Updated
Fact Checked
Eric McWhinnie
Nothing lasts forever -- and that often includes credit card rewards. Few things sting like watching your hard-earned points or miles disappear on an arbitrary expiration date, so it's important to know the issuer's policy ahead of time.
It can be especially important with valuable, transferable currency like Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. If you have a stash of Ultimate Rewards® points, here's what you need to know about their expiration.
Do Chase Ultimate Rewards® points ever expire?
The simple answer is no. Chase Ultimate Rewards® points never expire. You can't lose them just because they've been sitting around for years.
However, there is a caveat. You need to have an open credit card in good standing that earns Ultimate Rewards® points. If you decide -- or Chase decides -- to close your credit card account, those points disappear.
So if you have Ultimate Rewards® points and you close your Chase credit card, use them before you lose them. Similarly, if Chase is going to close your account for inactivity, it generally notifies you in writing ahead of time, giving you a chance to use your points before they're gone.
LEARN MORE: Complete Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Keep in mind that Chase may close your account for reasons other than inactivity. In that case, you may not receive any warning. For example, if Chase thinks you are gaming the system, it may abruptly close your account.
Card issuers aren't required to notify you of closure in these situations, and you may not get to redeem your points first. But if you're using your card normally, you likely have nothing to worry about.
How to use your points before closing a Chase card
Let's say that you're going to close your Chase card, or Chase is going to close it for inactivity. Here's how you can earn the most value with your Chase points:
- Open another Ultimate Rewards® card: Your Ultimate Rewards® points pool into one rewards account across multiple points cards. For example, say you're closing or downgrading an Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. You can pool those points with earnings from a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which allows you to retain your Ultimate Rewards® points.
- Transfer to a travel partner: If you use a particular airline or hotel frequently, you can transfer your points there and book travel with them later. This method works well when you don't want to use your points yet. Keep in mind that airline and hotel points usually do expire, so you need to use them before that happens.
- Book travel through the Ultimate Rewards® portal: This only works if you have planned travel you already prepared to book. You can go through the Ultimate Rewards® portal to book and receive a fixed rate for your points.
- Redeem for cash back: Consider it a last resort, but Ultimate Rewards® points are worth $0.01 per point when redeemed for cash back. While that's a solid rate, this method isn't ideal as a first choice, since higher-value options are available.
Why you shouldn't wait to use your points
Since Ultimate Rewards® points don't expire, you could conceivably hold onto them a long time. This isn't a good idea, though, because travel rewards points don't have a steady value. Redemption options can change with little notice.
Ultimate Rewards® points are among the more stable reward currencies, because there's a large lineup of transfer partners, and you can always fall back on fixed-rate redemptions. Still, Chase could cut ties with your preferred transfer partner or make other changes to its program. That's why you should aim to use your points within a reasonable time frame.
You don't need to rush to use your credit card rewards, but there's no sense in hoarding them, either. When you have a trip on the horizon, you might as well cash in those points for a free flight or hotel -- or both.
Chase cards that earn Ultimate Rewards® points
Take a look at some of Chase's most popular Ultimate Rewards cards:
As of Apr. 16, 2024
|
|
|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card |
|
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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
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
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. |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Apply Now for Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
|
Credit Rating Requirement:
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:
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:
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: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. 60,000 bonus points |
Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. 60,000 bonus points |
Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Earn 100,000 bonus points |
|
Rewards Program: 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: 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℠. |
Rewards Program: 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 |
|
Intro APR: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Intro APR: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Intro APR: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
|
Regular APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Regular APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable |
Regular APR: 21.24%-26.24% Variable |
|
Annual Fee: N/A $95 |
Annual Fee: N/A $550 |
Annual Fee: N/A $95 |
|
Highlights:
|
Highlights:
|
Highlights:
|
|
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Apply Now for Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Show More
Show Less
|
||
Still have questions?
Here are some other questions we've answered:
FAQs
-
Ultimate Rewards points are generally worth between $0.01 and $0.02 per point. How much value you get will depend on how you redeem your points. Cash back and gift card redemptions typically earn $0.01 per point. If you transfer to a travel partner, you could earn $0.02 or more with a bit of research.
-
If you don't have any other cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points, then you will lose your points. Make sure to redeem any rewards before you close your credit card account.
Our Credit Cards Experts
Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives. She wholly believe most problems can be solved with the right research -- and a good spreadsheet -- and she specializes in translating complex financial topics into actionable advice to help educate and empower readers.
Fact Checked
Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.
Share This Page
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Brittney Myers has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase and Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.