Ultimate Rewards & CSP Benefit Changes
 

There is a dedicated thread for the sign on offers for this card, but I couldn't find a thread directly related to the benefits of this card, so I thought I'd start one. Please keep sign-on bonus related posts to the original thread. :)

Two interesting enhancements to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Program:

1. As of yesterday, all airfare, hotel booking, and car rental purchases earn double points (i.e. they don't have to be booked through Ultimate Rewards). Travel purchases booked through Ultimate Rewards will now earn 3 points per $. See this post on milepoint for more information.

2. Korean Air has been added as a transfer partner. While no one can predict the future, the creation of a new Chase United card that mirrors the benefits of their Continental OnePass card, might signal that United might become a transfer partner, once the OnePass program is eliminated. At any rate, Korean Air being added as a transfer partner means that you can now transfer Chase Sapphire Preferred points to each of the 3 primary airline alliances: Star Alliance (Continental), SkyTeam (Korean), and OneWorld (British Airways).

Moderator observation
 

That would have been this one, which was recently closed when it meandered too far afield:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...edit-card.html

It's still available to read, but not for posting.

The double points for airfare, hotel and rental car now makes the point earnings on the Sapphire Preferred card superior to the JPMorgan Select Card-- the latter also gives double points in these categories, but Sapphire Preferred has the 7% yearly dividend on points earned.

On the other hand, I believe the JPMorgan Select Card comes with a broader range of benefits (primary car rental insurance, up to $50 in roadside assistance, coverage of certain emergency evacuation expenses, etc.), and for now is one of few cards available with EMV.

Instead, JPM Select awards 25,000 points at $100,000 spending threshold.

That's true! I do hold this card, but as I don't have that level of spending had forgotten about that benefit. Perhaps it's time for me to switch to Sapphire Preferred....

double points on dining as well
 

Per the benefits guide linked here:

• 2 points per dollar spent on dining– from quick serve restaurants to fine dining
• 2 points per dollar spent when you purchase flights, hotel accommodations, car rentals, timeshares, and more
• 1 additional point per dollar spent when you book airfare or hotel accommodations online through Ultimate rewards with your Chase sapphire preferred card
• plus, 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

More info:

You will earn 1 point for each $1 of Net Purchases. You will earn an additional 1 point for each $1 of Net Purchases made at merchants that classify their merchant location for Visa/MasterCard in any of the following categories: dining establishments (including caterers), airlines, airports, car rental agencies (including truck, trailer, and RV), cruise ships, hotels and motels, timeshares, local and commuter transportation (including trains, buses, taxis/limos, ferries, bridges, tolls, and parking), travel agencies.

All this comes from the benefits guide linked above but were originally noticed by posters on this milepoint thread.

Triple points on airfare and lodging...
 

...but only if booked through their captive agency:

This is one point less than American Express Premier Rewards Gold which awards triple points on airfare, plus one more if booked through americanexpress.com/travel .

Out of curiosity, are prices on the UR booking tool the same as the ones that can be found on the hotel/airline's own website?

While I don't have the Sapphire, I do have the Freedom and I checked out prices once and they weren't even in the ballpark of what was offered through the hotel website. Hyatt SFO on UR was coming up as $275. I don't recall what the Hyatt.com rate was but it definitely was not over the $200 mark.

Is that a normal occurrence? If so, I don't see any reason to book any reservations through UR.

I think for hotels the captive rates are higher -- for airlines same as the airline.

WRT "timeshares"...does that include annual maintenance fees?

As long as the charge was "coded" as a "timeshare" for charging purposes, there's no reason it wouldn't qualify.

I'm loving the Sapphire more and more.

IMO, Chase is going hard after AMEX Gold members... and this card is seriously becoming worthy of keeping in my wallet. If they manage to add Southwest as a transfer partner for the Sapphire card... then yea, I may just get of my Amex Premier Gold.

Hi, I just applied for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, but got a message saying the application is pending approval and they will notify me in 10 days. I called customer service and asked if that's normal or if people get instant approval. she said it's normal and no one gets instant approval. I don't believe that. Did any of you get instant approval upon submitting your application?

No instant approval for me either, and I got great credit. I thought I was going to be denied, but I got an approval several days later.

How long does it take to transfer to CO and may it be in anybodys CO account name?