7 Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits that make it one of the most valuable credit cards — beyond a huge welcome bonus and rewards

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Product Name Only is offering an elevated welcome bonus and earns valuable rewards points. 
• The card offers top-notch travel and purchase protections that can save you money and aggravation.
• You can transfer points from other Chase cards to your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only to get more value.
• Read Insider's guide to the best Chase credit cards.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Product Name Only is quite easily the very best beginner travel points credit card. It starts you out with an impressive increased welcome bonus offer of 60,000 points (worth around Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Featured Reward Value in travel, according to Insider's points and miles valuations). And it also earns lots of points in useful bonus categories.

Cardholders earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services and takeout, 3x points on select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), 2x points on all other eligible travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Beyond a flashy intro bonus and competitive earnings in useful bonus categories, the card is packed with lesser-known perks that can save you money and inconvenience, whether you're traveling or staying closer to home.

Here's a look at seven of the best Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only benefits you might have overlooked.

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits

While some other travel credit cards offer hefty benefits, you'll often pay an eye-popping annual fee to match. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only is unique in that it provides a broad range of travel and purchase protections that are competitive with those of premium credit cards, but only charges a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card annual fee.

Most of these benefits can protect you if things go awry when you're traveling or with a new purchase. Of course, nobody hopes they'll have the occasion to use them — but if you end up needing this coverage, the card may save you a ton of cash.

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred car rental insurance covers damage due to theft or collision

If you've ever been at the rental car desk and had the agent try to scare you into buying expensive rental insurance, you can confidently turn it down if you pay with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only. Extra insurance can cost $10 to $20 per day, but the card includes primary car rental insurance — which means you won't have to bill your personal insurance company before its coverage kicks in.

This benefit covers up to the cash value of the eligible vehicle for damage due to theft or collision on most rental cars in the US and abroad. Be aware there are limits to types of damage and vehicles that may not be covered, so double-check your guide to benefits to make sure this insurance applies to your rental. Keep in mind, too, that you're still responsible for liability insurance — either through your own policy or purchased separately through the rental agency.

2. Chase Sapphire Preferred hotel credit gets you up to $50 in stays annually

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only cardholders now receive up to $50 in statement credits each year toward hotel stays booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. You can book anything from familiar brands to luxury resorts to small-town independent hotels through the portal, and the selection is usually decent compared to other online travel agency sites.

If you'll have at least one paid hotel stay each year, this credit is nearly as good as cash. Just keep in mind because the Chase portal is considered a third-party site, you won't earn hotel points or elite credits on your booking, and might not receive any elite status perks you're entitled to.

3. Chase Sapphire Preferred trip delay insurance will reimburse your hotel and meals if your flight is canceled 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only comes with excellent travel insurance, and two that come in very handy for frequent travelers are trip cancellation and interruption and trip delay insurance.

If you ever miss a connection or have a flight canceled due to weather, the airline will likely rebook you, but it won't cover meals or a place to stay if you're stranded overnight. But if you used the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only to pay for your ticket, you won't be on the hook.

For example, if your flight is delayed by 12 hours or more, or the delay requires an overnight stay, trip delay reimbursement covers up to $500 per ticket for meals, lodging, and essentials like toiletries. Filing a trip delay claim with the card's benefits administrator is straightforward — just be sure to keep your receipts.

If your trip is canceled or interrupted by illness, severe weather, or other covered situations, the card will reimburse up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for eligible pre-paid, non-refundable reservations. 

4. If your new gadget breaks, Chase Sapphire Preferred purchase protection could have you covered

The excitement of buying a new phone, computer, or other expensive item can quickly turn into heartbreak if it gets damaged or stolen right away. For instances like this — like if you drop your new phone or spill water on your fancy laptop — Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only purchase protection may cover repair or replacement as long as you used the card to pay.

Chase purchase protection covers eligible new items against damage or theft for up to 120 days after purchase. Coverage is up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. As long as it wasn't intentionally damaged, it's a pretty simple process to file a claim for repair or replacement with the benefits administrator.

5. Sapphire Preferred cardholders can get $10 worth of free stuff each month with the Chase Gopuff credit

One of the more fun benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only is $10 per month in credit toward Gopuff purchases. Gopuff is an on-demand service that offers items like groceries, snacks, household supplies, and even alcohol delivered in about 30 minutes or less.

To earn the Gopuff credit on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only (or other eligible Chase cards), be sure to add your card as your method of payment in your Gopuff account and make a purchase of $10 or more.

6. The Sapphire Preferred can extend your manufacturer's warranty

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card adds an additional year to eligible US manufacturers' warranties of three years or less. Coverage is up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.

There are some exclusions — most notably boats, automobiles, aircraft, other motorized vehicles, items purchased for resale, professional, or commercial use, used or pre-owned items, and computer software. Check your guide to benefits for the full list of ineligible items.

7. You can transfer points from other Chase cards to increase their value

The Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earn with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only and Chase Sapphire Reserve® are among the most valuable rewards you can get from a credit card.

If you have a card like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card , or Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, your points are worth 1 cent apiece toward cash back, gift cards, and travel. But when you transfer Chase points from those cards to your Sapphire card, you'll unlock better, more valuable redemption options.

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only, points are worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal, and you can transfer points to Chase's travel partners like United, Southwest, and Marriott, and you may be able to get even more value per point.

What to Know About Sapphire Preferred Benefits 

Your credit card's benefits are only valuable if you actually use them, and often cardholders don't even realize what kind of coverage they can get simply by paying with their card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is an excellent example of this. If you have the card, it's a no-brainer to use it to pay for travel and expensive purchases to automatically get coverage for the unexpected.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Editorial Name Only has a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card annual fee, and it's easy to get at least that much in value from points you'll earn if you use the card regularly. The additional benefits and perks are an extra bonus, and can be worth hundreds (or thousands) more if you need to use them.