The Guide to Chase’s Travel Portal
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Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are among the most useful rewards you can earn. When it comes time to redeem them, you will be directed to Chase's travel portal. This is where you can book flights, hotels and rental cars with points, redeem them for merchandise and gift cards, or transfer points to other programs.
Should you redeem points to pay for a trip instead of using cash or transfer them to a loyalty program partner to get better value? You'll need to do a little homework to find the right answer as each situation is different.
Chase points are the currency you earn when using cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. They are superior in many ways to other point currencies because you earn more than one penny in value per point with these two cards. For example, when redeeming through Chase's travel portal, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® will net you 1.5 cents in value per point and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card will net you 1.25 cents in value per point. When you transfer to a partner, your per-point-value may be even greater.
With the travel portal, you can redeem points to pay for an entire trip or you can use a mix of points and cash to cover a travel booking. You can also pay all in cash, earning 5 to 10 points per $1 spent, depending on the card you have. Using points for travel is the most valuable way to extract value from Chase Ultimate Rewards® for most people.
It's an efficient website, but some irritants snag even savvy travelers. Let's dig into Chase's travel portal's good and bad. You'll find that it is mostly good, if not great.
Who can use Chase's travel portal?
Chase cards vary in earning and redemption benefits so you will want to pay attention to which one you use, especially if you have more than one card. The most valuable cards earn Ultimate Rewards® points, but some Chase cards, like the United℠ Explorer Card, earn miles or points in that co-branded program (in this example, United MileagePlus miles).
Let’s review the cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards®, with the most rewarding cards first. Keep in mind that if you have more than one of these cards, you can move points between Chase Ultimate Rewards® accounts to redeem them from an account that delivers more cents per point in value.
These cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® and provide access to Chase's travel portal:
★ LIMITED TIME OFFER
Heads up! For a limited time, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is offering a two-part sign-up bonus worth more than $1,000. The issuer spells it out like this: Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel℠ value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year. Learn more and apply here.
There is an important perk to remember if you have multiple cards. Since the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card offers 1.5 cents in value per point and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offer 1.25 cents in value, it is best to redeem points from these accounts rather than any other Chase card.
If you have one of those two premium cards and another Chase card (like Chase Freedom Unlimited®, for example), you can move your Ultimate Rewards® points from the Chase Freedom Unlimited® account to a premium card’s account (like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card).
This strategy allows you to unlock half a cent more in value in seconds. It’s one of the best benefits of Ultimate Rewards® when you have a premium card and one of its no-fee cards.
Want to earn a bunch of points quickly to make a redemption? The sign-up bonuses on these cards can rake in extra points if you meet the terms and conditions.
• 5 points per $1 on travel booked through Chase.
• 3 points per $1 on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
• 2 points per $1 on other travel.
• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.
Point value in Chase's travel portal: 1.25 cents apiece.
• 10 points per $1 on Chase Dining, hotel stays and car rentals purchased through Chase.
• 5 points per $1 on air travel purchased through Chase.
• 3 points per $1 on other travel and dining not booked with Chase.
• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.
Point value in Chase's travel portal: 1.5 cents apiece.
• In the first year, 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 4.5% cash back on drugstores and restaurants, and 3% on all other purchases on up to $20,000 in spending.
• After that, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% cash back at drugstores and restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
Point value in Chase's travel portal: 1 cent apiece.
Point value in Chase's travel portal: 1 cent apiece.
Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel℠ value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now
How to use Chase's travel portal
Here’s a primer on what you can and cannot do with Ultimate Rewards® points.
Log in to your account, then navigate to the Chase Ultimate Rewards® tab on the right of the screen. If you have more than one card that earns this currency, you can see each balance and select the account from which you want to redeem points.
Once you select the card, you’ll be taken to a homepage that shows the points you have earned and how you can redeem them. We recommend sticking to travel redemptions rather than using points for merchandise as the value diminishes significantly with the latter.
Select the "Travel" tab at the top of the screen. From here, you can decide whether to transfer points to a partner or redeem them as cash for a trip.
One of the best perks of using this travel portal to make a points redemption is that you still earn frequent flyer miles on most airline tickets since these are booked as a revenue ticket (not as an award redemption like when using airline miles to book a flight).
How to book award flights in Chase's travel portal
This is one of the more popular features of using points, but keep in mind it doesn't feature all airlines, which can be frustrating. Even if you find a flight on an airline's website or third-party booking site, it doesn't mean it will be available at Chase.
Enter the relevant details in the search bar to find a flight. Results can be filtered by stops, airline or price. Another benefit of this portal is that you aren't subject to award seat availability in the same way you might be when redeeming miles through an airline's program.
If there is a seat that could be bought with cash, you can usually redeem points for it. Plain and simple.
Compare how many miles you would need if booking directly with the airline with what Chase is charging.
If it would cost fewer points to book directly with the airline, you’ll want to use miles instead. For example, Delta co-branded American Express cardholders can often redeem their miles like cash on Delta’s website (at 1 cent per mile’s value). That’s just average, but if it is cheaper than what Chase is charging, consider that the better option. But don’t forget that airlines will add on taxes and fees when redeeming miles. Airfare booked with Chase Ultimate Rewards® points don't have additional costs tacked on — these are already bundled into the fare.
Another important note is that some low-cost airlines like Allegiant don't appear in search results. If you want to travel on a budget airline, then you'll need to visit those websites to compare fares.
You can pay in cash, points or a combination. Chase will display particular details about your fare, like whether assigned seats or checked bags are included. This may not take into account any elite status perks you hold.
How to book hotels in Chase's travel portal
You can also redeem points for hotel stays using Ultimate Rewards® points. This is great news, especially when staying at hotels where you may not have elite status or don't care about elite perks or points earned.
Keep in mind that when making a reservation outside a hotel’s official reservation channels, you won’t earn points in its program or be able to take advantage of elite status benefits. So if you have status with a hotel chain, this isn't the best value unless you are willing to forgo those benefits.
Making a reservation is straightforward. Enter the city and travel dates to see a list of hotels available for redemption. Then, you can redeem points or pay in cash for your trip.
Like with flights, compare the cost of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points with the number of points a hotel’s program is charging. A particular favorite is World of Hyatt, which still uses an award chart and, as a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards®, can often deliver more favorable deals when using Hyatt’s points rather than Chase points.
For example, it would cost about 9,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to redeem a night at Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport. But, if you transfer points to World of Hyatt, you would need 5,000 points for the same night’s stay.
How to book car rentals in Chase's travel portal
This is a great place to reserve rental cars using points, and Chase rental car insurance benefits apply when using the card and paying with points. But, for that to be the case, you will want to pay for part of the rental in cash so the insurance benefits are activated. To do that, pay with a combination of cash and points, and decline the rental company's insurance first.
How to book activities in Chase's travel portal
Activities available for booking through Chase's travel portal include tours and experiences at home or when traveling and airport transfers. Price comparison plays a role here, too, since many hotel brands have their own platforms like Marriott Bonvoy Moments or FIND Experiences from World of Hyatt. These allow you to redeem points for experiences.
Check which program is cheaper before redeeming Chase points if you find similar options in either program.
How to book cruises in Chase's travel portal
Since cruise bookings can be more complex, you will need to call Chase Ultimate Rewards® at 855-234-2542 to make a reservation. There are many ways to earn multiple points when booking a cruise that may be better than using Chase, but when redeeming points for a cruise, there can be a lot of value.
Other things you can do in Chase's portal
Using Chase's portal to make a travel reservation is also strategic, as depending on your card, you can earn a healthy stash of points this way. Just be sure to compare the benefits you can earn with the opportunity cost of booking elsewhere.
Benefits of booking travel in Chase's portal
Let’s say you have a premium card like Chase Sapphire Reserve®. It earns 5x points per $1 when booking flights through the portal. The sweet spot is when using this card for hotel stays and rental cars booked via the portal for 10x points per dollar spent. Consider what’s in your wallet, and decide which card will net the most points.
Another benefit is that you will earn miles from flights booked through the portal, even when redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards® points since these are viewed as a revenue ticket.
Remember, you will want to compare if it is cheaper to redeem airline miles directly through a carrier’s redemption program or if you can use fewer points by redeeming Chase points via the portal.
Sometimes it might make more sense to transfer points from Chase to an airline partner when redeeming a flight (or a hotel program when making a hotel stay). Be as vigilant with price comparison when redeeming miles and points as you would when using cash.
Does Chase's travel portal price match?
No. You cannot submit a lower fare elsewhere for a price guarantee here since this isn't a publicly available site. It is only available to those who have a Chase card.
What else you need to know
When booking through this reservation site, keep in mind that most airlines and hotels cannot assist directly with a reservation. They see this as a third-party booking through Expedia and will direct you to Chase's agents.
Many travelers report the experience can be frustrating when travel disruptions or cancellations occur. Agents are friendly but can sometimes be limited in their abilities, often reading prompts on their screens in international call centers.
It can be a hazard booking a reservation with a third party, but the trade-off in redeeming points is worth it for some travelers.
Chase travel contact options
If you do need to contact a Chase portal agent for support on a reservation made through the site — whether for a flight, hotel booking, car rental or activity — you've got one option: a good, old-fashioned telephone call.
Dial 866-331-0773 for assistance regarding changes or cancellations to your bookings.
You might have better luck dialing the support line for your specific Chase card. You might opt to give one of these a try:
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 855-234-2542.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 866-331-0773.
All other cards: 866-951-6592.
Chase's travel portal can be lucrative
If you compare prices and consider the opportunity cost of using the portal instead of booking elsewhere, you can almost always come out ahead.
You can save money, earn bonus points and travel better with transferable loyalty points like Chase Ultimate Rewards®. They have the flexibility and versatility necessary to deliver excellent value on travel (rather than being locked into one airline or hotel loyalty program). With the right card (or suite of cards), you’ll be able to accumulate points and benefits.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024:
Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express
Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
on Chase's website
1.5%-5%
CashbackUp to $300
on Chase's website
1x-5x
Points60,000 Points + $300 Travel Credit
on Chase's website
1%-5%
Cashback$200