Chase Sapphire Preferred Adds New Travel Benefits in 2026

The Chase Sapphire Preferred remains one of the most popular travel credit cards in the United States, and 2026 brought several updates designed to increase its value for frequent travelers.

The card continues to focus on travel rewards, flexible point redemptions, and travel protections while adding new benefits that can help offset its annual fee.

For consumers considering a travel rewards card, understanding these recent changes is important because some of the newest benefits were introduced only recently and may significantly affect the card’s overall value proposition.

What are the new Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits in 2026?

Several enhancements were announced during the latest refresh of the card.

Among the most notable additions are:

• Up to $100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit per account anniversary year;
• Up to $120 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS every four years;
• One year of Apple TV+ when activated by the required deadline;
• Expanded travel protection benefits, including Emergency Evacuation and Transportation coverage;
• New bonus-earning categories for certain travel-related purchases.

These additions build upon an already strong package of travel rewards and insurance protections.

The hotel credit is now more valuable

One of the most significant changes involves the annual hotel credit.

Previously, cardholders received a smaller hotel benefit through Chase Travel. The updated version increases the value to up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for eligible hotel stays booked through Chase Travel.

For travelers who regularly book hotels through the Chase travel portal, this enhancement alone can offset a substantial portion of the card’s annual fee.

New Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credit

Another major addition is the reimbursement for trusted traveler programs.

Cardholders can now receive up to $120 in statement credits every four years when paying for:

• Global Entry;
• TSA PreCheck;
• NEXUS.

This benefit targets travelers who frequently fly domestically or internationally and want faster airport security and customs processing.

Points Boost expands redemption value

The Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem also received an update through the Points Boost feature.

With eligible hotel and flight offers available through Chase Travel, Sapphire Preferred cardholders can receive redemption values of up to 1.5 times the standard value on select bookings.

Rather than applying universally, these enhanced values appear on eligible travel offers available through the Chase Travel platform.

New bonus categories for travelers

The card also introduced additional earning opportunities in categories frequently used by travelers.

Eligible purchases can now earn elevated rewards in areas such as:

• Gas stations;
• EV charging;
• Vacation home rentals, including qualifying Airbnb and Vrbo bookings.

These additions broaden the card’s usefulness beyond traditional airline and hotel spending.

What benefits does the card currently offer?

Alongside the new features, the Chase Sapphire Preferred retains many of the benefits that helped make it popular among travelers.

Current rewards include:

• 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel;
• 2x points on other eligible travel purchases;
• 3x points on dining;
• 3x points on eligible online grocery purchases;
• 3x points on select streaming services.

These earning rates continue to position the card as a strong option for everyday spending and travel purchases.

Travel protections remain a major strength

One area where the Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to stand out is insurance coverage.

Cardholders have access to protections that may include:

• Trip cancellation and interruption coverage;
• Trip delay reimbursement;
• Baggage protections;
• Primary rental car collision damage waiver;
• Emergency evacuation and transportation coverage.

For many travelers, these protections can provide meaningful value that extends beyond rewards points.

Is the annual fee still worth it?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to carry a relatively modest annual fee compared with many premium travel cards.

The addition of the expanded hotel credit, airport security program reimbursement, enhanced travel protections, and Points Boost opportunities makes it easier for active travelers to extract value from the card.

Whether the fee makes sense ultimately depends on how frequently the cardholder travels and uses the available benefits.

Who is the Chase Sapphire Preferred best suited for?

The card is generally aimed at consumers who:

• Travel several times per year;
• Dine out frequently;
• Want flexible travel rewards;
• Prefer transferable points;
• Value travel insurance protections.

Because it combines strong rewards with a lower annual fee than many premium travel cards, it often appeals to travelers seeking a balance between cost and benefits.

Chase Sapphire Preferred in 2026: what changed?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred remains one of the most competitive travel rewards cards in the United States. The 2026 updates added meaningful value through a larger hotel credit, a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck reimbursement benefit, expanded travel protections, new bonus categories, and enhanced redemption opportunities through Points Boost.

For travelers who regularly earn and redeem Ultimate Rewards points, the latest changes strengthen an already well-established card without fundamentally changing the features that made it popular in the first place.

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