Marc Serafino
Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? To have a bank pay for your trip to Europe… But that’s actually possible…
Meet Daniel, a 32-year-old AC technician from Riverside, California. He describes himself as a regular guy with an eye for the deal. And the deal he made is truly impressive – the bank paid for his roundtrip to Rome. This was his first time in Italy and from what I’m hearing, he’s coming back to Europe next year. Perhaps even earlier.
How Daniel Made His Bank Pay for His Trip?
It’s rather simple – his bank is Chase and he got their Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card which at the moment offers 50,000 points to every new customer. Those are Chase Ultimate Rewards points which are earned after spending $4,000 within the first three months of opening an account, plus 5,000 miles if you add an authorized user within the first three months of account opening. These bonus points can be transferred to miles or points at a 1:1 rate with Chase’s partner airlines or hotel chains. Or you can book travel from Chase’s portal and get 1.25 cents per point for an equivalent of $625 in travel rewards!
And that’s how Daniel went to Rome. He grabbed the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and after three months of using it, he was able to use those points to buy a roundtrip ticket to Italy.
And That’s Not All…
Said card also comes with additional benefits that make it an ideal travel and shopping companion, but I’ll stop here and let our finance expert kick in from here…
Expert Review: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
by Charles H. Miller
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is arguably the best travel card out there and its current sign-up bonus is really hard to beat. It offers a number of perks that, in many cases, make it ideal for everyday use — while using it you’re building a foundation for your future travels.
Sign Up Bonus: You get 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of opening an account, plus 5,000 miles if you add an authorized user within the first three months of account opening. These bonus points can be transferred to miles or points at a 1:1 rate with Chase’s partner airlines or hotel chains. Or you can book travel from Chase’s portal and get 1.25 cents per point for an equivalent of $625 in travel rewards! That could be a roundtrip to Europe.
Even more points: As you use the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you will be earning 2x points on travel and restaurants, and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. And again, you can transfer these points at a 1:1 transfer rate with partners such as Southwest Airlines, British Airways, United Airlines, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, and more. This in turn could allow you to stay at some luxury hotels without paying a single dime for the privilege. Or, you can simply redeem points for cash, travel, gift cards, and merchandise.
Annual fee: The first year is free, but afterwards you will be charged $95 per year. Considering all the points you will get, it’s worth it.
APR: With variable APR between 16.24% and 23.24%, based on your creditworthiness, you’re best off paying your balances in full and on time.
No foreign transaction fees: Together with included points and Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance services make this card great amazing choice for frequent travelers.
Additional perks: In addition to a number of travel benefits, this card also includes Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty Protection, Price Protection, and Return Protection that will make your shopping that much more convenient/safer.
Is This The Card For You?
If you travel often or, like Daniel – want to do so, the answer is resounding “YES.” Instead of building your points from scratch, with Chase Sapphire Preferred Card you get 50,000 points to start with. These points can be used for booking a hotel/airline from the bank’s online portal or converted into points at partner airlines and hotel chains. And after 3 months you could be on your way to the city/beach you always wanted to see, for free.
Also, as you use the card, you will be gathering even more points and later be able to convert/use them at a number of properties throughout the world… Go for it!
