Ballpark bucket list: How the Chase Sapphire Preferred has helped me travel to 20 MLB stadiums
When 16-year-old me set a goal to visit all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums, I knew it would take time — and money. What I didn't know was how far one credit card would take me. And how little money I'd actually spend.
And no, I'm not talking about a premium travel card loaded with perks and a high annual fee. The MVP of my ballpark bucket list is actually the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), which is currently offering 75,00 bonus points after spending $5,000 within three months of account opening. TPG values those points at $1,538 based on our May 2025 valuations.
Using Chase Ultimate Rewards points has helped me cut my hotel expenses and plan annual baseball trips. So, with my CSP in hand, here's how one credit card helped me chase my MLB ballpark bucket list and already knock out 20 of 30 stadiums.
Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred card hits it out of the park
Ballparks aren't always in major cities or "bucket list" cities, but that's exactly why cash prices can be off-putting. With my CSP, I offset the cost by turning reward points into high-value hotel stays.
Chase has three hotel transfer partners, but arguably, the best is World of Hyatt. The generous award chart and 1:1 transfer ratio make my points stretch far and wide.
Some of my best redemptions have actually come from mid-size cities with surprisingly high hotel prices. (I'm looking at you, Cleveland.)
The Sapphire Preferred card also comes with an annual $50 hotel credit each anniversary year. The only caveat is that you have to book your stay through the Chase Travel℠ portal — but there is no minimum spend, and it works on one-night getaways.
Lastly, this card comes with trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, and auto rental coverage. Therefore, I have peace of mind knowing I'm always covered if my bag doesn't arrive with me, something happens with my car rental, my travels are interrupted, or I have to cancel the trip outright.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits: Everything you need to know
Using Chase's transfer partners to book travel
In my most recent MLB travel stint, I decided I wanted to cross off two ballparks this year — so Ohio fit the bill, as the state houses both the Cleveland Guardians and the Cincinnati Reds.
First things first, I had to find a weekend when both teams were playing at home. Once I narrowed down my dates, I started searching for a hotel.
I always like to stay within a 10-15 minute walk of the ballpark so I don't have to worry about paying for an Uber and/or Lyft or driving if I rent a car. In Cleveland, the Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade was centrally located and close to Progressive Field. But when I looked up cash prices for my dates, it was coming out to $320.12 a night. This is a bit steep, in my opinion, for a Category 3 property in the Midwest.
However, on the rewards side, it was 12,000 Hyatt points per night — or a 2.7 cent redemption — which is well above our 1.7 cent valuation of World of Hyatt points, per our May 2025 valuations. My three-night stay in Cleveland just went from $930.36 to 36,000 Hyatt points.
Since Chase points transfer to Hyatt at a 1:1 rate, I easily transferred 36,000 points to my Hyatt account to book my stay.
Related: Should I get the World of Hyatt Credit Card or transfer points from Chase instead?
Chase's Underrated $50 annual hotel credit
It was time to book my Cincinnati hotel. The Hyatt Regency Cincinnati was in a great spot and fit my parameters for being close enough to the Great American Ball Park. It also went for a much more favorable rate — $174.18 a night after taxes and fees.
My two-night itinerary was considered "peak" nights, making it 15,000 Hyatt points a night. Had I made that redemption, I would have only gotten a value of about 1.2 cents per point, which is under our 1.7-cent Hyatt valuation — so, not a good deal.
I quickly checked my CSP benefits and realized I hadn't used my $50 annual hotel credit yet. This seemed like the perfect opportunity.
By booking through the Chase portal, I would eventually receive a $50 statement credit, reducing the cost from $348.36 to $298.36 for my two-night stay. Per the terms of the benefit, the credit posts between one to two billing cycles, but mine only took 48 hours.
Plus, since cardholders earn 5 points per dollar spent on Chase travel bookings, I earned over 1,400 Chase points on this transaction, helping me stash points for a future trip.
Related: The 8 best credit cards with annual fees under $100
The big picture: How far can 100k Chase points take you?
So far, I've seen games at 20 out of the 30 MLB ballparks. Across the board, Chase-to-Hyatt transfers have been a huge help, especially in cities where hotel prices can be surprisingly high.
If you'd prefer to stay at a boutique hotel (or another brand), you can also redeem your points through Chase Travel at a value of up to 1.5 cents per point, depending on the specific redemption (see your rewards program agreement for full details). Just keep in mind you'd likely get better value by transferring to one of Chase's hotel partners instead.
Here are some examples of five different ballpark cities and how points could collectively save you almost $2,500.
| City | Hotel | Two nights on points | Cash Value | Points Value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Baltimore, Maryland | Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor | 24,000 (standard rate) | $582.80 | 2.4 cents |
Phoenix, Arizona | Hyatt Regency Phoenix | 18,000 (off-peak rate) | $508.82 | 2.8 cents |
Cleveland, Ohio | Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade | 24,000 (standard rate) | $620.24 | 2.6 cents |
Houston, Texas | Hyatt Place Houston / Downtown | 18,000 (standard rate) | $326.17 | 1.8 cents |
St. Louis, Missouri | Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch | 13,000 (off-peak rate) | $356.86 | 2.7 cents |
*Value is based on our TPG April 2025 valuations.
Although the table is a mix of standard and off-peak rates, baseball season runs for several months, so you can likely find off-peak pricing if you're flexible on your travel dates (and stretch your points even further).
Related: Who's eligible for the Chase Sapphire Preferred's bonus?
Bottom Line
You can use points to redeem for once-in-a-lifetime travel, or you can chip away at a niche bucket list item like I have, redeeming points slowly but surely.
I've mainly stayed at Hyatt hotels, but the flexibility to transfer to other hotels (or airlines) or redeem through the Chase portal at a fixed option gives you different choices in the city you're visiting.
If you've been thinking about starting your own bucket list trip — or just want to save money on travel — consider applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
To learn more, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
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