Chase Sapphire Preferred
Best first travel card, 14 transfer partners, primary rental coverage at $95
BEST FORFirst-time travel card holders who want access to Chase's full transfer partner network — including World of Hyatt and United — without paying the $795 Reserve fee. The $95 Preferred accesses the same 14 partners, and a June 2026 refresh added gas/EV charging and vacation rental bonus categories plus a Global Entry credit.
Reviewed by the Clientele Research Team · Last checked 9 days ago (2026-07-15)
Scores — click any row to see our rationale
Rewards Rate▼7.5/10
Welcome Bonus▼9/10
Annual Fee Value▼9/10
Travel Perks▼8/10
Flexibility▼8.5/10
PROS
✓Access to all 14 Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners at 1:1 — including World of Hyatt, United, Southwest, and British Airways — the same list as the $795 Reserve.
✓Primary rental car coverage at $95 per year. Most competing cards at this fee level offer only secondary coverage.
✓Trip cancellation insurance covers up to $10,000 per person for prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses including illness, severe weather, and jury duty.
✓Points pool with Chase Freedom Unlimited, Freedom Flex, and Ink Business cards. A household can earn at 1.5% on everything with Freedom Unlimited and transfer to Preferred to access transfer partners.
✓$10 per month DoorDash credit requires no activation — it posts as a statement credit on any DoorDash charge.
✓June 2026 refresh added a $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, a free year of Apple TV+, and 3x earn on gas/EV charging and vacation rentals — closing several gaps that used to be Reserve-exclusive.
✓Upgrade path to Sapphire Reserve without a new application — Chase allows a product change without losing credit history or triggering a hard inquiry.
✓No foreign transaction fees on a Visa Signature card.
CONS
✕1.25 cents per point Chase Travel portal redemption is a fixed rate, while the Reserve's portal now uses variable Points Boost pricing (1-2 cents) — the two cards' relative portal value depends on which bookings carry a Boost.
✕No lounge access of any kind — not Priority Pass, not Capital One, not Chase-owned.
✕No trip delay insurance. The Reserve covers $500 in expenses after a 6-hour delay; the Preferred does not.
✕The 10% anniversary point bonus is being discontinued for anyone who applies on or after June 15, 2026. Existing cardmembers keep the bonus only through purchases made by October 1, 2026, after which it goes away entirely.
✕3x dining earns at 1.25 cents per point in the portal — the effective yield is 3.75 cents on the dollar, below what the Reserve can reach on Points Boost bookings.
✕Chase's 5/24 rule applies — applicants who have opened 5 or more credit cards in the past 24 months are automatically declined regardless of credit score.
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