May 4, 2026
picksbycard
Chase

Sapphire Preferred

The honest middle of the travel category — and the only middle that earns a recommendation.

Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card

The card you reach for if you spend money on travel and would like the next trip to feel meaningfully cheaper, but you do not yet want to think about lounges, airline status, or which $550-fee card matches which credit-bureau cycle. Ninety-five dollars a year for 5x on Chase-booked travel and 3x at restaurants is the most honest deal in the category. The signup bonus alone covers a domestic round-trip in points.

What you actually earn

travel via chase ×5
dining streaming online groceries ×3
other travel ×2
everything else ×1

Who this card is for

Spends $300+/month on dining and travel, has good-to-excellent credit, doesn't want a $550 annual fee yet.

The compliance footnote

The Sapphire Preferred carries a $95 annual fee with an APR range of 21.49–28.49% Variable. Foreign-transaction fee is none. The current signup offer is 60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months. These terms are accurate as of 2026-05-03 and may change at the issuer's discretion. We earn a referral fee on approved applications referred via the Apply link, at no cost to you.