Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are some of the most valuable and flexible rewards out there. They’re my personal favorite because not only are they very strong for booking business and first class flights, but they’re also very useful for luxury hotel bookings. Understanding how to maximize these special points is essential if you wanna level up your travels, so let’s explore the best ways to do just that.
The Best Ways To Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points
There are many credit cards out there that earn these points, but it’s important to choose the right cards since some Chase cards earn cash back instead of the transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points we’re looking for. Here are the best ways to earn:
- Welcome Bonuses – A great way to get a huge boost of points while opening good cards that will take you further in the points and miles game:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – offers 60,000 points after meeting a minimum spend requirement.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® – Offers 60,000 points, with premium benefits.
- Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card – Provides 90,000 points after meeting the spending requirement.
- Category Bonuses – Certain Chase cards earn extra points on specific spending categories. Utilizing the right card for the right purchases can help you accumulate points faster:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – 2x points on travel and dining.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® – 3x points on travel and dining, plus 10x on certain hotel and car rentals booked through Chase Travel.
- Chase Freedom Flex® & Chase Freedom Unlimited® – Rotating 5% categories (Flex) and unlimited 1.5% cash back (convertible to Chase Ultimate Rewards® with a Sapphire card).
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card – 3x points on business-related purchases like travel, shipping, and digital advertising.
- Referral Bonuses – always an excellent source of points year after year. Become the “points person” in your circle of friends/family/coworkers and you can send them your link when they want to apply for any new cards. Earning you 10-40k points per referral.
- Chase Offers – Chase often provides special deals via its Chase Offers section, where you can earn extra points or cash back on purchases at select merchants
- Business Spend – Business owners can take advantage of Chase Ink cards to rack up points on essential expenses like advertising, office supplies, and travel
Redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards® for Max Value
The best way to redeem these points is by transferring them to travel partners. Chase has many of these, both airlines and hotels, allowing you to get a much better deal than redeeming through the portal. And when you learn to use them correctly, you can go beyond the airlines mentioned here and book a whole other selection of airlines, basically unlocking most of the major airlines around the world. Here’s an example of some of the most valuable partners:
- Airline Partners: United Airlines,, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Avios, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Emirates Skywards, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Hotel Partners: World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, IHG Rewards Club
For example, a business class flight that costs $5,000 in cash might only require 70,000 Chase points when transferred to the right airline partner (which may not always be the one actually operating the flight)
If you don’t want to deal with transfer partners, you can book travel directly through the Chase Travel Portal, but you should always make sure the value is as good or better than transferring to partners. Even though this may be the easier option, it’s not always the most valuable, but can work out when cash rates are very low and you really don’t want to spend your cash.
Whatever you do, you shouldn’t redeem these points for cash back or gift cards, this will be much lower value than everything else and should be avoided.
Step-By-Step Plan to Maximizing Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Want to start traveling in luxury for free? Follow this simple strategy:
- Apply for the Right Cards – Start with a Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Sapphire Reserve® to unlock Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Hit the Welcome Bonus – Ensure you meet the spending requirement to earn your sign-up bonus.
- Maximize Category Bonuses – Use the right card for dining, travel, and rotating categories.
- Refer Friends for Extra Points – Take advantage of referral bonuses for easy extra points.
- Use Transfer Partners for Travel – Always aim to transfer points to airlines and hotels for premium redemptions.
- Leverage Chase Offers & Promotions – Keep an eye on Chase Offers and special bonus categories.
Final Thoughts
Chase Ultimate Rewards® are one of the most powerful travel currencies out there. Whether you’re looking to fly in premium cabins like business and first class, or stay in top-tier hotels and resorts around the world, learning how to earn and redeem these incredible points strategically is the key.
By using the right cards, maximizing all bonuses, and leveraging travel partners, you’ll definitely unlock some of the most beautiful travel experiences in the world at a fraction of the cost.
See you in first class 😉
-Andy