Credit Cards

The 70k card I wish I could get

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SAS Business Class A330

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The 70k card I wish I could get

Last year I took the bait and signed up for Chase’s United MileagePlus Explorer when they snail mailed me a 50k offer.  Honestly, I was pretty happy, and 50k was about as good as I thought it was going to get. AND THEN THE 70Ks started to roll out.  They’ve extended the 70k offer this time around until 7/31.  This card is restricted by 5/24 rules, and while I’m under 5/24, it’s only been a year since I was a proud cardholder, and Chase limits sign up bonuses to every 24 months. UGH! However, if I were eligible to get the 70k bonus…I’d be very eager to snatch up this card.

The offer ends on 7/31

You may have to login and out a few times, use incognito, etc. The offer varies for me, but the last time I was checking award avail the 70k popped up, and after I logged in it continued to show 70k.

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The major benefits

The benefits that interest me the most

  • 70k points
  • United Club Passes
  • 5k bonus for AU
  • Extra Award availability

a screenshot of a travel benefits card

Even if you could, why would you add on to your 5/24 Miles?

Plain and simple. It preserves my Ultimate Rewards and I highly value flexible currency over fixed. By creating 78k United Miles from a sign up bonus, I save 78k UR for some other redemption. Plus, 80k points will fly you in EVA Royal Laurel Business Class from the US to Asia- and those are points you won’t regret redeeming.

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You can check here if you’re targeted

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card


4.8
4.8/5
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is a great starter card that earns Premium Ultimate Rewards that can be transferred into over a dozen partners many of which are US based including Hyatt, Southwest, United, IHG, and Marriott.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$95

Points Earned

Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards

  • 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
  • 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
  • 3x on select streaming services
  • 3x on online grocery purchases
    • (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
  • $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠
    • The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
  • 2x on all other travel
  • 10% Anniversary Bonus
    • Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel℠ and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver ( primary ), purchase protections, etc.
  • Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
  • Redeem in Chase Travel℠ for 1.25 cents per point
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
    • Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
  • $95 Annual Fee

We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.

Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.

Main Cast: 

Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.

Supporting Cast:

Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is exceptional starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.

If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex®  and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash® , Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners

Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

6 Comments

  • paul v July 26, 2017

    Can’t find it in the card Ts&Cs …. is there a separate annual fee for the additional authorized user?

    • Miles July 26, 2017

      Paul v – unless they have changed terms, no annual fee from my experience

      • paul v July 26, 2017

        THanks…. seems like a no brainer then (assuming I haven’t hit my 5/24)

  • Neil July 25, 2017

    Do you know if you can get the bonus again if you have gotten the bonus more than 24 months ago and you cancel the card?

    Thanks!

    • Miles July 26, 2017

      Hey Neil – yes, you should be eligible if it’s been more than 24 months; however, I would keep in mind that if it’s been less than 30 days since you closed the account Chase can reopen it. Not always the case, but possible. Otherwise, as long as Chase approved you and it’s been more than 24 months since receiving the bonus – you should be golden. Thanks for reading!

  • Ahmed July 25, 2017

    Got the offer 70 K +5K + 3 K +$50

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