TPG Lounge readers' best Chase Ultimate Rewards redemptions
We recently asked our TPG Lounge members to share the best redemptions they’ve ever had with the Chase Ultimate Rewards program. Here’s a look at some of our favorite answers. (Some responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity).
Related: Redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value
Transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to airline partners
Many of our well-traveled TPG Lounge members used Chase Ultimate Rewards points to make long-haul flights more comfortable, flying prestigious business- and first-class products by transferring them to an airline partner.
"Full trip to Hawaii including airfare, hotel and rental car for our 10th anniversary. Oh yeah, and my wife thought we were going to Seattle until we got to the counter. Total surprise!" — Jason F.
"A business-class lie-flat seat to Sydney for 60,000 Chase UR points. Most comfortable flight I’ve ever been on." — Oz N.
"Chicago to Hong Kong to Hanoi and back for 180,000 Chase UR points in EVA Air's magnificent business class. It was the trip of a lifetime and a positively elegant way to travel." — Michael P.
"Two round-trip tickets in lie-flat business class to Germany, plus hotel. Actually split the trip into two one-ways with Delta there (by sending my points to Air France and booking through them) and Lufthansa back." — Brad B.
"Using Chase UR points and Southwest with the Companion Pass: points for one person to fly and the other can fly free." — Alex L.
"ANA first class via a transfer [from Chase UR] to Virgin Atlantic. Taxes are low — about $230 — and the redemption rate is 110,000 to 120,000 points round-trip. This is definitely an award chart sweet spot." — Adam A.
Related: 5 reasons the Chase Sapphire Preferred should be your first card
"Booking my wife and I round-trip tickets to Europe while also taking advantage of United’s Excursionist Perk. We plan to book our hotel accommodations with points, too." — Sean S.
"Transferred points from Chase UR to Singapore Airlines and booked two Singapore Suites from Singapore (SIN) to New York (JFK)." — Munjal K.
"150,000 Chase UR points transferred to Virgin Atlantic for a round-trip flight in a Delta One Suite from Los Angeles to Sydney." — Jerome P.
"On various occasions, I've saved anywhere from a few hundred or thousand points for a domestic flight in coach to tens of thousands for a lie-flat seat on a 10-hour flight by booking through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal instead of transferring to United!" — Shana G.
"160,000 Chase UR points for two one-way tickets from Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Toronto (YYZ) to Shanghai (PVG) to Singapore (SIN) all in business class on Air Canada and Singapore Airlines." — Alex S.
"Delta One Suite from Los Angeles (LAX) to Paris (CDG) for 50,000 Chase UR points, transferred to Virgin Atlantic for [what would have been a] $9,400 ticket in July. Winning!" — Parham K.
"Using Chase UR points to transfer to United and use the Excursionist Perk. It was 60,000 points plus $149 per person to go from New York to Santorini to Athens to Naples and back this past May." — Wilson Z.
Memorable hotel stays around the world
Some TPG Lounge readers said they'd cashed in their precious Chase Ultimate Rewards points for swanky hotel stays from Key West to Sydney, all possible by transferring them to Chase hotel partners Hyatt, IHG and Marriott.
"Right now I'm spending my last of two nights at the Park Hyatt Sydney, with a little cash to upgrade to a Harbour view room." — Kevin L.
"Transferring to Hyatt and getting 6.5 cents per point for hotel stays. We did it many times, spending 12,000 points for a room that was somewhere between $650 and $900 a night. We save our points for our summers at Hyatt Place Portland-Old Port in Maine and transfer to Hyatt at 1:1 to get the room through the Hyatt app, which is much better than using the Chase app!" — Paula W.
"Six nights at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort and three at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort And Spa for 105,000 points. Also have stayed at the Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay for five nights for 93,000 points." — Timothy O.
"Covering our hotels while traveling to Ireland, Athens, Morocco and Belgium for two weeks with points, breakfast included!" — Mika C.
"Eight days at the Hyatt Centric Key West from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day. The best place to ring in the New Year!" — Ken I.
"Ventana Big Sur, recently added by Hyatt from the Alila collection. 30,000 points for one night while the cash price was $1,518! It's an incredible property and pretty close to the famous Post Ranch Inn." — Shawn M.V.
"Flew to Australia and New Zealand for two weeks and used Chase UR points through the portal to get three days and two nights in an overwater bungalow at the InterContinental Resort Tahiti on the way home. It may not have been the best value for points, but the experience was well worth it." — Richard M.
Other inspiring ways to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points
A small group of TPG Lounge members wrote in saying they had bigger plans for their Chase UR points, like special family trips to Orlando for the holidays, taking in championship football games or going on safari in Africa.
"Taking my daughter on a safari in Kenya. 100% on Chase UR points." — Mike C.
"Flying a family of five from San Francisco (SFO) to Orlando (MCO) for Christmas. It would have cost almost $5,000 but instead we paid for it all with Chase UR points!" — George C.
"Booking anything through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal where transfer partners aren’t available for any points currency. Think remote places like Myanmar where cash prices are high." — Graham W.
"The Big Ten Football Championship Game game. We got last-minute flights on Southwest from Sacramento to Indianapolis with Chase UR points and used a Companion Pass for my hubby's fare. Spent two nights at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis with a Skywalk connection to Lucas Oil Stadium for 8,000 points per night in a room that [would have been] over $600 per night! Then, since we had a Companion pass, we threw in a quick Southwest leg to New Orleans for the Lions vs. Saints game at the Superdome with another night at the Hyatt House New Orleans/Downtown for 10,000 points, which would have been over $500, and a flight back to Sacramento. Total for the flights was 26,000 (transferred) UR points. It was an amazing trip, and we spent the money we saved on our tickets on some fantastic Creole food instead!" — Kris L.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.