Best Travel Credit Card for Newbies

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card remains one of the best mid-tier travel rewards cards in 2025, offering a strong mix of value, flexibility, and perks—all for a modest annual fee of $95. So good that I have gotten it twice! Here's a full rundown of its benefits:

Travel & Dining Rewards

• 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ (including flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and tours)

• 2x points on all other travel purchases worldwide (airfare, hotels, taxis, trains, etc.)

• 3x points on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services

• 1x point on all other purchases

  
  

Annual Bonuses & Credits

• Currently 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months (worth up to $937.50 with Points Boost)

• $50 hotel credit each account anniversary year for hotel bookings through Chase Travel

• 10% anniversary points boost—you earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases from the previous year

  
  

Points Boost Redemption

• Redeem points at up to 1.5x value on thousands of top-booked hotels and flights

• Up to 1.75x value on premium cabin airfare with select airlines

  
  

Flexible Point Transfers- The Real Reason we get these points

• Here’s the full list of Chase Ultimate Rewards® transfer partners as of 2025. These partners allow you to transfer points at a 1:1 ratio, making them one of the most valuable redemption options for travel hackers:

Airline Transfer Partners

Airline Program	Notes
Aer Lingus AerClub	Great for flights to Ireland
Air Canada Aeroplan	Excellent for Star Alliance redemptions
Air France–KLM Flying Blue	Good for Europe and Africa
British Airways Executive Club	Uses Avios; great for short-haul
Emirates Skywards	Ideal for luxury redemptions
Iberia Plus	Avios program; good for transatlantic
JetBlue TrueBlue	Fixed-value redemptions
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer	Premium cabin availability
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards	No blackout dates
United Airlines MileagePlus	Star Alliance partner
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club	Great for ANA and Delta redemptions

Hotel Transfer Partners

Hotel Program	Notes
IHG One Rewards	Best for mid-tier redemptions
Marriott Bonvoy	Large footprint, variable value
World of Hyatt	High-value redemptions, low point cost

Transfer Details

• Transfer Ratio: 1:1 (1,000 Chase points = 1,000 partner points)

• Minimum Transfer: 1,000 points

• Transfer Time: Most are instant; Singapore Airlines may take 1–2 days

Pro Tips

• Best Value: World of Hyatt and Air Canada Aeroplan often offer the highest point value

• Combine Points: You can pool points from multiple Chase cards (e.g., Freedom + Sapphire Preferred)

• Watch for Bonuses: Chase occasionally offers transfer bonuses (e.g., 20% extra to Flying Blue)

Travel Protections- Things not to forget about!

• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance

• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver (primary coverage)

• Lost Luggage Reimbursement

• Trip Delay Reimbursement

• Travel Accident Insurance

• No foreign transaction fees

  
  

Lifestyle Perks

• Complimentary DashPass (free delivery and reduced service fees on DoorDash orders)

• Monthly $10 promo credit on non-restaurant DashPass orders (through 2027)

  
  

Why It’s a Standout

For just $95 a year, the Sapphire Preferred offers over $3,700 in potential value. It’s ideal for travelers who want strong rewards and protections without the steep fees of premium cards.

Want help deciding between Sapphire Preferred and Reserve—or building a Chase Trifecta strategy? I can walk you through it.