Points, Miles & Credit Cards

Why Chase Sapphire Preferred® is the perfect card for points and miles beginners

November 26, 2025

7 min read

Going has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Going and CardRatings earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. Opinions, reviews, analyses, and recommendations are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of all of the card offers that appear on this page are from advertisers; compensation may affect how and where the cards appear on the site; and Going does not include all card companies are all available card offers.

Table of Contents

The card that started it all

The card_name holds a special place in my heart because it was the first card I ever opened on my points and miles journey.

Many years ago, when my old college roommate first taught me about points and miles, he told me how he used this very card to earn the points he needed to fly to Europe, South America, and across the US.

I was immediately hooked. I applied for my own card_name, and the rest is points and miles history.

card_name is the top card I recommend for beginners because it’s easy to earn points, and those points are so valuable for travel.

Why Chase Sapphire Preferred® is the perfect starter card

f you’re just beginning your points and miles journey, I think the card_name should be your first travel rewards card.

Here’s why:

Let’s get the first thing out of the way. The signup bonus on the card_name is fantastic. It's a great head start that will get you traveling.

Plus, it’s very manageable to earn. You could likely earn it by putting all your monthly spending on the card.

The signup bonus is: bonus_miles_full

But the card is a keeper, long after you’ve earned the bonus points. Here’s why.

It has a low annual fee

The card comes with an annual fee of annual_fees, making it a relatively low barrier to entry. This is not one of those cards where you spend a fortune on an annual fee, then agonize all year over whether or not you’re getting enough value from it.

It makes earning points easy

This is not one of those cards that require you to spend hours tracking bonus categories. It earns bonus points on common, everyday expenses.

With it, you’ll earn:

Earn 5x total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Ultimate Rewards® Hotel Credit.
Earn 2x on other travel purchases.
Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out.
Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
Earn 3x points on select streaming services.
Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Use this card for your recurring streaming subscriptions and dining out, and you’ll see how earning points is effortless.

It pairs perfectly with other Chase cards

With the card_name in your wallet, you can then add other Chase cards that help you earn more Ultimate Rewards® points.

Add the no-annual-fee card_name or Chase Freedom Flex cards to complement your Sapphire. These cards come with their own bonus earning categories, which means you can earn more faster.

Then, you can combine all your Ultimate Rewards® points.

^{Note: All information about the Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card has been collected independently by Going. Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card is not available through Going.}

It has a valuable rewards points currency

The card_name earns Ultimate Rewards® points, which I would argue is the most valuable points currency available.

Sure, some issuers may have more airline and hotel transfer partners, but those cards either have higher annual fees, or do not offer a signup bonus.

Your card_name allows you to transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to book with JetBlue, United, Southwest, Marriott, and Hyatt—just to name a few, recognizable travel brands.

What about the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?

The card_name is a great card, too, but with a annual_fees annual fee, it's a bigger investment.

It does come with a flexible $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access, and plenty of other perks that total over $2,700 in annual value, but you’ll want to do the math and ensure you’ll actually use the perks first.

card_name may be a better option for those who want elevated travel and lifestyle perks.

How to redeem for travel

There are several ways you can redeem the Ultimate Rewards points you earn with your card_name.

Book with Chase Travel℠

Chase Travel℠ is an online travel portal where you can book flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and more. You can book with either cash or redeem Ultimate Rewards® points.

Points Boost: You’ll notice a blue rocket ship next to some results in Chase Travel. This is Points Boost, a when your points are worth more and go further. When you select a Points Boost option, your card_name points will be worth up to 1.5x on select flights and hotels, and up to 1.75x on premium cabin tickets on select airlines.

The selection of flights and hotels eligible for Points Boost is always rotating, so check back often for new surprises and offers.

Transfer to partners

This is my favorite method because it can unlock a lot of value.

How it works: You link your Chase account with airline or hotel loyalty rewards accounts, then when you transfer points, you’ll have airline miles to book a flight directly on that airline.
Some transfer partners we love at Going:

Flying Blue: A great way to get to Europe; also a good way to get to East Asia
Air Canada: Good options to get to Asia and Europe
British Airways: A good option to get to Ireland or the UK
JetBlue or Southwest: Great for domestic flights, especially when the airlines run sales
Hyatt: A good option for hotel stays

Real-life examples of how I’ve redeemed Chase Sapphire Preferred® points:

I have redeemed points from my card_name multiple times. The memorable travel experiences it has unlocked are why this card remains in my wallet.

Some of ways I’ve redeemed points include:

Roundtrip, business class seats for two to Paris
Roundtrip seats for two to London
An all-inclusive stay at a Caribbean resort
A stay at a boutique hotel through Chase Travel^SM
Roundtrip, domestic economy flights

Bottom line: Chase Sapphire Preferred® is the perfect starter card

The card_name got me started on my points and miles journey, and it’s the card I recommend to anyone starting theirs.

All these years later, card_name is still at the top of my wallet because:

It earns Ultimate Rewards® points, which are super valuable and versatile.
It earns points on common expenses, like transit, dining, and streaming services, just to name a few.
It pairs perfectly with other Chase cards.
Its annual fee is affordable.

Chase Sapphire Preferred isn’t just a starter card; it’s a foundation.