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That’s because Chase is eliminating “First Friday” of each month for the Sapphire Preferred extra dining bonus.
For the past couple of years, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — which offers double points on travel and dining, everyday — has offered triple points on dining the first Friday of each month.
That made the first Friday of each month not just a great day to eat out but a great day to buy restaurant gift certificates, too.
However, I’ve learned that Chase will be discontinuing this benefit at the end of the year.
It’s in many ways a pretty obscure benefit, a quick search suggests I haven’t mentioned it in about 15 months. And I’m sure their cardmembers eat out and earn the extra point on dining that first Friday without even realizing they’ll be getting those bonus points — so Chase was spending on points without getting much incremental spend on their cards in return, and likely without getting much cardmember retention value out of the offer either.
So they’re discontinuing it. And I have to say, the card is worth as much today (not the First First) as it is the first Friday of the month. If there’s a benefit for them to eliminate, this would have to be it. Indeed, Chase Sapphire Preferred is the card you want to get first in this hobby.
Not going away? The strong signup bonus. The double points on travel and dining. The transfers of points to several airlines (United, Korean, British Airways, Singapore… so airlines in all three alliances.. plus Virgin Atlantic and Southwest), and hotels (Hyatt, Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, IHG Rewards Club).
Unfortunate. I relied on this for buying restaurant gift cards on those 1st Fridays for restaurants that don’t have gift cards at office supply stores.
Sad to see this benefit go, as I am among those who purchased a lot of restaurant gift cards (for where I go VERY regularly) on the first Friday, and used them throughout the month. (I work in a downtown area, so lots of restaurants and lunch out nearly every workday). Effectively getting 3x on meals throughout the whole month, not just one day, is not too shabby. But also not THAT lucrative that it’s a bummer…
Anyway, the BEST part of this benefit going away? All the OTHER bloggers will stop shouting it like it’s news during the first (entire) week of each month. THAT got annoying!! (though it’s obviously aimed at newbies to the hobby who, in any given month, might not know/remember).
Between Twitter, feeds, and regularly blog reading, I would see it not less than 25 times each month. Stop the madness!!!
It really didn’t net me that many extra points but I too will be sad to see this go.
My buddy is getting married and had the restaurant charge the deposit on a first Friday and the balance will also be charged out on a first Friday
Bummer, I have often booked staff parties for the first Friday, this will cut my UR earn by about five thousand per year! And the elimination of the dividend will cut it by another six or eight thousand. Still my go to account for dining and shopping portal, but they keep chipping away at the benefits and reducing the ability to sign up for bonuses, while Citi keeps adding benefits. Chase is definitely losing (or has lost) it’s lead in personal cards.
I am disappointed to see this benefit go. While no, I am not about to cancel that card because of this, It is just one less opportunity to earn additional points, especially for someone who got a lot of benefit from it.
Just because you’re haven’t mentioned it in over a year doesn’t mean it isn’t important to your readers….
Bummer for sure…but makes me happier that I got married while this was still on. Paying for the caterer at 3x per dollar was a way to cash in on some major points! Also glad I went to FTU in December and met a random traveler who mentioned that he had done the same for his wedding — I may not have thought about it otherwise!
Still waiting (and dreading) a Hyatt devaluation to see how that affects the value of UR points.
Between this and taking away the 7% dividend Chase is really getting annoying.
@Bill S – which is why I mentioned it here. It was an example that I saw it as not a big deal, but it was still noteworthy.
Yet another Chase deval. First the 7% bonus, then the extra point for using Chase travel, now this. And that is beyond the devals of the underlying programs that make UR valuable in the first place.
I understand that you need the referral money but the CSP is looking less and less attractive all of the time.
the first Friday posts were the reason I unsubscribed from TPG. I’m really not going to miss that part of it.
Also going away – the bonus points you get for booking travel (airfare / car rental / hotel) through the Chase UR Portal / Travel Portal.
This card gets worse by the month. Seems like the clear loser to the Prestige and even TYP to me. I’ll cancel when my fee comes due this month.
It can’t have only 30 days… my birthday is the 31st!! 😛
Chase has much better transfer partners than Citi. MUCH better..
I’ve never had this card and with the latest round of changes on the approval process it would likely be a waste of time to try. Seeing one deval after another makes me glad I’ve sat this one out.
Benefit was meaningless to me since I get 5x on Forward at restaurants EVERY day. Still, this seems pretty ticky-tack to eliminate, makes me think there may be other negative changes down the line.
Also, with Freedom this benefit was only worthwhile 9 months (or arguably 6 months if you use Discover) of the year unless you maxed it out the 5x on those cards.