Nov 24, 2023
Fact checked
Written by Adam McCann
WalletHub Financial Writer
Fact Checked by Alina Comoreanu
WalletHub Senior Researcher
Opinions and ratings are our own. This review is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. WalletHub independently collected information for some of the cards on this page. Chase is a WalletHub partner.
The best way to use Chase points is to book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Chase Sapphire and Ink points are worth up to 1.5 cents each when used to book Chase Ultimate Rewards travel, while the standard Chase points value is 1 cent per point.
6 Best Ways to Use Chase Points
- Book Travel Through Chase
- Gift Cards
- Shop with Points on Amazon
- Cash Back
- Travel Partners
- Unique Experiences
Unlike some credit card companies, Chase doesn’t discourage certain types of redemption, such as cash back or gift cards, by making points worth less when you choose them (e.g., half a cent instead of 1 cent). Rather, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are always worth at least 1 cent apiece when redeemed through Chase, and certain cards offer extra value when used for travel.
Best Way to Use Chase Ultimate Rewards Points by Card
Chase Ultimate Rewards Card | Point Value for Travel Redemption | Average Point Value for All Redemption Options |
---|---|---|
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card | 1.25 cents | 1.03 cents |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® J.P. Morgan Reserve Credit Card | 1.5 cents | 1.09 cents |
All Other Chase Cards | 1.00 cents | 1.00 cents |
Chase Ultimate Rewards is best known for its travel choices, but it also has quite a few other options for redemption, from plain old cash to unique experiences exclusive to cardholders. And while you’ll typically get a value of 1 cent per point, there can be slight variations. Below, you can learn more about all the different redemption choices available from Chase Ultimate Rewards.
6 Best Ways to Use Chase Points
Book Travel Through Chase:1 cent per point for most cards, 1.25 cents per point for Chase Sapphire Preferred, and 1.50 cents per point for Chase Sapphire Reserve and J.P. Morgan Reserve.
A $200 flight or hotel room, for example, would cost 20,000 points on most Chase cards but only 16,000 with Preferred and 13,333 with Reserve. This category also includes things like cruises and car rentals.
The only drawbacks are that you need to book your travel through Chase and can’t redeem them for travel purchases after the fact. In other words, you must book with points, rather than using points to pay for a travel purchase when it appears on your monthly statement. The value of your points does not differ by travel provider, though, and you should be able to book trips with pretty much any company through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Gift Cards: 1 cent per point.
A $100 gift card typically costs 10,000 points, though Chase regularly offers gift cards at a discount. You can redeem your points for cards from most major retailers. Gift card increments may vary by retailer.
Shop with Points on Amazon: 0.8 cents per point.
Amazon has partnered with a few credit card companies, including Chase, to let customers spend their rewards points directly on Amazon.com without having to convert them into cash back or gift cards. So, a $40 purchase at Amazon will cost you 5,000 points. To do this, you’ll need toconnect your Chase account to your Amazon account. You can also pay with points through PayPal.
Cash Back: 1 cent per point.
10,000 points will get you $100 cash back as a statement credit or via direct deposit to your bank account. These are preferred options for many Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card cardholders, as these cards are designed to work like cash back cards and don’t provide bonuses for travel redemption.
Travel Partners:1:1 point transfer on select Chase cards.
For all 14 Chase Ultimate Rewards travel partners, 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards point is worth 1 partner point. This means the value of your points may stay the same, go up or go down depending on how each program values its points.
One thing to keep in mind is that you must transfer points in increments of 1,000 and can’t reverse any transfers. Chase cards that are eligible to transfer points to travel partners’ rewards programs are Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
Chase’s current partners are Aer Lingus AerClub, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue Air France KLM, Emirates Skywards, Iberia Plus, JetBlue TrueBlue, Singapore Airlines, Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, IHG Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt.
Unique Experiences: 1 cent per point.
Chase offers some of its cardholders the opportunity to get exclusive or VIP tickets to certain events. For example, some of their events include private dining with top chefs, and access to sports events and movie premiers.
Best Ways to Use Chase Points FAQ(9 questions)
Editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. Please keep in mind that it is not a financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered.In addition, WalletHub independently collected information for some of the cards on this page.
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How do I redeem my Chase Sapphire Reserve points?
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1
Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator
@m_adams
You can redeem your Chase Sapphire Reserve points either online or through the Chase mobile app. Redemption options include travel, transfer to travel partners, gift cards, cash back, and more. You can also redeem your points for cash back over the phone at (800) 945-2000 or at a local Chase branch.
Note that the best Chase Sapphire Reserve points redemption option is travel. That's because points are worth 1.5 cents each toward travel compared to 1 cent each toward other options.
How to redeem your Chase Sapphire Reserve points online:
- Log in to your online account on the Chase Travel portal.
- Click on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
- Select the “Earn/Use” box at the top of the page to see a dropdown menu of redemption options.
- Click on the preferred redemption option from the menu.
- Follow the prompts to select the exact reward you want and how many points you want to redeem.
Here are the Chase Sapphire Reserve redemption options:
- Travel: If you choose to redeem Chase Sapphire Reserve points for travel, you'll be able to book right through Chase Travel. You can trade your points for flights, hotel stays, cruises, and more. Note that some bookings may require you to spend a minimum number of points.
- Cash: If you redeem for cash, you can either get a statement credit or a deposit to a U.S. checking or savings account. There is no minimum amount of points you must redeem for cash.
- Transfer points: There are two places you can transfer your Chase Sapphire Reserve points – travel loyalty programs and other Chase cards. Chase has 14 airline and hotel loyalty program partners you can move your points to at a 1:1 ratio. You can also move your points at no cost to another Chase card owned by you or a household member.
- Experiences: You can also redeem your Chase Sapphire Reserve points by trading them for unique experiences, such as VIP concert tickets or meals with renowned chefs.
- Gift cards: There are more than 175 gift card brands you can get with your points, ranging from restaurants to department stores and entertainment services.
- Amazon: You can use “Chase Pay” or “Pay with Points” from Amazon to use your points directly when shopping at retailers.
- Apple: You can use your points to pay for all or part of your Apple purchases through Apple Ultimate Rewards Store.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to redeem your Chase Sapphire Reserve points. So, it's a good idea to explore all your options before redeeming, to see which one best suits your needs.
45
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How can I redeem my Chase Freedom rewards?
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2
WalletHub
@WalletHub
You can redeem your Chase Freedom rewards online through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. From there, you will be able to use your Chase Freedom credit card points for cash back, gift cards, travel, or merchandise from participating retailers.
Ways to Redeem Your Chase Freedom Rewards
- Cash Back: You can redeem your Chase Freedom rewards for a statement credit or a direct deposit into a U.S. checking or savings account.
- Gift Cards: You can redeem your...
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How do you book travel with Chase travel rewards?
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Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator
@m_adams
You can book travel with Chase travel rewards by visiting the Chase Travel portal through your online account. There, you can search for flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, vacation rentals, and more. Plus, you can book your travel with your points, with cash, or a mixture of the two.
How to Book Travel Through the Chase Travel Portal
- Navigate to the Chase Travel section of your Chase online account.
- Choose “Travel” or “Redeem...
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How do the Chase Sapphire Preferred rewards work?
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21
WalletHub
@WalletHub
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card rewards new cardholders with 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, the card comes with extensive ongoing rewards: 5 points per $1 spent on travel purchased through Chase, 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases, 3 points per $1 on dining and online grocery purchases, 3 points per $1 on select streaming services, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
The rewards redemption process offers a number of good options through Chase's Ultimate Rewards portal.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Rewards
- 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℠.
- 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.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Rewards Redemption Options
- Travel redemption: Chase Sapphire Preferred rewards points are best used for travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Just select " Travel" once you're signed in.
- Cash: You can also redeem reward points either to get a statement credit or...
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What is the best way to use Chase Freedom Flex points?
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Lisa Cahill, Credit Cards Moderator
@lisacahill
The best way to use Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card points is for travel, gift cards or cash back. Chase Freedom Flex points are generally worth 1 cent per point when redeemed this way, which is more value than the other redemption methods provide.
Ways to Redeem Chase Freedom Flex Points
- Travel: 1 cent per point
- Cash Back: 1 cent per point
- Gift Cards: 1 cent per point
- Amazon.com shopping with points: 0.8 cents per point
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5
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Is it worth it to use Chase Ultimate Rewards?
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Theresa Chalfant, Writer
@theresa_chalfant
Yes, it is worth it to use Chase Ultimate Rewards, particularly when you use the points to pay for travel. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1 cent each in most cases, and you can get 25% - 50% more value with certain cards when you use your points to book travel through Chase.
In addition, Chase Ultimate Rewards credit cards offer some of the best rewards-earning rates on the market. High earning rates and high point values are a...
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How do I check my Chase Sapphire Preferred points balance?
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WalletHub
@WalletHub
You can check your Chase Sapphire Preferred points balance through your online account, the Chase TravelorChase's mobile app. Alternatively, you can call customer service at(800) 432-3117.
Here's how you can check your Chase Sapphire Preferred points balance:
- Online: Sign into your online account. When you reach the landing page, you will see the number of available points to redeem. You can also click on "Rewards Dashboard" for more details on the number of points you currently have, among...
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Can you use Chase points for restaurants?
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Can you use Chase points for restaurants?
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