Past me made a lot of wrong assumptions about where my credit card journey would take me.
I figured I’d be a Hilton and Marriott loyalist. I assumed I’d apply for the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees) early on and that my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) would be little more than a sock drawer card.
Fast forward to 2025, and none of those things are true.
I’m a Hyatt loyalist, I still don’t have the Bilt card and my Sapphire Preferred has become one of my most used cards.
My lack of talent at predicting my wallet’s future aside, let’s get into how my Sapphire Preferred went from near zero to hero for me.
My old perspective on the Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred was my fourth credit card. I opened it in mid-2024 during the (no longer available) limited-time offer Chase had for the card.
At this time, my intention with the Sapphire Preferred was to earn the welcome bonus, activate my complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership and then mostly forget about it (DashPass must be activated by Dec. 31, 2027).
I thought I’d pull it out every now and again for some travel expenses. Aside from that, I planned on keeping it out of my wallet and just charging my DoorDash orders and monthly streaming subscriptions to it.
I had to use my Sapphire Preferred for my DoorDash purchases to receive my membership benefits, and I didn’t have a card with elevated earning rates for streaming. Aside from that, though, I had other cards that earned more points per dollar spent on the Sapphire Preferred’s categories.
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Little did I know that my frequent use of this card would continue even after I earned the welcome bonus. So, what changed?
I became a Hyatt loyalist
Thanks to points and miles, I’ve started to travel more often. I quickly realized that World of Hyatt is king when it comes to hotel programs. It has very attractive award rates for many of its properties, and its U.S. hotels tend to be in better shape than many Marriotts and Hiltons, in my opinion.
My Sapphire Preferred grants me access to Chase’s 14 transfer partners. Chase is the only issuer that partners with Hyatt, so as a World of Hyatt loyalist, I need to rack up as many Ultimate Rewards points as possible to make award stays possible.
That means using my Sapphire Preferred more often, in combination with my other Chase cards, the Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees) and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees). Although those cards are marketed as cash-back cards, the rewards they earn can be turned into transferable Ultimate Rewards points thanks to my Sapphire Preferred.
I used to rely on my American Express® Gold Card as my primary dining card, but these days, I pull out the Sapphire Preferred just as often. My Amex Gold may earn an additional point on dining (4 points per dollar on dining worldwide, up to $50,000 each calendar year and then 1 point per dollar), but it doesn’t earn points I can use for Hyatt stays.
Thanks to the Ultimate Rewards points I’ve accumulated, I’ve been able to secure some great Hyatt redemptions. For example, I redeemed 48,000 points for a three-night stay over Christmas at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver in British Columbia.
I needed a high credit limit
The $2,200 credit limits on my Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited are frustratingly low. They don’t give me a lot of wiggle room if I want to keep my credit utilization low. Not to mention, I can’t put a substantial purchase on either card unless I want to take up all or almost all of my available credit.
My Sapphire Preferred has a $9,000 credit limit, which gives me plenty of room for whatever I need to buy. Fortunately, thanks to my Sapphire Preferred, I’m still able to earn Ultimate Rewards points when my Freedom cards aren’t an option. I’m not forced to switch to my cards from another issuer like American Express.
If my credit utilization is getting too high on one of my Freedom cards, I’ll swap some of the purchases I’d normally put on that card to my Sapphire Preferred. Or, if I’m buying something expensive like furniture or technology, I can put that charge on my Sapphire Preferred.
Since the Sapphire Preferred is a Visa Signature card, its minimum credit limit is $5,000. If you’re in the same boat with annoyingly low credit limits on your Chase cards, the Sapphire Preferred may help fix that.
I often use cash to book travel
Back when I first got my Sapphire Preferred, the majority of my travel plans involved using points and miles to pay for all my flights and staying in hotels I could book with points as often as possible.
Since then, I’ve started to plan travel that doesn’t fit neatly into that box. I’m an outdoor enthusiast, and I’m hoping to start camping a lot more often. Glamping destinations can be booked with points, but I’m not too interested in luxury accommodations in nature; I’d rather be in a rustic cabin or mountainside tent.
Those experiences generally can’t be booked with points, but I can still earn bonus rewards on my bookings.
On top of that, there are some cases where it makes sense for me to book an Airbnb or Vrbo. My parents aren’t hotel fans at all, so if I want to travel anywhere with them, we’ll be staying in bed-and-breakfast establishments. I’d also prefer to stay in a rental versus a hotel if I’m vacationing with my dog.
My Sapphire Preferred earns 2 points per dollar spent on a wide range of travel purchases, including vacation rentals and private campgrounds. As part of my plan to ensure a steady flow of Ultimate Rewards points, I use my Sapphire Preferred to pay for almost any travel expense that I haven’t redeemed points for.
Bottom line
I can confidently say that the Sapphire Preferred is one of my most used cards. Between helping me secure Hyatt redemptions, its large credit limit and earning points on a variety of travel purchases, this card is critical to my points and miles strategy.
If you’re on the fence about getting the Sapphire Preferred, I’d say go for it. Even if you think you won’t use this card too often, it may just surprise you. Plus, right now, you can earn 100,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening an account, a can’t-miss offer.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
For rates and fees of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.