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All information about the Chase Freedom Flex was collected independently by Slickdeals and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

The Chase Ultimate Rewards program is among the most flexible rewards programs around, especially for people who are excited about free and discount travel. Ultimate Rewards points are regarded as being some of the most valuable out there, and because of their flexibility and transfer options, we regularly give these points high marks in our monthly point valuations.

They are best redeemed for travel either through Chase Travel or by transferring to travel partners. Plus, Chase Ultimate Rewards points never expire as long as your account remains active and in good standing. When redeemed through the Chase Travel portal, you can use them for virtually any flight, hotel, rental car or other travel.

Chase Travel Rewards: Ultimate Rewards® Program Review

Pros

  • Earn points with every purchase and start with a generous sign-up bonus.
  • Points are easily worth 25% more when booked through Chase Travel.
  • Points have flexible redemption options, like flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and more.
  • Chase Ultimate Rewards points never expire.

Cons

  • The best Ultimate Rewards cards have annual fees.

How Much Are Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Worth?

Ultimate Rewards points are valued at the top tier of rewards points; you can usually get more than double the stated value when redeeming them. However, how you use your points will influence this value. They can be worth less than a cent or more than 5 cents each, based on a range of factors including transfer partner award bookings.

When it comes to redeeming points, the value is dependent on the credit card you use. For example, points earned with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card can be redeemed in the Chase Travel portal for 1.25 cents each, while points earned with the Chase Sapphire Reserve can be redeemed for 1.5 cents a piece.

Ultimate Rewards Points Value When Booked Through Chase Travel

Credit Card Intro Bonus Annual Fee Rewards Rate Points Value Learn More

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

1.5%Extra Cash Back More Info

Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

$0 1.5% - 5%Cashback More Info

Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

1 cent/point

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

$750Cash Bonus More Info

Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening

$0 1% - 5%Cashback More Info

Earn 5% cash back on your first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. It also offers you 2% cash back on your first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.

1 cent/point

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

$750Cash Bonus More Info

Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

$0 1.5%Cashback More Info

Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business. The advertised rewards type is cash back, but it’s important to note that you’re technically earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points (which can then be converted to cash back).

1 cent/point

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

100,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points More Info

Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $2,300 (100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base)

$95 More info

This fee includes extra cards for authorized users, such as employees, at no additional charge.

1x - 3xPoints More Info

Earn 3x points on the first $150,000 of combined spending in a number of key business categories

1.25 cent/point

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points More Info

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,380 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base)

$95 1x- 5xPoints More Info

The card offers 5x points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x points on dining (including eligible takeout and delivery services), as well as 3x points on select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs). This card earns 2x points on all other travel spending and 1x point per dollar everywhere else. Chase broadly defines travel to include not just airfare, hotels and rental cars, but expenses like parking, tolls and public transit too.

1.25 cent/point

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points More Info

Earn 60,000 bonus points after using your card to spend $4,000 within three months of account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,380 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base)

$550 1x - 10xPoints More Info

The card offers 10x points per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars as well as 5x points on air travel booked directly through Chase Ultimate Rewards immediately after you spend $300 on travel purchases annually. Additionally, earn 3x points per dollar spent on all other travel and dining purchases and 1x everywhere else.

1.5 cent/point

Premium award bookings on partner airlines tend to offer the biggest value per point. On some flights, you may be able to get over five cents per point. You can also transfer points to an airline or hotel partner at a 1:1 ratio. That means one Chase point is worth one United MileagePlus mile, one Marriott Bonvoy point or one point with other participating programs. At a minimum, you should only redeem points if you’ll get at least the rate offered by booking through Chase Travel directly with your card.

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Redemption and Transfer Options

When you're ready to redeem your points, the first place to go is your Chase account for details on redemptions. The value you'll get for your points depends on the Chase credit card that you're using to redeem them:

  • Book travel through Chase Travel: The best way to use Chase Ultimate Rewards points is for travel. You can book just about any travel expense—flights, hotels, car rental and more—with your Chase points.
  • Transfer points to Chase airline and hotel partners: When you carry either of the Sapphire credit cards or the Ink Business Preferred, you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards to Chase's travel partners. The best value for points usually comes from moving your Chase points to a transfer partner. However, don’t move points until you have a plan to use the resulting miles or points. Keeping them in the bank at Chase is the best strategy until you’re ready to book.
  • Use Chase points for booking experiences: Chase offers unique and exclusive experiences for sporting events, concerts, highly rated restaurants and more.
  • Buy gift cards with chase points: Gift cards give you a lower value per point than travel, usually around one cent per point. You can choose from hundreds of brands.
  • Get cash back on Chase points: If you’re feeling uninspired by the other option or need extra money, you can redeem for cash at a value of 1 cent per point.
  • Shop using points: Retail partners Amazon and Apple allow you to redeem points for purchases directly. Again, this tends to offer a lower value than travel.
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Chase Airlines Partners

Chase Travel gives you access to all of the three big airline alliances with Airline transfer partners. This means you can transfer Chase points to British Airways points, and then book flights on American Airlines.

Here is the list of Chase airline partners:

  • Aer Lingus AerClub
  • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
  • Iberia Plus
  • JetBlue
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Southwest Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • Virgin Atlantic

Chase Hotel Partners

Hotel partners include mega-brands Hyatt, IHG and Marriott. Marriott has the biggest list of properties of any hotel chain in the world. The Hyatt program has gained popularity, and IHG also offers a large list of popular and luxury brands.

Recommended Travel Credit Cards

Credit Card Intro Bonus Annual Fee Rewards Rate Learn More

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points More Info

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,380 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base)

$95 1x- 5xPoints More Info

The card offers 5x points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x points on dining (including eligible takeout and delivery services), as well as 3x points on select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs). This card earns 2x points on all other travel spending and 1x point per dollar everywhere else. Chase broadly defines travel to include not just airfare, hotels and rental cars, but expenses like parking, tolls and public transit too.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

50,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points More Info

Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $700 (50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base)

$99 1x - 3xPoints More Info

Earn 3 points for every $1 on Southwest Airlines® purchases, 2 points for every $1 on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, 2 points per $1 on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), 2 points per $1 on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming, and 1 point for every $1 on all other purchases.

United Gateway℠ Card

20,000United MileagePlus Miles More Info

Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Dollar Equivalent: $280 (20,000 United MileagePlus Miles * 0.014 base)

$0 1x - 2xPoints More Info

Earn 2X United miles per dollar on United purchases, local transit and commuting and at gas stations. You’ll earn 1X mile per dollar on all other purchases.

Citi Premier® Card

60,000Citi ThankYou Points More Info

Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou Points after making $4,000 worth of purchases during the first three months of account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,080 (60,000 Citi ThankYou Points * 0.018 base)

$95 1X-10XPoints More Info

10X total ThankYou® Points per $1 spend on hotel, car rentals and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024. 3X -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels 3X -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets 1X -- Earn 1 Point on All Other Purchases

Earning Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

Here are the main ways to earn and accumulate points when using your card:

  • Regular purchases: Chase cards typically give a bonus on categories such as travel and restaurants while offering one point per dollar on general purchases.
  • Bonus rewards: If you meet minimum spending requirements within the published time frame, usually three months, you can earn often earn a valuable sign-up bonus.
  • Shopping bonuses: If you shop through Chase Travel, you can earn additional rewards with a list of supported retailers.
  • Converting cash back: If you pair an Ultimate Rewards card with a Chase cash-back rewards card, you can move cash back into Ultimate Rewards at a rate of one cent to one point.

Points earned on different Chase credit cards can be pooled into a single travel credit card account and redeemed together. These card-to-card point transfers allow you to move points earned from a Freedom card or an Ink card into one of the Sapphire cards or the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card to redeem for outsized value.

For example, if you have the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you can't redeem points earned with that card for travel at the higher rewards rate. But if you also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can transfer your points to either of those cards and redeem for the higher value (or transfer pooled points to once of Chase's travel partners for even more value).

Pairing the Freedom Unlimited or Freedom Flex with either the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve is a common and effective points-earning strategy. Both the Sapphire Preferred and Reserve earn accelerated rewards for travel spending, while the Freedom cards offer accelerated points earning in other spending categories including gas, groceries and online spending.

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Bottom Line

Chase Ultimate Rewards is a popular credit card rewards program for a reason. It offers multiple ways to earn rewards points and provides even more avenues to redeem those points for outsized value. While you can use your Ultimate Rewards for cash back, shopping and gift cards, redeeming your points—either through the Chase Travel portal or transferring to a travel partner—will always be the best way to use your rewards.

However, if you're not convinced that it's the right program for you, consider other credit card rewards programs from issuers. Additionally, airlines like Southwest, Delta and United also offer valuable rewards programs and credit cards.

FAQs

  • Yes, if you book an Airbnb reservation with a Chase travel rewards card, the purchases are included in the travel category. Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders earn 2x points per dollar spent on Airbnb stays. Sapphire Reserve cardholders get 3x points per dollar. With any other Chase card, Airbnb is coded as a travel category purchase. Chase Ink Business Preferred cards offer 3x points on travel.

  • No, when using a Chase travel rewards card, gas station purchases get their own category. Unfortunately, that means you won’t earn travel category rewards for purchases at the gas station.

    If gas is one of your top purchasing categories, consider supplementing your Chase Ultimate Rewards card with either the Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex to potentially earn more on categories like gas stations.

  • Chase's airline partners include Aer Lingus AerClub, British Airways Executive Club, Emirates Skywards, Flying Blue (Air France/KLM), Iberia Plus, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

    You can book flights using points through Chase Travel on nearly any major airline. Depending on which card you have, you’ll get 1-1.5 cents per point when redeeming for flights, hotels, rental cars and other travel through Chase. However, you can often get more value when transferring points to an airline partner.

  • Chase travel rewards are earned through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program. When you use a card in the Ultimate Rewards program, you can earn points with every purchase. Depending on the card and the purchase, you’ll typically earn between 1x and 5x points per dollar.

    You can redeem Chase travel rewards points for cash back, but booking free and discounted travel is the best use of travel rewards points. Points are worth 1-1.5 cents when booking travel directly through Chase. You can also transfer points to an airline or hotel partner for potentially higher values per point.

    You can also redeem points for things like sporting events, concerts, gift cards and more. But for most people, the best way to redeem for the best value per point is travel.

  • No, Chase Ultimate Rewards points don’t expire as long as your credit card account is open and in good standing. But if you cancel your Chase rewards cards—or Chase closes your account— your Ultimate Rewards points will be terminated.

  • The Chase Sapphire Preferred typically requires “good” to “excellent” credit for approval. Since Chase does not publish the specific approval requirements, many people ballpark needing between a 700 and 720 score to qualify. Also, those who have applied for more than five lines of credit within the past 24 months will be denied regardless of credit score, due to Chase’s unofficial 5/24 rule. If you have a strong credit profile and few hard inquiries on your credit report within the past two years, you may qualify for the card.

  • Yes, you can redeem your Ultimate Rewards points for cash or statement credits, but it will depend on which Chase card you used to earn them.

  • You’ll typically need between 10,000 and 40,000 points to book a free one-way economy flight through Chase Travel. You’ll need even more points to fly mixed class, premium economy or business class. The exact number of points you’ll need depends on the destination, time of day, date of travel, demand and other factors.

    Also, you can redeem points for outsized value by transferring your Ultimate Rewards to one of Chase’s airline partners, but the average number of points you’ll need varies widely depending on the transfer rate and a specific airline’s rewards schedule.

ER

Eric Rosenberg

Eric Rosenberg is a finance, travel, and technology writer in Ventura, California. He is a former bank manager and corporate finance and accounting professional who left his day job in 2016 to take his online side hustle full-time. He has in depth experience writing about banking, credit cards, investing, business, and other financial topics. When away from the keyboard, Eric enjoys exploring the world and spending time with his wife and little girls. You can connect with him at Personal Profitability or EricRosenberg.com.