Here's How to Make Your Chase Freedom Unlimited Points Worth 50% More

With the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees), it doesn't take long to earn rewards. It earns a base rate of 1.5%, but it also earns 3% on dining and at drugstores, plus a whopping 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel.

Even though this is a cash back card, it technically earns points. You can redeem them at a rate of $0.01 per point for cash back. That's a good deal, but there's a way to make it much better. If you don't mind opening another Chase card, you can get 50% more value.

This is a big difference. If you have 50,000 Chase points, they'd be worth $500 at the standard rate of $0.01 per point. With that extra 50%, they'd be worth $750. Here's how to make it happen.

How to maximize the value of your Chase points

The secret to getting more from your Chase points is opening the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. When you have multiple Chase cards, you can move points from one card to another. And with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, points are worth 50% when you redeem them for travel through Chase.
>> Apply now for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card. <<

Now, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® isn't cheap. It's a premium travel card with a $550 annual fee. But it also includes a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access, and over $1,200 in value through partnership benefits. If you travel often, it can easily save you more money than the annual fee costs.

If you have both of these Chase credit cards, here's how to transfer your points:

• Log in to your Chase Ultimate Rewards account.
• Select the card with the points you want to transfer (in this case, your Chase Freedom Unlimited®).
• Open the "Rewards details" drop-down menu, and then select "Combine points."
• Choose the card with the points and the card where you want to send them.
• Enter the number of points you want to transfer, and submit it.

These transfers process immediately. After that, you can book travel using your points in the Chase Travel portal. Look for the travel option on the top menu, and then select "Book travel."

By the way, Chase travel cards also give you another option that its cash back cards don't. They allow you to transfer points to Chase travel partners. It has quite a few airline and hotel partners, including Hyatt, United, and Southwest Airlines. You can sometimes get even more value by transferring your points to a Chase partner, and then booking travel with that partner's loyalty program.

>> Apply now for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card. <<

A cheaper way to get more from your Chase points

It's understandable if you don't want to pay a $550 annual fee for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. The card's annual fee is worth it for some people, but not for everyone. It depends on how much you travel and if you can use its benefits.

Fortunately, Chase has a more affordable option in the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It has a $95 annual fee. With this card, points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel through Chase. If you have 50,000 points, they'd be worth $625 instead of $500. That's already more than the $95 annual fee, and this Chase card has plenty of other perks that could also save you money.

>> Apply now for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card. <<

If you don't travel that much, then you may want to stick with using your Chase Freedom Unlimited® as a cash back credit card. But if you go on trips every year, consider adding either the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to your wallet. Each of them start you off with big welcome offers, giving you the opportunity to earn bonus points. You'll also be able to get more value from all the Chase points you've earned so far and going forward.