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Chase Sapphire Preferred: a true-blue winner 2014

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is hands down the best personal rewards credit card! Hands down. The Sapphire Preferred has a sign-up bonus that’s worth up to $450 in cash, or even more in travel rewards! Solid. Here’s my review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred rewards credit card.

And you’re sure to turn heads with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card because it actually sports actual metal inside, so it’s heavy. Combine that with a perfect sapphire face (the numbers are on the back), and you’re sure to turn heads. But beauty is only skin deep.

The real benefits of the Sapphire Preferred include a generous rewards schedule, tons of perks, and incredible flexibility, not to mention the whopper of a sign-up offer: get 40,000 bonus points when you spend $3000 in purchases the first 3 months. That’s at the very least $400 worth of credit – or possibly $500. That’s because this card also allows you 20% off all travel booked through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards website, but the real value is when transfer your Ultimate Rewards points out to one of the 11 transfer partners like United, Southwest, Hyatt, Marriott, and more.

And if that isn’t enough, Chase now offers an additional 5,000 points when you add an authorized user and they make a purchase within the same 3 months. Nice! Other features like chip and signature technology and no foreign transaction fees make this a winner for traveling abroad. Let’s take a look at the other benefits that make the Sapphire shine.

Link: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

 

Points Perks

The rewards program gives you one point per one dollar spent on the card. But wait: this pretty blue card also gives you double points on all travel and dining purchases. Yes, that includes all travel expenses such as rental cars, trains, cruises, and everything from fine restaurants to fast food. And on airfare and hotels, you can nab a third point per dollar when you book through Ultimate Rewards. In fact, Ultimate Rewards pays off in other ways too: purchases made through the shopping portal with your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card often earn extra promotion points, up to 10 per dollar!

With how convenient online shopping has become, this alone makes Sapphire Preferred one of the best rewards cards out there. Even more rewards: interestingly, this card offers an annual “dividend” on your points.

Transfer Partners

When it comes time to spend those points, you will enjoy no foreign transaction fees and no blackout dates — book travel that suits your needs. Chase also offers amazing flexibility, as the points can be transferred to any of the following participating frequent traveler programs with no accompanying fees:

 

Ultimate-Rewards-Transfer-Partners
Ultimate-Rewards-Transfer-Partners

 

All transfers are final, so be make sure you have a booking in mind before transferring. When you transfer to another program, you are missing out on that sweet 20% off discount available through Ultimate Rewards. On the other hand, with a little bit of research, you might find an even better deal among all the choices of transfer partners. So sniff around!

 

Customer Service

Even during your trips, this card continues to serve you. Any tickets purchased through the card come with free travel insurance in case of cancellation. Similarly, auto rentals also come with collision insurance. They cover travel accidents and lost or stolen luggage, and will reimburse you for expenses resulting from trip delays, including accommodations, meals, or having to buy items if your baggage gets delayed. In addition, Sapphire Preferred customers can dial a phone number and reach a real live person 24/7 without having to dial through any menus! These customer service agents offer a wide range of services, including emergency service coordination and concierge-like services including booking, directories, and advising you on everything from entertainment to gifts. On that note, customers also gain access to exclusive entertainment deals and events. Fancy!

If you would rather redeem your points on other things besides travel, the card offers many choices, including gift cards, merchandise, or just simple old cash back. The Sapphire Preferred card also comes with non-travel benefits. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with: zero liability for unauthorized purchases, automatic extended warranties, refunds if the price on your purchase drops in the first 90 days, and refunds if the seller refuses you one.

 

Final Verdict

All in all, we think the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card card is a sure bet. It does come with a $95 annual fee which is waived the first year, but with all these benefits, it pays for itself — totally worth keeping. Conveniently, the annual fee is waived the first year, so you won’t lose out by just giving it a try. If you think the Chase Sapphire Preferred is right for you – you can click the link below to apply or see more details.

Apply Now:  Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card