Chase Transfer Partners: Unlocking Rewards Value

21.02.2024 - 20:12 / insider.com / Airlines

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When you use a Chase credit card, you're paying for purchases in dollars, but all your spending helps you rack up another kind of currency: Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are some of the most valuable credit card rewards you can earn. Chase Ultimate Rewards are transferable points, which means you can move them over to various airline and hotel partner programs to book travel, in addition to the option of booking travel directly through Chase or using points toward eligible everyday purchases through Pay Yourself Back.

Maximizing Chase points requires knowing when and with whom you should redeem them. While you can use Chase Ultimate Rewards points to make purchases and pay for travel directly through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, it's possible to significantly increase their value by transferring them to one of Chase's travel partners.

Chase has 14 transfer partners, including 11 airline frequent flyer programs and three hotel programs.

Chase lets you transfer points at a 1:1 ratio in 1,000-point increments, and those transfers typically happen instantly (that's important for making sure you can grab an award flight or an award stay before it's gone). There are a few exceptions, though, and we've noted those in our breakdown of each partner below.

The value of those points can vary widely depending on where you want to go in the world and when you plan to travel. So, the best approach with Chase Ultimate Rewards is to be meticulous. Comparing all your options on departure/arrival dates and resort locations can help you figure out how to harness the most power from each of your points.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1.8 cents apiece, on average, based on our points and miles valuations — but the exact value you'll get depends on how you redeem your points.

Also, be sure to keep a close eye on your email for alerts from Chase or these travel companies about exclusive offers, such as transfer bonuses, that can get you cheaper redemptions on flights and hotel stays.

To be able to enjoy transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you'll first need to earn them. Doing that requires having one of the best Chase credit cards in your wallet:

Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals