Key Takeaways
- Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the top credit card rewards programs thanks to Chase’s wide lineup of excellent cash back and travel rewards cards.
- If you have multiple Chase cards that earn Ultimate Rewards, you can pool and transfer points between cards. You can also pool points with another person in your household.
- Pooling points from a no-annual-fee cash-back card onto a premium travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® gives you a wider range of redemption options — including better redemption values through the Chase Travel℠ portal and access to hotel and airline transfer partners.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards program is one of the most flexible credit card rewards programs available -- and a strong competitor to American Express Travel. You can earn Chase Ultimate Rewards with select Chase credit cards, though you may be able to transfer rewards between certain Chase cards if one card qualifies for a boosted rewards rate.
There are a few ins and outs to getting the most out of your rewards, like paying close attention to redemption value and travel partner programs. But with the right strategy, Chase’s system can help you save on hotels and flights while giving you the flexibility to choose how, when and where you want to redeem your rewards.
Here’s everything you need to know about Chase’s Ultimate Rewards, plus how to earn and redeem them at the best value possible.
What are Chase Ultimate Rewards?
Chase Ultimate Rewards is a credit card rewards system where you can redeem any rewards you’ve earned for specific Chase cards.
You can redeem points for gift cards, cash back, travel, merchant purchases and transfer them to one of Chase’s travel partners. Some premium Chase cards also let you redeem your points at a 25% to 50% boosted rate, when you redeem them for travel through Chase Travel℠.
How you earn and redeem Chase’s Ultimate Rewards will depend on which Chase card you have and its redemption options.
Credit cards that offer Chase Ultimate Rewards
Currently, nine credit cards qualify for Chase Ultimate Rewards -- five personal credit cards and four business credit cards:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Chase Freedom Flex®*
- Chase Freedom Rise®️ Credit Card*
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Ink Business Premier® Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve - up to 1.5x per point
- Chase Sapphire Preferred - up to 1.25x per point
- Ink Business Preferred - up to 1.25x per point
- Aer Lingus
- Air Canada
- Air France KLM
- British Airways
- Emirates
- Iberia
- JetBlue
- Singapore Airlines
- Southwest
- United
- Virgin Atlantic
- IHG Rewards
- Marriott Bonvoy
- World of Hyatt
However, only three of these cards offer a boosted rate of 1.25 cents to 1.5 cents per point for travel redeemed through Chase Travel℠:
Chase’s rewards portal may still come in handy if you have a Chase cash-back card. However, your redemption options and value may vary.
Note: It's been widely reported among the points and miles community that the Ink Business Premier Ultimate Rewards points can't be combined with other cards, meaning they can't be transferred to travel partners and have limited redemption options.
How do you earn, pool and maximize your points with Chase Ultimate Rewards?
The key to maximizing your points with Chase Ultimate Rewards is to earn points with the card(s) that offer the highest rewards in your top spending categories and then pool your points onto a premium travel card to access more redemption options.
We break down how to do that below:
How to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards
If you have one of Chase’s tiered rewards credit cards, you can typically earn rewards from select categories at a higher rate.
For example, if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you can earn 3x on dining, takeout and delivery. If you spend $150 at a restaurant, you should earn 450 points on the meal. Generally, you’ll earn the most rewards on travel with the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve. But you can also earn points on purchases through the Shop through Chase® portal.
The best way to earn rewards is to choose a Chase card that aligns with your spending habits to earn rewards on purchases you’re already making. You may be able to pair two Chase cards together to earn more points. And you can add a Chase cash-back card to the mix to create a trifecta to earn even more rewards.
How to pool points with Chase Ultimate Rewards
If you have multiple Chase credit cards or if you and another household member both have Chase cards, you can combine or pool your rewards.
For instance, you could use the Freedom Flex to earn 5% cash back in the quarterly bonus category (on up to $1,500 in combined quarterly purchases, then 1%), then use the Sapphire Preferred to earn 2x points on travel.
You’ll then want to transfer the cashback from the Freedom Flex to your Sapphire Preferred account to redeem it as 1.25 cents per point when redeemed for travel through the Chase portal or to take advantage of the Sapphire Preferred’s transfer partners.
Since pooling and credit card policies have the tendency to change often, make it a habit to transfer your points every few weeks just in case you’re no longer to combine rewards in the future.
If you’re transferring points between two of your own cards, you can do it easily in your Chase account. If you’re transferring points to another person, you’ll need the last name and credit card number for the account you’re transferring to. And the account holders must be household members.
You may also be able to pool points from co-branded Chase cards, but it’s best to check your credit card agreement first to know your redemption value and any limitations. If you plan to open multiple credit cards for more rewards and perks, remember Chase’s 5/24 rule -- you can’t have five or more new credit card accounts opened within 24 months, regardless of the card issuer. So it’s best to time your applications strategically.
What's the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards?
How much your Chase points are worth depends on the credit card and how you redeem them. Here are some points valuations for common redemption methods.
Chase Travel portal
Typically, you’ll get the best value out of your points if you redeem them for travel with a premium (annual-fee-charging) card. Depending on your card, your points are worth 1 cent to 1.50 cents when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel℠.
| Chase credit card | Point value |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 1.50 cents |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | 1.25 cents |
| Chase Ink Business Preferred | 1.25 cents |
| Chase Freedom Flex | 1 cent |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | 1 cent |
| Ink Business Unlimited | 1 cent |
| Ink Business Cash | 1 cent |
Travel partners
You may also get a good deal when you redeem your rewards with a Chase travel partner -- which you can access only if you have the Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or Ink Business Preferred card.
Here’s a list of all 14 travel partners Chase offers. Keep in mind that booking through Chase is still a good option if your preferred hotel or airline isn’t on the list.
Hotel partners include:
It’s best to check the travel partner’s point ratio before booking. Partners redeem rewards at different rates, which sometimes makes your hard-earned points worth less when transferring them.
Dining
You can also redeem your Chase points through the Chase Dining portal. You can redeem your rewards for takeout and other culinary experiences, such as a once-in-a-lifetime dinner at select restaurants in your area.
Amazon purchases
You can also use your points to pay for eligible Amazon.com purchases. However, one point will be worth $0.008. That’s far less than redeeming for travel or statement credits. As an example, if you redeem 500 points toward an Amazon purchase, your redemption value will be $4. If you redeem the same 500 points for cash back with Chase, you’ll get $5 since it’s worth 1 cent per point.
Gift cards and statement credits
If you redeem points for gift cards, through the Apple® Ultimate Rewards Store or via a statement credit with Chase, they’re typically worth 1 cent per point. It’s still a good value if you don’t want to pay out of pocket for a purchase, such as headphones or a new computer. You also may be able to redeem your points for cash back at a rate of 1 cent per point.
Read more: Best Travel Credit Cards for February 2023
The bottom line
Chase Ultimate Rewards offers a flexible way to redeem your points and lets you pool points together to potentially increase their value.
Chase has a wide selection of annual fee-charging and no-annual-fee cards to help maximize your earnings no matter your budget, but to get the most value when redeeming your rewards for travel, you’ll need an annual-fee-charging travel card.
If you’d rather earn rewards without paying an annual fee, you might prefer the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card. You won’t have to worry about offsetting the annual charge, and the card will still come in handy if you add a premium card later.
*All information about the Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Rise®️ Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
