chase travel vs ultimate rewards

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The Guide to Chase’s Travel Portal

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Table of Contents

Who can use the portal?

Benefits of booking travel in the portal, is chase's travel portal worth using, does chase's travel portal price match, how to use chase's travel portal, what else you need to know, chase travel portal tips, recapped.

Chase's travel portal is one of the best features of having a Chase credit card. Earning Ultimate Rewards® with credit cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® can deliver big value if you know how to navigate Chase's travel portal.

Much like third-party booking sites like Orbitz or Expedia , you can use Chase's travel portal to book flights, hotels and cruises, among other things. You can redeem points to offset the cost of the trip or pay in cash. You won’t have to worry about blackout dates or award inventory caps like you may find when using airline miles or hotel points for the same trip since you are essentially buying travel with cash.

Within the portal, you can also redeem points for merchandise or transfer them to other travel loyalty programs if you are short on miles and points there. In short, having a flexible points currency like Chase Ultimate Rewards® is one of the smartest routes you can take in the miles and points game. Booking travel through Chase's travel portal is simple. Here’s what you need to know about the portal.

» Learn more: Chase Ultimate Rewards®: How to earn and use them

Not all Chase cards have the same benefits. Only some cards earn Ultimate Rewards® points; others may earn loyalty miles and points with an affiliated partner. For example, the United℠ Explorer Card earns United MileagePlus miles.

These are examples of cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® and give access to Chase's travel portal:

Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

Chase Freedom Unlimited® .

Chase Freedom Flex℠ .

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card .

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card .

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card .

on Chase's website

• 5 points per $1 on travel booked through Chase.

• 3 points per $1 on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).

• 2 points per $1 on other travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

Point value in the travel portal: 1.25 cents apiece.

• 10 points per $1 on Chase Dining, hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Chase.

• 5 points per $1 on air travel purchased through Chase.

• 3 points per $1 on other travel and dining not booked with Chase.

Point value in the travel portal: 1.5 cents apiece.

• In the first year, 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 4.5% cash back on drugstores and restaurants, and 3% on all other purchases on up to $20,000 in spending.

• After that, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% cash back at drugstores and restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Point value in the travel portal: 1 cent apiece.

Point value in Chase travel portal: 1 cent apiece.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Earn points on paid reservations

The primary reason you may want to book travel via Chase's travel portal is that you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® on paid reservations. You can earn 5x points on airfare booked within the portal and 10x points on hotels and car rentals.

That can really add up, but beware that when booking hotels with Chase Ultimate Rewards®, you are not eligible to earn points with the hotel loyalty program or reap elite status benefits since it is using a third-party service. The tradeoff can vary by property, but using Chase's travel portal is especially helpful when booking unaffiliated hotels or hotel brands where you usually do not collect points or have elite status. In those instances, you are less likely to be passing up the perks of points earning and elite status.

Earn points on airfare even for redemptions

When booking airfare through Chase, you do earn miles no matter if you pay with cash or points. This makes using points for airfare via the travel portal more beneficial than redeeming for a hotel.

Earn bonus points for restaurant bookings

You can even earn bonus points when making restaurant bookings through the portal. This can be a great way to enhance your trips with great dining in advance rather than chatting with your hotel concierge.

Shop for the best value redemption

Since the value per Chase Ultimate Rewards® points is relatively constant, using the travel portal may not always be the best option. You may be able to spend fewer points if you book the same trip with the specific airline or hotel's points instead of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. This is more common with itineraries with high cash prices, like a hotel night that's particularly expensive. Always compare the cost of using traditional miles and points over using Chase points to see which offers better value. In some cases, you may want to transfer Chase points to partner programs to squeeze more value from them.

One example where that could be exceptional value is for expensive business class tickets that also have award availability. Let’s say you’re looking for a United business class ticket between Newark and London. If the cash cost of a one-way ticket is $2,505, that will cost you 250,500 Ultimate Rewards® points when redeeming at a value of one penny per point. In this example, it may be worth redeeming MileagePlus miles instead.

For this flight, the one-way mileage cost is 91,700 miles. Even if you don’t have enough United miles, you could transfer that amount from Chase Ultimate Rewards® (since they are partners), and save yourself a nice chunk of Chase points in the process. It is always best to compare the cash cost with the redemption cost using both Chase and the airline or hotel’s own loyalty program.

» Learn more: The best Chase transfer partners — and the ones to avoid

Chase's travel portal can be worth using in specific scenarios.

Redemptions: You hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and want to make a redemption. The first two cards get an elevated point value of 1.5 cents apiece when redeeming points and booking travel in the portal; the latter gets 1.25 cents apiece.

Bookings. You hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and want to earn bonus points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® typically earn 5x points per $1 spent on all travel purchased through Chase's travel portal, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns 5-10 points per $1 spent on Chase Dining, hotel stays, rental cars and air travel purchased through Chase's travel portal.

Otherwise, you might be wise to book travel directly with the airline, hotel or rental car company, which can simplify cancellations or changes to your bookings. You can do this with cash, card or by transferring points to one of Chase's transfer partners.

» Learn more: The guide to Chase transfer partners

Despite being powered by Expedia — an online travel agency that includes a Price Match Promise — Chase's travel portal does not offer customers a price matching benefit.

Capital One Travel has price drop protection that will advise you when to buy and refund you if the price of your flight drops by a certain amount after purchase.

Once logged into your Chase account, you’ll find a sidebar on the right of the page with your Chase Ultimate Rewards® balance. Once you click on it, it brings up a variety of options for how to spend your points. Choose “travel” to take you to the standard booking page where you can enter your plans for flights, cruises, rental cars, hotels or other activities.

Depending on the card you have, your points are worth between 1-1.5 cents per point. The best value card is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , which offers 1.5 cents in value per point to redeem through the portal, while the Chase Freedom Unlimited® only values points at a penny per point. This means that Chase determines the number of points you’ll need to redeem for an award based on the cash cost of the travel you are trying to book.

It’s easy to search for the travel you want. Chase has partnered with Expedia to run the search engine, but this has limited the search function a bit with some low-cost airlines no longer appearing. Be mindful of this when making a reservation (perhaps check to see if the airfare is similar to the basic economy or main cabin price on the airline’s website first).

The advanced options button lets you sort by airline and class of service.

Much like other online booking engines, once you find the travel plans you like, you enter your personal details. The best part of using the travel portal is that you can pay in full with points, cash or use a mix of points and cash. You can adjust the amount of points you want to spend for your trip and the website will display how much remaining cash you owe. If you need more points, you can transfer them from other Chase Ultimate Rewards® earning accounts you may have to boost your balance.

The process for booking hotels or car rentals is similar to reserving a flight, giving you the option to use a mix of cash or points.

To book a cruise with points, however, you’ll have to call Chase directly.

Another exception is when making a reservation at Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection properties, you can only make a cash reservation (you pay upon checkout) and cannot redeem Ultimate Rewards® points. You may still want to reserve through the portal, though, since it means you are eligible for additional perks like daily breakfast for two and a special amenity that varies by the hotel.

You can also reserve activities at home or your destination and pay for them in cash or with points. These include tours, museum visits and other local experiences.

Chase may charge a service fee on certain reservations. You will want to weigh whether this small charge is worth the benefit in Chase Ultimate Rewards® points you may use.

Many hotel companies offer member-only rates to entice you to book directly with them rather than through a third party. You’ll want to weigh whether earning Chase Ultimate Rewards® points is more valuable than the difference in the lowest rate booked directly with the hotel company.

When making any reservation through Chase's travel portal, you will be at the mercy of its own policies when it comes to changing or canceling a ticket. You will have to contact Chase directly to adjust your plans since you made it independently of the airline or hotel company. This can make it especially difficult with last-minute travel plan changes.

» Learn more: Advanced tips for redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards

With a little comparison shopping for your travel plans, you can squeeze exceptional value from points via the Chasee's travel portal. They can be redeemed like cash for travel, but always be sure to compare a reservation using Chase points to the cost of using hotel or airline points.

Sometimes, it may be less advantageous to use Chase points since you will lose out on travel-related perks. Other times, you’ll come out ahead since you can save cash using points, which is helpful when there is no award availability for your preferred travel plans.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1%-5% Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Earn 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.

$200 Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

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The Complete Guide To Using the Chase Travel Portal — Maximize Your Options

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Flexibility

You can earn frequent flyer miles, cards that earn chase ultimate rewards points, transfer your points between credit cards for maximum value, earning chase points by booking travel, how to access the chase travel portal, how to book a flight through chase travel, the luxury hotel and resort collection, how to book a rental car through the chase travel portal, how to book activities through chase travel, how to book a cruise through the portal, car rentals, earn bonus ultimate rewards points, pay with points, apple purchases, experiences, pay yourself back, transfer to travel partners, final thoughts.

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Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the major transferrable points programs and a favorite among many travelers. Points are easy to earn and can be transferred to many different hotel and airline partners. But you can also book travel directly through Chase’s travel portal using Ultimate Rewards points.

Booking travel through the Chase Travel portal is simple and can be a great way to use your points.

We’ll show you everything you need to know about how to redeem your points, including the benefits, how to know what your points are worth, and how to book airlines, hotels, and more through the Chase Travel portal.

Why Book Travel Through the Chase Travel Portal?

Generally, you can get maximum value from your Chase Ultimate Rewards points by transferring them to the Chase airline and hotel partners , so why are we talking about using points through a travel portal? While it’s true that the only way to get the highest value redemptions is by transferring, there is still a lot of value to be had by booking directly through the Chase Travel portal.

Flexibility is not often available with points bookings. Unlike an award booking, booking through Chase Travel is like using any other online travel agency (OTA) . There are no blackout dates or limited inventory award seats. If a flight or hotel is available, you can book it with points through the Chase travel portal.

One of the major bummers of booking flights with frequent flyer miles is that you don’t earn miles on award bookings. You can end up doing a lot of travel without earning miles. However, any booking you make with your Chase Ultimate Rewards points through the Chase Travel portal will earn frequent flyer miles and accrue status points. Unfortunately, hotel and car rental bookings still won’t earn points.

We have talked to so many people over the years that love the idea of collecting points and miles but don’t want to deal with the hassle. While many don’t mind putting a little work into getting an awesome redemption, others are just looking for a simple way to book travel and hopefully save some money in the process.

That’s where the Chase Travel portal comes in. With this method of redeeming points, there is no transferring, comparing points values, blackout dates, limited award availability, or multiple travel accounts. You only have to deal with 1 type of point and 1 travel portal but can still retain many of the benefits of collecting points and miles in the first place.

Bottom Line: You can book flights, hotels, rental cars, activities, and cruises through the Chase Travel portal.

If you like the idea of using the Chase Travel portal, you’ll need a credit card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points:

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance . With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal
• 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
• Excellent travel and car rental insurance
• 10% annual bonus points
• No foreign transaction fees
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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• The Chase Sapphire Preferred 80k or 100k Bonus Offer
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Chase Sapphire Reserve ®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access , with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• 5x points on airfare booked through Chase Travel SM
• 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit
• Priority Pass airport lounge access
• TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
• Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
• Rental car elite status with National and Avis
• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck ®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
• Chase Sapphire Reserve 100k Bonus Offer
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Airport Lounge Access
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Insurance Benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Military Benefits
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Ink Business Preferred ® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.

The Ink Business Preferred ® Credit Card is a powerhouse for earning lots of points from your business purchases , especially for business owners that spend regularly on ads.

Plus the card offers flexible redemption options, including access to Chase airline and hotel transfer partners where you can achieve outsized value.

Business owners will also love the protections the card provides like excellent cell phone insurance , rental car insurance, purchase protection, and more.

• 3x Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on up to $150,000 in combined purchases on internet, cable and phone services, shipping expenses, travel, and ads purchased with search engines or social media sites
• Cell phone protection
• Purchase protection
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Rental car insurance
• Extended warranty coverage
• No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access
• Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• APR: 21.24%-26.24% Variable
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There are also some great cash-back cards from Chase that can be used to book travel through Chase Travel. The points earned on these cards can be converted into cash-back or alternatively, they can be used in the Chase travel portal.

• Chase Freedom Flex℠
• Chase Freedom Unlimited ®
• Chase Freedom ® card (no longer open to new applicants)
• Ink Business Cash ® Credit Card
• Ink Business Plus ® Credit Card (no longer open to new applicants)
• Ink Business Unlimited ® Credit Card
• Ink Business Premier ® Credit Card

What Are Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Worth?

It’s easy to earn lots of Chase Ultimate Rewards points , but do you know how much they are worth ? If you’re transferring your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to a travel partner, their value will go up or down depending on the type of redemption.

However, when you are booking your travel directly through Chase’s travel portal, each Chase Ultimate Rewards point has a set value that won’t change . The credit card you have will determine the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

If you have multiple Chase credit cards, it makes sense to transfer your points to the card with the most valuable redemption rate. The only exception to this is the Ink Business Premier card because points earned on this card can’t be transferred to any other card.

1. To transfer your points between 2 cards, log on to the Chase dashboard and select Combine Points .

2. Then you will be able to select the card you want to transfer points from and the card you want to receive the points. After you choose, click Next.

3. You can transfer all of your points or just what you need. Click Review to continue.

4. Double-check the details and click on the Submit button to complete the transfer.

Bottom Line: Your credit card will determine the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Your points are worth between 1 to 1.5 cents each depending on which credit card you’re redeeming points through. 

What if you’d prefer to pay for your travel with a Chase credit card to earn Ultimate Rewards points? The number of points you’ll earn through the Chase travel portal is dependent on which credit card you have and what type of travel you’re purchasing.

You can log into your account in 2 ways.

First, you can go directly to the Ultimate Rewards website to log in or you can log in through your Chase account .

If you’re in your Chase account, click on one of your Ultimate Rewards credit cards and then click on Redeem next to the card’s Ultimate Rewards balance.

Then choose the card you want to use.

From here you can access Chase Travel by clicking on Travel  in the top search box or you can switch to another card’s account by clicking on the 3-line icon in the upper left-hand corner.

1. In the Travel section of your Ultimate Rewards account, click on Flights to start your search for a flight. As with any other OTA, you begin your search by inputting basic information such as departure and arrival city, travel dates, and the number of passengers.

2. Next, you will be able to narrow your search results . At the left-hand side of the page, you can filter your results by things like airline or flight times. Then you can sort your results by price, trip duration, or times using the drop-down box at the top of the search results.

3. For each flight option, you’ll be able to see the price in dollars and in points on the right-hand side of the results box.

4. Once you’ve found the flight you want, click the blue Select button. Next, you can choose your return flight using the same process as you did for selecting the outbound flight. Click the blue Select button once you have made your choice.

5. From here you can confirm your flight details and select a fare upgrade if you wish. Then, you’ll be able to choose how to pay for your flight . You can pay for the entire purchase with points or a Chase credit card, or you can split your payment between points and a Chase credit card.

6. Finally, input your passenger information next. Don’t forget to add a frequent flyer number, a Known Traveler Number, or a Redress number if you have them.

Hot Tip: When purchasing travel through the Chase travel portal, you can split your payment between Chase Ultimate Rewards points and a Chase credit card.

How To Book a Hotel Through Chase Travel

1. To book a hotel through the Chase Travel portal , you’ll need to start by clicking on the Hotels tab in the main search box. Then, input your destination, check-in and check-out dates, and the number of travelers. Next, click on the blue Search button.

2. Your search results will look like other sites that you may be familiar with. You’ll see filtering options to the left and sorting options above your search results.

3. Each search result will show the price in both dollars and Chase Ultimate Rewards points. These prices include taxes and fees with the exception of resort fees.

4. Once you select your hotel, click on Add to Itinerary . You can choose to pay for all or part of your hotel cost using Ultimate Rewards points. Click Begin Checkout to input your reservation details and finalize your booking.

Hot Tip: When booking a hotel through the Chase Travel portal, you won’t be eligible to earn points in the hotel’s loyalty program or take advantage of any elite status you may have.

The Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection (LHRC) is exclusively for Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders. From the Ultimate Rewards travel home page, just click on The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection tab.

Once you are on the LHRC homepage, type in your destination and click Search to view available properties. Each listing will display the property’s unique cardmember benefits. Click on the listing for more information and to continue the booking process.

When booked through the Chase Travel portal, these properties offer the following benefits:

• Daily breakfast for 2
• Special amenity (varies by property)
• Room upgrades (based on availability)
• Early check-in and late checkout (based on availability)

The Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection properties are reservation-only bookings. You’ll make your reservations online and payment doesn’t happen until you check out from the hotel. These bookings will not take Chase Ultimate Rewards points as payment.

Bottom Line: Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection properties are only available to Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers. These properties can’t be booked with points.

1. To rent a car through the Chase Travel portal, start by clicking on the Cars tab in the main search box. Then, input your pick-up location, drop-off location, dates, times, and age of the driver. Click on the blue Search box to continue.

2. You can then narrow your search with the filtering options on the left-hand side of the page.

3. For each car option, you will be able to see the car details, rental company, and price in both dollars and Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Once you have selected the car you want to rent, click on Add to Itinerary .

4. You can pay for the entire purchase with points or a Chase credit card or split your payment in any amount. Double-check all of the details before completing your purchase.

Did you know you can also book activities through Chase Travel?

1. Click the Activities tab on the Ultimate Rewards travel homepage to get started. Then, input your destination and travel dates and click the Search button to continue.

2. You can narrow your search by selecting 1 or more categories at the left-hand side of the page. Categories can include things like:

• Classes & workshops
• Cruises & sailing
• Food & drink
• Outdoor activities
• Seasonal & special occasions
• Tickets & passes
• Tours & sightseeing
• Transfers & ground transport
• Unique experiences

3. Each activity will show the price in both dollars and points to the right side of the screen. Click on Show Details and Pricing for more information and to book the activity.

6. Double-check all of the details on the final page before completing your purchase. Click the box confirming you understand the travel disclosures, then click Complete Checkout to finish your purchase.

Bottom Line: You can book lots of activities through the Chase Travel portal, including airport transfers!

If you’re a fan of cruises, you’ll be pleased to know you can book them through your Chase Travel portal. To get started, click on the Cruises tab on the Ultimate Rewards travel homepage.

This will bring up a list of available cruises, but there’s also a search box at the top of the screen, so you can input a specific destination or cruise line.

Each listing will display the cruise line, ship, ports of call, sailing dates, and baseline pricing for an interior or oceanview cabin. Unfortunately, if you want any more specific information or if you want to book, you will need to call 855-234-2542 .

You’ll notice that only cash prices are listed for cruises, however, they can be booked using your Chase Ultimate Rewards points, too.

Hot Tip: You can book a cruise through Chase Travel but you’ll have to call to make your reservation as they can’t be booked online.

How Do the Prices Compare to Other Sites?

Are you getting a good deal by booking through Chase? Let’s look at how the prices available through the Chase Travel portal stack up to other OTAs and search engines including Hotwire , Kayak , and Expedia .

We did some flight searches and found there’s no clear-cut pattern on prices between the Chase portal to other websites.

Example #1: Round-trip flight between Philadelphia (PHL) and San Francisco (SFO) for 1 person in economy.

We searched this route in the Chase travel portal and the cheapest option was a flight that was split between Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines for $526.20. This worked out to be the cheapest price we found, and Priceline had the same low price. Expedia and Hotwire both charge booking fees, making the price a little higher. Each airline’s own website couldn’t split the itinerary between different airlines, so those ended up being much more expensive.

If you are in doubt or would like to check prices yourself, Kayak is a great place to start. Kayak will show you prices for a flight on all of the OTAs as well as the airline’s website. It’s a great one-stop shop to compare flight prices.

Example #2: Round-trip flight between New York City (JFK) and Paris, France (CDG) for 1 person in economy.

We searched this route in the Chase travel portal and the cheapest option was a flight that was split between American Airlines and British Airways for $689.78. This wasn’t the overall best price we found, though. That award goes to Expedia and Priceline.

Hot Tip: You will earn frequent flyer miles when you book your flight through the Chase Travel portal.

Example #1: Here’s how prices looked for a week-long stay at the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa in Mexico for 2 people including all taxes and fees. The $291.55 resort fee can’t be paid with points.

In this example, the best cash rate by far was through Marriott. However, if you wanted to pay with points, booking with Chase Ultimate Rewards points through the travel portal would be your best bet.

Keep in mind that Marriott doesn’t have an award chart, so different time periods can have different point costs. A 7-night stay at this hotel can dip down to 240,000 points for a 7-night stay. If you’re going to pay for your hotel stay in points, it’s always smart to calculate how many points it would cost to book through Chase versus transferring points . This information can help you make the best and least expensive choice.

Hot Tip: You won’t earn hotel loyalty points when booking a hotel through Chase and any elite status you have may not be recognized.

Example #2: Let’s look at an example of a hotel that doesn’t have a loyalty program. We priced out a 2-night stay at Almond Tree Inn Hotel in Key West, FL for 2 people. The highest prices were direct via the hotel with all other websites surveyed being cheaper.

Here’s how the prices stacked up:

Chase’s low price matched the other online travel websites and was actually lower than the hotel’s own website, so it would be a great option in this case. It also affords the opportunity to use points for a hotel that doesn’t have its own loyalty program.

In many cases, car rental prices found through the Chase Travel portal were similar to prices found on the rental agency’s own website.

The main difference in booking through Chase vs. directly through a car rental agency is that the car rental agency often has the ability to book the car without paying up front. With the Chase portal, you will be paying at the time of booking and there may be change or cancellation fees if you need to modify your reservation.

In both of these examples, Chase Travel didn’t offer the lowest price, however, that won’t always necessarily be the case. Of course, the advantage of booking through Chase is the ability to use your Chase Ultimate Rewards points. It’s always a good idea to price out your car rental on a few different websites before booking to ensure you’re getting the best price.

Chase actually offered the lowest prices on activities for both examples:

Other Ways To Use the Chase Travel Portal

The Chase Travel portal also helps you earn bonus points.  With the Shop through Chase feature, you can earn extra Ultimate Rewards points through your online shopping.

Just click Earn Bonus Points in the top search bar to access the shopping portal. Click on a featured store or search for a specific one. Then simply click through the portal to your website of choice to make your purchase. Your bonus points will be added to your Chase Ultimate Rewards points total within 3 to 5 days in most cases.

Did you know you can use your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to make purchases at Amazon and PayPal? Click on Pay with Points in the top search bar, then select either Amazon or PayPal to enroll and shop.

Unfortunately, the redemption value you get when shopping through Amazon or PayPal is pretty bad — only 0.8 cents per point. While it’s great to have this as an option, we don’t recommend using points to shop at Amazon or PayPal as your main use of Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Bottom Line: The value of using your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to shop through Amazon or PayPal isn’t great: you will only get 0.8 cents per point!

By clicking on Apple in the main search box in your Ultimate Rewards account, you can use your Chase points to make purchases. Normally, you’ll get 1 cent per point in value when using your points for Apple purchases, but there are occasional bonuses offered to get a better redemption rate.

You can also redeem your Ultimate Rewards points for cash-back. To do this, simply select Cash-back from the main search bar at the top of the screen. You will then be able to see choose how many points you’d like to redeem for cash-back at a value of 1 cent per point .

You can choose to have your cash direct deposited into a checking or savings account or as a statement credit. The deposit or statement credit will be posted within 3 days.

Bottom Line: Your Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed as cash-back. We do not recommend this as a primary redemption option because you can get more value via the Chase Travel portal, and a lot more when transferring to airline and hotel partners.

This is a really cool section of the Chase Travel portal. When you click on Experiences in the main search bar, you’ll see a list of exclusive events, preferred seating, and other offers for select Chase cardmembers.

Experiences can be purchased with a credit card or with points. You will get 1 cent per point in value when redeeming points for experiences. Some experiences are only available to cardholders of specific cards so be sure to check all of your cards if you have more than 1 to make sure you don’t miss anything.

If you prefer gift cards, you can purchase them through the Chase Travel portal using points. Just click Gift Cards in the main search bar to get started. From here, you will be able to scroll through all of the available gift cards. You’ll get 1 cent per point in value, with occasional sales offering better redemption rates.

Hot Tip: Points redeemed for gift cards have a 1-cent per point value. However, you might notice some cards offer discounts, so there is the opportunity to get a bit more value!

Another way to use your Ultimate Rewards points is through the Pay Yourself Back feature. This allows you to redeem your points for a statement credit for purchases in select categories. The current categories include groceries, dining, select charities, credit card annual fee, internet, cable, phone, and shipping and the redemption value varies by card.

Transferring points to travel partners is the best way to get the most value out of your points . By transferring, you can potentially get 2, 3, or more cents per point value.

Chase Airline Transfer Partners

Chase Hotel Transfer Partners

To transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to any of the above airline and hotel partners, log on to your account and click on Transfer To Travel Partners in the top search box. Choose your airline or hotel and then select Transfer Points . You’ll need to fill out your frequent flyer information or hotel loyalty membership number to complete the transfer.

Bottom Line: You can currently transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to 14 different hotel and airline partners.

There are many ways to use your Chase Ultimate Rewards points. While transferring points to one of Chase’s airline and hotel travel partners can get you maximum value, there are a lot of benefits for booking travel directly through the Chase Travel portal .

In addition to hotels and flights, you can book car rentals, activities, and cruises. Or, you can use your points for cash back, shopping, gift cards, or Chase exclusive experiences. With so many ways to use your Chase Ultimate Rewards points, your next trip is only a few clicks away!

The information regarding the Chase Freedom Flex℠ was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Chase Freedom ® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do chase ultimate rewards points expire.

No. As long as you keep your Chase credit card open, your points will not expire.

Can I transfer my Chase points to someone else?

Yes. You can transfer your points to another member of your household who also has a Chase Ultimate Rewards account.

What are Chase Ultimate Rewards points worth?

When redeeming points through the Chase travel portal, the credit card you hold will determine your points’ value.

When redeeming for travel, your points have the following value:

• 1 cent : Freedom card, Freedom Flex card, Freedom Unlimited card, Ink Business Cash card, Ink Business Premier card, Ink Business Unlimited card
• 1.25 cents : Chase Sapphire Preferred card or Ink Business Preferred card
• 1.5 cents : Chase Sapphire Reserve card

When using your points to shop through Amazon or Chase Pay, they are worth 0.8 cents per point.

When redeeming your points for cash back, gift cards, or experiences they are worth 1 cent per point.

What airline partners can I transfer my Chase Ultimate Rewards points to?

Chase airline partners include Air Canada, Air France-KLM, British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Emirates, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic.

What hotel partners can I transfer my Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to?

You can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to the following hotels at a 1:1 ratio: IHG, Marriott, and Hyatt.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

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Key takeaways

• If you have a Chase credit card that earns cash back or travel points, you can use your rewards to book airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, cruises and more through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
• Where most travel bookings through Chase offer 1 cent per point in value, premium Chase travel credit cards let you get 25 percent or 50 percent more value for your rewards.
• The Chase travel portal lets you book travel with points, cash or a combination of the two. You can even earn bonus cash back or points when you book paid travel through Chase.

Most credit card rewards programs let you redeem your points or cash back in several different ways, and this is definitely the case with Chase Ultimate Rewards . These points are some of the most dynamic and versatile among all rewards programs available today, mostly because you can redeem them for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise and travel through Chase.

Some premium travel credit cards from Chase even let you get 25 percent to 50 percent more value for points when you redeem for travel through Chase, and the same selection of cards allow 1:1 point transfers to Chase airline and hotel partners.

If you’re interested in booking travel directly with your rewards, however, you should know that this is an option for their travel credit cards as well as cash back credit cards associated with the brand. All rewards cards offered through the bank let users book travel the exact same way — through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.

To use the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, you need to have a Chase credit card and an online account with Chase.com. Once you log in to your account, you only need to click on the side of the page where your rewards points are displayed to access the Chase Ultimate Rewards booking portal.

Once you click on your rewards total to get to the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, you’ll be asked which one of your Chase card accounts you want to access. This part is important since some Chase credit cards offer more value when you redeem points for travel through Chase.

Specifically, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offer 25 percent more value when you redeem points for travel through Chase, whereas the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers 50 percent more value.

Once you are logged in to your rewards account, you can see all the different ways you can redeem your points or cash back. Your options will vary depending on the Chase credit card you have, but they can include:

• Pay with points options
• Chase Pay Yourself Back
• Transfers to travel partners
• Experiences

To book travel through the Chase travel portal, you’ll click on the option that says “Travel.”

At this point, you’ll be shown all the different ways you can use your points directly for travel through Chase. These can include airfare, hotels, car rentals, experiences, cruises and more.

Using Chase Ultimate Rewards travel is a lot like booking travel through any other site given you search for the travel you want, compare prices and options and proceed by making a booking based on whatever you decide. The difference is, you can pay for airfare, hotels and other travel with Chase points, cash or a combination of cash and points.

The fact Chase lets you book with a combination of cash and points makes it really easy to use up small amounts of points you have on your card, especially since there are no minimums to redeem this way.

Who can access the portal

To access the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, you need to have a credit card that earns rewards with the card issuer. This means co-branded airline and hotel credit cards offered through Chase will not work, and you’ll need a Chase credit card that earns cash back or travel rewards instead.

Credit cards that give you access to the Chase travel portal include:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® *
• Chase Freedom Flex℠ *
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
• Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Benefits of booking through Chase Ultimate Rewards

While many experts believe you should always transfer points to airlines and hotels before booking travel with rewards, there are plenty of reasons to use the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal instead — at least part of the time. Here are some of the benefits you can get for doing so.

Earn a ton of rewards when you book paid travel through Chase

While the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal lets you redeem points or cash back for travel through Chase, you can also pay for travel through the portal and earn more rewards when you do. The fact is, all Chase credit cards offer a minimum of 5 percent back or 5X points on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers 10X points on hotels and car rental bookings made through Chase.

You can still earn airline miles

Also note that you’ll still earn airline miles for flights you book through the Chase portal, and that’s true whether you pay with Chase points, cash or a combination of the two. In order to double dip and earn airline miles, you just need to add your frequent flyer number to your booking with the airline after you pay.

Get 25% to 50% more value when redeeming your points

As we mentioned already, some Chase credit cards offer more than 1 cent per point in value when you use rewards to book travel through Chase. Where the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred offer 25 percent more value when you redeem points for travel through Chase, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers 50 percent more value.

Ultimately, this means you get 1.25 cents per point for travel with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred, and 1.5 cents per point for travel with the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Book any travel you want

Booking through the Chase travel portal also lets you avoid dealing with complex loyalty programs and limited award availability often found with hotel and airline programs. When you book travel through Chase, you get to pick from any hotel brand, airline, car rental company or travel provider that’s available for your destination and dates.

Combine your Chase points in one account

Also note that Chase lets you pool rewards from multiple cards into one account for premium travel redemptions. For example, you can earn cash back with a card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited, use a business card like the Ink Business Preferred for all your business spending and utilize the Chase Sapphire Preferred for all your travel, dining and online grocery purchases. From there, you can combine all your points into your Chase Sapphire Preferred account to get 25 percent more value when booking travel through Chase, or for 1:1 point transfers to Chase airline and hotel partners .

Is the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal worth using?

The Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal is definitely worth using in a wide range of scenarios, and that’s true if you also transfer points to airlines and hotels part of the time. The fact is, the Chase portal gives you another way to book the travel you want if you cannot find award availability with an airline or hotel program, want to book travel you don’t have other points for or if you need extra flexibility due to where you’re traveling or when.

Also note that you can use Chase points to book other types of travel you can’t book with airline miles or hotel loyalty points. For example, you can use the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal to book airport transfers in your destination or to book snorkeling tours, guided museum tours and other excursions through the portal’s “activities” tab.

That said, there are certainly situations where the Chase travel portal is not the best deal, or when you’ll be a lot better off paying cash for travel directly or transferring points to airline and hotel partners. At the end of the day, the Chase travel portal is just one tool you can use to maximize your rewards and your travel budget.

The bottom line

Now that you know how the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal works, you should spend some time getting acquainted with all the ways you can use your points. The fact is, Chase lets you book airfare, hotels, rental cars, cruises, activities and more using points, cash or both, giving you a lot more flexibility when it comes to using your rewards.

Bankrate’s travel toolkit can help you learn more about Chase Ultimate Rewards points and other travel programs, so consider continuing your research there.

*The information about the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

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Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal review: A messy trip, but not their fault

Chase Sapphire Reserve: How to get 50% off travel through the Chase portal

The complete guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards

MSN has partnered with The Points Guy for our coverage of credit card products. MSN and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points give you access to some of the best hotel and airline transfer partners in the business, as well as the easy-to-use Chase travel portal that allows you to redeem points for a wide variety of travel bookings, including rental cars, hotels, flights, tours and activities.

Despite increasing competition from  American Express Membership Rewards points ,  Citi ThankYou Rewards points and  Capital One miles , Chase Ultimate Rewards points have maintained their place as one of the most valuable and useful points currencies .

If you’re ready to get serious about traveling more for less, here’s everything you need to know about how to earn and redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

What are Chase Ultimate Rewards points?

Ultimate Rewards points are the currency of most Chase-branded credit cards. You can earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points for everyday spending on these cards that you can then redeem for a wide range of rewards.

If you’re just getting started in the world of travel credit cards, it’s typically best to start with Chase products , thanks to the issuer’s well-documented 5/24 rule . In short, you generally can’t get approved for any Chase cards — including those that earn Ultimate Rewards points — if you’ve applied for five or more new credit cards across all banks in the past 24 months.

Keep this restriction in mind as you build a strategy to maximize your credit card rewards.

Related: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions

How do I earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points?

There are many ways to earn Chase points at rates of 1-10 points per dollar spent, depending on the specific Chase credit card you carry.

The first three cards below earn fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points all by themselves, while the remaining four are technically billed as  cash-back credit cards .

However, if you have a full Ultimate Rewards points-earning card, you can combine your Chase cash-back rewards in a single account, effectively converting your cash-back rewards into fully transferable points. For this reason, having more than one Chase card can make sense to maximize your earning and redeeming potential.

Here are the seven cards that allow you to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Welcome bonus:  60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Why you want it:  This is a fantastic all-around  travel credit card . It earns points at the following rates:

• 5 points per dollar on Lyft (through March 2025)
• 5 points per dollar on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 3 points per dollar on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out
• 3 points per dollar on select streaming services
• 3 points per dollar on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
• 2 points per dollar on all other travel
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases

The Sapphire Preferred has  no foreign transaction fees  and comes with  many travel perks , including delayed baggage insurance, trip interruption/cancellation insurance and  primary car rental insurance .

Annual fee:  $95.

Application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Welcome bonus: 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Why you want it: Put simply, for its earning power paired with travel perks that can easily cover the annual fee. It accrues the following earnings:

• 10 points per dollar on Lyft (through March 2025)
• 10 points per dollar on  Chase Dining booked through Ultimate Rewards
• 10 points per dollar on hotel and car rental purchases through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal
• 5 points per dollar on airline travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal
• 3 points per dollar on  travel not booked through Chase
• 3 points per dollar on other  dining purchases
• 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases

Other perks include an easy-to-use  $300 annual travel credit , a fee credit for  Global Entry  or  TSA PreCheck (up to $100 once every four years) and  Priority Pass Select lounge access as well as the growing list of new Sapphire lounges . This is one of the few cards that allow you to use your Priority Pass membership for discounted meals in airport restaurants . Cardholders also get  primary car rental coverage ,  trip interruption/cancellation insurance  and  other protections .

Annual fee: $550.

Application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Welcome bonus: 100,000 points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Why you want it:  This is one of the  best credit cards for small-business owners , earning 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel; shipping; internet, cable and phone services; and advertising made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. You earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases, and points don’t expire as long as your account is open.

Annual fee: $95.

Application link: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Ink Business Cash Credit Card

Welcome bonus: $750 cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This can be converted to 75,000 points if you have another Ultimate Rewards points-earning credit card.

Why you want it:  Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year (then 1%). Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year (then 1%). You can  convert these earnings to Ultimate Rewards points  if you have one of the three cards above.

Annual fee: $0.

Application link: Ink Business Cash Credit Card

Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card

Welcome bonus: $750 cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (which can become 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points).

Benefits:  Earn unlimited  1.5% cash-back rewards  on every purchase. These cash-back earnings can be  converted to Ultimate Rewards points if you have one of the top three cards listed above, which means your small business can essentially earn 1.5 points per dollar on all charges made with this card.

Application link: Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card

Chase Freedom Flex

Welcome bonus: $200 after you spend $500 in the first three months of account opening (which can become 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points).

Benefits : The card earns 5% back on select bonus categories, which  rotate every quarter and apply on up to $1,500 in combined spending (activation required). Past bonus categories include gas stations, supermarkets, restaurants, warehouse stores and department stores. You can  convert these rewards to valuable Ultimate Rewards points  if you have one of the top three cards listed above. Plus, earn 5% on travel purchased through  Chase Ultimate Rewards , 3% on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services) and 3% on drugstore purchases.

Application link: Chase Freedom Flex

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Welcome bonus:  Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back (can become 30,000 Ultimate Rewards points).

Benefits : The card earns 1.5% cash back on purchases. These earnings can be converted to valuable Ultimate Rewards points  if you have one of the top three cards listed above. Plus, earn 5% on travel purchased through  Chase Ultimate Rewards , 3% on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services) and 3% on drugstore purchases. Earn 1% on all other purchases. The card also offers 120-day  purchase protection  and  extended warranty protection .

Application link: Chase Freedom Unlimited

Other Chase credit cards

Note that there are many other Chase-issued credit cards that aren’t listed here, including:

• Those no longer available to new applicants, like the Ink Plus and Chase Freedom
• Those that don’t fully participate in the Ultimate Rewards program, like the Ink Business Premier Credit Card, which exclusively offers cash back and doesn’t allow rewards to be combined with other cards
• Cobranded products with a partner’s loyalty program, like United Airlines cards and Southwest Airlines cards , which don’t participate in Ultimate Rewards

Read more: The best Chase credit cards

Do Chase Ultimate Rewards points expire?

Chase Ultimate Rewards points do not expire, provided you keep at least one card open that earns Ultimate Rewards points.

If you cancel all your Ultimate Rewards cards, you must redeem or transfer your points before closing the last card. Otherwise, you will forfeit the points.

What are Chase Ultimate Rewards points worth?

TPG values Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents apiece . This is largely due to the array of valuable transfer partners like World of Hyatt and United Airlines MileagePlus , as this gives you valuable flexibility in your redemptions.

However, you’ll get varying values for Chase points if you pursue other redemption opportunities. For example, Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1.5 cents apiece through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal for Sapphire Reserve cardholders, and 1.25 cents for those with the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred. You’ll also have access to Chase Pay Yourself Back as a cardholder of any of the above cards, and there are occasionally offers to use Chase points for Apple products or gift cards at an enhanced value.

Finally, Chase points are worth 1 cent apiece if used for simple cash back.

Who are Chase Ultimate Rewards’ transfer partners?

You can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to 11 airline programs:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United Airlines MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Chase also partners with three hotel programs:

• IHG One Rewards
• Marriott Bonvoy
• World of Hyatt

All transfer ratios are 1:1 (though there are occasional  transfer bonuses ), and you must transfer points in 1,000-point increments.

Options to redeem Ultimate Rewards

When redeeming Ultimate Rewards points, you have three basic options:

• Fixed-value, non-travel redemptions (e.g., cash back, gift cards, Apple products)
• Fixed-value Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal bookings
• Transfers to travel partners

The “best” option comes down to your travel needs. Points are here to save you money, and you should use them when it suits you.

That being said, you should aim for the highest value whenever possible. Here’s a look at all of your options:

Transfer to travel partners

Transferring Ultimate Rewards to travel partners often can be the most valuable way to redeem your hard-earned points. With 14 different transfer partners, you have plenty of options, and you can keep your Chase points in your Ultimate Rewards account until you are ready to transfer them, which is excellent flexibility. Our favorite sweet spots include the following:

• Top-tier Hyatt hotels: The World of Hyatt award chart is incredibly cheap compared to some competitors. You can book some of the fanciest Park Hyatt properties in the entire portfolio, including the Park Hyatt New York  and  Park Hyatt Sydney , for 35,000 points per night during off-peak dates. TPG values Hyatt points at 1.7 cents each, so 35,000 points are worth $595. That’s a great deal for hotels that routinely sell for close to $1,000, even when demand is low. There’s also great value at the lower end of the Hyatt award chart. Category 1 hotels range from 3,500 to 6,500 points per night, depending on peak/standard/off-peak pricing.
• Iberia flights to Madrid: Round-trip flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Spain’s capital will only set you back 34,000 Avios in economy, 51,000 in premium economy or 68,000 in business when you transfer your Chase points to Iberia Plus. Considering that most airlines charge at least 60,000 miles for a one-way business-class award to Europe, you’re essentially getting a 50% discount.
• Flights to Hawaii with Alaska Airlines and American Airlines: By transferring your Ultimate Rewards points to British Airways, you can book awards with Oneworld partners American Airlines  and  Alaska Airlines . As long as your nonstop flight distance is under 3,000 miles each way, you can leverage  British Airways’ distance-based award chart to fly from any West Coast gateway to Hawaii for only 26,000 Avios round-trip.
• ANA flights booked through Virgin Atlantic: For just 145,000 miles, you can fly round-trip in first class between the West Coast and Tokyo. Flights from other U.S. gateways only cost an extra 25,000 miles (170,000 miles round-trip). Business-class redemptions are an even better deal, costing just 90,000-95,000 miles round-trip, depending on your U.S. departure airport. If possible, you’ll want to route through New York-JFK and fly ANA’s “The Room” business class , which is only available on select routes.
• Short-haul flights to Canada: Aeroplan stuck to an award chart for partner redemptions but added dynamic pricing for Air Canada flights. As a result, you can often find super-cheap short-haul tickets from the U.S. to Canada. For example, a flight from New York to Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) can be booked for under 6,000 miles one-way on many dates.

Book travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal

You can book travel through the  Chase Ultimate Rewards portal  and redeem points for your plane tickets, hotel stays, rental cars or experiences at a fixed cash value per point.

As a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Ink Business Preferred cardholder, each point is worth 1.25 cents. If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, your points are worth 1.5 cents each toward travel redemptions in the portal. If you have a Chase Freedom Flex, Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card, Ink Business Cash Credit Card or Chase Freedom Unlimited, all points are worth 1 cent each.

However, as noted previously, if you have multiple cards earning Ultimate Rewards points, you can combine your points into the account with the highest value for Ultimate Rewards bookings. For example, your points earned with the Chase Freedom Flex can be moved to your Sapphire Reserve account, thus increasing their value from 1 to 1.5 cents apiece. This is a generous offer from a credit card program.

If you can find inexpensive airfare in the Ultimate Rewards travel portal, using your points for these flights can make sense to save cash. In the eyes of the airline, tickets booked this way are essentially the same as paid fares. This means you’ll earn elite status credits and redeemable miles. Be careful to avoid basic economy tickets , unless you are okay with their restrictions.

In the below case, spending 2,973 Ultimate Rewards points from a Sapphire Reserve account to fly from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) isn’t too shabby.

You might also consider the travel portal option if you only have a handful of Ultimate Rewards points left, since Chase lets you redeem points to cover even just a portion of the trip cost. You then pay the remaining balance with cash.

Finally, this is a decent option for car rentals, non-chain lodging and when cash rates make spending points through transfer partners a bad value. The hotel options are quite varied, though be aware that if you book a hotel that participates in a major loyalty program through Chase, you likely won’t earn hotel points, nor will you be able to take advantage of any elite status perks.

Fixed-value, non-travel redemptions

You can redeem Chase points for a statement credit or bank deposit at a flat rate of 1 cent each, and this rate also applies to gift cards and Apple products (outside of a limited-time special).

However, with  Chase Pay Yourself Back , you can redeem points for cash back at a rate of 1.25-1.5 cents each, depending on your card. This redemption rate is valid on statement credits toward rotating purchase categories, such as dining.

Finally, you can also link your eligible Chase cards to your Amazon account and pay for purchases with the Shop With Points program. However, you will only receive a value of around 0.8 cents per Ultimate Rewards point.

As you can see, you’ll generally get much better value with the program’s transfer partners and Chase travel portal bookings. However, we know needs can change, so these non-travel redemptions remain fall-back options.

Bottom line

Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of our favorite credit card programs at TPG. It allows you to start with a credit card offering a large welcome bonus and then enjoy bonus points on many everyday spending categories — like airfare, hotels, dining and groceries. Then you can choose from a huge range of transfer partners, redeem points for travel directly with Chase or choose cash back.

SPONSORED:  With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.

And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

What the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Card offers

How other travel cards compare to the wells fargo autograph journey℠ visa® card, 3 key benefits cardholders get from the autograph journey , move over, chase sapphire preferred. this new travel credit card is turning heads.

Wells Fargo's newest card has one key advantage over the gold standard in travel cards.

Holly Johnson

Contributor

Holly Johnson is a credit card expert and writer who covers rewards and loyalty programs, budgeting, and all things personal finance. In addition to writing for publications like Bankrate, CreditCards.com, Forbes Advisor and Investopedia, Johnson owns Club Thrifty and is the co-author of "Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love."

Tiffany Connors

Tiffany Wendeln Connors is a senior editor for CNET Money with a focus on credit cards. Previously, she covered personal finance topics as a writer and editor at The Penny Hoarder. She is passionate about helping people make the best money decisions for themselves and their families. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and has been a writer and editor for publications including the New York Post, Women's Running magazine and Soap Opera Digest. When she isn't working, you can find her enjoying life in St. Petersburg, Florida, with her husband, daughter and a very needy dog.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card * -- Wells Fargo’s latest and best travel card -- recently launched with an impressive set of features. Its competitive rewards, welcome bonus and redemption options take aim at incumbent travel credit cards from Chase, American Express and Capital One.

What gives Wells Fargo’s first foray into the point-transfer space an edge is that you don’t have to book travel in a portal to earn the highest rewards rates. 

Here’s why we think the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey could go toe-to-toe with some of the best travel credit cards, plus three insider tips to help you decide if you should add it to your credit card lineup.

Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect with the Autograph Journey:

• Earn 60,000 welcome bonus rewards points after spending $4,000 in purchases within three months of account opening.
• Earn unlimited 5x points on hotels, 4x points on airlines, 3x points on other travel and dining and 1x on other purchases.
• Receive an annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Other benefits include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, roadside dispatch and cell phone insurance.
• $95 annual fee.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Here’s a rundown of four facts we discovered about the Autograph Journey that you should know when deciding whether to apply.

1. You can transfer points with Wells Fargo point-based cards

The launch of the Autograph Journey also marks the first transferable points program from Wells Fargo, which joins other card issuers like Chase and Capital One, which have their own pooling programs .

Autograph Journey will be able to do a points transfer with the no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card . This is especially notable since the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers bonus rewards in different categories than the Autograph Journey. 

For example, the Autograph card earns unlimited 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans, plus 1x points on other purchases. So you can maximize your point earning across different categories, then transfer your points to your Autograph Journey account to access premium travel redemptions.

2. It offers more options for earning bonus miles on travel than some competitors

The Autograph Journey will offer more flexibility than many travel rewards cards when it comes to earning more points on travel purchases. For example, cardholders earn unlimited 5x points on hotels booked directly with hotel brands and 4x points on airfare booked with airlines. 

This helps the card stand out from other popular travel credit cards that offer the most bonus points only if you book travel through their portals. For example, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card * and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card * only offer the highest bonus rewards on travel booked through Capital One Travel. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers its highest rate of 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, whereas other travel purchases earn 2x points.

Autograph Journey cardholders also earn a minimum of 3x points on other travel purchases, which could include rental cars, cruises and travel booked through online travel agencies like Expedia and Priceline.

3. The card may grow in value as more transfer partners join

The Autograph Journey Card will earn flexible travel rewards points that transfer to a selection of airline and hotel partners, similar to Amex Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards . While the list of transfer partners is limited, Wells Fargo stated in its initial press release that “more partners will continue to be added throughout the year.”

Points transfers could dramatically change the value proposition of the Autograph Journey, especially if new partners include domestic airlines and popular hotel loyalty programs. 

Wells Fargo point transfers will be available to new cardholders starting on April 4. For now, Wells Fargo transfer partners include the following:

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Recommended Articles

After writing about hundreds of credit cards, these two are still my favorite, 6 reasons the chase sapphire preferred should be your next credit card, 3 steps to take when your flight is canceled or delayed, 8 best credit card strategies to maximize earnings in 2024, as a foodie who enjoys a night out on the town, this credit card gives me plenty to savor.

* All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

CNET editors independently choose every product and service we cover. Though we can’t review every available financial company or offer, we strive to make comprehensive, rigorous comparisons in order to highlight the best of them. For many of these products and services, we earn a commission. The compensation we receive may impact how products and links appear on our site.

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Credit Cards

Why I chose the Chase Sapphire Preferred as my first ever rewards card

Sarah Li Cain

Robin Saks Frankel

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Grace Pilling

Published 6:03 a.m. UTC April 15, 2024

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DaLiu, Getty Images

I first started learning about the world of rewards credit cards from friends and bloggers and knew I wanted in. The challenge was that it took me a long time to build my credit , and I wanted to be sure I picked the right card. After some research, I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as my first rewards credit card. Yes, there are other cards with lower (or no) annual fees, but I have squeezed a ton of value from this credit card.

Here are the reasons why I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

our partner

Blueprint receives compensation from our partners for featured offers, which impacts how and where the placement is displayed.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s Take

• Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
• $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
• Valuable travel protections.
• $95 annual fee.
• Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
• Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership ® Rewards and Citi ThankYou ® .

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

1. I wanted flexible redemption options

Learning about travel rewards and how to redeem points as a beginner all those years ago felt extremely intimidating. I wanted to earn rewards that offered plenty of redemption options and where I could learn at a pace that felt accessible to me. Initially, I ignored the airline and hotel transfer partners and decided I would focus on how I would use my Ultimate Rewards® points through the Chase Travel℠ portal. 

Taking this route eased my fears about how to book flights and hotels using rewards. I was also happy that I didn’t have to feel loyal to one airline or hotel chain like I would have with a cobranded rewards card. After booking a few trips through the Chase travel site, I took the time to learn about the issuer’s travel loyalty transfer partners (there are 14 in total). But I still liked choosing which method — booking through Chase Travel or transferring points — was better for me to squeeze the most out of my points. 

Some travel rewards redemptions offer more value than others. Here’s some of the best ways to use Chase points .

2. The annual fee is accessible, even for occasional travelers

When I opened the Sapphire Preferred card, my family wasn’t traveling much. We were still settling into our new home, my husband had started a new job and I was juggling taking care of my young child with my freelance career. I aimed to earn enough rewards from the card to nab heavily discounted hotels and the occasional flight when we visited family once or twice a year.

At $95, the annual fee felt affordable to us. A pricier card with lounge access wasn’t important, because we didn’t fly enough to feel that feature would be worth it. However, the Sapphire Preferred’s $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit was, since we stop and stay overnight on our cross-country drives during the summer. 

3. I was able to earn the welcome bonus easily

My family and I mostly used credit cards to pay for bills like utilities and groceries. Looking over our expenses, we could easily spend thousands of dollars over a span of several months. The minimum spend requirement to earn the welcome bonus — 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening — was well within our reach. Plus, I paid off my credit cards each month, meaning we didn’t pay any interest and our rewards earnings didn’t cost us extra. 

The minimum spend is higher than some rewards cards, though lower than luxury ones — my family and I were able to hit the minimum spend in a little over two months. Considering I earned $750 worth of travel if I booked through Chase Travel (which I was mostly doing in the beginning anyway), it was well worth it.

4. There are no foreign transaction fees

My mom and sister live in Canada where I grew up, so I make the annual trek with my family to visit them along with several other close friends. I knew that whatever credit card I signed up for, I wanted no foreign transaction fees when using it in another country. My last credit card did charge fees for transactions overseas, and though they may not seem like much on their own, they do add up.

This benefit alone didn’t convince me to sign up for the Sapphire Preferred but it was certainly a welcome benefit in addition to all the others. 

5. Why I keep the Sapphire Preferred even years later

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has stayed in my wallet for the last six years and I don’t plan on canceling it anytime soon. The initial signup bonus earned my family several hotel nights when we visited family and friends. In subsequent years we took advantage of the $50 annual hotel credit and other benefits, such as primary rental car insurance , to make the annual fee worth it. 

Over the years I’ve added two other Chase cards to the mix — the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card * The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . I pool the points I earn from these two credit cards with my Sapphire Preferred because the Preferred offers a 25% points boost when booking travel through Chase. Since I have a family of three to book travel for, I want to use all the advantages I can get. 

Considering a rewards card? Here’s how to choose the right credit card for you.

*The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Sarah Li Cain is a finance and small business writer currently based in Jacksonville, Florida whose articles have been published with outlets such as Fortune, CNBC Select, the Financial Planning Association and Zillow.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

Grace Pilling is a deputy editor for credit cards at USA TODAY Blueprint. She believes credit cards are the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tools of the financial world and gets excited about helping people discover the best credit card strategy for their unique goals. Prior to joining Blueprint, Grace worked on and led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MoneyUnder30 and MoneyGeek. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and a diploma in editing and publishing.

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• Fees and sign-up bonuses

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Ink Business Preferred: A Comprehensive Comparison

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate credit cards to write unbiased product reviews .

Introduction

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is Business Insider's choice for the best credit card and the best travel rewards credit card .

Its small-business equivalent, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card , is our choice for the best small business credit card as well as the best business credit card for travel . 

Overview of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

If you're considering both credit cards, you may find it hard to choose between these two options — you'll often find that many entrepreneurs have both in their wallets.

Finding the right card for you will come down to evaluating the benefits you will be able to use, and understanding which card's rewards-earning structure is most suited to your spending habits.

Here's a detailed look at the biggest differences between the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.

Chase Ink Business Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred 

Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. Earn 2x on all other travel purchases. Earn 1x on all other purchases.

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Earn 60,000 bonus points

Good to Excellent

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong travel coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit

If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

21.24% - 26.24% Variable

Earn 100,000 bonus points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High sign-up bonus
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Offers 3x bonus points on several spending categories, including travel and advertising purchases
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Includes comprehensive travel coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Welcome bonus has a very high minimum spending requirement

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers a huge welcome bonus and solid earning and benefits for a moderate annual fee. If your small-business expenses line up with the card's bonus categories and you like redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards® points for travel, this is one of the best small-business credit cards to consider.

• Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.

Annual fees and sign-up bonuses

These two cards have a lot in common; in fact, you could consider them to be counterparts of each other, designed for consumers or for small business owners.

Comparison of annual fees

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a $95 annual fee, and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has a $95 annual fee. 

Sign-up bonus offers

Welcome bonuses, often called sign-up bonuses, are initial boosts of rewards that new cardholders can earn after reaching a certain spending requirement. 

The Sapphire Preferred Card currently offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, while the Ink Business Preferred Card offers 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

There are two components to a welcome bonus offer should take into account: The number of bonus points you can earn, and the minimum spending requirement you must complete in order to earn those points. These cards field very different minimum spending requirements that might sway your decision in one direction or the other.

Reward earning potential

Both cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points , which are incredibly valuable by Business Insider's valuations . Chase points are worth 1.8 cents apiece, on average, when redeemed for travel through the Chase Travel portal . They can be worth far more if transferred to Chase's airline and hotel partners for first- and business-class travel redemptions. 

Compare earning rates: Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Here, too, the cards diverge significantly. The Sapphire Preferred Card earns:

• 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 2025
• 5 points per dollar on all travel purchased through Chase Travel
• 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
• 2 points per dollar on other travel
• 1 point per dollar on everything else

For its part, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year (1 point per dollar after that):

• Shipping purchases
• Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
• Internet, cable, and phone services

You'll earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

The best card for you will be the one that complements your spending habits. If your business requires a lot of purchases in the categories where the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card excels, then the card is a clear winner. Even if your main expense is travel, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers 3x points for up to $150,000 in spending, which is pretty high — instead of the Sapphire Preferred Card's uncapped 2x points.

However, if dining is your major purchase segment, then the Sapphire Preferred Card pulls ahead since the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card doesn't even offer it as a bonus category.

Compare redemption opportunities: Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Travel through chase ultimate rewards.

This is one of the areas where the two cards are most similar. With either, the points you earn are worth 1.25 cents apiece toward travel reservations booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal℠ . For some perspective, that means the welcome bonus from the Sapphire Preferred Card is worth $750 when cashed in this way, while the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card bonus is worth $1,250.

The interesting play here is that, if you also have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, your points are worth 1.5 cents apiece through Chase Travel, upping your value even more. As mentioned above, carrying the Chase Sapphire Reserve® will preclude you from earning the welcome bonus with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, but you might still be able to combine your points with the account of someone else in your household who has the Reserve.

On the other hand, there's no crossover exclusion between the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, so that might be an easier combo to carry.

The best card in this respect really depends on your spending habits. However, think again about the Chase Sapphire Reserve® double-play with the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card since you can combine your points and redeem them through the Chase portal at 1.5 cents apiece.

Aside from that, you can cash in points for 1 cent apiece toward statement credits, gift cards, and Apple purchases with either card and at a lower rate when redeemed directly on Amazon for purchases.

Point transfer to partners

With either card, you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to the program's 14 airline and hotel transfer partners.

Travel Benefits and Protections

Both cards come with generous travel benefits and purchase protections. Here's what you should know. 

Travel insurance and protections

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers one of the most comprehensive collections of travel protections of any rewards credit card. Its trip cancellation or interruption coverage maxes out at $10,000 per trip, $20,000 per occurrence, and $40,000 per 12-month period. If your trip is delayed 12 hours or overnight, you can claim up to $500 per purchased ticket to cover meals and lodging. Its baggage delay insurance goes into effect at six hours, with up to $100 per day for up to five days, while lost or stolen luggage is covered up to $3,000.

The Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the few cards to offer primary rental car insurance against theft or damage. Finally, its purchase protection remains in effect up to 120 days after you buy an item, and is capped at $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.

By contrast, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 per trip for interruption and cancellation. Its auto rental coverage is primary for business rentals in the US and both business and personal rentals internationally. As for purchase protection, items are covered up to 120 days out, for as much as $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account — so if you're making a large purchase, this is the card to do it on.

The other major difference is that the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers cell phone protection against theft or damage. It's capped at $1,000 per claim and up to three claims per 12-month period with a $100 deductible per occurrence. Even with those limitations, though, this perk is one of the best the card offers.

No foreign transaction fees

Neither the Sapphire Preferred Card nor the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card charges foreign transaction fees, which saves you an average of 3% per transaction when making international purchases. 

Additional perks

Each of these cards offers many more benefits. As you can imagine, some of them diverge — here's how the two stack up.

Sapphire Preferred Card benefits

The Sapphire Preferred Card offers the following supplemental benefits: 

• Up to $50 in annual statement credits toward hotel stays booked through Chase Travel
• 10% anniversary point bonus
• Complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership through December 2024 (activation required) 
• Six-month complimentary Instacart+ membership (activate by July 31, 2024)
• Primary rental car insurance
• Up to $15 per quarter in Instacart credits through July 2024

Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred card review .

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card benefits

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers the following supplemental benefits: 

• Primary car rental insurance on business-related rentals in the U.S., and all international rentals
• Cellphone protection on phones that are billed monthly to this card

Learn more in our Chase Ink Business Preferred card review . 

Which Chase card is suitable for you?

With all of these features and benefits compared side-by-side, it may seem harder than ever to choose between the Sapphire Preferred Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. 

You can get both cards

You could always consider getting both cards. That way, you can earn even more bonus points with two welcome offers, and spread your bonus earning potential across several categories with two cards rather than having to choose between them. That might be an overreach, but if the spending requirements are within your purview, it's something to think about.

If you simply must choose between the two cards, here is what you should consider:

Personal vs. business use

When evaluating either-or between these two cards, consider this: Would a business credit card be more useful  than a personal one — both for things like helping you separate personal from work expenses, but also for the extensive purchase protections it might provide?

If you're a sole proprietor selling a few items on eBay each year, there aren't many repercussions for you using the Sapphire Preferred Card for business use.

But if you plan to expand your business, run a cottage industry out of your home kitchen, or operate a larger company, you should definitely get a business credit card to help you separate your personal and professional expenses for tax and accounting reasons. Responsible financial management includes keeping clear records, and holding a dedicated credit card can help with that.

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a dedicated business credit card, and offers business-friendly features and benefits that the Sapphire Preferred does not. 

Frequent travelers vs. business spenders: Choosing the right card for your spending and travel habits

Your travel habits should also come into consideration when evaluating these two cards. The Sapphire Preferred Card offers better travel insurance benefits and elevated dining rewards. However, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card also offers generous travel protection and earns bonus points on business expenses, and includes cellphone insurance whereas the Sapphire Preferred does not. 

Eligibility Requirements

This might not be top-of-mind, but if you currently have (or have had in the past) other Chase cards — or if you have applied for several other credit cards recently — you might find yourself ineligible for one or both of these offers.

Chase has what's informally known as the 5/24 rule . This means if you have opened five or more credit cards, from any bank, within the past 24 months, you won't be approved for a new Chase card. So look at your accounts and make sure that you have not voided your ability to be considered for these cards off the bat.

Additionally, in the case of the Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase states: "This product is available to you if you do not have any Sapphire card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for any Sapphire card in the past 48 months." So if you have the more-premium Chase Sapphire Reserve® open, you'll be precluded from this offer. Likewise, if you opened either the Sapphire Preferred Card and received the bonus within the past 48 months, you won't get this welcome bonus, even if you have since closed your other account.

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card does not have such eligibility requirements. However, because it's a small business credit card , you may be asked to prove that you actually have a small business , even if it's just a sole proprietorship for your side hustle, in order to open the card. So be prepared to jump through a few hoops unless you can very clearly demonstrate that this card is for your business and you can verify your income.

You can't go wrong with either — or both — of these exceptionally popular Chase credit cards. The most important consideration should be your personal and business spending needs, and how you plan to utilize your credit card. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Ink Business Preferred frequently asked questions

The consumer-focused Sapphire Preferred Card offers fantastic travel insurance and bonus points on travel and restaurant spend, while the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card for small business owners has cellphone insurance and bonus points on office supplies and travel. 

Yes, both cards offer generous welcome bonuses for new cardholders who meet certain spending requirements within the first few months of opening the card. 

While both cards offer a suite of travel protections including trip cancellation/interruption insurance, the Sapphire Preferred Card comes out slightly ahead with some of the best protection in the industry. 

Yes, points earned from both theSapphire Preferred Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card can be transferred to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners through Chase Travel.

Both cards are excellent for international travelers, with no foreign transaction fees and a number of travel benefits. 

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

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Should you book flights on a travel portal? Comparing fares through Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

While booking a flight directly with an airline is often your best move, it's not always your best move. With many travel credit card programs, you have the ability to use points for flights or earn bonus points when booking through their respective sites.

Depending on the card you carry, issuers can offer up to 5 — or even up to 10 — bonus points per dollar to book flights through their respective travel portals rather than directly through the airline.

That's a great return that's hard to pass up.

Another common debate for cardholders is choosing between a travel credit and an airline credit card . For example, let's say you have both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card in your wallet. The Sapphire Reserve offers 5 points per dollar on all flights booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal , while the Delta Reserve offers 3 SkyMiles per dollar on Delta flights booked directly through the carrier.

If you're purchasing a Delta flight that costs hundreds (or thousands) of dollars, the difference between earning 5 points per dollar vs. 3 miles per dollar can be significant.

But, here lies the question: Is it worth booking travel through these portals? Are you finding the lowest fare possible -- or are prices similar to booking directly?

We decided to put 20 routes to the test to see which of the four travel portals — American Express, Capital One, Chase and Citi — consistently gave us the lowest prices. Here's what we found.

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Crafting the test

We searched 20 round-trip routes of varying fare classes across the same trip dates. Here's what we found:

All four credit card travel booking portals were generally consistent in showing fares that were on par with booking directly, give or take a few dollars in most of cases.

Price differences became much more drastic when searching for international business- or first-class flights, so while it's always a good idea to price compare, it's pretty essential to compare prices for booking directly or via the portal if you're searching for any of these higher-cost fares. Additionally, sometimes, the Capital One portal didn't find any available international premium routes, as noted several times in the table above.

Each portal also has its quirks. For example, the Capital One portal does not show any JetBlue fares, while the Amex portal does not show any Frontier fares.

All things considered, these four portals were surprisingly consistent in pricing more often than not. But a quick cross-comparison can help you confirm that you are indeed getting the best price possible.

Should you book flights through a travel portal?

Booking through an issuer's travel portal is like booking through an online travel agency such as Expedia or Priceline. The biggest advantage of booking through these issuer portals is that you're likely to earn a great number of bonus points depending card you carry in your wallet, helping you achieve your next award trip much faster.

However, you'll want to weigh the opportunity to earn more rewards against the possibility of something going wrong with your trip, whether it's weather or pandemic-related issues .

Many TPG staffers and readers have found it much more difficult to change a flight or get a refund when booking via a third-party site, including one of these portals. When you don't book your flight directly with an airline , you'll have to reach out to the portal or agency you booked with for assistance, which can be a headache.

These travel portals do have other consumer-friendly features that may positively influence your choice. For instance, Capital One offers an automatic price protection benefit that can give you a refund if the price of your airfare drops after you book your ticket through its portal.

To sum it up, there are pros and cons to consider when booking your flights through a travel portal rather than through the airline itself. For some travelers, it's not worth the extra points or miles if something goes wrong with their trip, while others may be confident that their credit card issuer will help them in times of need — or are OK with dealing with extra hurdles if their plans change.

Best credit cards for booking flights

If you're looking to maximize your flight purchases , here are the best rewards credit cards that will get you at least a 5% return according to TPG's latest monthly valuations :

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

Bottom line.

Issuers have been stepping up their game to improve their travel portals, and this test proved that most fares remained comparable to booking directly. There are times when the prices aren't identical, so it is a good idea to double-check prices directly with the airline or via Google Flights before booking. You'll also want to consider your game plan if you need to change or cancel a trip booked through a travel portal.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Gold, click here.

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100,000 Ultimate Rewards points bonus still available!

Posted by The Points Pundit | Apr 23, 2024 | Credit Cards , Deals | 0

Image courtesy Unsplash

As 2023 was winding down, I wrote about some of the amazing limited time offers that Chase was running on some of their business credit cards. You could earn 90,000 points or $900 cash back on the Chase Ink Unlimited and the Chase Ink Cash. Chase was also running a welcome bonus offer of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points on the Ink Business Preferred card. While Chase has done away with the limited time offers on the Ink Business and Ink Cash cards, the 100,000 points offer on the Ink Business Preferred card is still available! Chase still hasn’t provided any official end date for the offer yet, so it can be pulled at any time.

100,000 CHASE ULTIMATE REWARDS POINTS WITH LOWER SPEND

Transfer your points to Hyatt and stay at the wonderful Hyatt Regency Phuket, Thailand

I’m a strong proponent of signing-up for and keeping credit cards  beyond just attaining the sign-up bonus . The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card by Chase ticks both those boxes. In addition to the 100,000 point sign-bonus, the card has valuable spending categories, helping you rack up thousands of Ultimate Rewards points very quickly.

CLICK HERE FOR THE 100,000 POINTS OFFER

With the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card by Chase, you’ll earn 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent in the following categories:

• Internet, Cable and Phone services
• Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines

Transfer points to Marriott and book a suite at the St. Regis Mumbai, India

When you’re not traveling, it’s easy to rack up points by putting your monthly cable, phone and internet bill on this card. If your monthly bill in this category is around $200, you can earn a total of 7,200 Ultimate Rewards points each year just by putting your monthly bill on this card.

REDEEMING ULTIMATE REWARDS POINTS WITH THE INK BUSINESS PREFERRED CARD

Fly to Singapore by transferring points to Singapore Airlines at a 1:1 ratio

Here’s where you have a couple of lucrative options. You can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points on the Ink card by simply redeeming them for 1.25 cents a piece. You can do so by purchasing travel from Chase’s portal. For example, if you buy through Chase’s portal, a $125 airline ticket will cost you 10,000 Ultimate Rewards points.

If you redeem your entire sign-up bonus of 100,000 points on the Chase portal, you’ll get $1,250 in travel.

Even better, you can transfer Chase’s points to their travel partners at a 1:1 ratio. I’ve redeemed my Ultimate Rewards points for some really memorable stays by transferring them to the World of Hyatt program.

Airline Partners

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Flying Blue/ Air France KLM
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Emirates Skywards
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Hotel Partners

• IHG Rewards Club
• Marriott Bonvoy
• World of Hyatt

OTHER IMPORTANT BENEFITS

The card offers other valuable benefits like purchase protection, extended warranty protection, car rental insurance, roadside assistance and trip delay/trip cancellation insurance. These ancillary benefits can be extremely valuable.

CHASE 5/24 RULE

Please note that this card is subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule. Chase will not approve you for a card if you’ve been approved for five or more consumer credit cards from any issuer in the last 24 months. However, this is a business credit card. Once you’re approved, it will appear on your business credit report and will not take up a 5/24 slot. Based on recent data points, Chase seems have relaxed the 5/24 rule and many people have reported that they were approved in spite of being over 5/24.

The annual fee for this card is $95. By putting your cable, internet and phone bill monthly and earning 3x, you can easily recoup the entire annual fee given the amount of points you’ll earn.

BUSINESS CREDIT CARDS

You need not have a full fledged business in order to get this card. If you have any consulting gig or run a part time business on the side, you can apply as a sole proprietor. Before you apply, please ensure that you enter all the details truthfully and correctly on your credit card application.

THE PUNDIT’S MANTRA

If you’re looking to play the miles and points game long term, then this is a fantastic card. It offers you earn a hefty sign-up bonus of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points. I’ve redeemed Chase points for great value by transferring them to Chase’s travel partners. Some of my favorite redemptions include transferring to World of Hyatt and redeeming for their all-inclusive resorts and transferring to Singapore airlines in order to fly business class to India and around Asia.

Apply Now FOR THE 100,000 POINTS OFFER

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Ashish's quest to travel the world was fueled by an insatiable appetite to experience language, culture, people and music all over the world. By using miles, points and loyalty programs astutely, he has now traveled to 6 continents! A marketing executive by profession, he leverages his marketing acumen to analyze the business side of loyalty programs and travel industry trends.

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Chase Ultimate Rewards redeem points

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Chase Ultimate Rewards ®

Use your points to fuel your passions.

Not earning rewards? Apply for a Chase credit card with Ultimate Rewards today.

Explore the possibilities

Earn bonus points on select purchases and redeem for travel, gift cards, cash back and more.

Pay with Points

Use your points to pay for all or part of your eligible Amazon.com orders or when you check out with PayPal.

Apple ® Ultimate Rewards Store

Use your points to pay for all or part of your Apple purchases.

Shop over 175 of your favorite gift card brands.

Pay Yourself Back

Choose to receive a statement credit on one or more of your eligible purchases.

Chase Dining℠

Redeem your points for takeout, reservations or exclusive culinary experiences.

Plan your next getaway, and use your points to help pay for it.

Earn Bonus Points

Earn 1-15 bonus points per $1 spent at 450+ stores with Shop through Chase ® .

Turn your rewards into a statement credit or a direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts.

Experiences

Use your card and points to attend exclusive events curated around your passions with select cards.

Transfer to Travel Partners

Transfer your points to any of our airline and hotel partners at full 1:1 value with select cards.

Enjoy value, flexibility and choice

Here are just some of the perks you could get with Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Ready to get away?

Remember to book your travel through Chase. You'll get competitive prices plus the flexibility to use your points, your card or both.

Pay with points

Instantly redeem your points to pay for all or part of your eligible orders at Amazon.com or when you check out with PayPal.

Find something delicious

Visit Chase Dining℠ to redeem points for takeout, access exclusive reservations and book culinary experiences.

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You earned your Ultimate Rewards sign-up bonus—Here are the 4 best ways to spend it

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Tell me if this sounds familiar: you have 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to redeem, and right before you cash them in for a $600 statement credit, you think to yourself: 

Nah. There has to be a better way. 

So you hit the back button and stare at your 60,000 points, wondering just how much value you can truly squeeze out of them. $750? $1,000? Maybe even $1,200 or more? 

Well, I’m here to tell you that all three are possible. Chase Ultimate Rewards points can indeed be worth up to 2 cents per point (CPP)–but only if you know where to look. 

So let’s uncover the best redemption options for Chase Ultimate Rewards in 2024!

For Sapphire cards

The first thing you should know about redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points is that Chase Sapphire cards have slightly different redemption options than Chase Freedom cards. 

The primary difference is that the two Sapphire Cards–the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® –allow you to transfer your points to one of Chase’s 14 travel partners. 

The second difference is that the Preferred and Reserve get a 25% and 50% redemption bonus on every point redeemed through Chase Travel℠, respectively. So your 60,000-point welcome bonus with each card is worth $750 in travel with the Preferred and $900 with the Reserve. 

As a result, transfers and travel redemption instantly become your two best options when redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points with these cards. Let’s have a look at both in a little more detail. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card

Intro bonus.

Rewards Rates

• 5x 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit)
• 3x 3x points on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
• 2x 2x points on travel purchases not booked through Chase
• 1x 1x points on other purchases
• 5x 5x points on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025 (that's 3x points in addition to the 2x points you already earn on travel)
• Valuable welcome bonus
• Extensive list of transfer partners
• Extra value on travel redemptions
• No premium travel perks
• Has an annual fee
• Additional perks: $50 annual hotel credit, trip cancelation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, complimentary Doordash and Instacart+ membership along with quarterly Instacart+ credits
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Transfers – up to 2 CPP

When you visit Ultimate Rewards after you log into your Chase account and select your Sapphire Preferred or Reserve account, you should see an additional option on the far right dropdown menu for Transfer points to partners. 

Here’s where you’ll see Chase’s 14 transfer partners, which all accept Chase Ultimate Rewards points at at least a 1:1 ratio. Sometimes you’ll get even more, thanks to bonus offers listed at the very top: 

Here’s a complete list of Chase’s travel partners as of April 2024:

Now, if each partner takes Chase Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 value, which partner should you pick for maximum value? 

The answer is probably Hyatt. While most of the loyalty programs on this list have points valued in the 0.8 to 1.2-cent range, various estimates pin the value of a single World of Hyatt Credit Card point to around 2 cents each. 

So, provided you’re a fan of Hyatt, there are definitely ways you can stretch ~60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to $1,200 in Hyatt value–and enjoy a well-deserved weekend at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach on the Gulf Coast of Florida. 

World of Hyatt: Everything you need to know

Travel – up to 1.5 CPP

Even if your travel plans don’t involve one of the transfer partners above, you can always redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards through Chase Travel for a redemption value of 1.25 CPP if you have the Preferred and 1.5 CPP if you have the Reserve. 

If you’ve never used the Chase Travel portal before, know that it’s surprisingly robust and very easy to use. You can book hotels, flights, rental cars, cruises and “activities” (e.g. food tours, skydiving lessons and more). I’ve used it countless times to book flights and hotels, and you get a confirmation email from both Chase and the travel vendor when you do (which is extra comforting). 

Just be mindful that if you book a hotel room through Chase Travel, you typically won’t qualify for loyalty points or rewards on the hotel side. Plus, you’ll definitely want to use up your annual travel credits ($50 with the Preferred, $300 with the Reserve) before using up your points. 

An under-the-radar use of Ultimate Rewards points is redeeming them for activities. You can get 1.25 or 1.5 cents per point by buying airport transfers, catamaran tours, or cooking classes through the portal. 

For Freedom cards

As mentioned, Chase’s trio of Freedom-branded cards (the Chase Freedom Rise℠ , Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited ® ) lack the option to transfer points to travel partners. They also don’t get 25% or 50% travel redemption bonuses like the Sapphire cards, so your list of the best redemption options isn’t quite as “spicy.” Even still, it has plenty of kick–and you won’t have to look far to get more than a penny per point in value.

Chase Freedom Rise℠

Intro bonus.

• 1.5x Unlimited 1.5% cashback on all purchases (Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back)
• Great for building credit
• No annual fee
• Earns rewards
• Foreign transaction fee
• Strongly encourages banking relationship with Chase to be approved
• Additional perks: Cell phone insurance, car rental insurance
• Foreign transaction fee: 3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Better together: How to combine Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value

Pay Yourself Back – up to 1.25 CPP

Under Ultimate Rewards > More ways to use, you’ll see that 5,000 points are pretty much worth $50 across the board. 

But wait – what’s this?

Somehow, the Pay Yourself Back option–which lets you cover past purchases with points–has a 25% multiplier. Let’s investigate. 

From the Pay Yourself Back dashboard, you can see that there’s a temporary 25% bonus on select charitable donations–which is awesome. It may not help you pay your bills per se, but it’s a great redemption option nonetheless that helps you stretch your points to 1.25CPP.

Gift cards – up to 1.1 CPP

In a similar vein, Chase often has “sales” on gift cards that you can’t always see from the main Ultimate Rewards dashboard. 

But if you go to Shopping & Experiences > Redeem for gift cards, you’ll see that some of your options are 10% off–meaning your points suddenly carry a redemption value of ~1.1 CPP with select merchants: 

You can also filter by Sale to see all of your current options in one easy view:

Again, your options may be limited here–but if you were planning on doing some home improvement (and rewarding yourself with pancakes after), there are some good savings to be had from this redemption option. 

The takeaway

So there you have it–the four best redemption options for Chase Ultimate Rewards in 2024. From a weekend getaway at the Grand Hyatt to a fresh banana cream cheesecake, there are plenty of ways to redeem your points for more than a penny each in value.

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.

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