The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve cards are two of the most popular rewards credit cards on the market, and for good reason. One of the biggest advantages of these cards is their broad definition of "travel," which sets them apart from many other rewards cards.
Unlike many rewards cards that only award bonus points on airfare or hotels, Chase includes everything from parking garages and tolls to ferries, taxis, and cruises in their travel category. This generous travel category makes it easier to earn bonus Chase Ultimate Rewards points on everyday trip expenses, not just flights and hotels.
However, there are a few notable exceptions that can catch cardholders off guard. For example, public campgrounds are frequently categorized as government or recreation services, and educational merchants arranging travel are also excluded. Additionally, merchants that rent vehicles for the purpose of hauling, merchants within hotels and airports, and onboard cruise line goods and services do not qualify for bonus points.
Some travel purchases can be hit or miss, such as VRBO and vacation rental bookings, which may not always earn travel bonus points. However, Airbnb bookings have consistently qualified as travel purchases. Merchant coding determines whether you'll receive bonus points, and that's outside Chase's control.
If an expense you expected to qualify doesn't earn bonus rewards, you can check how the transaction is categorized in your Chase online account. If the merchant appears to be coded incorrectly, you can contact Chase via secure message or by phone to request a review.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve offer elevated rewards on travel booked through Chase Travel, with the Sapphire Reserve also rewarding flights and hotels booked directly at a higher rate than the Sapphire Preferred. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel, 3 points per dollar spent on vacation homes, and 2 points per dollar spent on all other eligible travel purchases.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel, 4 points per dollar spent on flights and hotels booked directly, and 1 point per dollar spent on other eligible travel purchases.
The bottom line is that the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve offer one of the broadest travel bonus categories among major rewards credit cards. Eligible purchases typically include cruises, ride-hailing services, parking, tolls, ferries, trains, car rentals, and more. If you're unsure whether a merchant qualifies, check the transaction category in your Chase account or make a small test purchase first.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve are two of the most popular rewards credit cards on the market, and for good reason. They offer one of the broadest travel bonus categories among major rewards credit cards, with eligible purchases including cruises, ride-hailing services, parking, tolls, ferries, trains, car rentals, and more.
