Three 2026 Travel Cards Changing How You Earn on Trips

A big year for travel rewards just got bigger

If you’ve glanced at your wallet and thought, “This could be working harder,” 2026 is your moment. Issuers are racing to add richer multipliers, easy‑to‑use credits, and real travel protections—without always hiking annual fees.

Why these launches matter right now

Co-brands and flagship travel cards set the tone for how we earn and redeem. This fall, IHG and Chase introduced a top‑tier hotel card that bakes in airline credits and elite nights, while Chase also revamped a mass‑market favorite—Sapphire Preferred—with new earn categories and protections. Navy Federal quietly dropped a military‑focused premium entrant that punches well above its $95 fee. Together, these moves reset expectations for value in the mid‑to‑premium range. ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/ihg-premier-select-card-portfolio-updates))

What’s new: card-by-card breakdown

• IHG One Rewards Premier Select (Chase)

- Annual fee: $350

- Standouts: Up to $300 in annual on‑property Food & Beverage Rewards; $200 annual airline statement credit; up to $50 United TravelBank; Anniversary Free Night up to 60,000 points; automatic Platinum Elite; 20 elite nights a year; 6x on dining and all other travel, 3x everywhere else; up to 28x total at IHG properties. ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/ihg-premier-select-card-portfolio-updates))

• Chase Sapphire Preferred (refreshed June 15, 2026)

- Annual fee: still $95

- Standouts: New 3x on gas and EV charging; 3x on vacation rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo; $100 Chase Travel Hotel Credit (doubled from $50); Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit up to $120 every four years; expanded travel protections including Emergency Evacuation and Transportation coverage up to $100,000. Note: Hyatt transfers move to 4:3 for applications on/after June 15, 2026 (and for existing cardholders beginning Oct. 1, 2026). ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/Meet-the-New-Chase-Sapphire-Preferred))

• Navy Federal Flagship Premier Visa Signature

- Annual fee: $95

- Standouts: 4x on travel, 3x on dining, $100 annual airline credit, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit; simple earn structure aimed at service members, veterans, and eligible families. ([navyfederal.org](https://www.navyfederal.org/about/press-releases/2026-press-releases/Flagship-Premier-Launch.html))

Strategy you can use today: build around your real travel pattern

Think in trips, not in categories. Ask: where will your next two hotel stays land and how do you actually book flights?

• If you stay at IHG at least twice a year and buy flights direct: Premier Select’s stack is unusually holistic for a hotel card. A weekend at a Kimpton with $150 in dining plus a lobby bar tab? That’s covered by up to $300 in Food & Beverage Rewards. Add a $250 round‑trip fare and you’re tapping the $200 airline credit—value that’s easy to realize in‑year, not only at renewal. With 20 elite nights included, you also unlock Milestone Rewards sooner (think confirmable suite upgrades and points boosts). ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/ihg-premier-select-card-portfolio-updates))

• If your travel is a mix—road trips, VRBOs, one big flight a year: the refreshed Sapphire Preferred is back to being the default “do‑everything” card at $95. The new 3x on gas/EV and 3x on vacation homes closes gaps that used to require a second or third card. The doubled hotel credit is straightforward if you book even one prepaid night via Chase Travel, and the elevated protections (evacuation up to $100,000) are meaningful on longer trips. Be aware of the new 4:3 Hyatt transfer ratio when you’re planning redemptions—booking through Chase Travel for a Points Boost could pencil out better for some itineraries. ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/Meet-the-New-Chase-Sapphire-Preferred))

• If you want simple value without juggling portals: Flagship Premier’s flat 4x travel/3x dining and $100 airline credit are built for friction‑free earnings—particularly appealing if you’re military‑connected and want a metal card with meaningful credits at a modest fee. ([navyfederal.org](https://www.navyfederal.org/about/press-releases/2026-press-releases/Flagship-Premier-Launch.html))

Quick math: which earns more on a typical long weekend?

Assume a Friday–Monday trip: $280 hotel night prepaid in‑portal (3 nights), $140 in dining, $120 in gas/EV charging, $350 flight booked direct.

• Sapphire Preferred: 5x on hotel via Chase Travel ($840 → 4,200 pts) + $100 hotel credit offsets part of night one; 3x dining ($140 → 420 pts); 3x gas/EV ($120 → 360 pts); 2x flight ($350 → 700 pts). Total earn: 5,680 points plus $100 credit—and you’re traveling with stronger protections. ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/Meet-the-New-Chase-Sapphire-Preferred))

• IHG Premier Select: Up to 28x on IHG stays (assume rate qualifies; $840 → up to 23,520 IHG pts), 6x on dining and flight ($490 → 2,940 pts), $200 airline credit likely wipes a chunk of your fare, and Food & Beverage Rewards can cover that lobby cocktail run. If you’re loyal to IHG, this is a heavy hitter. ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/ihg-premier-select-card-portfolio-updates))

• Flagship Premier: 4x travel on the flight and hotel ($1,190 → 4,760 pts) + 3x dining ($140 → 420 pts) + $100 airline credit. Clean, predictable value if you’re not chasing transfer partners. ([navyfederal.org](https://www.navyfederal.org/about/press-releases/2026-press-releases/Flagship-Premier-Launch.html))

Should you apply now? Limited windows and who each card fits

• IHG One Rewards Premier Select: New‑cardmember launch offers run through November 18, 2026, headlined by 200,000 bonus points for $5,000 spend in three months. If you have IHG stays on the calendar—or want that 60,000‑point Anniversary Night—this window is attractive. ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/ihg-premier-select-card-portfolio-updates))

• Chase Sapphire Preferred: Chase is promoting a limited‑time 100,000‑point welcome bonus for $5,000 in three months tied to the June 15 refresh. If you’ve been waiting for a clear signal to upgrade your everyday earn, this refresh with 3x gas/EV and vacation rentals (plus a doubled hotel credit) is that signal. Just weigh the 4:3 Hyatt transfer going forward if Hyatt is your main play. ([media.chase.com](https://media.chase.com/news/Meet-the-New-Chase-Sapphire-Preferred))

• Navy Federal Flagship Premier: A strong fit for service members, veterans, DoD/Coast Guard employees, and eligible family. At $95, it undercuts many premium cards while still offering a $100 airline credit and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit—easy wins if you fly once a year. ([navyfederal.org](https://www.navyfederal.org/about/press-releases/2026-press-releases/Flagship-Premier-Launch.html))

Make the math effortless with SuperPay

You don’t need spreadsheets to squeeze value from these launches. SuperPay’s Smart Card Picker tells you exactly which card to use the moment you walk into a hotel, gas station, or restaurant—so Sapphire’s new 3x at the pump or IHG’s up‑to‑28x on‑property actually happens at checkout. Pair that with real‑time notifications and you’ll get a nudge like “Use Sapphire Preferred here for 3x” when you arrive at a rental car counter.

If you’re building toward a specific redemption—say, two IHG nights plus a fall road trip—SuperPay’s Rewards Roadmap (PRO+) lays out a personalized 90‑day plan: which welcome offer to chase first, where to route your weekly spend, and how to time that hotel credit to cover one of your nights. No guesswork, just a clear path from spend to seat assignment.

Your next move

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