The Best Cards to Open After the Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Why Capital One Venture Is a Popular Next Step
Update 1/20/26: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is now offering 75,000 Capital One® Miles after you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months + $250 Capital One Travel credit upon approval.
Citi is a partner of Travel Freely.
You’ve earned the bonus on your Chase Sapphire Preferred®—nice work. It’s one of the best first travel credit cards for beginners because it’s flexible and easy to grow with over time.
The natural next question is what to open next. That decision depends on a few things, like how simple you want earning to be and how you plan to use your points.
For most people, the best second card after the Sapphire Preferred is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. The Citi Strata Premier® Card is another strong option if you want airline transfer partners. With Venture’s current increased welcome offer, it’s an especially good time to consider it.
This post walks through the most common next steps and explains when each option makes sense. And if you’d rather not sort through all the details yourself, the Travel Freely app can recommend the next best card for you based on your cards, timing, and eligibility. Better yet, it’s free to use!
A Quick Note on Links: If you decide to open up one of these cards, we’d love for you to sign up using one of our links on this page. We work hard to bring our app and content to you for free. By using the links on our site to apply for credit cards, you’ll help support the site in a big way.
The Best Second Card for Most People: Capital One Venture Rewards
For most beginners coming from the Chase Sapphire Preferred®, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the most natural second card to add.
Venture earns 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which keeps earning simple and consistent. Redemptions are equally straightforward: miles can be used to offset eligible travel purchases, whether you book flights, hotels, rental cars, or other travel directly.
This makes Venture a strong complement to Chase points. While Chase Ultimate Rewards are often most valuable when transferred to airline or hotel partners, Venture miles work well for travel expenses that don’t always fit neatly into transfer strategies, such as Airbnb stays or rental cars.
For many people, Venture becomes their everyday spending card and a long-term keeper. With the current increased welcome offer, it stands out as an especially strong option right now for anyone looking to add a simple, flexible second card.
Another Strong Second Card: Citi Strata Premier®
After Venture, the next most common option is the Citi Strata Premier® Card, particularly for those who want another set of airline transfer partners.
Like Venture, Citi Strata adds a separate pool of flexible points that pairs well with Chase Ultimate Rewards. Where it differs is in how those points are typically used. Citi points are often most valuable when transferred to airline partners, but they can also be redeemed toward travel expenses at a fixed value.
This makes the card a good fit for travelers who want flexibility without committing to a complex setup, or for those whose travel companion isn’t interested in managing points and transfers.
Zac used 72,000 Citi miles to book business-class travel to France through Air France, one of Citi’s transfer partners.
When a Different Next Step Might Make Sense
While Venture and Citi Strata are the best second cards for most people, there are a few situations where a different next step can be more effective.
If Your Partner Doesn’t Have a Sapphire Preferred Yet
If your partner doesn’t yet have their own Chase Sapphire Preferred®, opening a second Sapphire card is often the most efficient move before branching out to other programs.
Each person has their own credit profile, which means both of you can earn a full welcome bonus. Over time, those points can be combined for larger or more flexible redemptions.
If holding two cards long-term doesn’t make sense, one card can be downgraded or closed after the first year. Many couples find that even temporarily holding two Sapphire Preferred cards provides more value than the annual fees.
Where will you go next with another big signup bonus?
If You Have a Small Business
If you’re eligible for a business credit card, it can make sense to prioritize that before opening another personal card.
The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is a common next step after the Sapphire Preferred. It offers a large signup bonus, earns points at a flat rate, and allows you to combine those points with your Sapphire Preferred balance.
Many people end up with more than 150,000 Chase points between the two cards, which can translate to substantial travel value.
Worth noting: you don’t need a formally registered or high-revenue business to qualify for a business credit card. Many sole proprietors apply using income from freelancing, consulting, or other small side activities. Business cards can also help space out personal applications if you plan to open additional cards later.
Advanced Tip: Business cards do not impact your 5/24 status (as with most other business cards). However, you do need to be under 5/24 in order to be approved for these cards. Read more below about the Chase “5/24 rule.”
If You Want to Stay Entirely Within Chase
If you don’t plan to open many cards and prefer to keep everything within one ecosystem, adding a Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Chase Freedom Flex® can make sense.
These cards don’t offer large signup bonuses, but they earn bonus points on everyday spending and allow you to move those points to your Sapphire Preferred for improved redemption value.
If You’re Considering a Premium Card
For those interested in additional travel benefits, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a popular premium option.
While it has a higher annual fee, it includes a yearly travel credit, anniversary bonus miles, lounge access, and simple earning on all purchases. Many cardholders find that the benefits offset the fee each year.
If the Venture X feels like more than you need, the standard Venture card remains a strong alternative with easier economics.
Want Help Deciding Without Sorting Through All of This?
If weighing all these options feels like more work than you want to do, the Travel Freely app is designed to handle this decision-making for you.
The app tracks the cards you have, your application timing, and eligibility rules, then makes personalized recommendations based on your situation. Instead of worrying whether you’re opening the “right” card at the right time, the app does that thinking for you. It’s free to use and built to reduce guesswork.
Final Thoughts
Earning the welcome bonus on a Chase Sapphire Preferred® is just the beginning. The next card you open should either simplify earning, add flexibility, or help you reach a specific travel goal more efficiently.
For most beginners, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the strongest second card to open, especially with its current increased offer. The Citi Strata Premier® Card remains another excellent option for those who want a different set of airline transfer partners.
With a clear plan and the right tools, earning free travel becomes much easier to manage.
