Chase Ultimate Rewards points are my favorite type of point currency. They are simple to earn, easy to use and help me save a ton of money on travel expenses!

If you are a little hesitant to start using points because you just don’t really understand how they work, you aren’t alone.  I hear so many people tell me they would love to save some money on travel but just don’t understand how to use points to do it.  If that sounds like you then you are in the right place.

In this post, I’ll show you how to use Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to save big money on travel!

How To Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Points- Credit Cards

Before we get to the best ways to use Chase points, let’s talk about how to earn them. To earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you first need to have the right credit card.  The Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Ink Business Preferred cards all earn Ultimate Rewards points.

The Chase Freedom, Freedom Unlimited and Chase Ink Business Cash are cash back cards.  However, once you have one of the premium cards (Chase Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred), the points you earn on these cash back cards can be turned into Ultimate Rewards points!

Chase Sapphire Preferred:

• 50,000 point bonus after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months – worth at least $625!
• $95 annual fee, waived the first year
• 2x points on travel and dining
• Points worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed through the Ultimate Rewards Portal or transfer 1:1 to travel partners

Chase Sapphire Reserve:

• 50,000 point bonus after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months – worth at least $750!
• $450 annual fee
• 3x points on travel and dining
• Points worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed through the Ultimate Rewards Portal or transfer 1:1 to travel partners
• $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass Membership, Trip and Car Rental Insurance, TSA Pre Check or Global Entry Fee Credit

The Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve are considered different products so you can earn the bonus on both cards.  For more about these 2 cards see Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Chase Freedom Unlimited: 

• $150 or 15,000 point bonus after $500 spend in the first 3 months
• No Annual Fee
• 1.5% Cash Back on all purchases (or 1.5x  points if you have a premium card also)
• If you also have a premium Ultimate Rewards earning card (like the Sapphire or Ink) you can transfer your cash back into Ultimate Rewards points which can make them more valuable

Chase Freedom:

• $150 or 15,000 point bonus after $500 spend in the first 3 months
• No Annual Fee
• 5% Cash Back on rotating categories (or 5x  points if you have a premium card also)
• If you also have a premium Ultimate Rewards earning card (like the Sapphire or Ink) you can transfer your cash back into Ultimate Rewards points which can make them more valuable

The Chase Freedom and Freedom Unlimited are considered different products so you can earn the bonus on both cards.  For more on these 2 cards see Chase Freedom vs Freedom Unlimited.

Chase Ink Business Preferred

• 80,000 point bonus after $5,000 spend in the first 3 months
• $95 annual fee
• 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year
• Cell Phone Protection, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Purchase Protection
• Points worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed through the Ultimate Rewards Portal or you can transfer to travel partners

Chase Ink Business Cash

• $300 or 30,000 point bonus after $3,000 spend in the first 3 months
• No Annual Fee
• 5% Cash Back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services each account anniversary year (can be transferred into Ultimate Rewards Points if you also have a premium card)
• 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year (can be transferred into Ultimate Rewards Points if you also have a premium card)
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases (can be transferred into Ultimate Rewards Points if you also have a premium card)
• Travel Accident Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Baggage Delay Insurance, Purchase Protection

Pro Tip: Maximize Your Point Earnings By Shopping Through Chase’s Shopping Portal — Guide To Maximizing Points Through Shopping Portals.

How To Use Chase Ultimate Rewards Points – Chase Travel Portal

Chase points can be used to book travel directly through the Chase Travel Portal. Points are worth 1.25 cents each unless you hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve, then you will get 1.5 cents per point.  This is a super easy way to use your Chase points – you aren’t tied down to Chase’s travel partners and you don’t need to find award availability.

It works like any other online travel agency (think: Expedia, Orbitz) but you can use your points to pay instead of cash.  There is also the option to split your purchase between your points and a credit card — a great option if you don’t have enough points for your chosen redemption.

When you book through this portal, you will earn airline miles or hotel points as you would on a revenue booking, however many hotels and airlines will not recognize any status you may have.

How To Use The Chase Travel Portal

In your online Ultimate Rewards account select Use Points>Explore & Book Travel

Search for travel just as you would do on any other online travel agency like Expedia or Orbitz. You will be able to view the price in dollars and points.

How To Use Chase Ultimate Rewards Points – Transfer Points To Partners

The second way to use your Chase Ultimate Rewards points is to transfer them to one of Chase’s partners.  In many instances you can get far more than the 1.25 or 1.5 cents per points you will get booking travel directly through the Chase Travel Portal.

Once you transfer points out of Chase they can not be re-transferred back so be sure to check award availability with your chosen airline or hotel chain before transferring your points.  Most transfers are instant.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer 1:1 to 9 different airlines and 4 hotel partners:

How To Transfer Your Chase Ultimate Rewards Points To A Transfer Partner

Transferring your Chase Ultimate Rewards points is easy.  In your online Ultimate Rewards account click on Use Points > Transfer To Travel Partners. 

From here you will be able to see all of the available transfer partners. Select the airline or hotel program you would like to transfer your points to.

Click on Transfer Points then fill in your frequent flyer or hotel membership number and select how many points you would like to transfer.  Most transfers are instant.

With so many ways to earn points and so many ways to redeem, Chase points are one of the most versatile and flexible point currencies available. Now that you know how to use Chase Ultimate Rewards Points, where will your points take you?

Happy Travels!

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