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Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Still Worth It in 2026?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred got some major updates in 2026. We break down the good, the bad, and the changes to Hyatt transfers to determine whether this $95 annual-fee travel card is still worth it.
Mason Baker
8/15/20264 min read
The Chase Sapphire Preferred just got some notable changes in 2026. Some of the changes make the card significantly better for certain travelers, while others, particularly the changes to Hyatt transfers, make it less appealing for others.
So what actually changed, and how much value can you get from the card?
NEW: $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS Credit
One of the biggest additions to the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a $120 credit toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS every four years.
If you travel regularly, this is an easy benefit to take advantage of. If you were already planning to pay for one of these programs, the credit essentially provides $120 of value every four years, or about $30 per year when annualized. When you factor this in, the $95 annual fee effectively drops to $65 per year.
Increased Annual Hotel Credit
The Sapphire Preferred previously offered a $50 annual hotel credit through Chase Travel. That has now increased to $100 per year.
Considering the card has a $95 annual fee, this is potentially one of the easiest ways to offset the cost of the card. When combined with the annualized value of the above credit, you're already looking at approximately $35 in positive net value each year, before factoring in any of the card's other benefits.
You still have to book the hotel through the Chase Travel Portal to receive the credit. Just be sure to compare the price through the Chase Travel portal with the price of booking directly through the hotel to make sure you're not paying significantly more for the same stay.
The Worst News: Hyatt Transfers Are Changing
World of Hyatt has historically been one of the best transfer partners for Chase Ultimate Rewards and our personal favorite. We have gotten excellent value from transferring Chase points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, so this change definitely hurts.
Starting October 1, 2026, existing Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders will see the transfer ratio to World of Hyatt drop from 1:1 to 4:3. In other words, 1,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points will only get you 750 Hyatt points. New Sapphire Preferred cardholders who applied on or after June 15, 2026, already receive the 4:3 transfer ratio.
However, Chase still has several valuable 1:1 transfer partners at various airline and hotel brands. For example, Wyndham, Marriott, and IHG can be worth considering when points promotions are available. At the time of writing, IHG is offering a 70% bonus, which can create some redemption opportunities depending on the cents per point value. If you know how to find award availability and strategically transfer your points, you should get significantly more value than simply redeeming your points for cash.
The Travel Insurance Is Still Underrated
We've personally used the card's delayed-trip coverage and received more than $500 in reimbursement after a flight delay.
That experience alone made us appreciate the value of having a credit card with legitimate travel protections. If you're regularly booking flights with the Sapphire Preferred, this is a benefit that can save you hundreds of dollars when things go wrong.
Read about our experience getting reimbursed $500+ for a delayed flight
Complimentary DashPass
The Sapphire Preferred also includes complimentary DashPass, which can be valuable if you regularly use DoorDash.
There's also a promotion offering $10 off each month on non-restaurant orders. One strategy we use is selecting pickup instead of delivery. That allows you to take advantage of the $10 discount without paying delivery fees.
If you're already using DoorDash, this can add up to a meaningful amount of savings throughout the year.
Complementary Apple TV
The card also includes Apple TV, adding another subscription benefit to the card. At $13/month, or $156 per year, this can provide meaningful value if you already use the service and further helps offset the card's $95 annual fee.
75,000-Point Welcome Bonus
The current welcome bonus is 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months. This is down from the card's all-time high offer of 100,000 points, although the bonus has also dropped as low as 60,000 points at times.
If you're strategic with your travel redemptions, 75,000 Chase points can easily be worth $1,000 or more. If you spend $5,000 to earn those 75,000 points and ultimately get $1,000 of travel value from them, you're getting 20%+ back on that spending, since you'll also earn additional points from the regular spending that helped you reach the bonus.
Obviously, this only makes sense if you can naturally meet the $5,000 spending requirement. You should not overspend simply to earn the bonus. Instead, use the card primarily for expenses you already have planned and would make regardless. But a $5,000 minimum spend over three months is fairly standard in the travel credit card world, and it can be very manageable for someone who already has significant expenses.
Other Ways to Earn Chase Points
The Sapphire Preferred also gives you plenty of opportunities to earn points on everyday spending, including 3x points on dining, gas, online groceries, popular streaming services, and vacation home rentals, plus 2x on other travel purchases.
For a travel-focused card, the combination of strong travel earning and everyday spending categories makes it relatively easy to continue accumulating Chase Ultimate Rewards points after earning the welcome bonus.
So, Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Still Worth It in 2026?
For most, yes.
Even with the disappointing Hyatt changes, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best travel credit cards available for its $95 annual fee.
The $100 annual hotel credit can essentially cover the annual fee by itself.
Then you're getting the $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit every four years, travel insurance, DashPass, Apple TV, valuable 1:1 transfer partners, and access to a 75,000-point welcome bonus that can easily be worth $1,000+ in travel.
As long as you have a positive effective net fee, we think the value of the Chase Sapphire Preferred is clear as a long-term keeper card for travelers.
For us, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is still absolutely worth it in 2026.
Ready to get the Chase Sapphire Preferred? If you think the card makes sense for you, you can use our referral link here to apply and earn the current welcome bonus.
