Start Your Points & Miles Journey: Chase Sapphire Preferred
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If you're ready to dip your toes into the world of travel hacking, I always recommend starting with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card. It’s the card that launched my own points obsession—and it’s still the one I trust most for beginners. In fact, it is the very card I recommend to my parents for starting their own journey into points and miles. They have used these valuable points to fly to London, Seattle, and book Hyatt hotels as we travel the world together.
My parents sharing Sangria in South Beach, Miami thanks to points and miles
Here’s why I recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card:
Massive Welcome Bonus
Right now, you can earn 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. These are flexible points. Unlike airline- or hotel-specific cards, Chase Sapphire Preferred earns Ultimate Rewards® points, which are transferable to over a dozen travel partners. That means you’re not locked into one brand—you can fly United, book Hyatt stays, or even Marriott. Need ideas on how to use your points? Check out these popular posts:
Built-In Travel Protections
This card includes trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary rental car coverage, and baggage delay reimbursement. For a $95 annual fee, that’s a ton of peace of mind for families and solo travelers alike. I had 3 canceled flights due to weather this summer. Thanks to the built-in travel protections of the Chase Sapphire Card I didn’t have unexpected travel bills. Check out these posts where I explain how I used these benefits:
Beginner-Friendly Interface
The Chase app and portal are intuitive, and their customer service is solid. You don’t need to be a spreadsheet wizard to start optimizing your points.
Not sure this is the right card for you? Take a look at the other cards I keep in my wallet:
My Personal Take
I used this card for years to maximize my travel with points and miles. This card helped me fly my family to the Caribbean and stack casino offers with travel redemptions. It’s the gateway card that opens up a world of possibilities—and it pairs beautifully with other Chase cards once you’re ready to level up. I will mention that I stepped up to the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card over a year ago. I recommend it only to frequent travelers. Read about it here -> Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits
If you’re serious about traveling more for less, this is the card I’d start with. Want help mapping out your first redemption or stacking it with a cruise deal? Drop a comment or DM me—I love helping beginners get their first win.
Let’s Travel Hack Together!
If you enjoy learning how we travel as a family using points, miles, and smart credit card strategies, I’d love for you to follow along:
