Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is great for Lyft riders

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Published on October 01, 2024 | 4 min read

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senior man in the backseat of a ride share

Key takeaways

While certain American Express credit cards offer benefits that apply to Uber rides, a selection of Chase credit cards offer bonus rewards and perks with Lyft instead.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is an exceptional choice for people who use the Lyft ridesharing service often and want to earn more rewards when they do.
This card also offers enhanced rewards on other ridesharing services and general travel purchases, making it a great all-around card for people who are constantly on the move.

Many experts agree that the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one the best travel credit cards for beginners, and it’s easy to see why. This card comes with a generous sign-up bonus and an exceptional rewards proposition — especially when you consider its low $95 annual fee.

Several cardholder perks can also make life more convenient or affordable, such as the card’s $50 annual hotel stay credit, trip cancellation and interruption insurance and purchase protection for 120 days (up to $500 per claim and up to $50,000 per account).

You’ll also get a full free year of DoorDash DashPass (must be activated by December 31, 2027), which provides unlimited food deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12. For some help with grocery delivery, the Preferred also gives you six months of complimentary Instacart+ membership, plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024 (activation required by July 31, 2024).

Better yet, this rewards credit card offers bonus points in quite a few everyday spending categories, including dining, travel, online grocery services, select streaming services and more. Cardholders can also earn bonus points on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025 — for a total of 5X points on qualifying Lyft rides — which we’ll cover in more detail below.

Chase Sapphire Preferred: The details

Make sure you review the major details of the Chase Sapphire Preferred before you sign up, including the card’s sign-up bonus, rewards rate, annual fee and interest rate. Doing so can help you decide if this rewards credit card is right for you or if you should opt for a different Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Also, know that points earned with this card are part of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, which is known for its flexibility. Cardholders can use their points for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, travel through Chase and 1:1 point transfers to Chase airline and hotel partners.

Chase Sapphire Preferred highlights

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within three months of account opening
Annual fee: $95
Rewards rate: Earn 5X points on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Travel℠, on Peleton equipment and accessory purchases of $150 or more (up to 25,000 total points, offer available through March 31, 2025) and on Lyft rides (Lyft offer available through March 31, 2025); 3X points on dining, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs) and select streaming services; 2X points on general travel; 1X points on everything else
Notable benefit: Cardholders get 25 percent more value for their points when they redeem them for travel through Chase Travel℠
Regular APR: 21.49 percent to 28.49 percent (variable)

Chase Sapphire Preferred rideshare benefits

Among the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s many benefits, you can find perks exclusive to rideshares like Lyft, as well as other ground transportation services.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Lyft benefits

In addition to the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s generous rewards offers in several everyday spending categories, using the Sapphire Preferred for Lyft rides earns 5X points on each dollar spent through March 31, 2025. This benefit represents an extra 3X points on Lyft rides on top of the 2X points already earned for general travel purchases.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Uber benefits

If you’re looking for a credit card that rewards you for both Lyft and Uber rides, this card can also be a good fit. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 2X points on regular travel purchases, which includes Uber rides.

Other travel options to consider

Cardholders also earn 5X points on travel booked through the Chase Travel℠ portal, which can include airport pickups and ground transfers to many destinations around the globe. These transfers aren’t exactly the same as ridesharing, but you can earn bonus points for rides when you book ahead.

Of course, you can redeem your Chase points for ground transportation through Chase, and you’ll get 25 percent more value for your points when you do.

Alternative cards to consider for earning rewards on Lyft rides

If your goal is to earn more ridesharing points with Lyft, you can also consider these other cards that offer ridesharing or ground transportation perks.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is easily one of the best credit cards for Lyft rides due to Chase’s partnership with Lyft. As a cardholder, you can qualify for two years of complimentary Lyft Pink membership, which includes 15 percent off rides and other perks (activation required by December 31, 2024). This card also comes with 10X total points when you use your card to pay for Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025), which is very generous.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve charges a $550 annual fee. Still, it comes with lucrative benefits like Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership, a $300 annual travel credit and up to $100 in application fee credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

The Sapphire Reserve also offers:
- 10X points on hotel stays and car rentals booked through Chase Travel℠
- 10X points on Chase Dining purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 5X points on flights booked through Chase Travel℠ (after earning the $300 travel credit)
- 3X points on general travel and restaurant purchases
- 1X points on everything else

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card* is unique because it lets you choose the bonus categories in which you earn the most. You can earn 5 percent cash back on purchases in two categories of your choice, one of which can be ground transportation, which includes rideshares (on up to $2,000 in combined purchases per quarter, then 1 percent). This card doesn’t charge an annual fee, and new cardholders can earn a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within 120 days of account opening.

Consumers who choose the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature also earn:
- 5 percent cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center
- 2 percent cash back on one everyday spending category of their choosing (gas stations and EV charging stations, grocery stores or restaurants)
- 1 percent back on everything else

American Express Green Card®

Also consider the American Express® Green Card*, which offers several bonus categories and the chance to earn points in the American Express Membership Rewards program. This card starts you off with a welcome offer of 40,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within six months of account opening. Cardholders also earn:
- 3X points at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
- 3X points on transit
- 3X points on travel (which includes rideshare services such as Lyft)
- 1X points on everything else
This card requires a $150 annual fee, but it offers perks like a $100 credit toward a CLEAR Plus membership and a $100 credit for airport lounge access through LoungeBuddy.

The bottom line

If you want to choose a credit card based on the rewards and perks you get with Lyft, there are several cards that could fit the bill. For example, using Chase Sapphire Preferred for Lyft makes sense when considering the additional bonus points you can earn.

That said, make sure the card you select offers bonus points in other categories you spend a lot in, including dining, groceries, travel or anything else. This will help you to get more bang for your buck with your card over time. Our list of the best travel credit cards available can help you decide.

*Information about the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card and American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Bankrate. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.