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Our pick for earning Chase Ultimate Rewards: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
60,000-point
Signup bonus after spending $4,000 in first 3 months
There are four basic ways to redeem Chase points using your Chase Ultimate Rewards account on your dashboard. Note that some redemption options depend on your Chase credit card.
The new Pay Yourself Back feature allows you to redeem your points on certain eligible categories you’ve purchased within the last 90 days. Depending on the card you have, your points redeemed this way will be worth anywhere from 1 cent to 1.50 cents per point, aligning with the same value as if you had redeemed those points on travel through the Chase travel portal. This is an excellent redemption option in many cases and is especially helpful considering travel is still a risky and low priority for most consumers. This feature is only available to cardholders until September 30, 2021.
The cashback and gift card redemption options both offer a straightforward value of one cent per point. For example, you can redeem 5,000 points for $50 cash back on your account. Similarly, a $15 gift card would cost 1,500 points.
The exception here is on gift cards, which often go on sale through Chase’s gift card portal. You can check out current sales by clicking on Gift Cards or Deals.
For example, a 10% off sale on gift cards could bring your point value to about 1.1 cent per point.
There are two redemption options for making purchases through Chase’s shopping portal: Amazon and Apple. However, points redeemed through Amazon and Apple are downgraded to about 0.8 cents per point.
If you really want to use points on an Apple or Amazon product, check for limited-time promotions for added point value.
You can fly to Asia, North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Oceania using the Chase travel portal. You’ll also find no blackout dates or travel restrictions when booking with the Chase travel portal, which is a great benefit.
This is a great use of your points, with a caveat — the value of your points depends on the card you’re using to redeem your flight.
| Chase card | Redemption value per point |
|---|---|
| 1.25 cents per point |
| 1.5 cents per point |
| 1 cent per point |
Data obtained March 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.
Based on these values, redeeming your points for travel is only worth it if you have a Chase card that earns additional value upon redemption — preferably the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Here’s an example. If you wanted to fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Honolulu (HNL), a nonstop, basic economy flight on United might cost $296.20. Normally that would cost 29,620 points, giving you a 1-cent-per-point redemption rate. But with a product like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which gives you a 25% point boost when you redeem for travel through the Chase portal, you can book the flight for 23,696 points.
Transferring points to one of Chase’s travel partners is by far the best use of your Ultimate Rewards points, provided you’re comfortable putting in a little work. To transfer points, you’ll need one of Chase’s premium credit cards.
For example, you can often find United fares with solid redemption rates. A flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (EWR) might normally cost $307, but a Saver Award might cost 25,000 miles plus $11.20 in taxes in fees. Excluding fee calculations, you’ll get a redemption rate around 1.2 cents per mile.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card are essential for redeeming points for best value. They are the only cards you can use to transfer points to partnered airlines and redeem through the Chase travel portal for increased value. You can also transfer points earned on other Chase cards to one of these premium cards before redemption.
Log in to your Chase Ultimate Rewards account, select the card to transfer points from, and click on Combine points. From there, you can select the number of points you want to move and which card will receive them.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to each partner at a straightforward 1:1 ratio, in increments of 1,000 points. However, once you’ve transferred your points, their value depends on the hotel or airline reward program. Here are the current average point values based on research for our reward program guides.
The reward values below are estimates, taken as the average you’ll likely find when redeeming points or miles with the respective programs.
| Travel partner | Value per point/mile |
|---|---|
| Aer Lingus AerClub | Between 1 and 2 cents |
| Air France KLM Flying Blue | 2 |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1.4 |
| Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | 1.7 |
| United MileagePlus | 1.4 |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1.5 |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 1.4 |
| Iberia Plus | Between 1 and 2 cents |
| British Airway Avios | 1.5 |
| World of Hyatt | 1.9 |
| IHG Rewards Club | 0.3 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 0.9 |
Data obtained March 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.
According to our valuations, Aer Lingus AerClub, Air France/KLM Flying Blue and Iberia Plus may offer some of the highest redemption values. At the same time, you may find fares that offer terrible values. To make sure you’re getting the most out of your miles, divide the dollar price of each fare by the number of miles you must use. The result will be the number of cents each mile is worth.
Airlines like United, Southwest, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways often give you solid value for your miles. If you find they can carry you to your destination, it can be well worth transferring your points to these carriers.
As far as hotels go, World of Hyatt is usually your best bet for point transfers. You can find some excellent deals through the program, potentially nabbing a superb 1.9-cent-per-point redemption rate.
The following cards can help you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
With two strong travel redemption options available, it can take a little research to figure out your best move for redeeming your points. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
There are many ways to maximize the value of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program if you’re willing to do a little research and have at least two cards. Set yourself up for success by applying for a premium Chase card before you start spending your points.
A good rewards option for those with average credit.
A strong cashback card if you want to build your credit score.
Pay for your rent fee-free using this card.
An underwhelming and overshadowed entertainment credit card.
Earn 5% back on REI purchases, but be prepared to wait for your rewards.
A solid card if you’re an American Eagle fanatic.
Reclaim your time with Luxury card’s concierge service.
Sam’s Club has a reputation for low prices — but just how much can you earn in cash back and rewards?
Earn up to 5% back for your Shop Your Way account.
You won’t find rewards on this store card.
