for even an occasional traveler. At $550, the appeal may narrow considerably if you can’t make good use of the DoorDash and Lyft benefits.

    • One still needs to consider the earning potential of 3x on travel/dining with CSR vs. only 2x in with CSP. As those categories represent the lion’s share of my annual spend, in terms of return the CSR is still the winner, even if it costs $100 more per year to keep the card.

  • I’ve been trying to find a new travel rewards card to my portfolio, and many of the points listed here are exactly the criteria I’ve been using to evaluate whether or not a card is the right fit for me or not. the CSP is definitely one of the final contenders. Bookmarking this page for reference so I can compare/contrast the few cards I have left that I’m considering.

  • I have the CSP and it’s a terrific card. Its super powers increase when paired with a Freedom or United card, I’ve found. Unfortunately Chase recently changed their policy so you can only earn the bonus once every four years (up from two), which has thrown a wrench into some plans…

  • Steven William Van Meter says:

    The points and achievable first spend is easily within reach. What i appreciate most, is the travel protections. That can be a real life saver in far off places.

  • I will be cancelling my Chase Sapphire Reserve when the annual fee posts and then apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred as soon as I am eligible.

    • I think we’ll see a decent chunk of people do that, but not as many as maybe these type of forums would lead us to believe. I bet many keep the card. But I’m with you.

  • Well, you couldn’t close the card (and go to no UR earning cards at all) without losing the points (or via spouse transfer, etc). So you’d need to open another card first at a minimum.

    That said, at just $95 I think you’ll find it worth keeping the card.

  • Nice outline of options. Always good, however, to consider individual situation – loyalty to one particular brand of hotel/air, not wanting an annual fee, ability to spend this much are considerations.

  • While I agree that the annual fee is reasonable. That spend requirement is hardly easy for a beginner. I would think the top end of easy would just be $1000 spend, not $4000.

    • It’s certainly not easy, though I would say to anyone out there that if they can’t meet the minimum spend, they probably shouldn’t consider this “game” just yet.

      • Have to say I disagree. If one were to direct all spend (gas, groceries, mobile phone, television, internet, streaming, etc.) to the $4k minimum on this CSP offer its easily achievable for pretty much any household consisting of more than one person.

        • Agreed. It took some yoga poses, but I was able to hit the $4k target, with breathing room – and this is my first AF card, and third card overall. I put my rent, utilities (used Plastiq at the end to get over the line), prepaid my annual timeshare dues, gas, groceries, cellphone bill, religious donations, tolls, and my biannual insurance premium. Did so concurrently with the Freedom Unlimited (applied for both during the week of 5/24, which is my expiration date on the CSP and CFU), by mixing and matching each of those categories as necessary, so it’s really $4500 in 3 months. Ended up with 87,300+ points, with the balances paid in full.

          Now I’m working the Freedom (with that sweet, delicious 5x on groceries for a year bonus; another 53,000+ points!!!)

          The SUB is achievable even for single people, as long as they’re willing to turn it into a black hole for all of their monthly spend for that 90 days.

  • I can see this. I would then recommend a person get the Freedom Unlimited. A card that they wouldn’t have to think about categories. Just like you recommended.

    Now that I am more into how to do what and driving my husband nuts with which card gets what charge, I am earning pretty well. My brain is actually thinking about how to consolidate now. How long do ya’ll think you’ll have so many cards? Will you ever consolidate?

    • The FU is definitely your foundation card. From there get the Freedom and then for one or two categories per quarter, you now use a different card for those categories. Then add a CSP or CSR for travel and dining. You still primarily use your FU but in a few select situations pull out a different card instead.

  • It’s unfortunate that you use “value” with respect to a First Class international ticket. “Value” equals the amount you’re willing to pay, not the retail price.

    Nobody reading your blog would ever pay that kind of money for a flight, so at best that redemption is brag-worthy.

    • Meaning what? An Intl F flight is value-less? That line of thought doesn’t entirely make sense. Based upon your premise, if a Intl F flight was otherwise an impossibility, if not for redeeming UR points, could it not then be argued that those points are in fact priceless?

      In any event, how would you better restate the phrase you disagree with, “outsized value”?

    • “Value” is always subjective. If you look for practicality, you should go for a cash rebate card.

    • Thank you!! I would NEVER pay $21,000 for some of these YOLO flights that are like 150,000 points. Those points are worth about $3,000 and I’d rather use them on a full vacation, or two, not literally a single flight that I’d be sleeping for half of it.

      But to each their own.

  • Is it a practical strategy to open a Sapphire Preferred account to earn the 60,000 sign up bonus and close it before having to pay the $95 free for the second year, then open a different card to earn another sign up bonus of Chase Ultimate Rewards to keep building into the same Ultimate Rewards account?

    • ron_vaughn@hotmail.com says:

      IMHO, yes. I did this once and the Chase rep even steered me to a zero fee card so I could preserve the credit limit on the closing CSP card. Right now I am thinking about switching to the CSP before the new, higher annual fee on my CSR card kicks in. But I’ll miss my Priority Pass. Sigh.

      Then again, the net fee (after the $300 travel allowance) on he CSR is really just $250, or $155 more than the CSP. Is the $155 fee worth the Priority Pass card? Depends on my international travel plans next year. I value the lounge visits at about $25 each (space, food, drinks, amenities), so I need six visits just to break even. Given the lack of access at most major U.S. hubs, that six uses is hard to get. Sorry Chase, goodbye CSR.

    • @Chuck: IMHO the ongoing earning potential of the CSP is such that it will likely make sense to keep it, unless of course you plan to go for the Sapphire Reserve at some point. In any event, you’ll absolutely want to keep at least one premium UR-earning card (CSP, CSR, Ink Pref) in your Chase portfolio to enable points transfers to partner.

    • You could but I don’t recommend it at all. For a card you get positive value from, just keep it. And know the rules. You can only earn a Sapphire bonus once every 48 months but this actually means you aren’t eligible for a bonus if you’ve earned one in the last 48 months. ie I applied for my CSR Jan 2017 and earned my bonus in April. If I want to try and get a bonus again, I can’t apply until April (or maybe May) 2021 because it’ll be 48 months at that point.

      • Susan Maijala says:

        Great review of the CSR and benefits. I also previously held this card and am waiting for the 48 month period to pass so that I can again cash in on the benefits of this card. I currently hold the Chase Freedom so that I continue to earn UR points. Thanks.

  • Thank you. I signed up. Now to meet the spending requirement ?