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Chase Sapphire Preferred® 2026 Refresh: Everything You Need to Know About the New Benefits
July 1, 2025
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Chase just upgraded one of the most popular travel cards in America and kept the annual fee exactly where it was. Starting June 15, 2026, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card gains new earning categories, a doubled hotel credit, a new Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, expanded travel protections, and a complimentary Apple TV subscription. If you already carry this card or you have been thinking about getting it, here is what changed, what it means in practice, and how to decide whether it fits your wallet.
What Changes on June 15, 2026
Chase announced the refresh on June 10, 2026. All new and updated benefits roll out automatically for both new and existing cardmembers on June 15. You do not need to do anything to get the new earn categories, the doubled hotel credit, or the Global Entry credit. The only benefit that requires activation is the complimentary Apple TV subscription, which must be activated through Chase.com or the Chase mobile app by December 31, 2026.
Here is the full list:
- 3x points on gas and EV charging (new earn category)
- 3x points on vacation homes at platforms including Airbnb, Vrbo, Plum Guide, HomeAway, Homestay.com, and Vacasa (new earn category)
- $100 Chase Travel Hotel Credit each anniversary year, doubled from $50 (updated)
- Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit every four years (new)
- Emergency Evacuation and Transportation coverage up to $100,000 (new)
- Complimentary Apple TV subscription for one year when activated by December 31, 2026 (new)
- Annual fee: unchanged at $95
One benefit is going away. The 10% Anniversary Bonus on points earned is discontinued for cardmembers who apply on or after June 15, 2026. Existing cardmembers who applied before that date keep earning the bonus on eligible purchases made through October 1, 2026, with payout by January 31, 2027.
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New Earn Category: 3x on Gas and EV Charging
This one matters for road trippers and commuters. The Sapphire Preferred® has always rewarded flights and hotels generously, but everyday driving earned almost nothing. Now every fill-up at the gas station and every session at an EV charging station earns 3x Ultimate Rewards® points, the same rate as dining and streaming.
A household spending $200 a month on gas or charging picks up 7,200 points a year that the card simply did not earn before. If you have been putting gas on a flat-rate cash-back card by default, it is worth rechecking the math.
Kudos tip: Use Kudos to automatically surface the best card for each gas or EV charging transaction, so you never under-earn at the pump.
New Earn Category: 3x on Vacation Home Rentals
The second new category covers a big and growing slice of travel spending: vacation home rentals through platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. Previously, a stay booked directly on Airbnb might have earned only 1x or 2x points depending on how Chase categorized it. Now, direct purchases through Airbnb, Vrbo, Plum Guide, HomeAway, Homestay.com, and Vacasa earn 3x points.
One distinction to keep in mind: vacation homes booked through the Chase Travel portal earn 5x points, the same as other Chase Travel bookings. The new 3x rate applies to bookings made directly on the platforms. Depending on the price difference and how you value points, you now have a real choice between booking direct for simplicity or booking through Chase Travel for the higher earn rate.
For families and groups who rent vacation homes a few times a year, this category alone can add up quickly.
The Hotel Credit Doubles to $100
The Sapphire Preferred® has long offered a $50 annual hotel credit for prepaid hotel stays booked through Chase Travel. That credit now doubles to $100 per account anniversary year.
With a $95 annual fee, a $100 hotel credit covers the cost of the card before you earn a single point, as long as you book at least one prepaid hotel night through Chase Travel each year. The credit requires no activation, applies automatically to qualifying bookings, and resets on your card anniversary date.
This fixes one of the few common complaints about the Sapphire Preferred® compared to higher-fee competitors: that the credits felt thin for what the card asked. The math is much cleaner now.
For a full breakdown of how to use this credit, see our guide: Chase Sapphire Preferred $50 Hotel Credit Guide (now $100).
New $120 Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / NEXUS Credit
Global Entry costs $120 for a five-year membership and includes TSA PreCheck. TSA PreCheck alone costs $85. NEXUS, which covers both U.S.-Canada border crossing and airport security, runs $50. Under the new benefit, the Sapphire Preferred® reimburses up to $120 for whichever program you apply for, every four years, when you charge the application fee to your card.
Plenty of premium travel cards already include this, but the Sapphire Preferred® never did until now. For frequent travelers, Global Entry is effectively free with the card, and since most people reapply every four to five years, the timing lines up with the benefit's refresh window.
No enrollment is required. Charge the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee to your Sapphire Preferred® card and the statement credit posts automatically.
Emergency Evacuation Coverage
Chase describes the updated Sapphire Preferred® as having the most comprehensive suite of built-in travel protections in its class. The key addition is Emergency Evacuation and Transportation coverage: if you are injured or become sick more than 100 miles from home during a covered trip and require emergency evacuation, you can be covered for eligible medical services and transportation up to $100,000.
The card already included Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Auto Rental Coverage, and Travel Accident Insurance. Emergency evacuation coverage fills the gap that matters most for international trips and remote destinations, where a medical emergency can cost far more than any points balance is worth.
For complete terms and benefit details, Chase points cardmembers to the Guide to Benefits at chasebenefits.com/sapphirepreferred2.
Complimentary Apple TV for One Year
New and existing cardmembers can activate a complimentary one-year Apple TV+ subscription through the Benefits & Rewards section on Chase.com or the Chase mobile app. Activation must happen by December 31, 2026, and requires linking an Apple ID to the benefit.
Apple TV+ currently costs around $9.99 per month, so the free year is worth roughly $120. The card also earns 3x points on Apple TV streaming charges, so once the free year ends you at least earn accelerated points on the ongoing subscription.
What Stays the Same
The card's existing earning categories are unchanged and still among the most versatile in the mid-tier travel card space:
- 5x points on all Chase Travel purchases (flights, hotels, vacation homes booked through Chase Travel, rental cars, cruises, activities, and tours)
- 2x points on all other travel worldwide
- 3x points on dining worldwide, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3x points on top streaming services
- 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart®, and wholesale clubs)
- 5x points on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027
- 5x total points on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 through December 31, 2027
- 1x points on all other purchases
Existing partner benefits also remain, including complimentary DashPass membership (valued at approximately $120 per year) with up to $10 off monthly DoorDash orders, and no foreign transaction fees.
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The Hyatt Transfer Ratio Change
One change arrives alongside the benefit refresh: how Ultimate Rewards® points transfer to World of Hyatt®. For cardmembers who apply on or after June 15, 2026, points transfer to Hyatt at a 4:3 ratio, meaning 1,000 Ultimate Rewards® points become 750 Hyatt points.
For cardmembers who applied before June 15, 2026, the existing 1:1 ratio stays in place for transfers made before October 1, 2026, when the new ratio takes effect for all accounts.
This stings for points optimizers who have leaned on the 1:1 Hyatt transfer, long considered one of the best value plays in the Ultimate Rewards® ecosystem. Hyatt's category-based award chart consistently delivers some of the highest cents-per-point values of any transfer partner. The 4:3 ratio reduces that value but does not erase it. If you are an existing cardholder planning a Hyatt transfer, doing it before October 1, 2026, locks in the 1:1 rate.
It is also fair to say that for heavy Hyatt redeemers, the 1:1 transfer was the single biggest reason to pick the Sapphire Preferred® over competing mid-tier travel cards. If that transfer was the edge the card held over the others in your wallet, the 4:3 ratio narrows it considerably, and the new credits and earn categories may or may not make up the difference depending on how you actually spend. For everyone else, the refresh is a clear net gain.
How Ultimate Rewards® Redemption Still Works
Beyond transfer partners, Ultimate Rewards® points keep their flexibility:
- Chase Travel portal: Redeem for flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and more with no blackout dates or travel restrictions. Points Boost offers promotional value boosts on select top-booked hotels and flights, updated on a rotating basis.
- Transfer partners: Transfer to select leading airline and hotel loyalty programs. Note the updated Hyatt transfer ratio above.
- Pay Yourself Back: Redeem points as statement credits against select purchases.
- Gift cards and cash back: Redeem for gift cards (including current promotional discounts at select retailers) or as a statement credit or bank deposit.
Ultimate Rewards® points do not expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing.
Should You Get the Refreshed Chase Sapphire Preferred®?
The 2026 refresh makes the Sapphire Preferred® a more complete card without changing what made it popular in the first place: a reasonable annual fee, strong everyday earn rates, and flexible Ultimate Rewards® points.
It is a strong fit if you:
- Regularly spend on gas, EV charging, dining, groceries, or streaming and want accelerated earning across all of them
- Book vacation homes through platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo
- Travel enough to use the $100 hotel credit and the new Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
- Want solid built-in travel protections without paying a premium card annual fee
- Value a points currency that transfers to airlines and hotels
The discontinued 10% Anniversary Bonus will be missed by existing cardmembers who counted on it, and the Hyatt ratio change hits hardest for people who built their redemption strategy around that one transfer path. For most cardmembers, though, the added benefits outweigh what was lost.
If you are still deciding, Kudos can help you compare the Sapphire Preferred® against other top travel cards side by side based on your actual spending patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the new Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits start?
New and existing cardmembers receive the updated benefits on June 15, 2026. No action is required except to activate the complimentary Apple TV subscription by December 31, 2026.
Is the annual fee changing?
No. The annual fee remains $95.
Do I need to activate the new earn categories?
No. The new 3x categories for gas, EV charging, and vacation homes, along with the doubled hotel credit and new Global Entry credit, are available automatically on June 15, 2026.
What happened to the 10% Anniversary Bonus?
The bonus is discontinued for cardmembers who apply on or after June 15, 2026. Existing cardmembers who applied before that date will continue earning it on eligible purchases through October 1, 2026, with payout by January 31, 2027.
What is the new Hyatt transfer ratio?
For new cardmembers applying on or after June 15, 2026, Ultimate Rewards® points transfer to World of Hyatt® at a 4:3 ratio. Existing cardmembers retain the 1:1 ratio through September 30, 2026.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
