Chase Ultimate Rewards News

Gregory Karp, Kevin Berry, Sara Rathner, Kenley YoungAug 26, 2020
Chase Ultimate Rewards News
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March 30 - Chase Extends Pay Yourself Back Benefit and Adds Up to 10X Points on Peloton For Sapphire Cardholders

Chase announced it will extend some of the flexible benefits that were added in the last year as the pandemic brought travel to a halt. Both the Pay Yourself Back option and the special offer on Chase dining, which make points 25% or 50% more valuable when they're redeemed for statement credit for certain categories or food orders through the Chase Dining portal, are now available through Sept. 30, 2021.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders also now have until the end of the year to count grocery store and gas station purchases toward their annual $300 travel credit.

Through March 2022, Chase is also expanding its partnership with Peloton to offer 10x points for Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders (up to 50,000 points) or 5x points for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card customers (up to 25,000 points) on each purchase of a Peloton Bike, Tread, and accessory purchase over $1,800. This new offer is in addition to a previously announced credit of $60 or $120 annually (depending on the card) for a Peloton digital subscription when you enroll through onepeloton.com/ChaseSapphire.

Feb. 3 - Chase Changes Rewards Structure on Three Avios-Earning Cards

You could start earning more travel rewards for flying or staying at a hotel if you have the Iberia Visa Signature® Card, Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card or British Airways Visa Signature® Card. The cards' issuer, Chase, has increased the number of Avios you can earn in the first year when you spend on certain types of travel. The new rewards structure includes:

  • Earn 5 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL within your first 12 months from account opening, thereafter earn 3 Avios.

  • Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel within your first 12 months from account opening, thereafter earn 2 Avios.

  • Plus earn 1 Avios per $1 spent on all other purchases.

The 5x Avios earning rate is huge compared to other airline credit cards that may earn as little as 2x on airline purchases.

The British Airways Visa Signature® Card also has a new welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus Avios after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Plus earn a Travel Together Ticket after you spend $20,000 total on purchases within your first year of account opening.

Dec. 28 - Chase Announces Acquisition of cxLoyalty

The technology that runs Chase's credit card rewards program is about to change, again. In 2018, Chase switched its service to Expedia, away from cxLoyalty, but now the company has announced not only are they going to be switching back but they have made arrangements to acquire cxLoyalty entirely. The cxLoyalty program will handled all the travel agency needs for Chase as well as gift cards, merchandise and points bank tracking.

Sept. 15 - Chase Announces 5% Categories for Q4 2020

Chase has announced the 5% quarterly bonus categories for the Chase Freedom® and the brand-new Chase Freedom Flex℠, and they could come in handy for holiday shoppers.

From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020, both cards will earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined spending on:

  • PayPal.

  • Walmart.

» Learn more: 5% Categories for Q4 2020

Aug. 31 - Chase Shakes Up Freedom Cards

Chase is adding to its Freedom family of credit cards with the new Chase Freedom Flex.

The new card will debut Sept. 15, 2020. It combines some of the benefits offered by the Chase Freedom® and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® — including rotating 5% cash-back categories and extra cash back at grocery stores for the first year — and adds some bonus categories of its own. Get more details here.

Aug. 3 - Some Chase Travel Cards Offering Temporary Gas, Grocery Rewards

Holders of some Chase travel credit cards might not be traveling much in late summer and early fall, but they can instead use those cards to earn more miles and points closer to home, at supermarkets and gas stations.

The promotion is a response to shifts in household spending during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From Aug. 1 to Sept. 30, 2020, existing eligible cardholders will earn either 5X or 7X — depending on the card — per dollar spent on groceries and gas. Chase said eligible cardmembers will receive an e-mail notifying them that they can opt in to these offers, all of which are capped at $1,500 per month in combined spending at supermarkets and gas stations. After $1,500 per month, normal rewards apply.

» Learn More:  Full story - Some Chase travel cards offering temporary gas, grocery rewards

July 24 - Chase Adds 5% Back at Grocery Stores to Bonus

The Chase Freedom® and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® are becoming especially lucrative cards to use at grocery stores for new cardholders.

As of July 24, 2020, the cards not only offer cash sign-up bonuses, but they're also paying a whopping 5% cash back on grocery store purchases in the first year you have the card, on up to $12,000 in spending.

» Learn More:  5% back at grocery stores 

The information related to Chase Freedom® has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.

How to Maximize Your Rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2021, including those best for: