Chase Sapphire℠ and Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ Travel Rewards Cards

Posted by John Gawley | August 24th, 2011 | Awards & Perks, General Information

The Chase Sapphire℠ and Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ credit cards have always been one of the fastest-accruing travel rewards cards on the market, offering great airline points – which are equal to bonus miles with airline credit cards. The NEWEST incarnations of the Chase Sapphire card family are even MORE attractive.

The Chase Sapphire℠ and Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ credit cards work like an airline card but feature more benefits you’ll love! With either travel credit card, you’ll enjoy low or NO annual fees, excellent new card customer bonuses as well as perks, protections and features designed specifically for the travel-savvy consumer.

Chase Sapphire℠ Card – No Annual Fee

The Chase Sapphire℠ Card is the entry-level traveler’s reward card that has no annual fee for card membership. On top of a rewards program that earns you points for every purchase you make and more, this travel card gives you peerless customer service, exclusive experiences and global acceptance as well.

Chase Sapphire℠ Travel Rewards Program

The Chase Sapphire℠ Travel Rewards Program has a travel rewards program that is specifically designed to get you in the air and on your way. You points never expire once earned, and there is no limit to how many points you can earn with this program.

• Earn 25,000 Bonus Points – Start your travel rewards cache off right! Earn 25,000 bonus points when you charge $3,000 or more to your Chase Sapphire℠ card in the first 3 months of card membership.
• Earn 2 points per Dollar – Whether it’s fast food or fine dining, all dining expenses you charge to your card earn you 2 points per $1 spent.
• Earn more with Ultimate Rewards – When you shop and book airfare or hotel accommodations through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards service, you’ll earn an extra point (for a total of 2 points) for each dollar you spend.
• Earn Points for Everything – Every other purchase you make earns you 1 rewards point for every $1 that you charge to your Chase Sapphire℠ Card!

The Chase Sapphire Ultimate Rewards service will help you find and reserve whatever your travel needs require: hotel, airfare, vacation getaway, car rental service, etc. You’ll earn an extra reward point for certain purchases you make through them, and you’ll need 20% fewer points for travel rewards when you redeem your points through Ultimate Rewards.

If you CAN’T find what you need through Ultimate Rewards, no worries. Just purchase the airfare or other travel-related expenses with your Chase Sapphire℠ card, and you’ll be able to reimburse yourself with the points you’ve already earned. This way, you can book anywhere, anytime – without blackout dates or seat restrictions.

Exclusive Rewards from Chase Sapphire℠

You’ll never pay an annual fee with the Chase Sapphire℠ card, but you WILL enjoy premium online protections and other excellent card member services. The Chase Sapphire℠ card is accepted almost universally online as well as in 170+ countries.

• One of a Kind Experiences – It’s time you were treated like a VIP. Chase is always adding new, exclusive experiences you’ll get to participate in as a Chase Sapphire℠ card member!
• Direct Access to Customer Service – With the Chase Sapphire℠ card, your customer service calls are answered by real, live people. Call anytime, day or night: the customer service center is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ – Step Up to First Class Travel Rewards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ card is designed for those who are past the entry-level stage of frequent traveling. You know how to fit a week’s worth of clothes into a single carry-on bag, and you and the check-in agents and baggage handlers are on a first-name basis. Appropriately, this card earns you rewards even FASTER than it’s freshman counterpart as well.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ card DOES charge a small annual fee, however that annual fee is waived for the first year of card membership. You’ll have a full year to enjoy your Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ card’s perks, benefits, and accelerated travel rewards before you have to pay any upkeep on your account!

Plus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ card does NOT charge a foreign transaction fee when you use your card abroad – making it the perfect accoutrement to a business or pleasure related jaunt outside US borders.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Travel Rewards Program

Just like the entry-level Chase Sapphire℠ card, travel rewards points earned with the Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ card will not expire as long as your account remains in good standing, and there is NO limit to how many points you can earn per calendar year!

• Earn 50,000 Bonus Points – You’re a bigger fish in Ultimate Rewards pond, so it makes sense you earn a larger travel rewards points bonus: 50,000 points when you spend $3,000 in your first 3 months of card membership!
• Earn 2 points per $1 on Travel – When you pay for travel expenses such as flights, hotel reservations, car rentals, train tickets and more with your Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ card, you’ll earn double points per $1 spent.
• Earn an EXTRA Point through Ultimate Rewards – Earn an EXTRA point for each $1 spent on airfare or hotel accommodations through Ultimate Rewards. Protip: Combine this with the offer above, and you’ll earn THREE (3) rewards points for every dollar you spend on eligible travel costs!
• Earn points on Everything Else – When you use your Chase Sapphire Rewards card to pay for purchases at home and abroad, you’ll earn 1 point for every dollar you charge.

Accelerated Perks, Savings, Annual Dividends and More

The Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ Card has several excellent perks that distinguish it from the rest of the travel rewards credit card pack – and even from its regular Chase Sapphire℠ card cousin. As stated earlier, you’ll never pay a foreign transaction fee with this card…and it gets better.

• Annual Points Dividend – Every calendar year, you’ll earn a 7% points dividend based on the number of points you earned that year…even if you’ve already redeemed them! This will make you pile of rewards points grow even faster. (Disclaimer: points are tabulated electronically, no actual points-pile is available.)
• Transfer Points to Other Programs – You can transfer the points you’ve earned with your Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ card to participating airline and other frequent traveler’s programs at a 1:1 ratio.
• Use 20% Less for the Same Rewards – You’ll be able to redeem your points through Chase Ultimate Rewards for 20% more than normal. For instance, a $500 flight would ordinarily require 50,000 rewards points – but with the Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ card, it’ll only cost you 40,000 rewards points.

The Wide World Awaits You

The same gold standard of customer service applies to both the Chase Sapphire℠ and Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ card. So no matter where you want to go, either of these cards is an excellent choice to get you there for less. (Even free!)

Decide whether you want a travel rewards credit card with NO annual fee, or if you’d like to earn 50,000 rewards points right off the bat and avoid foreign transaction fees abroad.

Then all you have left to do is apply – and We’ll make that even easier on you. Just click through the Chase Sapphire℠ or Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ card link below…and have a pleasant journey!

Tags: 25000 bonus points, 50000 bonus points, airline rewards, annual fee, annual points, bonus points, Chase, Chase Sapphire, dining points, dividend, hotel rewards, No annual fee, no foreign fees, purchase points, Sapphire Preferred, travel credit cards, travel rewards, ultimate rewards
Filed under: Awards & Perks, General Information |

7 Responses to “Chase Sapphire℠ and Chase Sapphire Preferred℠ Travel Rewards Cards”

1. allison darden Says:
   September 10th, 2011 at 10:19 am

   what travel programs (eg United) is the sapphire card associated with?

2. John Gawley Says:
   September 21st, 2011 at 6:09 pm

   None. Chase Sapphire earns you rewards points, which you can redeem through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards center for travel and accommodations with no blackout dates or seat restrictions. You may or may not be able to use your rewards points with other travel programs, but that’s between you, Chase, and the travel provider in question!

3. jennifer chiu Says:
   October 10th, 2011 at 11:09 am

   Is it possible to use chase sapphire rewards points on foreign airlines? Thank you.

4. John Gawley Says:
   October 17th, 2011 at 2:59 pm

   If the foreign airline in question is available through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Online booking tool, sure. Some travel rewards credit cards allow you to purchase the ticket, and then pay yourself back with the points you’ve earned. Chase Sapphire does something similar I believe; allowing you to “pay yourself back” for any purchase you make…to the tune of 100 points per dollar. You’re much better off using the Chase Ultimate Rewards Online booking tool however – your points will go 25% further there! And, when you’re signed up and have been approved for the card, you’ll receive a full outline of the rewards program “Terms and Conditions” that will outline exactly how to redeem your rewards points.

5. Carolyn Stillwell Says:
   October 18th, 2011 at 7:44 pm

   Can you tell me what this means please as I am trying to find a card that I will be able to transfer my points to my Qantas Frequent flyer program. I can’t seem to find out who your preffered participating airlines are.

   You can transfer the points you’ve earned with your Chase Sapphire Preferred card to participating airline and other frequent traveler’s programs at a 1:1 ratio.

6. Y Sheldon Mao Says:
   December 26th, 2011 at 3:15 pm

   Dear Sir and Madam:

   If I used the Chase Sapphire card in China, for instance, does Chase may charge additional fee because I used it in a foreign country? Thanks, YSM

7. John Gawley Says:
   December 27th, 2011 at 1:16 pm

   The Chase Sapphire card charges 3% of each foreign transaction (in this example, a transaction conducted in China), in US dollars. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card does NOT charge a foreign transaction fee. Obviously, this only applies to fees charged BY Chase; any foreign transaction fees levied by the merchant in question (because the Chase Sapphire Preferred card IS a foreign credit card…in China) or by the foreign country in which the transaction occurred would (most likely) not be covered by Chase. But Chase will NOT charge you a foreign Transaction fee for transactions charged to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card while abroad. I hope this answers your question!!

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