We've long considered the *chase sapphire preferred* the best travel credit card for beginners, bar none. And with the bank recently adding a slew of new perks to the card – all without raising the annual_fees annual fee – the case is stronger than ever.
Sure, it all starts with a big sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
But one perk makes the card a clear keeper for the long-haul: Every year, Sapphire Preferred cardholders get up to a $100 credit for hotel bookings through Chase Travel℠. That's double the card's old $50 hotel credit, making it much easier (and valuable) to use.
Pay annual_fees per year and get a $100 hotel credit? Yes, it's really as good a deal as it sounds.
Let's take a closer look at this benefit and why it makes the Sapphire Preferred a total no-brainer.
Learn more about the *chase sapphire preferred*
What is the $100 Hotel Credit?
New and existing Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders get up to a $100 credit each year that can be used toward booking a hotel through Chase Travel℠. To take advantage, all you need to do is use your Sapphire Preferred Card to book and pay for a hotel stay through Chase's travel portal, and you will receive an automatic statement credit for up to $100 each year.
This credit is based on your account member year rather than the calendar year. For example, if you opened your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card in September, you would receive a new $100 hotel credit each year after renewing your account in September.
Here's what you need to know:
- You must book your hotel through Chase Travel℠ to get this $100 credit. Booking a stay directly with a hotel won't trigger the credit.
- Unlike other credit cards offering benefits like this, there is no minimum spend or length of stay requirement.
- No registration is required! This statement credit kicks in automatically.
How to Use It
When you are ready to put your Chase Sapphire Preferred hotel credit to use, simply login to your online Chase account and navigate to the Ultimate Rewards section. From there, you'll select “Travel” from the dropdown menu, and then “Book Travel.” This will bring you directly into Chase Travel℠.
Once you have clicked on “Book Travel”, navigate to the “Stays” tab.
Enter the city you're looking to stay, check-in and out dates, the number of rooms, and the number of occupants.
Once you select your hotel, continue through the booking process. During the process, you'll have the ability to pay with Chase Ultimate Rewards points or with cash. Chase lets you apply any points you have to your booking at 1 cent per point (unless there is a Points Boost offer), or you can select “pay with card” to opt out of using them.
If you are using points and cash, make sure the cash balance is at least $100 if you plan to use your Sapphire Preferred hotel credit. If you book only with points, you won't earn back that $100 statement credit.
Once the charge hits your statement, Chase will automatically credit you up to $100 for your stay each year.
Tips for Using the Sapphire Preferred Hotel Credit
There are a few things to be aware of when you are looking to use your Chase Sapphire Preferred $100 hotel credit.
Since Chase Travel℠ is classified as an online travel agency, the hotel will (more often than not) consider it a third-party reservation. That means if you are looking to book a hotel where you have some level of elite status, the hotel is unlikely to honor your status, and you will not earn points on your stay.
Having said that, Chase does offer some loyalty-eligible hotel bookings, so it's worth keeping an eye out for those if elite status is important to you.
Outside of these specific properties, we recommend using your $100 Chase Sapphire Preferred hotel credit at hotels not associated with large chains like Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, or IHG, where you would be forgoing elite benefits or the ability to earn points by booking through Chase.
Related reading: Everything You Need to Know About Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)
Bottom Line
The $100 Chase Sapphire Preferred hotel credit is a great benefit – especially on a card with an annual fee of only annual_fees. It renews each year on your card member anniversary (when your annual fee hits).
Maximize the credit by using it for stays at independent properties that are not part of a large hotel group, where it is possible to use other points or earn and use elite status benefits. Just be sure to use it each year! Any unused balance will not carry over.
Featured image courtesy of Chase Travel
I find the hotel prices on the Chase portal to be outrageously priced compared to other booking platforms making the $50 credit nearly worthless.
Hi Julie! The prices could definitely be far pricier than when booking direct. You should always compare rates before you book but in my experience, I’ve been able to get a similar rate to booking direct and saving $50 on my reservation.
Can I use my $50 hotel credit in April, and then cancel my card before June 1 (thereby avoiding the $95 annual fee)?
Booked a hotel ($106) through Chase travel on 11/10/23 for a stay on 12/14/23. As of 11/20/23 have not received the $50 hotel credit. My next annual fee posts 12/1/23. If the travel credit appears after 12/1/23, will the credit apply to anniversary year ending 11/30/23 or anniversary year starting 12/1/23?
Hi Terry. That is a great question and I am not sure if I know the answer. If you get more information from Chase, let us know how they handle this.
can I use the $50 credit after I receive to pay my credit card bill?
The $50 credit is applied automatically to your statement.
Since, as noted, the Chase portal is an OTA, how is the customer service if something unexpected happens?
I wouldn’t mind giving up the status benefits and points, but it wouldn’t be fun if upon arrival the hotel can’t find my reservation and I have to deal with a third-party middleperson rep in another country who keeps thanking me for calling and telling me they understand my issue…but they are unable to do anything.
Does it roll over annually if not used or would you lose the $50 hotel credit?
No, you lose the $50 if you don’t use it each year.
If you already received the credit before your check inn date, and would like to change/cancel the reservation and book again(different hotel/different date) would you get the credit again?
Is this benefit still valid? I find no mention of it on the UR benefits page. Thanks!
It is still valid. You’ll see mention of it on the card application pages, but sometimes they make these things difficult to find for existing cardholders.
Thank you Nick!!
I just booked a couple of nights for a work trip in October at a Hilton hotel. While you can’t enter your Hilton Honors info when booking the travel through Chase, you can call the hotel and have them manually add the info. Win-win for the credit and getting your hotel points.
$50 Annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
Access this benefit after your statement closing date following your next account anniversary on 07/23/2022
The membership fee will post on 8/1/22 and the next statement closing date will be on 8/23/22
Question: Will the reservation made on 7/23/22 triggered the $50 credit?
Or should I make the reservation after 8/1/22?
Or after 8/23/22?
Thank you.
It should be available on 7/23. That said, if you can wait until 8/1, that might be wise.
Got it, tks. Will wait till 8/1 and update result later.
Any update?
If you use the $50 credit, you do not earn 5X points on that purchase, correct? Does that get reduced to 2X?
Is there a way to opt out of the hotel credit, so it can be used at a later time of your choosing? I’m thinking of saving it for a one night stay, as opposed to using on a longer stay.
I don’t believe there is a way to opt out. It just triggers automatically once you make a charge.
Your blog seems to be the only one I can find anywhere that explicitly mentions using cash AND POINTS in the booking (but of course spending at least the $50 in cash). i would love to do this for an upcoming booking. Has this been tested/verified? Thanks much.
I have not personally tested this but I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work. As long as there is a charge of $50, the credit should automatically trigger. There would be no way to know if points were also used on that booking.
Confirmed. I used points to cover half my stay and paid the remaining $170-ish dollars. $50 credit posted in about a week.
Another data point – We booked a stay through the Portal and used UR for it except $51.64. It posted a month ago and did not trigger the credit.
Will reservation be cancelled if I cancel my card before my stay?
Shouldn’t be an issue.
Older card holder – Will we automatically get the credit in June if we book a room today for May?
It will depend on when your last renewal was. When did you last pay your $95 annual fee?
Renewal was March 1st 2022.
Fee applied was 3/1/22.
You should be all set to use the credit this year.
does this work for the reserve card as well???
The Reserve card does not offer this benefit. It is specific to the Preferred card.
Well worth going to the Kempinksi Hotel in Berchtesgaden, Germany to get my $50 credit. That’s for sure. I can’t sacrifice not getting my 200 points at the Marriot for one night.
I downgraded from the Reserve to the Preferred a couple of weeks ago but when I look in my account, I see nothing stating that I get the $50 hotel credit. I just passed my Reserve anniversary which is why I downgraded when I did. Do I still get the credit or will I have to wait until next year for it?
Once your new $95 annual fee is charged, it should be available. You may have to wait until the statement closes.