The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) has long been one of our favorite travel rewards cards thanks to its strong earning rates, valuable Ultimate Rewards points and modest $95 annual fee.

Following the Sapphire Preferred’s recent refresh, I decided to product change one of my no-annual-fee Chase cards to the Sapphire Preferred. Although I’m not eligible for a welcome bonus (because I previously earned one on a Sapphire Preferred account that has since been closed), the decision was surprisingly easy.

While many premium travel cards require cardholders to keep track of multiple monthly, quarterly and annual credits, the Sapphire Preferred keeps things simple. In fact, the card’s annual hotel credit alone can more than offset its $95 annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — For a limited time, earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Here’s a closer look at the Sapphire Preferred’s key benefits and how to maximize them.

Overview of Sapphire Preferred credits

The Sapphire Preferred offers a number of useful credits:

Hotel credit

The Sapphire Preferred offers up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel.

No enrollment is required. Just use your card to book one or more hotel stays through Chase Travel; eligible purchases will automatically trigger the credit.

Unlike many travel credits that reset Jan. 1, this benefit follows your cardholder year. That annual period begins when you open your account and renews each year after your account anniversary.

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One important detail to note is that only the first $100 in hotel purchases each account anniversary year that qualify for the statement credit won’t earn rewards points. Any eligible spending beyond the first $100 will continue to earn 5 points per dollar when booked through Chase Travel.

For me, this is easily the most valuable benefit on the card. The annual hotel credit alone more than offsets the card’s $95 annual fee, making the math incredibly straightforward.

Related: Best ways to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for hotel stays

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus credit

The Sapphire Preferred includes a statement credit of up to $120 every four years when you use your card to pay for a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus application fee.

To receive the credit, simply charge the application fee to your Sapphire Preferred Card. The statement credit will automatically appear on your account.

If you’re deciding between TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, I’d generally recommend applying for Global Entry. It includes TSA PreCheck benefits, and the statement credit covers the full application fee.

Even if you already have Global Entry, you can still use the credit to pay for a friend or family member’s application and receive the reimbursement.

Since the benefit is only available once every four years, it isn’t something you’ll use annually. Still, it’s an easy way to save money on one of the most useful Trusted Traveler Programs available.

Related: 5 essential tips on how to get a Global Entry appointment

Apple TV subscription

Eligible Sapphire Preferred Card holders can receive at least 12 months of complimentary Apple TV.

To activate the benefit, you’ll need to enroll through your Chase account by Dec. 31.

If you’re already paying for Apple TV, this benefit can provide meaningful value with very little effort. Enrollment is a one-time process, making it one of the easiest perks on the card to maximize.

It’s worth noting that this benefit only includes Apple TV and not Apple Music. Cardholders looking for broader Apple-related benefits may find more value with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees).

DoorDash DashPass membership

The Sapphire Preferred includes at least 12 months of complimentary DoorDash DashPass (when activated by Dec. 31, 2027).

DashPass provides benefits such as reduced delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible DoorDash orders.

To activate the benefit, add your Sapphire Preferred as your default payment method in DoorDash and complete the enrollment process.

Authorized users on your account are also eligible for DashPass benefits.

If you order from DoorDash even occasionally, DashPass can quickly provide real-world value. Since activation only takes a few minutes, this is another benefit that’s easy to take advantage of.

DoorDash nonrestaurant discount

Once you’ve activated your DoorDash DashPass membership, you’ll also receive a $10 discount each calendar month on one qualifying nonrestaurant DoorDash order.

Eligible purchases can include grocery, convenience and retail orders through DoorDash.

To receive the discount, you’ll need to pay with the same Sapphire Preferred Card that you used to enroll in DashPass.

The discount must be used in a single transaction. If you don’t use the full $10 value, the remaining amount is forfeited; unused monthly discounts also do not roll over.

Among the Sapphire Preferred’s benefits, this is the one that requires the most effort. You’ll need to remember to use it each month, and you’ll need to place an eligible nonrestaurant order through DoorDash to get value from it.

That said, cardholders who already use DoorDash for grocery or convenience store purchases may find this benefit surprisingly easy to maximize.

Which Chase Sapphire Preferred benefit is easiest to use?

Not all card benefits require the same amount of effort. In my view, the Sapphire Preferred‘s perks rank as follows, from easiest to most complicated:

1. $100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
2. Complimentary Apple TV subscription
3. Complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership
4. Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus credit
5. Monthly DoorDash nonrestaurant discount

The hotel credit stands out because no activation is required and it can single-handedly offset the card’s annual fee.

The Apple TV and DashPass benefits require only a one-time enrollment, while the Global Entry credit is straightforward but only available once every four years.

The monthly DoorDash discount can provide solid value, but it requires the most effort.

Related: Monthly checklist: Credit card perks and benefits you should be using

Bottom line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred doesn’t offer as many credits as some premium travel cards, but that’s part of its appeal.

The card’s $100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit alone can more than offset its $95 annual fee. Add in a complimentary Apple TV subscription, a DashPass membership, a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus credit and monthly DoorDash savings, and many cardholders will come out well ahead.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred proves that a card doesn’t need dozens of complicated credits to deliver meaningful value. For many cardholders, the annual hotel credit alone can justify keeping the card year after year — everything else is simply icing on the cake.

To learn more, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card