CREDIT CARDS (1)

Disclosure: I’m a Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholder, and the link below is my personal referral link — if you’re approved through it, Chase gives me bonus points at no cost to you. That’s a real incentive, so read this with your skeptic hat on. This is my experience and my math, not financial advice. Offer terms change — verify the current offer on Chase’s site before applying.

I’m currently using the Chase Sapphire Preferred, and I don’t say this often about credit cards: you cannot miss this offer.

Right now the sign-up bonus is 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points — the highest this card has ever offered, and only the third time in its 16-year history it’s been this high. The annual fee? Still just $95.

What 100,000 points is actually worth

Here’s where it gets fun, because 100K points has three levels of value depending on how you use them:

Level 1 — cash. 1 point = 1 cent as a statement credit or a check by mail. So 100,000 points = $1,000 cash, minimum, guaranteed. Even if you never want to think about points again, you clear $905 after the annual fee in year one. Find me another sub-$100 card that does that.

Level 2 — the Chase Travel portal. Book travel through Chase’s portal and eligible bookings with the Points Boost feature can stretch your points to up to 1.75 cents each — that’s up to $1,750 of travel from this one bonus.

Level 3 — transfer partners. This is where points people live. You can transfer Ultimate Rewards 1:1 to airlines like United, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, Southwest and more. Used well on award flights, The Points Guy currently values 100K Chase points at around $2,050. In practical terms: this single bonus can cover about 3 economy flights, or with the right transfer, a business-class seat to Europe.

One honest asterisk on transfers: as of the 2026 refresh, Hyatt is no longer 1:1 — it’s now 4:3 (1,000 points → 750 Hyatt points). The airline partners stay 1:1. And the old 10% anniversary point bonus is gone. I’d rather tell you the downgrades myself than have you find them later.

The catch (there’s always a catch)

To earn the 100K, you must spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. That’s about $1,667/month — for a family, groceries + gas + insurance + the normal bills usually gets there without trying.

But let me put on my money-blogger hat and say the part the glossy card ads never do:

Only spend money you were going to spend anyway. If you have to manufacture $5,000 of spending you don’t need, the “free” $1,000 just cost you $5,000.

And never, ever carry a balance for points. This card’s interest rate will run north of 20% APR. One year of carrying a $5,000 balance burns roughly the entire bonus. Rewards cards are only rewarding if you pay in full every month — that’s the whole game.

The other benefits (this card got a big upgrade in 2026)

The sign-up bonus alone beats the $95 fee, but the refreshed benefits stack on top:

• $100 hotel credit every year through Chase Travel — doubled from $50 last year. This alone can offset the annual fee with a single booking.
• $120 credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS when you apply — new to this card, once every four years. If you’ve been putting off Global Entry, the card just bought it for you.
• 1 year of Apple TV free (worth up to ~$156) — but you must activate by December 31, 2026. Hurry!
• DoorDash DashPass membership — a $120/year value, 12 months complimentary when you activate.
• Plus the earning rates: 3x on dining, online groceries, streaming — and new for 2026, 3x on gas, EV charging, and vacation rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo.

Add it up: $1,000 minimum bonus + $100 hotel + $120 Global Entry + $156 Apple TV + $120 DashPass against a $95 fee. The math isn’t close.

Who can actually get this (read before you apply)

Two rules matter, and skipping them is how people waste a credit application:

1. The bonus is once in a lifetime. T_T sad. If you’ve ever earned a Sapphire Preferred welcome bonus before, you’re not eligible again — Chase tightened this from the old 48-month rule. Which is exactly why, if you don’t have this card in your wallet, this is the moment you should get it — at the biggest bonus it’s ever had, not at the standard 75K.

2. The 5/24 rule. Chase generally denies applicants who’ve opened 5 or more credit cards (from any bank) in the past 24 months. Count yours before applying — a denial still costs you a hard credit pull.

Also: you’ll want a good-to-excellent credit score — realistically 700+ for comfortable approval odds, and below 670 probably won’t make it.

Don’t sleep on this one

Chase hasn’t said when the offer ends, but history says these elevated bonuses don’t stick around — the last 100K promotion lasted about six weeks, and this one has already been live for about four. If you’re eligible and this card fits your life, waiting is the expensive choice.

[ 💳 GET THE 100K OFFER → ]

If you use my link above, thank you — it supports this site at no cost to you. Either way: pay it in full every month, use the credits, and let the points fund the trip instead of the bank.

Offer details verified July 14, 2026 and subject to change — always confirm the current bonus and terms on Chase’s application page before applying. Credit card content is opinion based on my own use; your approval odds and results depend on your credit profile.