Chase Ultimate Rewards®: Earning and Redeeming Chase Points
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Chase Ultimate Rewards® is one of the most popular credit card rewards programs for frequent travelers, and it's easy to see why. Not only can you rack up points quickly with a Chase travel credit card that earns these points, but you have multiple options for redeeming. You can turn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points into cash back, merchandise, gift cards, travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, or even 1:1 point transfers to a number of Chase airline and hotel partners.
Before you dive into this program, you should learn more about all the Chase credit cards that let you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. Read on to find out what Chase points are worth, which airline and hotel partners you can transfer them to, and some of the best ways to redeem your rewards.
Chase Ultimate Rewards® quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Earning points | Earn points with seven cards, including the [data-lightrail id="92"]{name}[/data-lightrail], [data-lightrail id="1129"]{name}[/data-lightrail], and [data-lightrail id="1112"]{name}[/data-lightrail] |
| Redeeming points | Redeem for cash back (1 cent per point), gift cards, merchandise, travel through Chase or 1:1 point transfers to travel partners |
| Point value | 2 cents each when transferred to travel partners |
| Transfer partners? | 11 frequent flyer programs and three hotel loyalty programs, including Southwest, United and Hyatt |
| Pros | |
| Cons | |
How much are Chase points worth?
Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are one of the most valuable currencies around. We estimate points are worth around 2 cents apiece on average when transferred to a Chase travel partner.
However, the value of your points varies by the type of card you own and how you ultimately redeem your points:
- For most Chase cards, the Chase Ultimate Rewards® value is simple. They're worth 1 cent per point when used toward cash back, travel expenses and other items.
- However, things can get a bit more complicated with some of the cards in this program that offer additional ways to spend your points and can net you a better Chase rewards points value. The fee-based cards give you a 25% to 50% discount when redeeming Chase travel rewards, making the Ultimate Rewards points worth 1.25 to 1.5 cents per point.
- With annual fee Ultimate Rewards cards like the [data-lightrail id="92"]{name}[/data-lightrail], [data-lightrail id="1129"]{name}[/data-lightrail] and [data-lightrail id="1112"]{name}[/data-lightrail] , you can also transfer your Chase Sapphire rewards to partner loyalty programs where they can be worth around 2 cents each.
Value of 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points
Is Chase Ultimate Rewards® worth it?
The benefits of the Chase Ultimate Rewards® program are significant, especially when you compare this rewards program to comparable programs from American Express, Capital One and Citibank. The beauty of Chase Ultimate Rewards® is it offers the most flexible redemption options of these programs.
Here are a few reasons earning points with Chase is well worth the trouble:
- Points don't expire
- With a Chase travel credit card, you can transfer points at a 1:1 rate to 11 airlines and three hotel partners
- You can redeem points for cash back at a value of 1 cent per point
- Points are worth at least 25% to 50% more with annual fee cards
- You can transfer points from no-annual-fee cards to annual fee cards to boost their value
The extraordinary flexibility of Chase points makes the Chase Ultimate Rewards® program one of the most dynamic and easy to use. This is especially true when it comes to Chase transfer partners, which can be very valuable for both domestic and international travel.
Current Ultimate Rewards Transfer partners are:
Airline partners:
Hotel partners
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- British Airways Executive Club
- Emirates Skywards
- Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
- Iberia Plus
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
- United MileagePlus
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Airline partners:
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- British Airways Executive Club
- Emirates Skywards
- Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
- Iberia Plus
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
- United MileagePlus
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Hotel partners
- IHG Rewards Club
- Marriott Bonvoy
- World of Hyatt
Chase Ultimate Rewards® credit cards
If you want access to premium travel redemptions through Chase like point transfers, you'll need to have the [data-lightrail id="92"]{name}[/data-lightrail], [data-lightrail id="1129"]{name}[/data-lightrail] or the [data-lightrail id="1112"]{name}[/data-lightrail]. However, you can easily have more than one of these cards, and you can also pool rewards from Chase cash back credit cards to one of your travel card accounts to boost your rewards haul even further.
Each Chase credit card has its own unique advantages, however, so you'll want to compare them to find the right fit. [data-lightrail id="92"]
The {name}: The best option for most travelers
[affiliate-lightrail id="92" view="banner" /]Why we like it
The {name} will set you back {fee.annual.text} per year, yet its current welcome bonus more than covers that fee in the first year. Points also transfer to airline and hotel partners for premium travel redemptions, or you can get 25% more value when redeeming points through the Chase travel portal. [/data-lightrail] [data-lightrail id="1129"]
The {name}: The best premium travel card around
[affiliate-lightrail id="1129" view="banner" /]Why we like it
The {name} has a {fee.annual.text} annual fee, but offers many premium travel benefits to make up for that fee. On top of a terrific sign-up bonus, it comes with a $300 annual travel credit, a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership, a Priority Pass™ Select airport lounge membership (valued at $469) and more.
Points are worth 50% more when redeemed for travel through Chase, or they can transfer seamlessly to Chase airline and hotel partners. This card also features the most robust selection of travel insurance benefits of any travel credit card. [/data-lightrail] [data-lightrail id="1311"]
The {name}: A cashback credit card for optimizers
[affiliate-lightrail id="1311" view="banner" /]Why we like it
The {name} is the best option for cardholders who love to maximize their rewards each quarter. It gives you {rewardsRateDesc} Cardholders even get an introductory APR offer for purchases and balance transfers. [/data-lightrail]
The [data-lightrail id="990"]{name}[/data-lightrail]: The simplest way to earn Ultimate Rewards points
[affiliate-lightrail id="990" view="banner" /]Why we like it
The [data-lightrail id="990"]{name}[/data-lightrail] lets you earn the same flat rate on all your purchases, plus bonus rewards in a few categories. You'll [data-lightrail id="990"]{rewardsRateDesc}[/data-lightrail].
New customers can also earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases within three months of account opening. Cardholders get an intro APR for purchases and balance transfers, too.
[data-lightrail id="1112"]{name}: The best travel card for businesses
[affiliate-lightrail id="1112" view="banner" /]Why we like it
Business owners who travel will love the {name} for its huge welcome offer and high earnings on business purchases. It lets you {rewardsRateDesc}
The {fee.annual.text} annual fee is reasonable, and business owners can benefit from free employee cards. Cardholders even get travel perks like primary rental car coverage when renting a car for business purposes, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and cell phone protection, among other perks. [/data-lightrail] [data-lightrail id="80"]
{name}: High rewards rate on common business purchases
[affiliate-lightrail id="80" view="banner" /]Why we like it
The {name} offers superb cash rewards on business purchases for {fee.annual.text} annual fee. Cardholders {rewardsRateDesc} This business credit card also includes free employee cards and an introductory APR for purchases. [/data-lightrail] [data-lightrail id="1156"]
{name}: Simple rewards for businesses
[affiliate-lightrail id="1156" view="banner" /]Why we like it
The {name} keeps things simple for business owners by letting you {rewardsRateDesc}. There's {fee.annual.text} annual fee, and cardholders get an introductory APR for purchases. Perks include free employee cards, primary rental car coverage when renting a car for business purchases, purchase protection, extended warranties and more. [/data-lightrail]
What is the Chase 5/24 rule?
Before you apply for any of these cards, you should be aware of the Chase 5/24 rule — an unwritten rule that prevents you from opening more than five credit cards within the past 24 months. If you've opened too many cards recently — from any issuer — you won't be able to open a new Chase card (or earn the sign-up bonus on that card).
Other ways to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points
Beyond the sign-up bonuses, Chase has established multiple avenues for Chase credit cardholders to build up Ultimate Rewards points.
Chase Refer-A-Friend
Chase's Refer-A-Friend program offers credit card referral bonuses for each friend who signs up for a card. Here are the referral bonuses currently being offered:
Referral bonus offer | Details |
|---|---|
| Earn up to $500 cash back per year | $100 cash back for each person you refer to a participating [data-lightrail id="172"]{name}[/data-lightrail]. |
| Earn up to 75,000 bonus points per year | 15,000 bonus points for each person you refer to the [data-lightrail id="92"]{name}[/data-lightrail] |
| Earn up to 50,000 points per year | 10,000 points for each person you refer to the [data-lightrail id="1129"]{name}[/data-lightrail] |
Special Ultimate Rewards promotions
Chase offers special promotions and points-earning rates from time to time. If you wish to truly maximize your Ultimate Rewards points, keep an eye on your email and your Ultimate Rewards account for these promotions.
Also, keep an eye on the sign-up bonus for your card for the first 90 days after you sign up. If the offer increases, you can call in to request the new bonus amount, which Chase will often grant.
Buying gift cards
Many retailers, including office stores, carry a selection of gift cards that can be spent with other merchants. Purchasing gift cards from a merchant that falls under the bonus category can allow you to earn bonus points on purchases that otherwise wouldn’t qualify for a bonus — if the merchant allows you to purchase gift cards with a credit card.
For example, Staples, an office supply store that yields 5 points per dollar with the [data-lightrail id="80"]{name}[/data-lightrail], offers gift cards to places ranging from Starbucks to Home Depot. Many of these stores are not covered by the [data-lightrail id="80"]{name}[/data-lightrail]'s bonus categories.
Warning: Sometimes, purchasing a Chase gift card may be flagged as a cash advance. This is an extremely expensive transaction that comes with fees and a higher APR attached. After purchasing a gift card, make sure it is registered as a purchase, and not a Chase cash advance. If it went through as a cash advance, you will not receive any points and will only lose money.
Using the Chase Ultimate Rewards® Mall
The Chase Ultimate Rewards® Mall is another easy way to earn points when you shop with Chase. If you have a big purchase coming up, you can get anywhere between 1 extra point to 15 points per dollar depending on the store. The most common bonuses range between 1-2 points. The mall, or online shopping portal, includes hundreds of stores with brands ranging from Apple to Rite Aid and Walmart.
Clicking on one of the stores takes you to their respective online portals where you can complete your purchase as usual. Be careful that you don’t close the merchant’s website. If you do, you will have to go through the Chase portal once again to get the extra points.
The best ways to use Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Generally speaking, you’ll get the most value by redeeming Ultimate Rewards for travel, and there are two ways to go: redeeming points through the Chase travel portal or transferring your points to Chase’s travel partners.
Redeem for travel through the Chase travel portal
Redeeming your points for travel through the Chase travel portal is one of the best ways to get the most value out of your Ultimate Rewards.
With the annual fee Ultimate Rewards cards like the [data-lightrail id="92"]{name}[/data-lightrail], [data-lightrail id="1129"]{name}[/data-lightrail] and the [data-lightrail id="1112"]{name}[/data-lightrail], you’ll get a 25% to 50% discount when redeeming points for travel. That means your Ultimate Rewards points that are usually worth 1 cent per point get boosted to 1.25 or 1.5 cents per point.
As you can see in the screenshot below, the Westin Excelsior in Rome, Italy, would normally set you back $710 per night (including fees) in September of 2023. With the [data-lightrail id="1129"]{name}[/data-lightrail], however, this room will cost you 47,273 points.
Transfer to Chase travel partners
If you have an annual fee Chase Ultimate Rewards® card, redeeming points through one of the Chase transfer partners will give you the most bang for your buck. While the redemption rate varies by partner, we estimate you can get around 2 cents per point (and possibly more) by transferring to high-value partners.
We've sampled various travel itineraries from five Chase Ultimate Rewards® partners to show how powerful redeeming your rewards with Chase transfer points can be.
Program and Itinerary | Award type | Cash Price | Redemption | Point Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Airways New York (JFK) to London (LHR) | Economy round trip | $833.75 | 50,000 Avios + $200 | 1.27 cents |
| Business class round trip | $2,877.55 | 160,000 Avios + $700 | 1.36 cents | |
| United Airlines Chicago (ORD) to Aruba (AUA) | Economy round trip | $849 | 57,100 miles + $97.80 | 1.31 cents |
| Business class round trip | $2,437 | 100,000 miles + $90.05 | 2.34 cents | |
| Air France Flying Blue Chicago (ORD) to Berlin (BER) | Economy round trip | $659.75 | 39,000 miles + $261.25 | 1.02 cents |
| Business class round trip | $3,792.05 | 169,000 miles + $588.85 | 1.89 cents | |
| Virgin Atlantic Airways New York (JFK) to London (LHR) | Economy round trip | $818.75 | 20,000 points +$493.25 | 1.62 cents |
| Business class round trip | $2,981.35 | 95,000 points +$2,073.05 | 0.09 cents | |
| Hyatt Paris Madeleine | 1 queen bed | $871 | 30,000 points | 2.9 cents |
Other ways to use Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Cash back: Redeeming your points for cash back is among the most flexible options for using your Chase Ultimate Rewards® as you can use cash rewards to purchase anything you like. The value for cash redemptions with Ultimate Rewards (1 cent per point) is high compared with programs like Membership Rewards, which is an added bonus.
- Gift cards: Gift cards are another Ultimate Rewards redemption option. This one is pretty straightforward — you can use your points to buy gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point. However, Chase occasionally offers discounts for specific gift cards, which would offer you more value than the 1:1 rate.
- Pay with points at Amazon or with PayPal: By linking your Chase account to Amazon, you can use your Chase points to pay for purchases at checkout at a value of 0.8 cents per point.
Frequently asked questions
No, Chase points don't expire. Your Chase Ultimate Rewards® points will never expire as long as your account remains open. However, you will forfeit your points if you violate the terms of the Rewards Program Agreement, which includes things like fraudulent activity, bankruptcy and failure to pay.
Yes, you can have multiple Chase credit cards at the same time. Your spouse and other family members can also have their own Chase card accounts, even if they live at the same address.
Yes, you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points between your own accounts or to family members within the same household. While you were once able to add other household members to your Chase account online, you now have to call in with the number on the back of your card to make this happen.
Chase Ultimate Rewards® does not offer price matching at this time.
The timeline for point transfers varies, although most transfers are automatic. Chase also lists the transfer timeline on its website for each partner. For example, Chase says point transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan can take up to seven days.
Current Ultimate Rewards Transfer partners are: Aer Lingus AerClub, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Emirates Skywards, Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM, Iberia Plus, JetBlue TrueBlue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, IHG Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt.
Chase Ultimate Rewards® is a rewards program you earn points in through credit card spending. Thus, rewards earned in this program are nonrefundable.
These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
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How We Calculate Rewards: ValuePenguin calculates the value of rewards by estimating the dollar value of any points, miles or bonuses earned using the card less any associated annual fees. These estimates here are ValuePenguin's alone, not those of the card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer.
Example of how we calculate the rewards rates: When redeemed for travel through Ultimate Rewards, Chase Sapphire Preferred points are worth $0.0125 each. The card awards 2 points on travel and dining and 1 point on everything else. Therefore, we say the card has a 2.5% rewards rate on dining and travel (2 x $0.0125) and a 1.25% rewards rate on everything else (1 x $0.0125).