Precious Hours Remain: the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card 80,000 Bonus Points

If you ever stay in hotels, rent cars, buy airlines, or just like money, you might want to pay attention: we’re down the final hours of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card 80,000 bonus points offer.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Welcome Offer

The card_name offers new cardholders 80,000 bonus Chase Ultimate Rewards® points after spending $4,000 on purchases within three (3) months of card membership approval. This offer expires sometime before 9:00 AM Eastern Time on May 25. (I’m not being cute when I say “sometime.” That’s the information that was given to me.)

This is an increase from the previous offer, which was 60,000 bonus points. The highest we’ve seen for this card (at least, from what I remember) is 100,000 bonus. But that came when the card underwent a major refresh in 2021. I doubt we’ll see it ever again — or at least for a long, long time. Recent data points indicate that some people had luck going into Chase branches and finding 90,000 bonus point offers — but I don’t know if those are still valid.

Who is Eligible for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Welcome Bonus?

Chase says:

The product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 48 months. If you are an existing Sapphire customer and would like this product, please call the number on the back of your card to see if you are eligible for a product change. You will not receive the new cardmember bonus if you change products. (Bold mine)

So just keep that in mind, given your respective “Sapphire” status.

The card_name carries a $95 annual fee. But the welcome bonus easily recoups several years of that. And keep in mind the card offers a bunch of worthwhile 3X bonus categories. (We’ll discuss this in a minute.)

Also, keep in mind Chase’s 5/24 rule. You won’t be approved for any Chase card if you’ve been approved for five or more credit cards from Chase or other banks within the past 24 months.

“But I’m a Delta Flyer and Only Get American Express Cards!”

How does that Kool-Aid taste? 🙂

I, too, have my share of American Express cards. But I also hold several Chase Ultimate Rewards® cards. Remember that Chase has its own travel booking service — and you can use Ultimate Rewards points to pay for all sorts of trips. Even Delta flights!

In fact, card_name members can redeem their points for 1.25 cents each when purchasing travel through Chase. So, that 80,000 bonus effectively becomes worth $1,000.

And if you ever plan to take a Delta partner mileage run, then $1,000 worth of travel funds may come in pretty handy.

Plus, Chase is a transfer partner to hotel programs such as Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG. I assume you stay in hotels, right? 🙂

Or, just simply award yourself statement credit or cashback (direct deposit to your bank account) at a penny per point. That’s not necessarily the best redemption — but if it works for you, then great.

Keep in Mind These Perks and Points Earnings

The card_name features a host of benefits.

10% Anniversary Bonus

Cardmembers earn bonus points equal to 10% of their total purchases made the previous year on the card_name. For example, $30,000 spent on the card one year would earn an additional 3,000 bonus points. And that’s on top of whatever else you earn in the card’s bonus categories.

Essentially, the least amount of points each purchase earns is 1.1X. It’s just that the “.1” doesn’t hit your account until your next year of card membership. (Hey, it’s always nice to have something to look forward to, right?)

5X: Travel Purchases Through Chase Ultimate Rewards®

Like several other credit card providers, Chase offers its own travel booking service. (It’s like their version of Amex Travel.) So when you purchase travel through that service (offered through Ultimate Rewards) and pay for it on your card_name, you’ll earn five (5) Ultimate Rewards points for each dollar spent. (Fine print: This excludes hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit.)

This is a great return on flights. And, of course, you’ll still earn frequent flyer points — including elite status qualifiers.

Is it worth using the 5X for hotels? That’s up to you, of course, but I personally wouldn’t. (With an exception we’ll talk about in a minute.) Why? Chase Ultimate Rewards®’ travel booking service is an online travel agency (OTA). And hotels generally don’t honor elite status benefits or award loyalty program points for bookings made through OTA. (So, if your hotel status and points-earning possibilities are a big deal to you, just book directly through the hotel.)

$50 Annual Credit on Hotel Stays Purchased Through Ultimate Rewards

Again, consider that the Ultimate Rewards travel portal is an OTA, making this is potentially a double-edged sword if you value elite status benefits and points earnings. But even I can suck it up in most standard hotel rooms if it saves me $50.

2X: Other Travel Purchases

For other travel purchases not made through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, you earn 2X points. For example, airfare purchases made directly with airlines, hotel room purchases made directly through hotels or online travel agencies, parking, tolls, etc.

1X: Other Eligible Purchases

Any other eligible purchases not covered above earn one (1) point dollar spent on the card.

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