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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
When to transfer Ultimate Rewards and when to book directly
Featured image by YELIZAVETA TOMASHEVSKA/GETTY IMAGES
Jason Steele is a Senior Points and Miles Contributor who has been writing for The Points Guy since 2012. An expert in credit cards and award travel, Jason travels frequently across the United States and around the world with his wife and three children. Jason lives in Denver, Colorado, where he enjoys cycling, snowboarding, and piloting airplanes.
June 28, 2021 • 9 min read
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Quick summary
Transferring points to travel partners has traditionally offered strong value, especially for premium flights and select hotel stays.
Booking travel through the program's portal can provide 1.5 cents per point in value for certain cardholders, potentially making direct bookings more appealing in some cases.
The portal allows redemption for a wide range of travel options, including flights, hotels, tours, car rentals and even partial payment with points.
Direct bookings through the portal often include all mandatory taxes and fees, and may allow travelers to earn miles and elite status credit on flights.
What to consider
Some offers mentioned in the article may no longer be available.
Booking through the portal can be advantageous when award space is limited or dynamic pricing makes partner redemptions less valuable.
Transferring points to partners may still yield higher value for premium cabin flights, last-minute bookings or luxury hotel stays, especially during peak periods.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of scenarios where booking through the portal or transferring points to partners provides the best value.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Traditionally, the most valuable way to use Chase Ultimate Rewards points has been to transfer them to travel partners for expensive premium-cabin flights, last-minute reservations and hotel stays at Hyatt. You can also use your points to book travel directly through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal, but with most Chase credit cards those points are only worth 1.25 cents each toward travel reservations.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is different. When you use points from that card, or combine your Ultimate Rewards points from any other Chase card, they are worth 1.5 cents each toward travel reservations booked through Chase. (You also get this benefit if you have the J.P. Morgan Reserve Card).
This might not seem like a huge deal, but the additional 20% in value could significantly change your decision-making when it comes time to redeem your points. It’s worth exploring your options for booking through the Chase portal rather than transferring points to one of the program’s 10 airline and three hotel partners.
When to book directly with Chase
(Photo by Matthew Micah Wright/Getty Images)
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
