Why the Chase Ink Business Cash is a key player in my card strategy

28.08.2023 - 15:31 / thepointsguy.com

While we pretty much all agree that transferable rewards are the best kind to earn, most of us who regularly earn and use points and miles have some strong opinions about which rewards program is the best.

Personally, I am staunchly Team Chase Ultimate Rewards. I enjoy the ability to transfer Ultimate Rewards points to 14 airline and hotel partners for maximum value.

To maximize my Ultimate Rewards points earning potential while keeping my annual fees low, I use four cards: the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited, the Chase Freedom Flex and the Ink Business Cash Credit Card. Only the Preferred has an annual fee, so I can take advantage of a wide range of bonus categories and pay just one $95 annual fee across the four cards.

Here's why the Ink Business Cash is a key part of my strategy.

On its own, the Ink Business Cash is a cash-back card, but if you have a card that earns transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points — the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card — you can combine your points and transfer all your rewards to any of Chase's hotel and airline partners.

Personally, I love to stretch my points by booking Southwest Airlines flights during the carrier's seasonal sales and staying at Category 1 Hyatt properties. The option to transfer my Ultimate Rewards to both of these programs, as well as Chase's 12 other hotel and airline partners, makes Chase points the most valuable points currency to me.

Related: Your guide to the Chase Ink Business credit cards

I use my Chase Sapphire Preferred to earn 3 points per dollar spent on dining and streaming, as well as 2 points per dollar spent on travel purchases. Then, I use my Freedom Flex for 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories (5% on up to the first $1,500 each quarter; activation required) and my Freedom Unlimited to earn 1.5 points per dollar spent on purchases that don't earn bonus points on my other cards (up to $20,000 spent in a year).

The Ink Business Cash bonus categories fit perfectly with these other cards. It earns 5 points per dollar on the first $25,000 spent each year at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services, as well as 2 points per dollar spent at gas stations and restaurants and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Of course, I put all the bills I can on a credit card to earn rewards on that spending. Before I got the Ink Business Cash, I used my Freedom Unlimited and only earned 1.5 points per dollar spent on my pricey cable, phone and internet bills.

Now, I put these bills on my Ink Business Cash and earn 5 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar. Even if you spend just $250 per month on these expenses, you'll earn