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Chase Sapphire Preferred — 60,000 bonus points offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months — worth $750 in travel when redeemed through Chase.
Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve: Which Should You Get in 2026?
We break down the math on both cards across 8 spending scenarios.
The 7 Best 0% Intro APR Cards for Paying Down Debt in 2026
Get up to 21 months interest-free. We ranked them by transfer fee and ongoing rate.
How We Evaluated 50+ Cash Back Cards: Our Methodology Explained
We don't accept payment for card rankings. Here's exactly how we score and compare every card.
American Express Business Gold: The Ultimate Card for Growing Businesses
4X points on the 2 categories where your business spends most. Plus a $240 annual credit.
Most premium travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Amex Gold, and Capital One Venture X require good to excellent credit — typically 700+ for approval and 720+ for the best odds. These cards use income, total debt, and credit history in addition to your score. If your score is 650–699, you may qualify for mid-tier travel cards. Cards for building credit (secured cards, Discover it Secured) accept scores below 600.
A balance transfer moves debt from one (or more) credit cards to a new card, ideally with a 0% introductory APR period. Most cards charge a balance transfer fee of 3–5% of the amount transferred. For example, on a $10,000 balance with a 3% fee, you'd pay $300 upfront. You'd then have 12–21 months to pay off the balance interest-free. This strategy works best when you have a disciplined payoff plan before the intro period ends.
It depends entirely on your usage. A $95 annual fee card is worth it if you earn at least $95 more in rewards than a no-fee alternative. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95/year) pays for itself if you spend $3,000+ on travel and dining annually. Premium cards with $400+ fees often include travel credits, lounge access, and other perks that offset the cost for frequent travelers — but require disciplined utilization to justify.
Most financial experts recommend 2–3 cards for optimal rewards and credit building: one primary card for your biggest spending category, one for everything else, and optionally a store or co-branded card if you shop frequently at a specific retailer or airline. More than 3–4 cards becomes difficult to manage and may lead to carrying debt. The key metric is your credit utilization — aim to use less than 30% of your total available credit.