The is my FAVORITE credit card, because it’s extremely flexible in allowing you to transfer its points to airlines and hotel chains for free travel.
It currently has a bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months with a very reasonable annual_fees annual fee.
Oh, Chase Sapphire Preferred, because I love thee so, I’ve put together this list of 7 ways this travel credit card can get you free travel!
You can read my full review of this card here.
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7 Ways Chase Sapphire Preferred Can Get You FREE Travel
Let me count the ways… 😉
1. Transfer Points to Airlines
You can transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to a variety of airlines, including our favorite, Southwest Airlines. Most transfers happen INSTANTLY!
I love this feature, because I can leave a bank of points in my Chase Ultimate Rewards account until we need them and transfer them over instantly when I need.
You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to…
- Aer Lingus
- British Airways
- Air Canada
- Air France/Flying Blue
- Korean Air Skypass
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Southwest Airlines
- United
- Virgin Atlantic
We have used our Ultimate Rewards Points to book flights in Europe on Aer Lingus and for COUNTLESS Southwest flights!
Read my post below for more tips on using this card for Southwest points…
[4 Ways to Use Chase Sapphire Preferred to Earn Southwest Points]
2. Transfer Points to Hotels
You can use Chase Ultimate Rewards points earned on the card_name to transfer to hotel programs including…
- IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group)
- Hyatt (100,000 points can get you 4 nights at an all-inclusive Hyatt resort in Mexico for 2 people — all food and drink included! We show you how inside Families Fly Free.)
- Marriott
3. Intro Points
Currently, you can earn 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months when you apply for the card_name.
When you meet the minimum spend on the card_name, where you will net AT LEAST 1 point per dollar, you’ll have the bonus points + the minimum 1 point per dollar you earned to meet the minimum spend.
This is a SOLID bonus which has enabled my family of 4, along with a Southwest Companion Pass, to travel to at least SIX destinations every year.
Just exactly how far can these points take you on Southwest? As examples, my family of 4 flew to New York City from Indianapolis for ~22,000 points, from Chicago to Maui for 30,000 points and from Chicago to Las Vegas for 15,000 points.
In all cases, one of us flew on the Companion Pass, eliminating the points price for that person.
But it is VERY common to find flights on Southwest for ~5,000 points per way.
You just have to be willing to utilize the industry insider tricks I show you inside my Families Fly Free membership, sometimes fly on Tuesdays/Wednesdays and to consider cities that have cheap prices from your home airport (or an airport nearby you might be willing to drive to).
Want to learn the EASY way to fly for free by collecting and redeeming travel rewards? Join us in Families Fly Free, the premier online travel club where you can learn our SIMPLE, step-by-step system and save thousands of dollars in the process, while enjoying 1-on-1 support, a vibrant community and timely travel webinars and alerts. It's helped hundreds of families and thousands of people be able to travel MORE while spending less -- all while making priceless memories with their families.
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4. 3X Points on Dining and 2X Points on Travel
The card_name also allows you to earn MORE points when you use it to pay for dining and travel expenses than say the Southwest credit cards, which only earn 1 point per $1.
Though keep in mind, by using the Southwest credit cards, you earn points TOWARD the 135,000 you need to earn the Southwest Companion Pass that lets one person fly free with you.
Points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards TO Southwest Rapid Rewards DO NOT qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass.
I use this card as my everyday spending card, ESPECIALLY for restaurants and travel expenses to make sure I’m earning as many points a possible toward future Southwest and Europe flights!
5. Up to 75,000 Referral Points Per Year
There is even MORE potential to earn additional points besides through spending and the initial bonus.
For every person you refer to the card_name, up to 5 people each calendar year, you can earn 15,000 referral points, up to a maximum of 75,000!
Sure, you can ask friends and family, but don’t forget the value of social media and email and simply sharing with others how you travel free. I have no doubt they’ll want to know how :).
To get your referral link, check out the Chase Refer a Friend feature.
6. Double Value Paired With the Southwest Companion Pass
When you pair Chase Ultimate Rewards points with a Southwest Companion Pass, you get DOUBLE the value out of them.
For every Ultimate Reward point you transfer to Southwest, that’s a point that can be used for TWO people to travel free, because you can bring someone with you whenever you book a flight on points (or paid for that matter!).
7. No Foreign Transaction Fees
There are also NO foreign transaction fees when you use the card_name outside of the U.S., so it makes a great card for international travel.
Don’t forget to use it for ALL dining and travel expenses, so you can earn DOUBLE or TRIPLE points.
Additional Travel Benefits You Get with Chase Sapphire Preferred
Additional travel benefits, include…
- 3x points on online grocery and streaming service purchases
- 5x points when purchasing Lyft rides with your card
- 10% points anniversary bonus based on your spending
- Complimentary DashPass from DoorDash for one year, which includes free delivery for orders more than $12.
Read More:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Hidden Benefits
- How I Use Chase Sapphire Preferred Points for Free Hyatt Stays
- Reader Question: Which Card Should I Use for Purchases: Southwest or Chase Sapphire Preferred?
- How I Use Chase Sapphire Preferred to Book Travel in the Chase Portal
