Chase Sapphire Bumps It To Two Points Per Dollar On Travel And Dining

July 23, 2011 - Rick

Hi Rick,

A customer service representative at the Chase Sapphire Desk mentioned to me yesterday that they’ve upped the point earning potential on the Chase Sapphire℠ Preferred Card to two points per dollar spent on dining and travel (plus one additional point if the travel is booked on the Ultimate Rewards website). According to him, this was effective 7/17/11. I found confirmation of it on their website: http://www.chasesapphire.com/cardmembers/

Download the .pdf for the Chase Sapphire Preferred under “Benefits Guide” (bottom right of your screen). Here is a snippet from page 4:

“With Chase Sapphire Preferred, no purchase goes unrewarded. Whether you’re buying everyday household items, dining out or even paying your phone or cable bill, using your card maximizes your point earnings, with:

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.”

And here is a snippet from the T’s & C’s on page 12 of the same .pdf:

“Earning Rewards: 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. We do not determine whether merchants correctly identify and bill transactions as being made at locations in each particular category.

“However, we do reserve the right to determine which purchases qualify for the additional point on category purchases. Purchases not eligible to receive the additional point on category purchases include, but are not limited to, purchases made at superstores, warehouse clubs, discount stores, and their affiliates. Online and catalog purchases are not eligible to receive the additional point on category purchases unless the merchants have correctly identified and billed the transactions. You will also earn an additional 1 point for each $1 of eligible airfare and hotel Net Purchases made online through the program booking tool (for a total of 3 points).”

FYI: I’ve posted the above also out on FlyerTalk — post #1178 in the Chase Sapphire Preferred 50K Point thread in MilesBuzz http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/1215268-extra-50k-expired-chase-sapphire-preferred-card-50k-points-79.html#post16758258

Thanks for all your info on the blog, and belated happy 10th anniversary on FlyerTalk!

- Chris

Anonymous

I wish it hadn't ended but I can't say I'm surprised … it was looking suspicious when the last time I ordered (yesterday) it said they were "sold out" of all but the Native American coins. I just hope I get the last 2 orders I placed – one on July 16th and one on July 21st!
Anonymous

that's it I am no longer giving my donation to NPR in coins anymore!

i think i am going to cry…..
Anonymous

heard rumblings yesterday about this. they are responding to all the public pressure. i am shocked this lasted as long as it did. it is a big bummer for me. i never abused the system and ordered every 10 days. for me it was a way to pay my mortgage and earn miles. it was fun while it lasted. id like to see a bar graph of orders at the mint starting today. falling off a cilff….maybe I should sell some of my Visa shares as well…
Lantean

Boo!
Too bad it's over but it was fun while it lasted… what's next for us?
Anonymous

Crap! I'm weeping — inside, where it counts.
3LeftTurns

Sad, but onward we go.
Anonymous

Just got the BIG BAD email from the Mint saying that all open orders will be cancelled. I'm bummed!
jumpdogjump

Oh No! Now we'll never know any president after US Grant!
CeCe

What have your experiences been? …

… with the amount of time between canceling an SPG card and applying for and being approved for a new card??
Anonymous

in ya thanks for everyone who ruined this…
with the new downgrades at UA, and spimpy credit card offers, soon the US frequent flyer market is going to start looking more like europe where a 2 to 5,000 mile sign up bonus AND a huge annual fee the first year, despite huge bank profits is the norm. Welcome to the age of the consumer America.
Anonymous

I wholeheartedly approve of this move.

I'm very much in the miles & points game, but this was a clear abuse of a programme funded by us tax payers. I actually think that those who did partake in the abuse of the system were probably committing fraud. Especially those who purchased huge amounts of coins.
Anonymous

Maybe I'm naive (and/or just doing some wishful thinking), but … is anyone else thinking maybe this new policy will be short-lived? After all, while this will have the intended result of stopping people from buying coins just for miles, that will also result in far fewer sales for the Mint – not only from people who were buying them to rack up miles, but also from whoever (if anyone) was actually buying them for their intended purpose (businesses, etc.) Are those people really going to start sending checks or – even less likely – obtaining money orders, and then sending those? Maybe after the precipitous decline in coin sales, the Mint will re-think its recent policy adjustment. Maybe it's wishful thinking on my part, but we can hope, right?
Carol in MN

I understand that there is a legislative proposal to have the Mint stop making the $1 coins. What?!?!? With $1.1 billion stockpiled as of 2010, they want to scrap the program?

A little common sense could go a long way here, IMO.

The ONLY way to get people to use the $1 coins is to take the $1 bills out of circulation like every other 1st world country! And it would save this country about $5.5 billion during the next 30 years. Seems like a no-brainer to me, especially in this economy!
Anonymous

@Anonymous:

the mint isn't supported by the taxpayers. it self-funds by minting coins & selling them to the federal reserve. it's called seigniorage. The dollar coin is profitable for them – 65% margin i think, much better than the loss they take on pennies, nickles & dimes.
Anonymous

hanks to everybody who ruined this by not following the clearly stated rules: no redepositing in banks. I tended to order one box every few months for use in parking meters and the like — not so much for the miles as for the convenience of not saving up quarters. And now that option is gone due to the greed and willingness to break rules of som many others. I don't blame the Mint at all.
Anonymous

Its the CC purchase they are limiting. You could still in theory buy the coins with a wire and still deposit in your bank. Thats isnt shutting the program down. Its the turds who had to glorify using your CC to earn something that got that part shutdown. Blame Pickles and the likes who created websites and twitter accts to capitalize on others for the name of "helping"
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Chase Sapphire Bumps It To Two Points Per Dollar On Travel And Dining

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