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Chase Ultimate Rewards Explained: Your Guide to Earning Big

Updated
Brooklyn Sprunger
Author: Brooklyn Sprunger
Brooklyn Sprunger
Brooklyn Sprunger

Brooklyn leads the content team behind product reviews and ratings at Motley Fool Money, ensuring readers get well-researched, expert-backed insights to make smarter financial decisions. With nearly seven years working full-time in financial content -- four of them at The Motley Fool -- she has developed a deep passion for personal finance, from investing strategies to everyday money management. Her financial goals include buying a house and planning as many trips as her budget allows. In her free time, you’ll likely find her listening to a pop culture podcast or telling anyone who will listen to get a high-yield savings account.

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I've been a Chase cardmember for over five years now, and without a doubt, the Ultimate Rewards points are where the real value lies. Every time I swipe my card on things I'm already buying (groceries, flights, my 3 p.m. coffee), I'm earning points I can use for travel, cash back, or even gift cards.

Below, I'll break down everything you need to know about Chase Ultimate Rewards points and some tips I've picked up along the way to help you make the most of your spending.

How Chase Ultimate Rewards points work

What are Chase Ultimate Rewards?

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are points you earn back when you use qualifying Chase credit cards. Think of them like loyalty currency you get every time you use your Chase card. What sets them apart is how easy they are to use and how valuable they can be, especially if you redeem them the right way.

Cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points

Not all Chase cards earn Ultimate Rewards points, but those in the Sapphire, Freedom, and Ink families do. Here are the most popular:

Chase Sapphire cards

As of Apr. 30, 2025
Image for
Image for
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 bonus points

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 bonus points

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠.

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Intro APR:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR:

19.99% - 28.24% Variable

Regular APR:

20.24% - 28.74% Variable

Annual Fee:

$95

Annual Fee:

$550

Highlights:

  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
  • 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
  • Member FDIC

Highlights:

  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
  • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Member FDIC
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

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Chase Freedom cards

As of Apr. 30, 2025
Image for
Image for
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Chase Freedom Flex®
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Chase Freedom Flex®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening

Earn $200 cash back

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening!

$200 bonus

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases

1.5% - 5% cash back

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.

5% cash back offer

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months

Regular APR:

18.99% - 28.49% Variable

Regular APR:

18.99% - 28.49% Variable

Annual Fee:

$0

Annual Fee:

$0

Highlights:

  • Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
  • Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
  • Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% - 28.49%.
  • No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
  • Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
  • Member FDIC

Highlights:

  • Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
  • 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
  • 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
  • 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99%-28.49%.
  • No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card
  • Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
  • Member FDIC
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Chase Freedom Flex®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

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Chase Ink Business cards

As of Apr. 30, 2025
Image for
Image for
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Apply Now for Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn 90,000 bonus points

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn $750 bonus cash back

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases-with no limit to the amount you can earn.

Earn 3 points per $1 in select business categories

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business

Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 12 months

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR:

20.24% - 26.24% Variable

Regular APR:

17.49% - 23.49% Variable

Annual Fee: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$95

Annual Fee:

$0

Highlights:

  • Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
  • Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
  • Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
  • With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
  • Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
  • Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
  • Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
  • Member FDIC

Highlights:

  • Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
  • No Annual Fee
  • Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
  • Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
  • With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
  • Member FDIC
Apply Now for Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Show More Arrow graphic to expand and collapse content Show Less Arrow graphic to expand and collapse content

Can you have more than one of these cards?

Yep, if you have multiple qualifying Chase cards, you can combine your points to increase their value, like pairing Chase Freedom Unlimited's (see rates and fees) everyday earnings with Chase Sapphire Preferred's (see rates and fees) better travel redemptions.

Ways to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Sign-up bonuses

One of the best ways to kickstart your points is through sign-up bonuses. Most Chase cards offer a set number of bonus points when you meet a minimum spend requirement in the first few months. Depending on the current sign-up bonus, the points can easily be worth hundreds of dollars (and often more) when redeemed for travel. I used my sign-up bonus on a free flight to Cabo, so let's just say I know a thing or two about getting some value out of this.

Chase Sapphire Preferred's highest ever limited time offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. We estimate this bonus to be worth up to $750 in Chase Travel℠ value. Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card now.

Everyday spending

This is the easy one. Once you've got your card, use it for your everyday spending and start racking up points. Each card has its own bonus categories. Here are the highlights:

  • Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 3% on drugstores, restaurants, takeout, and eligible food delivery, 1.5% on all other purchases outside bonus categories
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3X on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees): 3x on other travel and dining (but 5x on air travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually)
  • Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees): 5% on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (this can include popular categories like groceries and gas)

Using Chase offers and Shop Through Chase

Inside your Chase account, you'll find rotating offers that give you bonus points or extra cash back at specific retailers. I recently got 10% cash back from H&R Block after filing my taxes. $129 to file my taxes, $12.90 back into my account.

You can also use the Shop Through Chase portal to earn extra points when you shop online at stores like Apple, Nike, or Sephora. It's basically free points, so if you're going to shop anyway, it's worth checking.

Referral bonuses

Chase often gives referral bonuses when you invite a friend to apply for a card you already have. These range from 10,000 to 20,000 points per referral, and you can get up to 100,000 points in referrals per year. (Enter me shamelessly plugging in everyone I know.)

Business spending

If you're a small business owner (or freelancer), the Chase Ink Business Preferred (see rates and fees) or other Ink cards can help you earn points fast on common business expenses like advertising, shipping, and internet services. Stack that with a welcome bonus and you could earn six figures in points in your first year.

Best ways to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Transfer to travel partners

Transferring your points to travel partners, including hotels and airlines, is often the best way to get the highest value from your points. Chase partners with top airline and hotel programs including: United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, and British Airways Avios. They transfer at a 1:1 ratio, and it's a great way to book high-value trips without using cash.

My husband recently needed to book a last-minute United flight that was going to cost $782. When I checked the Chase Travel portal, my 20,000 points would only cover $250 of that cost.

But through United's MileagePlus program, the same flight cost 30,000 miles. He already had 10,000, so I transferred 20,000 Chase points to his United account, and boom, he had enough to book the flight entirely with points. That transfer saved us $782 and used the same number of points I would've spent for just a $250 discount in the portal.

If you're flexible and willing to check airline award availability, transferring points can offer double or even triple the value compared to cash redemptions.

Chase Ultimate Rewards screen showing points transferred to partners

Book through Chase Travel portal

You can also use your points to book flights, hotels, and more directly through the Chase Travel portal. Most of the time, the prices in Chase Travel will be similar to what you'll find on the airline's or hotel's website, but you'll earn extra value there if you have a Sapphire card:

  • Chase Sapphire Preferred: Points are worth 1.25x
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve: Points are worth 1.5x

This is a great option if you don't want to deal with transfer partners or if you find a solid deal through the portal. I do all of my travel booking through the portal whether I'm paying with points or not, just to get those extra points values.

Cash back and gift cards

Sometimes you just need some extra cash on hand. You can redeem points for $0.01 each (so $1 is equal to 100 points) as cash back or for gift cards to popular brands. This isn't the highest-value option, but it's a nice fallback if travel isn't on your radar right now.

For example, I have 11,502 points in my account right now. I could cash that out to $115.02 if I needed it. But, if I spend that in the Chase Travel portal instead, they're worth $143.78, offering $28.76 more in value.

Chase Ultimate Rewards screen showing points redemption options

TIP

Heads up:

Don't cash out your points unless you really need to. Travel redemptions almost always give you better value.

How to maximize your Chase points

Pairing cards for more value

One of the best strategies is to pair a no annual fee card with a higher-end card. My favorite combo is the Chase Freedom Unlimited for everyday purchases (1.5% cash back on non-category purchases), and the Chase Sapphire Preferred for travel and dining (2X-5X points).

Then you can combine your Freedom Unlimited Points with your Sapphire Preferred points and redeem them with Chase Sapphire Preferred's higher redemption value, while still only paying $95 in annual fees.

Avoid these common mistakes

  • Don't cash out if you don't need it: It's tempting to take your points out as cash, but travel redemptions can double your point value. Avoid cashing out if you don't really need the money immediately.
  • Check partner values before transferring: Some partners (like Hyatt) offer incredible value, while others may not. Always double check the value in the Chase Travel portal vs. the partner's website, and determine which is the better value.
  • Don't lose your points: If you close a card without using or transferring your points first, you'll lose them. If you're planning to close a card, transfer or spend your points before you do so.

Who should get a Chase Ultimate Rewards card?

Anyone looking for flexibility with points should consider one of the Chase Ultimate Rewards cards. Especially if you're a frequent traveler, the value can be insane. Plus, it's one of the easiest programs to earn rewards and to redeem them. Once you get the hang of it, it's honestly fun.

Why Chase points are worth it

I've saved thousands of dollars using points I earned on everyday spending. They're valuable, flexible, and easy to use, and I'd recommend these cards to anyone who wants to get more out of their money.

If you're ready to explore, compare your options with our list of the Best Chase Cards.

FAQs

  • Points don't expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. If you close a card without transferring or using your points, you'll lose them.

  • The Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Chase Freedom Unlimited are my favorites for earning rewards points. If you own a business, Chase Ink Business Preferred is also a strong option.

  • Yes, but with limits. You can transfer points to a spouse or household member who is also a Chase cardholder. You can also move points between your own personal and business accounts.