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Chase Ultimate Rewards points are one of the most valuable types of points. But unlike most hotel points and airline miles, you can’t earn these points from traveling. Instead, you earn them predominantly by using a credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees).
Most Chase Ultimate Rewards cards offer an assortment of bonus categories that let you earn points quickly on purchases. However, you can use the Chase shopping portal to earn even more Ultimate Rewards points on purchases with select online retailers. Here's what you need to know about the Shop Through Chase portal.
What is Shop Through Chase?
Shop Through Chase is an online shopping portal available via your Chase Ultimate Rewards account.
Over 500 online retailers participate in the Shop Through Chase program. To earn extra points through the Chase shopping portal, click from this part of the Chase website to your favorite retailer and then make a purchase like you normally would. The Shop Through Chase site will transfer you to your favorite retailer’s site, so there’s nothing more to do but make a purchase like normal.
The extra minute it might take to use Shop Through Chase instead of going directly to your merchant's website can pay off. For example, if your retailer awards 5 points per dollar when you start at Shop Through Chase, then a $100 purchase will earn you 500 bonus Ultimate Rewards points.
Related: Why I choose to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points over Amex Membership Rewards points
How to access the Chase shopping portal
The Chase shopping portal, Shop Through Chase, is available to cardholders with at least one Chase credit card earning Ultimate Reward points. Some popular examples include the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees) and Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees).
Most Chase cardholders can use Shop Through Chase, but those with cobranded cards aren't eligible. If you have a qualifying Ultimate Rewards card, go to the Ultimate Rewards website and log in using your credit card account credentials.
Related: Reasons to choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred over the fancier Chase Sapphire Reserve
How does Shop Through Chase work?
If you have more than one Chase card earning Ultimate Rewards points, you must select which account you want to earn points with when you log in to the Ultimate Rewards website.
The Shop Through Chase payouts are usually the same regardless of which card you choose when logging in. However, sometimes payouts for select merchants will vary based on card type. You can manually check each payout by logging in with your various Ultimate Rewards-earning cards or using an aggregator website like cashbackmonitor.com to quickly compare rates across different shopping portals and cards.
Once you log in to the Ultimate Rewards site, click on the three dots next to "Convert to cash," select "Shopping & Experiences," and then click "Shop & earn bonus points."
Once you're on the Shop Through Chase site, you can use it in several ways. One option is to enter your desired merchant in the search box on the right.
Or you could scroll down and see the top stores currently offering elevated earning rates. You'll see a list of all stores you can reach through Shop Through Chase by clicking "View all stores." If you want to receive a notification when a store offers more points than normal, you can favorite it by clicking the small heart.
Once you find the merchant you want, click on the retailer’s name. It will take you to a screen that verifies how many bonus points per dollar you will earn for your purchase and any restrictions or rules associated with that merchant.
Once you click "Shop Now" from the screen with the rules and restrictions, it will take you to the retailer's website.
Assuming you are ready to make your purchase, go ahead and do it immediately after you have been transferred to the retailer site by Chase. Be sure not to close out of the browser or navigate away and then back again. The cookie placed on your browser may still count the purchase even if you navigate away for a bit, but it also may not. You can always start the process over from the Shop Through Chase website if you aren’t sure.
Points you earn with Shop Through Chase typically appear on your "Rewards Activity" page within three to five business days of your purchase. However, in some cases, it may take up to two billing cycles for your bonus points to post.
Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value
Bottom line
My family earns tens of thousands of points and miles each year by making online purchases through shopping portals like Shop Through Chase. These points fund everything from domestic hops on Southwest Airlines to farther-flung adventures to Europe and beyond.
Use a shopping portal aggregator to compare your options whenever you're about to make an online purchase. Considering the high value of Ultimate Rewards points, the Shop Through Chase portal may often be a competitive option.
