How to Maximize Your Earnings With the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

So you just got the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — round of applause, moment of silence, and imaginary confetti popped in honor of you — we’re celebrating!

With one of the best welcome bonuses and most flexible rewards programs, you’re officially playing in the big leagues.

Let’s walk through how to hit your minimum spend, earn the most possible points, and actually put those points to good use (instead of hoarding them forever like I’ve been known to do in the past). 🫠

What the Chase Sapphire Preferred Offers

In case you need a quick refresher, here’s why the Sapphire Preferred Card is a fan favorite:

• 5x on travel booked through Chase Travel^SM

• 3x points on select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart/Target, and wholesale clubs)

• 2x points on travel and dining

• 1x on everything else

• Points are worth 25% more when redeemed through Chase Travel

• Low $95 annual fee

And, of course, the current welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..

Hit Your Minimum Spend Without Overspending

You might be thinking, “How much do I have to spend to make this card worth it?”

The truth is — if you’re aiming for the welcome offer, you’re likely required to spend around $4,000 in the first three months. That’s about $1,333 per month, which is totally doable if you plan ahead.

Here are a few easy ways to reach that spend (without impulse-buying):

• Pay for upcoming travel and dining with the card

• Offer to cover friends/family purchases and have them Venmo you back

• Pre-pay bills like insurance or utilities

• Use it for groceries, streaming, and other everyday essentials

• Pay your taxes if you can time it well

But if you want to really increase your earnings... keep reading.

Pairing With Other Chase Cards

Here’s where it gets fun. The best way to maximize Ultimate Rewards points is to pair the Sapphire Preferred with a no-annual-fee Chase card like:

• Chase Freedom Flex® (5x points on rotating categories)

• Chase Freedom Unlimited® (unlimited 1.5x points on everything)

These cards technically earn cash back, but when you combine them with your Sapphire Preferred, that cash back becomes fully transferable points (yay!).

What Type of Traveler Are You?

Ahh, yes — thank goodness we’re tackling the important questions in life. This matters more than you think. The Sapphire Preferred is flexible enough to match almost any type of travel:

• Boujee trip? Transfer points to Hyatt or Singapore Airlines for premium stays and first-class flights.

• Budget traveler? Book through Chase Travel and get 25% more value.

• Family vacation? Use points for hotel stays, car rentals, or multi-stop itineraries.

• Prefer Cash? Cash out through Pay Yourself Back or combine points with a spouse’s account for even more options.

No matter your vibe, this is an ideal keeper card with a low fee and high value.

Utilize Chase’s Transfer Partners

One of the best things about the Sapphire Preferred is the ability to transfer points to airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. This gives you access to some of the best travel deals in the game, like lie-flat flights or nice hotel stays for fewer points than you’d expect.

Transfers are usually instant and give you way more flexibility than just booking through the Chase portal. You’ll need loyalty accounts with each partner, but once you’re set up, you can start comparing award options and snagging those high-value redemptions.

Chase also runs occasional transfer bonuses, which can seriously stretch your points.

Once you’re done admiring your points balance, it’s time to transfer. Some top Chase transfer partners include:

• World of Hyatt (great value for hotel stays)

• Air Canada Aeroplan

• Air France/KLM

• Emirates

• United MileagePlus

• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

• Virgin Atlantic

Keep Earning Ultimate Rewards Points

The obvious advice? Once you’ve hit the welcome offer, keep using the card for dining, travel, and any bookings through Chase Travel (which earns 5x points). But as always, there are some other things you could do.

For my foodies — you can also link your Sapphire Preferred to your Bilt Wallet to earn even more on dining through Bilt Dining. Just add the card in the Wallet tab of the Bilt app or site to stack rewards from both programs automatically.

Also, watch for Chase’s Pay Yourself Back program, which lets you redeem points at the same 1.25x rate for things like groceries, dining, or Airbnb stays when available.

When (and When Not) to Use This Card

The Sapphire Preferred is ideal for travel and dining (not just for the bonus points) but also for the solid travel protections.

For non-bonus spending like groceries or gas, another card might earn more — especially if you’re using the Freedom Unlimited alongside it.

Use the Sapphire Preferred when:

• You’re booking travel or dining out

• You want access to Chase’s travel protections

• You’re planning to redeem points for travel (especially through Chase Travel or transfer partners)

Reach for a different card when:

• You’re shopping at Walmart or Target for groceries

• You’re looking for higher earnings on everyday non-category spend (this is where the Freedom Unlimited is a good option)

Bottom Line

The Sapphire Preferred is our BFF here at Daily Drop, because it’s one of the most versatile cards on the market. Whether you're stacking points with a multi-card strategy, transferring to beautiful and wonderful travel partners, or just booking a quick weekend getaway through the portal, you’ve got options.

Just remember: points aren’t for hoarding — they’re for using. 😉