The Easiest Credit Card Travel Hack: Chase Sapphire
If you’re new to points and miles, there’s one card nearly every travel hacker recommends starting with — and for good reason.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is often considered the best beginner travel rewards card because it’s easy to use, easy to earn with, and unlocks some of the best redemptions in the travel hacking world. It was the first real travel credit card I got when I started taking points seriously, and it helped me book a month-long trip to Europe (mostly on points) just months later.
Here’s why this card is such a powerful starter — and how to use it as your launch pad into free travel.
Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the Best Beginner Travel Credit Card
- Big welcome bonus: Get 80,000 points when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months — that’s worth $1,000 in travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
- Strong earning categories: Earn 2x points on dining and travel, and 1x on everything else.
- Points are flexible: You can book travel through Chase’s portal or transfer your points to airline and hotel partners for even more value.
- Low annual fee: Just $95/year, compared to premium cards with fees over $500.
- Great travel protection: Includes primary rental car insurance, trip delay coverage, and baggage delay reimbursement — huge perks for frequent or even casual travelers.
Why I Chose This Card First
When I first started travel hacking, I already had an American Airlines card — but I needed a card that wasn’t tied to just one airline. After a lot of research, the Chase Sapphire Preferred came up again and again as the best first card to open.
Why? It’s:
- Easy to earn a big welcome bonus
- Simple to redeem rewards (especially if you’re not ready to get into airline transfers just yet)
- Great for everyday spending
- Affordable to keep long-term
Even better, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are incredibly versatile, which gave me room to experiment with different travel partners later.
How I Used It to Travel Hack a Month in Europe
Here was my game plan when I opened the card:
- Meet the $4,000 minimum spend in 3 months (easy to do with a little planning)
- Put all dining and travel purchases on the card (hello, 2x points!)
- Use the Chase portal to price out flights and hotels and compare against partner transfer options
I ended up using my Chase points to book a combination of one-way flights and hotel nights — and supplemented the rest with other cards and airline miles.
It was my first time booking international travel with points, and it set the tone for how I now travel smarter, cheaper, and better. It helped me create my Europe for Free trip, which I paid almost nothing for in the end.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Travel Benefits You Should Actually Use
Beyond earning points, this card includes benefits that save real money while traveling:
- Primary rental car insurance (skip the overpriced rental company coverage!)
- Trip delay reimbursement (up to $500 for hotels/food if your trip is delayed)
- Baggage delay coverage
- No foreign transaction fees
- $50 annual hotel credit (on hotels booked through Chase)
Let’s break these benefits down in details. Because they more than pay for the annual fee.
Primary Rental Car Insurance
This is one of the best perks of the Chase Sapphire Preferred — you can skip the rental company’s expensive insurance because this card covers it. It’s primary coverage, meaning you don’t have to go through your personal auto insurance first. Just decline the rental company’s CDW/LDW coverage when you book and pay with your Sapphire Preferred.
Trip Delay Reimbursement
If your flight is delayed by 12 hours or more (or requires an overnight stay), Chase will reimburse you up to $500 per ticket for meals, lodging, and other essentials. It’s saved me more than once when delays ruined my plans. Just make sure you paid for the trip with your Sapphire Preferred.
Baggage Delay Coverage
If your bags don’t show up on time (six hours or more), you can get reimbursed for essentials like clothes and toiletries — up to $100 a day for five days. Not glamorous, but super helpful if your luggage goes missing for a bit.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
This one’s simple but important: you can use the card abroad without worrying about extra fees. Many cards charge 2–3% on international purchases — this one charges $0. It’s one of the reasons I use this card every time I leave the country.
$50 Annual Hotel Credit
Each year you’ll get a $50 credit to use on hotel bookings through the Chase travel portal. It’s automatic — just book through Chase, and the statement credit applies. It’s an easy win to offset part of the $95 annual fee.
Final Thoughts: Should You Get It?
If you’re even a little bit curious about travel hacking, this is the best place to start. The points are easy to use, the perks are generous, and the sign-up bonus can unlock hundreds — if not thousands — in travel value.
