Chase Sapphire Preferred Card’s Annual Fee History: 2009 to 2026

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card is usually most people’s first travel credit card, and it’s an easy one to keep because of its reasonable $95 annual fee.

Let’s explore how the annual fee has changed since it launched in 2009 to today in 2026.

As of 2026

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card carries a $95 annual fee, even with its brand-new benefits for 2026. That’s not something we see often — the Chase Sapphire Preferred card got more valuable while maintaining an annual fee below $100.

For new applicants, this annual fee is charged within the first billing cycle of opening your account. Your cardmember anniversary, which is based on the date you opened the card, is when Chase charges the $95 annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card’s Annual Fee Changes

Since its launch in 2009, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has remained relatively consistent, especially when it comes to its annual fee. Here’s its annual fee history:

For roughly the first decade after its launch, the card’s $95 annual fee was waived during the first year, giving new cardholders time to earn the welcome offer and decide whether the card was a good fit for their lifestyle. (Source: JPMorgan Chase & Co.)

Although the first-year annual fee is no longer waived for new cardholders, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s annual fee has barely budged in its lengthy history. However, that doesn’t mean the card hasn’t evolved over the years.

In the early days, programs like Korean Air SKYPASS and Amtrak Guest Rewards were once transfer partners. After the launch of the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® in 2016, Chase implemented its “1 Sapphire card” rule to prevent cardholders from holding both products simultaneously.

Coming out of the pandemic, we saw the largest changes to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card in 2021, including enhanced bonus points categories, an annual $50 hotel credit for Chase Travel bookings (now $100 annually), and more (Source: Chase).

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Authorized User Fee Changes

Unlike the higher-tier Chase Sapphire Reserve card, it has always cost $0 to add an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card account. There have been no changes to these authorized user fees since the card launched in 2009.

In fact, you can add as many authorized users as you’d like, each receiving their own card. Their purchases earn rewards at the same rates, count toward the primary cardholder’s account, and are covered by the same travel and purchase protections.

That said, authorized users don’t receive a separate set of benefits or the ability to transfer or redeem points independently. For example, the $100 annual hotel credit is limited to 1 per account.

Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Worth It?

As of June 15, 2026, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers new benefits that make it even more well-rounded for travel and everyday purchases. Namely, cardholders can earn 3x points on gas and EV charging, as well as on vacation homes, such as Airbnb and Vrbo.

As such, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has stayed true to what made it popular in the first place — all with the same $95 annual fee. It remains an approachable travel rewards card with practical and money-saving benefits, including a $100 Chase Travel hotel credit, important travel insurance and purchase protections, no foreign transaction fees, and the ability to transfer points to valuable airline and hotel loyalty programs.

The welcome offer is one of the best you can get from a card with a relatively low annual fee. Based on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s welcome offer history, this opportunity doesn’t come very often, so it’s a great time to apply:

We value Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents each because they transfer to more than a dozen airline and hotel loyalty programs. Some of the most valuable partners include Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and World of Hyatt, making the current bonus offer worth approximately $2,000 in travel.

Final Thoughts

While many travel cards have undergone sweeping changes and devaluations over the years, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has remained relatively consistent. Even with a few minor updates in 2026, the card’s annual fee has stayed at $95 — a price point it has maintained for more than 15 years.