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Chase Sapphire Preferred's Best-Ever Bonus Is Ending Soon
July 1, 2025
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If you've been on the fence about applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, now's the time to get off it. The card is currently offering its richest welcome bonus in its history — and Chase has only run a promotion this generous twice before. There's no confirmed end date yet, but historically these limited-time offers don't stick around long.
Here's what makes this bonus worth paying attention to, who qualifies, and how to get the most value out of the card if you decide to apply.
Why This Bonus Is a Big Deal Right Now
Chase doesn't often put its best foot forward on the Sapphire Preferred's welcome offer. This is only the third time the card has featured its top-tier bonus, and each previous occurrence had a defined shelf life. For a card with a relatively modest annual fee, a bonus of this size delivers an outsized return relative to the cost of holding the card in year one.
Who Can Qualify
Eligibility comes down to a few key factors. Chase generally restricts the bonus to applicants who haven't previously earned a welcome offer on the Sapphire Preferred, and recent policy updates have made this closer to a once-per-lifetime restriction per Sapphire product. You'll also want to be mindful of Chase's unofficial rule limiting approvals for applicants who've opened several new cards across any issuer in the past two years. Good to excellent credit is typically expected, though Chase doesn't publish an official minimum score.
Applicants also need to hit a purchase minimum within the first few months of account opening to unlock the full bonus, so it's worth planning any major purchases accordingly.
What Changed With the Card's Recent Refresh
Earlier this summer, Chase rolled out a refresh to the Sapphire Preferred that added meaningful value on top of the bonus. New bonus categories now include gas, EV charging, and vacation home rentals. Chase also expanded its annual hotel credit and introduced a new credit toward trusted traveler programs like Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Cardholders can also pick up a complimentary streaming perk through the end of 2026.
Taken together, these updates mean the card's ongoing benefits can offset a meaningful chunk of the annual fee before you even factor in the welcome bonus.
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Why Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points Stand Out
Not all rewards points are created equal, and Chase Ultimate Rewards® consistently ranks among the most valuable currencies in the rewards space. Redemption options range from cash back and gift cards to travel bookings and transfers to airline and hotel partners — often the highest-value option available.
If you already hold another card that earns Ultimate Rewards, you can pool points across accounts, which makes it easier to reach redemption thresholds for bigger trips.
Everyday Categories That Earn Bonus Rewards
The Sapphire Preferred's refreshed rewards structure covers a wide range of common spending categories, including travel booked directly through Chase, dining, select streaming subscriptions, online groceries, vacation home rentals, and gas or EV charging. Every other travel purchase and general spending category still earns at a solid baseline rate.
Because the bonus categories touch so many everyday expenses, cardholders don't have to change their spending habits much to start accumulating points quickly.
Travel Protections Worth Knowing About
Beyond points, the Sapphire Preferred bundles in protections you'd typically expect from cards with steeper annual fees. That includes primary rental car coverage in most cases, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay protection, and purchase protection with extended warranty coverage.
The primary rental car coverage is especially notable — it can mean skipping a claim with your personal auto insurer altogether after a covered incident.
No-Annual-Fee Alternatives to Consider
If an annual fee isn't in the cards for you right now, there are still solid no-fee travel rewards options. Cards like the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card offer flexible mile transfers to airline and hotel partners along with a more accessible spending threshold for its own welcome bonus. The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card is another option, offering a flat rewards rate on every purchase along with potential bonus multipliers for members enrolled in the bank's relationship rewards program.
These cards won't match the Sapphire Preferred's earning potential or protections, but they're worth a look if a fee-free card better fits your strategy.
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How Kudos Helps You Maximize This Card
Whether you're applying for the Sapphire Preferred or already carry one, Kudos can help you get more value out of it. The free browser extension flags when the card's bonus categories apply while you shop, so you're not leaving points on the table. If you're deciding between multiple travel cards, Kudos' Sapphire Preferred review breaks down whether it's the right fit, and this guide on the card's 2026 refresh covers everything that changed in more detail.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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