Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Bank of America Travel Rewards card: Which One Is Right for You?
-
Written by
Josephine Nesbit
If you’re looking for a travel rewards credit card but aren’t ready for an ultra-premium card just yet, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card are two standout options.
But what makes one card better than the other? It all depends on how frequently you travel and what you want from your rewards card.
Let’s take a look at the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. the Bank of America Travel Rewards card to see how these cards compare.
What Makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Worth Getting?
The Sapphire Preferred Card doesn’t offer an introductory APR rate and has an annual fee of $95. However, this credit card offers a generous welcome bonus, high earning rates plus additional benefits.
Superior Bonus Offer
You can earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Every year (measured from your account opening date), you can earn up to $50 in hotel statement credits through Chase Travel and bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
Higher Earning Points
There are several ways you can earn rewards with a Sapphire Preferred Card. You will earn:
- 5x points on travel purchases through Chase Travel, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 annual hotel credit
- 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out
- 3x points on online grocery purchases, excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs
- 3x points on select streaming services
- 2x points on other travel purchases
- 1x point for every dollar spent on other purchases
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card also offers more flexibility in redeeming your points. You can transfer points at a 1:1 rate to over a dozen leading frequent travel programs, including airline and hotel travel partners.
Longer List of Benefits
The Sapphire Preferred Card offers excellent travel and purchase protections, including trip cancellation/interruption insurance, primary car rental insurance, trip delay insurance and extended warranty coverage.
In addition, it comes with other partner benefits, including:
- DoorDash DashPass subscription: You get complimentary access to DoorDash DashPass (a value of $120 for 12 months, activate by December 31, 2027)
What Makes the Bank of America Travel Rewards card Worth Getting?
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card doesn’t offer as many perks as the Sapphire Preferred Card, but there’s no annual fee, a generous introductory APR and its simplicity makes it another excellent choice.
Lower Spending Requirement
The bonus is higher than average compared to other cards that do not charge an annual fee. You can earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
Greater Earning Potential on Everyday Purchases
There’s no long list of earning rewards like with the Sapphire Preferred Card, but the strong flat rate it offers could lead to greater earning potential on everyday purchases.
You will earn unlimited 1.5 points for every dollar spent on all purchases. Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program members can accelerate their rewards earnings by 25% to 75%. Your eligibility for this program is based on your Bank of America® and Merrill combined balances. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
There’s also more flexibility in how you redeem your points. You can receive a statement credit to pay for travel and dining purchases, such as:
- Flights
- Hotels
- Vacation rentals
- Baggage fees
- Dining out or takeout
A Generous Introductory APR
The Travel Rewards card offers a 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends a 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR will apply. There’s a balance transfer fee of 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%.
Side By Side Comparison
Annual Fee
Purchase and Balance Transfer APR
Welcome Bonus
Ongoing Rewards
3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.
If you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25% – 75% more points on every purchase.
Pros & Cons
- Generous intro bonus
- Primary rental car coverage
- 10% Anniversary Bonus
PROS
- Lounge access or free checked bags are not available
- No intro APR for purchases or balance transfers
- Complicated rewards
CONS
- $0 annual fee
- Flat-rate rewards keep things simple
- No foreign transaction fees
PROS
- Elevated points for certain purchase categories are limited
- No additional travel perks offered
CONS
Learn More
How to Choose
Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card are great cards for those who prefer low to no annual fees and a simple way to earn and redeem rewards.
However, if you want a credit card that allows you to transfer points to other loyalty programs, are open to booking through a specific travel portal for better rewards, and seek a higher bonus and ongoing earning potential, then the Sapphire Preferred Card is the better choice for you.
If you can benefit from an introductory APR while earning rewards on everyday purchases and don’t want to pay an annual fee then you can’t go wrong with the Bank of America Travel Rewards card.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s normal to have questions about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card before making a decision. Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Does Chase have preferred rewards like Bank of America?
No, Chase does not offer elevated rewards for it’s banking and investment customers like the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program does.
Are Chase Sapphire points worth more for travel?
Yes, points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card are worth up to 75% more when you redeem for travel through the Chase Travel Portal.
What airline partners are best with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?
Chase’s airline travel partners include United MileagePlus, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®, British Airways Executive Club, JetBlue TrueBlue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Emirates Skywards® and more.
Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card good for flights?
Yes, the Sapphire Preferred Card is a good option for flights. Not only can you earn 5x on flights purchased through Chase Travel, but there’s also trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance and travel and emergency assistance. The biggest downside is that the card doesn’t provide airport lounge access.
