I’m always looking for ways to squeeze more value out of my travel credit cards while I’m on the go. Last weekend, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card came in clutch.
After attending an Atlanta Braves baseball game with my family on Friday, I wanted to extend my stay in the area through Sunday. Thankfully, the Sapphire Preferred’s $100 hotel credit (received each account anniversary year) made that easy.
The Sapphire Preferred’s newly-doubled hotel credit now more than offsets the card’s $95 annual fee on its own. And it helped me pay just $35 for a night at the Atlanta Marriott Alpharetta. Here’s how I did it — and how you can, too.
How the Sapphire Preferred’s $100 Hotel Credit Works
If you were familiar with the old $50 hotel credit on the Sapphire Preferred, the revamped $100 credit works similarly.
You can use the credit on hotel bookings made through Chase Travel℠. The credit can be used for one or more stays (there are no monthly or biannual restrictions) and it renews every account anniversary. You don’t have to activate the credit before you use it.
Cardholders can check their progress by logging into their online account, selecting the “Benefits & travel” menu and clicking “Benefits.” The website has a benefits tracker that helps you manage your progress, and you can even see your unique renewal date.
Be sure you pay with your eligible Sapphire Preferred if you want to redeem this credit. Statement credits usually post within three business days, but Chase notes it can sometimes take up to four weeks.
It’s important to note that you won’t earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points on the portion of your booking covered by the statement credit, but you will earn points on any remaining cost after the statement credit is applied. Since my booking was $135 total, I earned points on the remaining $35.
How I Booked My $35 Stay
When I started planning to extend my weekend in Atlanta, I logged into Chase Travel and started some searches. Since I’d be spending most of my time with my family anyway, I wanted to find a hotel that was functional and affordable so I could get the most mileage out of my $100 credit.
I decided on the Atlanta Marriott Alpharetta, in a suburb to the north of the city. At $135, it was perfect for a Saturday night stay. I’d get $100 off — more than offsetting the card’s $95 annual fee — and pay just $35 out of pocket.
I also hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, so I had to double-check that I was paying with my Sapphire Preferred to ensure the credit applied correctly. If you carry multiple Chase cards, confirming the right card is selected at checkout is a small but important step that can save you from missing the benefit entirely.
The $100 hotel credit is one of the simplest ways to recoup the Sapphire Preferred’s annual fee, and in this case it turned an unplanned overnight stay into a genuinely affordable one.
