The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has surprised many with its competitive pricing for hotel bookings through Chase Travel℠. A recent discovery revealed that the card offers equal or even better pricing than the Chase Sapphire Reserve for the same hotel stay in some cases.
The revelation came after a TPG team member compared hotel prices through Chase's Points Boost feature, which allows eligible cardholders to redeem Ultimate Rewards points for more than the standard 1 cent apiece on select Chase Travel bookings. The team member discovered that the same hotel, on the same dates, sometimes costs fewer points and even carries a lower cash rate when booked through the Sapphire Preferred than through the Sapphire Reserve.
One notable example was a stay at the Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay on the North Shore of Oahu. The property could be booked through Chase Travel for 86,388 points plus $123 due at the hotel using the Sapphire Preferred's Points Boost benefit, resulting in a cash price of $1,695. In contrast, the Sapphire Reserve required 129,647 points for the same dates, with a cash price of $2,139.
This was not a one-off, as another example was found at the St. Regis Bermuda. For the same Aug. 21-23 stay, the Sapphire Preferred required 189,434 points and had a cash price of $2,463, while the Sapphire Reserve required 246,264 points and had a cash price of $2,553.
A Chase spokesperson explained that the differences in pricing generally come down to the types of rates each card offers, such as refundable versus nonrefundable bookings. The spokesperson also noted that Points Boost offers are updated regularly and encouraged cardmembers to check back often for new offers from a variety of airline and hotel partners.
It's worth noting that both hotels participate in Chase's The Edit program, which offers additional benefits to Sapphire Reserve cardholders, including a $100 property credit, daily breakfast for two, and other on-property perks. However, even with these caveats, the base rates vary depending on which card is used, and points can sometimes go further in Chase Travel bookings with the Sapphire Preferred.
This discovery serves as a reminder that if you have both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve, don't assume the Reserve will always offer the better Chase Travel redemption. The Sapphire Preferred may require significantly fewer Ultimate Rewards points for the exact same hotel stay, making it a valuable option for cardholders.
