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You Got the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — Now What?
December 12, 2024
Congratulations on landing the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card! Whether you snagged the legendary 100,000-point bonus or another great offer, you have one of the best travel cards in your wallet now. Now that the excitement of approval has worn off, you might be wondering: What's next? How do you maximize this card’s potential and build a winning credit card strategy? This quick guide will walk you through the essential steps to take after getting your Chase Sapphire Preferred, helping you earn more points, unlock better redemptions, and make the most of your new card.
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Immediate Actions: Set Up Your Card for Success
1. Add an Authorized User (Free Points Boost)
Your first move should be adding an authorized user to your account. This strategy offers multiple benefits:
- Faster welcome bonus: Authorized user purchases count toward your minimum spending requirement
- Point pooling: Transfer Ultimate Rewards points to airline/hotel partners in their name
- Shared benefits: They’ll enjoy the same travel protections when booking with their card
- Credit building: Help family members build credit history by “piggybacking” - the practice of adding someone else to your credit card account to allow them to benefit from your positive payment history and credit utilization. This strategy is commonly used by parents to help their children build credit, spouses/partners to improve each other’s scores, or individuals with poor credit to rehabilitate their credit profiles by leveraging someone with excellent credit
Adding an authorized user is completely free and takes less than 1 minute through your Chase online account!
2. Update Your Default Payment Methods
Make your Chase Sapphire Preferred the go-to card for these categories:
Travel purchases (2x points):
- Airlines, hotels, rental cars
- Rideshare services like Lyft (bonus benefits through 2027)
- Parking fees and toll payments
- Travel agencies and booking sites
Dining (3x points):
- Restaurants and bars
- Food delivery apps like DoorDash
- Takeout orders
- Coffee shops
Streaming services (3x points):
- Netflix, Disney+, Hulu
- Spotify, Apple Music
- Peacock, HBO Max
3. Supercharge Your Bonus Categories with Kudos Boost
Don’t stop at just earning your base category bonuses. Use Kudos Boost to stack additional rewards on top of your Chase points when shopping in these bonus categories. Simply activate Boost before making purchases at restaurants, streaming services, or travel bookings to earn extra rewards beyond your 2x-3x Chase points.
Example: When booking a hotel, you’ll earn 2x Chase points PLUS additional rewards through Kudos Boost (at partnered stores like Expedia) - essentially double-dipping on rewards. The same applies to your favorite restaurants and streaming subscriptions. It’s free money sitting on the table if you’re not utilizing this strategy.
4. Activate Your DashPass Membership
Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders receive a complimentary DashPass membership (normally $96/year) through December 2027. This perk provides $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on DoorDash orders over $12.
Strategic Moves: Maximize Your Rewards Potential
4. Understand Your Redemption Options
Your Chase Ultimate Rewards points have two primary redemption paths:
Chase Travel Portal (1.25¢ per point):
- Simple booking process
- Fixed redemption value
- Earn 5x points on hotels and car rentals booked through the portal
- Trigger your annual $50 hotel credit on your first booking
Transfer Partners (Often 1.5¢+ per point):
- 14 airline and hotel partners
- Potential for outsized value
- Access to premium cabin awards
- No blackout dates
5. Link Your Loyalty Accounts Now
Even if you're not ready to transfer points immediately, connect your frequent flyer and hotel loyalty accounts to your Chase profile. This prevents delays when you're ready to book that perfect award flight or hotel stay.
Key transfer partners to consider:
- Airlines: United, Southwest, Air France-KLM, British Airways
- Hotels: World of Hyatt, IHG, Marriott Bonvoy
Building Your Credit Card Portfolio
6. Consider Your 5/24 Status
Chase’s unofficial “5/24 rule” is crucial for your strategy. If you’ve opened fewer than 5 credit cards (from any bank) in the past 24 months, prioritize Chase cards. If you're at or over 5/24, focus on other issuers. You can check all of this inside your Kudos wallet once you link your accounts for free.
7. The Perfect Chase Companions
If you’re under 5/24, consider these Chase cards to maximize your Ultimate Rewards earning:
- 1.5x points on all purchases
- 3x points on dining and drugstores
- 5x points on Chase Travel bookings
- $0 annual fee
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- 5x points on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500)
- 3x points on dining and drugstores
- $0 annual fee
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Chase Business Cards (if you have any business income):
- 3x points on travel, shipping, internet/cable, advertising
- Don’t count toward 5/24 but still earn transferable points
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8. If You’re Over 5/24
Focus on other premium issuers:
- American Express: Membership Rewards points with excellent transfer partners
- Capital One: Venture Miles with competitive redemption options
- Citi: ThankYou Points with solid airline partnerships
Advanced Optimization Strategies
9. Plan Your First Award Redemption
Don’t let your points sit idle. Start researching award flights or hotel stays for upcoming trips. This hands-on experience will help you understand:
- How to search for award availability
- When to transfer points vs. book through Chase Travel
- The value of different redemption options
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Earning blindly: Always have a redemption goal in mind
- Ignoring the $50 hotel credit: Book at least one hotel stay annually through Chase Travel
- Transferring points prematurely: Confirm award availability before transferring
- Missing category bonuses: Use the right card for each purchase category
Your 90-Day Action Plan
- Days 1-30: Set up authorized users, update payment methods, activate DashPass
- Days 31-60: Research transfer partners, plan your first award trip, consider additional Chase cards
- Days 61-90: Execute your first award booking, evaluate your overall credit card strategy
The Bottom Line
The Sapphire Preferred is an excellent foundation for your travel rewards strategy, but it’s just the beginning. By following these steps, you’ll maximize your earning potential, unlock valuable redemptions, and build a credit card portfolio that supports your travel goals. The journey to maximizing your travel rewards starts now.
Supercharge Your Credit Cards
Experience smarter spending with Kudos and unlock more from your credit cards. Earn $20.00 when you sign up for Kudos with "GET20" and make an eligible Kudos Boost purchase.
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.
