Unlocking Chase Ultimate Rewards: A Deep Dive into Their Best Points-Earning Cards
Travel enthusiasts often turn to Chase as their go-to choice for earning valuable rewards points, thanks to its versatile lineup of credit cards, generous earning rates, and excellent transfer partners. In this deep dive, we’ll explore everything you need to know about Chase's card offerings, how to maximize your points, and the best ways to redeem them for travel. Chase also offers cash back only, airline, and hotel branded cards, discover them here.
Why Choose Chase?
Chase has a reputation for offering some of the most flexible and lucrative travel rewards programs on the market. Whether you’re just starting your points and miles journey or are a seasoned pro, Chase’s suite of cards can help you earn points quickly and redeem them for unforgettable experiences around the world.
Here’s what sets Chase apart:
Ultimate Rewards Program: Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points that can be transferred to a range of travel partners or redeemed through the Chase travel portal.
Generous Signup Bonuses: Many Chase cards offer substantial bonus points when you meet the minimum spending requirements.
Flexible Transfer Options: Chase points can be transferred to a variety of airlines and hotels, giving you more options for your travel plans.
Variety of Card Options: Chase also offers cash back-only cards, as well as co-branded airline and hotel cards. These cards are not being discussed in this article, which focuses on Ultimate Rewards-earning options.
Let’s take a closer look at their card offerings, transfer partners, and redemption strategies.
Chase Card Offerings
Chase has a range of cards that cater to different spending habits and travel preferences. Here are some of the standout options:
1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Most Common Bonus Offer: Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months. (Occasionally, elevated offers of up to 80,000 points may be available.)
Earning Rates: 2x points on travel and dining, 1x on all other purchases.
Annual Fee: $95
Why It’s Great: This card is often considered the best starting point for those new to earning travel rewards. It offers a solid return on travel and dining, plus flexible redemption options.
2. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Most Common Bonus Offer: Earn 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months. (Sometimes, offers may be elevated to 60,000 points.)
Earning Rates: 3x points on travel and dining, 10x on Chase Dining and Lyft rides, 1x on everything else.
Annual Fee: $550
Why It’s Great: For more serious travelers, the Sapphire Reserve provides higher earning rates and additional perks like Priority Pass lounge access, travel insurance, and no foreign transaction fees.
3. Chase Freedom Flex℠
Most Common Bonus Offer: Earn $200 (equivalent to 20,000 points) after spending $500 in the first three months. (Occasionally, you might see elevated offers that include additional earning categories.)
Earning Rates: 5% on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter), 3% on dining and drugstores, 1% on everything else.
Annual Fee: $0
Why It’s Great: Pair this no-fee card with a Sapphire card, and you can maximize your earning potential across different categories. Points earned on the Freedom Flex can be transferred to Ultimate Rewards if you also have a Sapphire card.
4. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Most Common Bonus Offer: Earn $200 (equivalent to 20,000 points) after spending $500 in the first three months. (Look out for occasional promotions where you can earn elevated cash back or points in specific categories.)
Earning Rates: 1.5% cash back (or 1.5x points) on every purchase with no limit.
Annual Fee: $0
Why It’s Great: This card’s simple, flat earning rate makes it an excellent choice for everyday spending. When combined with a Sapphire card, you can transfer these points to travel partners for more value.
5. Chase Original Freedom
Earning Rates: 5% cash back (or 5x points) on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter), 1% on everything else.
Annual Fee: $0
How to Get It: The original Chase Freedom card is no longer available for new applications, but you can still obtain it by downgrading an existing Sapphire card. This can be a strategic move if you want to maximize rewards on the rotating 5% categories without paying an annual fee.
Why It’s Great: Like the Freedom Flex, points earned on the original Freedom can be transferred to Ultimate Rewards if paired with a Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred card.
6. Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Most Common Bonus Offer: Earn 100,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first three months. (On rare occasions, this offer may be elevated.)
Earning Rates: 3x points on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising purchases (up to $150,000 per year), 1x on all other purchases.
Annual Fee: $95
Why It’s Great: This business card is ideal for entrepreneurs and business owners who want to earn rewards on common business expenses. Pairing it with a Sapphire card lets you transfer points to Chase Ultimate Rewards travel partners.
7. Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Most Common Bonus Offer: Earn $750 cash back (75,000 points) after spending $6,000 in the first three months. (Occasionally, there may be promotions offering more.)
Earning Rates: 5% cash back (or 5x points) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year; 2% on gas stations and restaurants (up to $25,000 combined per year); 1% on everything else.
Annual Fee: $0
Why It’s Great: This no-fee card can earn substantial rewards on specific business expenses. When paired with a Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred card, the cashback can be converted to Ultimate Rewards points, maximizing the benefits.
8. Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Most Common Bonus Offer: Earn $750 cash back (75,000 points) after spending $6,000 in the first three months. (Sometimes, there are promotions with higher bonuses or special offers on earning categories.)
Earning Rates: 1.5% cash back (or 1.5x points) on every purchase with no limit.
Annual Fee: $0
Why It’s Great: This card’s flat earning rate makes it an excellent choice for businesses with diverse expenses. Like the Ink Business Cash, pairing it with a Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred card allows you to transfer points to travel partners.
Important Note: To maximize the value of your points, pair the Freedom and Ink cards with one of the UR-earning cards like the Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred. This allows you to transfer points to travel partners, significantly boosting their value.
How to Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be earned in a variety of ways, making them one of the most accessible and valuable rewards currencies. Here’s how you can maximize your earning potential:
Sign Up for Multiple Chase Cards: By combining the benefits of cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Freedom Flex, you can earn points across different categories.
Utilize Bonus Categories: Take advantage of the rotating 5x categories on the Freedom Flex card and the travel and dining multipliers on the Sapphire cards.
Refer Friends: Chase offers bonus points if you refer friends to sign up for certain cards.
Chase Transfer Partners
One of the key benefits of earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points is the ability to transfer them to travel partners. This gives you the flexibility to book flights and hotels directly with your favorite brands. Here are Chase’s 14 transfer partners:
Airlines:
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 MileagePlus
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Hotels:
IHG Rewards Club
Marriott Bonvoy
World of Hyatt
Pro Tip: Transferring points to travel partners often offers better value than redeeming through the Chase Travel Portal, especially when booking premium cabin flights or high-end hotels.
How to Redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Chase offers multiple redemption options, but not all of them provide the same value. Here’s how you can get the most out of your points:
1. Transfer Points to Travel Partners
This is usually the best way to maximize the value of your points. For example, you can often find great deals on international flights by transferring points to United MileagePlus or British Airways Executive Club.
2. Book Through the Chase Travel Portal
Points are worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed through the Chase Travel Portal if you have a Sapphire Preferred card, and 1.5 cents each with the Sapphire Reserve. This option allows you to book flights, hotels, and even car rentals directly without worrying about availability restrictions.
3. Redeem for Cash Back or Gift Cards
While this option offers more flexibility, it generally provides a lower value (1 cent per point). It can still be a good choice if you don’t have travel plans in the near future.
Final Thoughts
Chase’s suite of rewards cards provides a fantastic opportunity for travelers to earn valuable points and miles. Whether you’re looking to rack up points on everyday spending, take advantage of generous signup bonuses, or use strategic point transfers to maximize value, Chase has a card (or combination of cards) that can help you achieve your travel goals.
By understanding how to earn, transfer, and redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can unlock a world of travel possibilities. So, if you’re serious about travel hacking, it’s time to dive into the Chase ecosystem and start planning your next adventure.