How to Use the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card $50 Hotel Credit in 2024

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card‘s $95 annual fee is deceiving — but in a good way. While you’ll still be on the hook for the $95 yearly, the easy-to-use $50 hotel credit partially offsets it. Here is how to use it.

What is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card $50 Hotel Credit?

Cardholders can earn up to $50 in statement credits for hotels booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal each account anniversary year. Chase defines this as “the year beginning with your account open date through the first statement date after your account anniversary, and the 12 monthly billing cycles after that each year”. This differs from other credits which are determined by the calendar year — for example, January 1 through December 31.

Unfortunately, there is no double dipping. Usually, cardholders earn 5x points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase. Hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 credit do not earn the usual 5x points.

How to Use the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card $50 Hotel Credit

The credit is easy to use, and no registration is necessary. Here is how to earn it.

First, log in to your Chase account.

Click one of the following two links located towards the upper right corner of your account screen.

• Rewards
• Travel

Both will get you where you need to be, but clicking Travel is quicker.

If it is not already selected, choose your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card in the upper right corner. Then click the Hotels button.

Enter the following details on the next screen.

• Destination (city, airport, address, or landmark)
• Check-in Date
• Check-out Date
• Number of Guests
• Optional Features (hotel brand and star rating)

Pick your room and complete the checkout process. You will have the option to pay with points, cash, or a combination. You can do a combination, but make sure you are charging at least $50 to your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

That’s it! Your hotel credit will appear in your online account within the next few days.

What Purchases Count? What Purchases Do Not Count?

Only hotel bookings through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal using your Chase Sapphire Preferred are eligible for the $50 statement credit.

Here are purchases that will not trigger the credit.

• Hotels booked direct using your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
• Hotels booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards using only points
• Hotels booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards using other Chase cards
• Hotels booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards with your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card after already fully earning your yearly $50 credit (these bookings do earn 5x points per dollar spent, however)

When to Forgo Using the Hotel Credit

You should avoid using your hotel credit at brands where you hold status. Unfortunately, many hotels will not honor your elite benefits when booking reservations through online travel agencies, like the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Here are some popular elite benefits you may be forgoing.

• Free Breakfast
• Early or Late Check Out
• Free Room Upgrades
• Waived Resort Fees

Additionally, you may not earn qualifying nights when booking through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Finally, check to see the price difference between booking direct and booking through Chase while earning the $50 credit. In some cases, it may be cheaper to book direct even when taking into account the $50 credit.

That is because holding status, even low levels, may provide discounts. Higher status levels may even enjoy waived resort fees, which further decrease the price.

How Does this Credit Compare to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® $300 Travel Credit?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® ($550 annual fee) offers cardholders a $300 annual travel credit. This credit is much easier to earn than the Sapphire Preferred $50 hotel credit. Essentially, anything that codes as travel is eligible. Here are some examples.

• Hotels & Motels
• Airbnb
• Airlines (tickets, seat upgrades, bags)
• Car Rental Agencies
• Travel Agencies & Discount Travel Sites
• Cruises
• Campgrounds
• Timeshares
• Parking Lots & Parking Garages
• Toll Bridges, Highways, & Tunnels
• Car Services (including Buses, Taxis, Lyft and Uber)
• Trains

Travel purchased via OTAs are also eligible for statement credits. Using the full $300 travel credit reduces the net annual fee from $550 to only $250.

For comparison, using the full Chase Sapphire Preferred $50 hotel credit reduces the net annual fee from $95 to only $45.

Further Reading: How To Use The Chase Sapphire Reserve Annual $300 Travel Credit and Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Preferred

The Vacationer’s Final Thoughts

The $50 annual hotel credit is one of the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s best benefits. Not only is it easy to use, but it essentially reduces the already low $95 annual fee to only $45. With travel fully back, it makes a lot of sense to select the Chase Sapphire Preferred as your next travel credit card.

Further Reading: Chase Sapphire Preferred Current Bonus Points Offer and What Credit Score Do You Need to Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?