Karl says, “For car rentals, you need a credit card that offers the best protection and rewards. My top pick is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, featuring industry-leading primary rental car insurance and comprehensive travel protections that keep you covered on the road. The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card also provides excellent car rental insurance and earns you great rewards on travel expenses, while any AMEX card offers premium car rental benefits to enhance your travel experience.”
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Key offer
– Industry-Leading Primary Rental Car Insurance:
Chase Sapphire Preferred offers primary rental car coverage for eligible rentals up to 31 days, covering collision, theft, and damage when you pay with your card
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—eliminating the need for additional rental agency insurance (except in regions like New York where you must forgo personal auto coverage).
– Superior Global Travel Protections and Rewards:
Beyond outstanding car rental coverage, the card delivers comprehensive travel protections—including trip cancellation, delay, and lost luggage reimbursements—plus exceptional rewards earning (5X points on travel booked through Chase Travel) and flexible point transfers to top airline and hotel partners.
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
The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers the best combination of primary rental car insurance (excluding NY residents), reasonable annual fee, and strong rewards on travel purchases. The primary coverage means you don’t need to involve your personal auto insurance in the event of an incident.
Card Rewards
• 5X points on travel purchased through chase travel portal (excluding the $50 annual hotel credit).
• 5X points on Lyft rides until March 31, 2025.
• 5X points on Peloton gear over $150, up to 25,000 points until Mar. 31, 2025.
• 3X points on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out.
• 2X points on all other travel purchases.
• 1X point on all other purchases
Premium Benefits
– Earn 5X points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal, 3X on dining, 2X on other travel, and 1X on all other purchases.
– Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip.
– Trip Delay Reimbursement: Up to $500 per ticket for delays of 12+ hours.
– Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Up to $3,000 per person.
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– Baggage Delay Reimbursement: Up to $100 per day for up to 5 days if bags are delayed over 6 hours.
– Purchase Protection: Covers eligible items for 120 days against theft or damage, up to $500 per claim.
– Extended Warranty: Adds one extra year to eligible U.S. manufacturer warranties (for warranties of three years or less).
– $50 Annual Hotel Credit: Available for bookings made through the Chase Travel Portal each cardmember year.
– 10% Annual Points Bonus: Earn bonus points equal to 10% of total purchases from the previous cardmember year.
– No Foreign Transaction Fees: Use your card abroad without extra charges.
Minimum Qualifications
Chase won’t approve you for this card if you have the Sapphire Reserve or if you have opened this card in the last 48 months. If you want to apply for this card and currently have the Sapphire Reserve, you can call Chase to downgrade it to a Freedom Unlimited. After three days, you can apply for this card.
Foreign Transaction
- $0
Key offer
– Superior Car Rental Insurance:
Enjoy MasterRental Coverage that provides comprehensive protection for rental vehicles, ensuring you’re covered in the event of collision, theft, or damage—one of the best in the industry.
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– Exceptional Travel Rewards:
Earn 3X ThankYou Points per dollar on air travel, hotels, dining, supermarkets, gas, EV charging, and car rentals. This robust rewards structure lets you quickly accumulate points that can be redeemed for travel, merchandise, or cash back.
Welcome offer
For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
Annual fee
$95
Disclosure: The Cards Guy partners with credit card issuers to provide information on their products. We may earn commissions from these issuers. The content on this page is independent and has not been provided, reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the companies mentioned. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author. American Express is a The Cards Guy advertiser.
Card Rewards
• 10X total ThankYou Points for each $1 spent on hotel, car rental and attraction bookings on CitiTravel.com or by calling 1-800-THANKYOU (1-800-842-6596).
• 3X ThankYou Points for each $1 spent on air travel and other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations.
• 1X ThankYou Point for each $1 spent on all other purchases.
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• You will earn the 10x bonus ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rental, and attractions (excluding air travel) when booked through the CitiTravel.com or by calling 1-800-THANKYOU (1-800-842-6596)
• The booking must be posted to your account during the promotional period to qualify.
• This offer may overlap with other special offers in which you are currently enrolled.
• For bookings made with a combination of points and your Citi Strata Premier® Card, only the portion paid with your card will earn points.
Premium Benefits
– Earn 10X ThankYou Points per dollar on hotel, car rental, and attraction bookings when you use CitiTravel.com or call 1-800-THANKYOU.
– Earn 3X ThankYou Points per dollar on air travel, other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas, and EV charging stations.
– Earn 1X ThankYou Point per dollar on all other purchases.
– Receive 70,000 bonus ThankYou Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
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– Redeem points for travel, merchandise, gift cards, or cash back via thankyou.com.
– Benefit from a $100 discount on a hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through CitiTravel.com, once per calendar year.
– Enjoy extended warranty protection that adds 24 months to eligible manufacturer warranties.
– Gain purchase protection that refunds for damaged or stolen items within 90 days of purchase, up to $10,000 per claim.
– Transfer points to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs for flexible, high-value redemptions.
– Receive robust travel protections, including coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, and other travel-related issues.
Key offer
Premium Car Rental available on any card
Welcome offer
Annual fee
Disclosure: The Cards Guy partners with credit card issuers to provide information on their products. We may earn commissions from these issuers. The content on this page is independent and has not been provided, reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the companies mentioned. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author. American Express is a The Cards Guy advertiser.
Card Rewards
Premium Benefits
Insurance Coverage Comparison
| Card | Coverage Type | Coverage Amount | Key Exclusions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | Primary | Up to $60,000 | Luxury vehicles, certain countries |
| Capital One Venture X | Primary | Up to $75,000 | Certain exotic cars |
| Amex Platinum | Secondary (Primary when enrolled) | Up to $75,000 | Australia, New Zealand, Italy |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Primary | Up to $75,000 | Certain luxury vehicles |
Pro Tips
Booking Strategy
- Book through credit card portals for bonus points
- Stack card benefits with rental company promos
- Use AutoSlash to track price drops
- Book refundable rates to take advantage of drops
Status Benefits
- Match existing status across companies
- Join rental company loyalty programs
- Use card-provided elite status
- Register for corporate discount programs
Insurance Tips
- Always decline rental company insurance
- Document vehicle condition before/after
- Keep rental agreement after return
- Save all receipts and documentation