When a sports enthusiast set out to visit all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums as a 16-year-old, they anticipated significant costs and logistical challenges. However, a single credit card has become central to their strategy, facilitating visits to 20 stadiums so far. This accessible journey owes much to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, and particularly to its 100,000 bonus points offer, which is valued by The Points Guy at over $2,000.
The cardholder notes the practicality of using “Chase Ultimate Rewards points” to significantly reduce hotel expenses. The option to convert points into “high-value hotel stays” in various cities is especially beneficial. “Chase has three hotel transfer partners, but arguably, the best is World of Hyatt,” they explain, citing the generous transfer ratio and award chart.
This strategy has proven particularly useful in cities like Cleveland, known for unexpectedly high hotel rates. “Some of my best redemptions have actually come from mid-size cities with surprisingly high hotel prices,” the cardholder adds.
The card offers a $50 hotel credit each anniversary year when bookings are made through the Chase Travel℠ portal. Also, comprehensive coverage options, including trip cancellation, baggage delay, and auto rental coverage, give cardholders peace of mind. “Therefore, I have peace of mind knowing I’m always covered if my bag doesn’t arrive with me, something happens with my car rental, my travels are interrupted, or I have to cancel the trip outright.”
The focus on Ohio this year included visits to stadiums in Cleveland and Cincinnati. Utilizing the Hyatt point transfers allowed stays at properties such as the “Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade” and the “Hyatt Regency Cincinnati” at a fraction of the standard cash rates. “Since Chase points transfer to Hyatt at a 1:1 rate, I easily transferred 36,000 points to my Hyatt account to book my stay.”
The flexibility of the reward system allows the cardholder to seek economical decisions, such as leveraging Chase’s hotel partners for better value over the Chase Travel portal. With 100,000 Chase points, multiple hotel stays across different cities become viable, offering significant savings on accommodation.
In total, these strategies using the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card have made the completion of a unique stadium bucket list increasingly possible. “If you’ve been thinking about starting your own bucket list trip — or just want to save money on travel — the time to apply is now.”
For more comprehensive details about this card, the full review is available for potential applicants seeking to benefit from its travel-centered features.
