6 Ways to Maximize the Chase Sapphire Preferred as a Beginner

6 Ways to Maximize the Chase Sapphire Preferred as a Beginner: Practical Tips for Travelers in 2025

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• The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers terrific value for beginner travelers looking to elevate their adventures without overspending.
• From powerful bonus categories to flexible point transfers, the card rewards everyday spending with travel perks.
• Ideal for solo adventurers, couples, and anyone planning international or domestic trips in 2025.
• Our guide covers the 6 ways to maximize the Chase Sapphire Preferred as a beginner—without getting overwhelmed.
• Learn the smartest ways to earn, transfer, and redeem points for hotels, flights, and activities.

Table of Contents

1. Why Start with the Chase Sapphire Preferred in 2025?
2. 1. Earn the Welcome Bonus the Smart Way
3. 2. Use the Bonus Categories to Build Points Year-Round
4. 3. Redeem Points Through Chase Travel at 25% More Value
5. 4. Transfer Points to Travel Partners for Max Value
6. 5. Take Advantage of Hidden Perks (Don’t Skip These!)
7. 6. Combine Points with Family or a Travel Partner
8. How to Plan This Trip the Smart Way
9. HopStrip-Style Tips and Tools for This Trip

Why Start with the Chase Sapphire Preferred in 2025?

If you’re just getting into travel rewards, you may wonder: Why does everyone recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred as a first card?

Here’s why it still punches above its weight in 2025:

• Low annual fee: At just $95/year, it’s one of the best-value travel cards in the game.
• Bonus points: The current sign-up bonus can be enough for a roundtrip U.S. flight or several nights at a mid-range hotel.
• Simple categories: Earn 3X points on dining, 2X on travel, and more—no complicated tracking or rotating bonuses.
• Ultimate Rewards® flexibility: Transfer points to major airline and hotel partners like United, Southwest, Hyatt, and Marriott.
• Strong travel protections: Includes primary rental coverage, trip delay reimbursement, and baggage insurance.

Even with no fancy spreadsheets or deep miles knowledge, the Chase Sapphire Preferred sets up everyday travelers for serious wins.

1. Earn the Welcome Bonus the Smart Way

The biggest boost you’ll ever get on this card comes right at the start—the welcome bonus. At press time, it’s often 60,000–80,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in 3 months (always check the latest terms).

💡 Traveler tip: Plan big expenses (like booking a vacation rental or paying for an upcoming wedding) around your card’s open date. Meeting the spending minimum should be intentional—not stressful.

And since every dollar earns at least 1X point, those initial purchases go even further toward your next trip.

2. Use the Bonus Categories to Build Points Year-Round

Many beginners underestimate how fast they can rack up points by aligning spending with the card’s bonus categories:

• 3X on dining (restaurants, takeout, delivery)
• 2X on travel (flights, trains, hotels, parking, Uber, etc.)
• 3X on select streaming services
• 1X on everything else

The trick? Use this card specifically for those bonus purchases and another card (like a cashback one) for groceries or gas.

For frequent travelers, even things like airport lounge meals or sightseeing tours with GetYourGuide can trigger those extra points.

3. Redeem Points Through Chase Travel at 25% More Value

When you book through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, your points stretch further: 1 point = 1.25 cents toward travel.

That means 60,000 points equals $750 worth of flights, hotels, car rentals, or cruises.

This is an excellent starting redemption method if you’re not yet ready for award flights and transfer partners. The portal offers a familiar interface (similar to Expedia) and often includes extra deals exclusive to Chase members.

Want a shortcut? Use Chase points to book hotels or vacation rentals without worrying about blackout dates or restrictions.

4. Transfer Points to Travel Partners for Max Value

Once you’re comfortable with the basics, this is where the magic often happens—especially for international travel.

Chase has 14 travel partners, including:

• Airlines: United, Southwest, Air France/KLM, British Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, JetBlue
• Hotels: Hyatt, Marriott, IHG

Transferring 1:1 means every point you send to, say, Hyatt becomes one Hyatt point—which tend to be extremely valuable at properties like Park Hyatt Bali or Hyatt Place Kyoto.

💡 Pro tip: Use this when cash prices are high, but award availability exists. You could score a $600/night hotel for just 15,000–20,000 points.

Here’s an in-depth guide on how transferring works and when to do it.

5. Take Advantage of Hidden Perks (Don’t Skip These!)

Beyond earning and redeeming points, the Chase Sapphire Preferred gives you access to valuable travel perks at no extra cost:

• Primary rental car coverage: Pays before your own insurance for eligible rentals booked with your card.
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: Reimburses you up to $10,000 if a covered event forces you to cancel.
• Trip delay reimbursement: Covers hotels or meals if your flight is delayed 12+ hours or overnight.
• No foreign transaction fees: Makes this card excellent for international spending.

If you’re renting a car in Iceland or catching trains across Italy, this card has your back without the need for expensive add-ons.

6. Combine Points with Family or a Travel Partner

Traveling with a spouse, sibling, or partner who’s also into rewards? You can combine Ultimate Rewards points across household accounts.

Just add them as an authorized user (no fee), or manually transfer your points to their account. This allows you to book trips faster by pooling your balances—or optimize transfers if one of you holds the Chase Sapphire Reserve for even better redemption value.

This is especially useful for families planning international summer trips or winter holiday getaways together.

How to Plan This Trip the Smart Way

1. Sign up when you know you’ll have large expenses (within 3 months).
2. Activate bonus categories and link your streaming services.
3. Use the card for all dining, travel, and select streaming purchases.
4. Log into the Chase portal monthly to watch for point deals or discounts.
5. Explore airline and hotel award charts to learn what point transfers get you.
6. Add a partner or travel companion as an authorized user to build points faster.

HopStrip-Style Tips and Tools for This Trip

At HopStrip, we believe in smarter—not just cheaper—travel. Here’s how to make the Chase Sapphire Preferred work harder for your adventures:

• Stack rewards: Book your flights through trusted flight comparison tools, then pay with your Sapphire card for extra protection and points.
• Book high-quality transfers in countries like Japan or Morocco using your card benefits and prebooked fixed-rate airport transfers with no hidden fees.
• Pack smart: Use the points you earn to save on hotel nights, then invest in travel gear like compression cubes or universal adapters so your trip runs smoother.

Look for bundle opportunities (e.g., free night with points + paid night using your card) to maximize value while staying flexible.

FAQ: 6 Ways to Maximize the Chase Sapphire Preferred as a Beginner

Q1: What kind of traveler is the Chase Sapphire Preferred best for?

A: It’s ideal for beginner to intermediate travelers—including couples, solo adventurers, and budget-conscious luxury seekers—who want solid coverage, easy ways to earn points, and flexible redemption options.

Q2: How do Chase Ultimate Rewards points compare to airline miles?

A: They’re much more flexible. You can transfer them to dozens of programs or use them through the Chase portal at fixed value—making them less restrictive than airline-specific miles.

Q3: What’s better: using Chase points in the portal or transferring them?

A: For economy domestic flights, the portal often gives better fixed value. For luxury hotels or international business class, transferring to partners like Hyatt or Air France/KLM can unlock outsized value.

Q4: Do the travel protections apply if I book through third-party sites?

A: In most cases yes, as long as you pay with your card. For rental cars or flights, check Chase’s fine print—but typically, third-party bookings are covered.

Q5: What’s one mistake I should avoid as a beginner?

A: Don’t hoard points aimlessly. Learn one or two travel partners and book something every 6–12 months. Points don’t lose value quickly, but they’re most powerful when used intentionally.