Best overall travel rewards card under $100 annual fee.
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Excellent credit — 720+ FICO typical; Chase 5/24 rule applies
ClearValue Rating: 4.3 / 5 — our editorial assessment (how we rate)
Editorial confidence (30%), cost (25%), value (25%), accessibility (20%) — scored consistently across every product, independent of compensation.
Regular travelers who want transferable points, strong dining rewards, and a manageable fee.
| Year 1 value | Ongoing value |
|---|---|
| 60K-point welcome bonus (~$750 in Chase Travel) + $95 annual fee nets strong first-year value | 5x Chase Travel, 3x dining + streaming; $95 annual fee; no FX fees; points transfer 1:1 to 14+ partners |
| Welcome spend: $4K in first 3 months | |
Chase Sapphire Preferred — Best overall travel rewards card under $100 annual fee. Best for: Regular travelers who want transferable points, strong dining rewards, and a manageable fee.. Compare it against alternatives before applying; the right fit depends on your situation, credit, and goals.
For regular travelers, yes. The 60,000-point welcome bonus is worth roughly $750 in travel through Chase Travel, which alone covers the fee multiple times over in year one. Ongoing, the 3x on dining and no foreign transaction fees are strong for moderate travelers. If you rarely travel or dine out, a no-fee cash-back card may return more per year.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer 1:1 to 14+ airline and hotel partners including United Airlines, Southwest, Hyatt, and others. Transfers are typically instant. You can also redeem through the Chase Travel portal at a 25% bonus, meaning 60,000 points is worth $750 in travel rather than $600 in cash back.
A 720+ personal FICO is a typical floor. Chase also applies the 5/24 rule — if you've opened 5 or more personal card accounts across any issuer in the past 24 months, approval is unlikely regardless of credit score.
Yes — it includes primary rental car insurance (which covers damage without needing to file against your personal auto policy first) and trip cancellation/interruption insurance. It also includes no foreign transaction fees, making it suitable for international travel. Verify the current benefit terms at the Chase issuer page.
Yes — the card includes an annual $50 hotel statement credit for bookings made through the Chase Travel portal. The credit applies to one eligible hotel stay per cardmember year and refreshes annually. This is a meaningful benefit at the $95 fee tier. Verify current eligibility requirements at the Chase issuer page.
Yes — Chase allows product changes from Sapphire Preferred to Sapphire Reserve without a new application. This preserves your credit line and avoids a new hard pull. You won't receive the Reserve's welcome bonus via a product change (bonuses are for new accounts only). Chase typically requires at least 12 months of account history before approving most product changes.
How we rate
Every pick gets a 1–5 ClearValue Rating computed from four weighted factors: Editorial confidence (30%), Cost (25%), Value (25%), and Accessibility (20%).
Scored consistently across every product and independent of any compensation. Full methodology →
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