Imagine turning your Chase Ultimate Rewards points into a luxury hotel stay at the Park Hyatt Paris for just 35,000 points per night (instead of paying $1,000+), flying to Europe in business class for 60,000, or booking a round-trip economy flight to Hawaii for 30,000 points through United Airlines. These aren’t hypothetical scenarios – they’re real examples of what savvy travelers achieve with Chase Ultimate Rewards points when they know the best ways to use them.
But here’s the challenge: with so many redemption options available, from the Chase travel portal to numerous transfer partners, many cardholders leave significant value on the table. While basic redemptions like cash back offer a flat 1 cent per point, strategic transfers to partners like World of Hyatt, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, or United Airlines can often double or triple your points value.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn exactly how to use your Chase points to extract maximum value. Whether you’re planning your first redemption or looking to optimize your existing strategy, we’ll cover everything from basic redemptions to advanced sweet spots that can significantly increase your points’ value.
What makes Chase Ultimate Rewards points so valuable? It’s their incredible flexibility combined with high-value transfer partners. You can use them for simple cash back, book travel through Chase’s portal, or transfer them to partners for outsized value. Plus, with the right card combinations, you can earn points rapidly through category bonuses and sign-up offers.
By the end of this guide, you’ll understand:
- Strategies for earning a significant amount of Chase points
- How to redeem Chase points through every available method
- Which transfer partners offer the best value for your travel goals
- Sweet spots for redeeming Chase points for outsized value
- Common mistakes to avoid when using your points
If you are new to credit card rewards, I encourage you to pause here and read the Beginner’s Guide to Credit Card Rewards and Travel Credit Card Rewards Guide to learn the fundamentals.
Let’s dive into exactly how to make the most of your Chase points.
What Are Chase Ultimate Rewards Points?
Chase Ultimate Rewards points are a flexible rewards currency earned through Chase credit cards that can be redeemed for travel, cash back, and more. Unlike traditional airline miles or hotel points, Ultimate Rewards offer multiple redemption options with values ranging from 1 to 3+ cents per point depending on how you use them.
Understanding Point Values
Your Chase points’ value varies based on which credit card you hold:
- With cards like the Chase Freedom Flex or Freedom Unlimited, points are worth 1 cent each for cash back or travel
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred increases travel redemptions to 1.25 cents per point through the Chase portal
- Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders get 1.5 cents per point for travel portal bookings
- When transferring to travel partners, points can be worth significantly more – often 2 cents or higher per point
Types of Redemptions Available
Chase Ultimate Rewards offers several ways to use your points:
1. Travel Through Chase Portal
- Book flights, hotels, car rentals, and activities
- No blackout dates or availability restrictions
- Use partial points and pay the difference in cash
- Earn points/miles on flights booked this way
2. Transfer to Travel Partners
- Transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to airlines and hotels
- 14 total partners including both domestic and international airlines and hotels.
- Points transfer in 1,000-point increments
- Transfers are typically instant but can take up to 24 hours
3. Cash Back and Other Options
- Redeem for cash back at 1 cent per point
- Use Pay Yourself Back for enhanced value on select purchases
- Shop with points at Amazon.com (not recommended)
- Purchase gift cards or Chase experiences (not recommended)
Key Features and Benefits
Chase Ultimate Rewards stands out for several reasons:
- Points never expire as long as your account remains open
- No fees for point transfers or redemptions
- Ability to combine points between your own cards or with household members
- Excellent purchase protection and travel insurance
- Real-time point tracking and redemption through the Chase app or website
Basic vs. Premium Redemption Options
Your redemption options depend on which Chase cards you hold:
Basic Cards (Freedom family, Ink Cash, and Ink Unlimited):
- Cash back at 1 cent per point
- Travel through Chase portal at 1 cent per point
- Shop with points
- Gift cards
Premium Cards (Sapphire family and Ink Preferred):
- All basic card redemptions
- Enhanced travel portal value (1.25-1.5 cents per point)
- Transfer to travel partners
- Pay Yourself Back program
- Chase experiences
Understanding these basics is crucial for maximizing your points’ value. For example, if you hold both a Freedom and a Sapphire card, you can transfer points from your Freedom to your Sapphire to access premium redemption options and potentially increase their value by 25-50% or more.
Think of Chase Ultimate Rewards points as a Swiss Army knife in the points and miles world – they’re incredibly versatile, but knowing which tool to use in each situation is key to getting the most value. In the following sections, we’ll dive deeper into each redemption method and show you exactly how to use these options for maximum benefit.
How to Earn Chase Points
The key to maximizing your Chase Ultimate Rewards balance is understanding all available earning methods. Let’s break down each earning strategy, starting with the most important: choosing the right credit cards.
Chase Cards for Earning Ultimate Rewards Points
Sapphire Cards
- 5x points on travel booked through Chase
- 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases
- 2x points on other travel
- 1x points on all other purchases
- Current welcome bonus: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in 3 months
- Annual fee: $95
- 10x points on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase
- 5x points on flights booked through Chase
- 3x points on other travel and dining
- 1x points on all other purchases
- Current welcome bonus: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in 3 months
- Annual fee: $550
Freedom Cards
- 5x points on quarterly rotating categories (up to $1,500 in spending)
- 5x points on travel booked through Chase
- 3x points on dining and drugstores
- 1x points on all other purchases
- Current welcome bonus: 20,000 points after spending $500 in 3 months
- No annual fee
- 5x points on travel booked through Chase
- 3x points on dining and drugstores
- 1.5x points on all other purchases
- Current welcome bonus: 20,000 points after spending $500 in 3 months
- No annual fee
Business Cards
- 3x points on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, and advertising purchases (first $150,000 spent each year)
- 1x points on all other purchases
- Current welcome bonus: 90,000 points after spending $8,000 in 3 months
- Annual fee: $95
- 5x points at office supply stores, on internet, cable, and phone services (first $25,000 spent each year)
- 2x points at gas stations and restaurants (first $25,000 spent each year)
- 1x points on all other purchases
- Current welcome bonus: 35,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, an additional 40,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months
- Annual fee: $0
- Unlimited 1.5x points on every purchase
- Current welcome bonus: 75,000 points after spending $6,000 in 3 months
- Annual fee: $95
Recommended Card Setup for Maximum Earnings
This setup provides strong coverage across major spending categories:
- 5x quarterly rotating categories (up to $1,500 per quarter)
- 5x travel through the Chase portal
- 3x dining, drugstores, select streaming services, and online groceries
- 2x travel
- 1.5x everything else
Based on the current sign-up bonuses, you can earn a total of 155,000 points by opening these cards and meeting the minimum spend requirement. Plus, you’ll earn points on the spend to meet the sign-up bonuses.
In two-player mode, Player 1 can refer Player 2 for each card, earning up to 40,000 referral points in addition to sign-up bonuses. By strategically opening just six cards in a two-player household, you could accumulate over 350,000 Ultimate Rewards points while paying less than $200 in annual fees!
Chase Ultimate Rewards Shopping Portal
The Chase shopping portal offers bonus points at hundreds of retailers:
- Log into your Ultimate Rewards account
- Click “Earn Bonus Points”
- Search for your desired retailer
- Click through to the store and make your purchase
- Earn between 1-20+ bonus points per dollar
Pro tips for the shopping portal:
- Compare rates with other portals using sites like Cashback Monitor
- Stack with quarterly Freedom categories when possible
- Enable cookies and complete purchases in one session
- Keep confirmation emails for any missing points claims
Sign-up Bonus Strategies
Welcome bonuses are the fastest way to earn large amounts of points:
- Time applications to ensure you can meet minimum spend requirements
- Follow Chase’s application rules:
- 5/24 rule: You won’t be approved if you’ve opened 5 or more cards in 24 months
- One Sapphire rule: Can only hold one Sapphire card at a time
- 24/48 month bonus restrictions: Wait required time between same-card bonuses
- Consider business cards if you have any self-employment income
Additional Earning Methods
Referral Bonuses
- Earn 5,000-25,000 points per approved referral
- Check your card’s “Refer a Friend” page for current offers
Authorized Users
- Add trusted family members to help meet spending requirements
- Their purchases earn points on your account
- Monitor spending with account alerts
Special Promotions
- Watch for limited-time category bonuses
- Check Chase Offers for additional earning opportunities
- Look for spending challenges that award bonus points
Remember, earning points is only half the equation – how you redeem them is equally important. In the next section, we’ll explore how to use the Chase travel portal to get the most value from your hard-earned points.
How to Redeem Chase Points
Travel Portal
The Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal allows you to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and activities directly using your points. While transfer partners often provide better value for luxury travel, the portal can be an excellent option for economy flights, hotels without loyalty programs, and when you find good cash rates.
Portal Redemption Values by Card
Your points’ value in the portal depends on which card you hold:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve: 1.5 cents per point
- Chase Sapphire Preferred/Chase Ink Preferred: 1.25 cents per point
- Chase Freedom/Ink Cash cards: 1 cent per point
For example, a $300 flight would cost:
- 20,000 points with Sapphire Reserve
- 24,000 points with Sapphire Preferred
- 30,000 points with Freedom cards
Step-by-Step Booking Process
- Log into Your Chase Account
- Go to Ultimate Rewards at www.chase.com/ultimaterewards
- If you have multiple cards, select the one with the highest redemption rate
- Navigate to Travel Bookings
- Click “Travel” from the main menu
- Select your desired booking type (flights, hotels, cars, activities)
- Enter Search Criteria
- Input destination, dates, and passenger count
- Use flexible date search for better rates
- Apply any filters (direct flights, specific airlines, etc.)
- Compare Options
- View prices in both points and cash
- Check if “Pay with Points + Cash” offers better value
- Look for included baggage fees or restrictions
- Note cancellation policies
- Complete Booking
- Select your preferred option
- Enter traveler information
- Choose seat assignments (if applicable)
- Review and confirm booking
- Save confirmation for your records
When to Use the Portal
The travel portal is best for:
- Economy flights when cash prices are low
- Hotels without loyalty programs or transfer partners
- Car rentals and activities
- When you need to use a specific amount of points
- Booking for others (no point transfer needed)
Portal Advantages
- Book any available flight without award space restrictions
- Earn airline miles and loyalty credits on flights
- No need to search for award availability
- Partial point redemptions allowed
- Chase’s excellent travel protection benefits apply
- Price matching available within 24 hours
Portal Disadvantages
- Sometimes higher prices than booking direct
- Limited hotel elite benefits recognition
- Changes must be made through the portal rather than the hotel or airline
- Cannot use airline credits or certificates
Price Comparison Strategies
Always compare portal prices against:
- Direct booking rates
- Transfer partner award costs
- Other online travel agencies
- Google Flights or Kayak
To determine if portal booking is worth it:
- Compare to transfer partner options
- Consider additional benefits or restrictions
Portal Booking Tips
- Flight Bookings:
- Book early morning for best inventory
- Use flexible date calendar for better rates
- Check airline sites for seat availability
- Note fare class for mileage earning
- Hotel Bookings:
- Compare rates with hotel websites
- Check cancellation policies carefully
- Screenshot rate details and inclusions
- Note resort fees may be extra
- Technical Tips:
- Clear browser cache if experiencing issues
- Save searches for price tracking
- Use incognito mode when comparing prices
- Keep booking confirmation numbers
The travel portal is just one way to use your Chase points. While it offers good value for certain redemptions, you’ll often find better deals through transfer partners, which we’ll cover in the next section.
Transfer to Partners
Transferring Chase points to airline and hotel partners often provides the highest possible value for your points. All transfers are at a 1:1 ratio and must be made in 1,000-point increments. While we’ll cover the essentials here, you can also check out my complete guide on How to Use Credit Card Transfer Partners for an even deeper dive into maximizing each partner program. For now, let’s focus on the key information you need to start making transfers effectively.
Transfer Partners Overview
Chase currently has 14 transfer partners (11 airlines and 3 hotel programs), all at a 1:1 transfer ratio. Rather than list them all here, you can download my free Transfer Partners Reference Sheet, which includes:
- Complete list of all partners
- Transfer times for each program
- Transfer ratios
Basic Transfer Process
- Log into Ultimate Rewards
- Select “Transfer to Travel Partners”
- Choose your partner program
- Enter transfer amount
- Confirm and submit
Important Tips
- Always check award availability before transferring
- Consider transfer times (listed in the reference sheet)
- Compare against portal pricing
- Look for transfer bonuses
In the next section, we’ll explore the best ways to use these transfer partners for maximum value.
Best Ways to Use Chase Points for Maximum Value
While you can use Chase points in many ways, including the Chase travel portal and transfer partners, certain redemptions stand out for their exceptional value. Through strategic transfers, you can book premium flights and luxury hotels that would typically cost thousands of dollars for a fraction of the points that other programs charge. Here are some of my favorite sweet spots to target.
World of Hyatt
The World of Hyatt program consistently offers some of the highest-value redemptions for Chase points. Notable opportunities include:
- Category 8 properties (35,000 points) often exceed $1,000/night
- Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme
- Park Hyatt Sydney
- Park Hyatt New York
- Category 4 properties (15,000 points) often exceed $400/night and perfect for free night certificates
- Hyatt Centric Murano Venice
- Thompson Washington DC
- Hyatt Regency Tokyo
All-Inclusive Resorts
- Hyatt Zilara/Ziva properties from 20,000-30,000 points/night
- Includes all food, beverages, and activities
- No resort fees on award stays
- Properties in Mexico, Caribbean, and Cap Cana
Remember to check cash rates before transferring points, and consider using the Chase portal for non-Hyatt hotels when cash rates are low.
Flights
Finding the right transfer partner for your specific route can often triple the value of your points. Here are some of the best award sweet spots available when you transfer your Chase points, focusing on routes with consistent availability and exceptional value.
Premium Cabins to Japan
- One-way ANA First/Business Class via Virgin Atlantic
- First Class: 72,000 points from west coast or 85,000 points from east coast
- Business Class: 52,500 points from west coast or 60,000 points from east coast
- Low fuel surcharges
- Must call Virgin to book
Flights to Europe
- Air France/KLM: From 18,700 points one-way in economy and 60,000 points one-way in business class
- Air Canada: Business Class (on partner airlines): 70,000 points one-way
- Iberia: Business Class: 34,000 points one-way off-peak to Madrid
Domestic & Short-haul Flights
- British Airways on American Airlines
- Flights under 651 miles: 8,250 points one-way
- Flights 652-1,151 miles: 11,000 points one-way
- United domestic routes: From 7,500 points one-way
Hawaii Sweet Spots
- West Coast to Hawaii on American Airlines via British Airways: 13,000 points one-way
- United flights via Turkish Airlines: 10,000 points one-way
Other Redemptions
While other redemption options exist (cash back, Pay Yourself Back, gift cards, Amazon purchases), these typically offer significantly lower value than transfer partners or even portal bookings. We recommend saving your points for travel redemptions to get maximum value.
Key Takeaways
Best Ways to Earn
- Optimal card combination: Sapphire Preferred, Freedom Flex, Ink Business Unlimited
- Total annual fee: $95
- Potential welcome bonuses: 155,000 points (350,000+ in two-player mode)
- Use each card for its bonus categories
Best Ways to Redeem
- Transfer to partners for premium cabin flights
- Book Hyatt luxury hotels and all-inclusive properties
- Use the Chase portal when cash prices are low
- Always compare portal vs transfer pricing
Top Sweet Spots
- ANA First/Business Class via Virgin Atlantic
- Hyatt luxury properties at 25,000-35,000 points
- Air France/KLM, Air Canada, Iberia for flights to/from Europe
- Short-haul flights through British Airways
- United domestic flights
- Flights to/from Hawaii via Turkish Airlines and British Airways
Download the transfer partners reference sheet and subscribe to the newsletter to stay updated on the latest sweet spots and redemption opportunities.
Phillip founded Hacking Your Finances after reaching financial independence in 2024 and leaving his corporate career to follow his passion for helping others optimize their finances. Combining his love for personal finance and travel hacking with years of professional expertise, he provides practical strategies to help readers maximize credit card rewards and achieve their financial goals.
