Your contactless card could help you win a trip to the Tokyo Olympics
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The Olympics is one of, if not the most-anticipated events in the world, where the best athletes from all over the world come together to compete for their respective countries. For many, going to see the competitions in person is high on their travel bucket list (myself included). But with premier ticket packages as high as $17,680 through the U.S. authorized ticket seller CoSport, it can seem like an out-of-reach dream.
Luckily, there are ways to use points, miles and credit cards to book a trip to the Toyko Olympics this year — including a sweepstake from Chase for contactless Visa cardholders.
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Every time eligible cardholders use a Chase contactless Visa to tap to pay between Feb. 6 through April 30, you’ll be entered in to win a trip for two to Tokyo 2020. There is no limit to how many times you can enter.
The grand prize includes the following:
- Tickets for three events at Tokyo 2020 (for winner and a guest)
- Two round-trip economy-class air transportation tickets
- Four nights of standard hotel accommodations in Tokyo (based on double occupancy)
- Transportation to/from the airport, hotel and all scheduled activities
- Exclusive merchandise and experiences, including access to the Visa Village
- $400 Visa Prepaid Product
According to the terms and conditions of the offer, the grand prize will also include $10,600 cash (awarded in the form of a check to winner) that can be used toward the payment of income taxes associated with the prize. You can read the full official rules here.
A number of Chase’s top cards (including some cobranded favorites) are contactless, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Freedom, Chase Freedom Unlimited, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card, The World of Hyatt Credit Card and all three of Southwest’s personal cobranded cards.
Related reading: These cards let you tap to pay
Unfortunately, there are a few Chase Visa cards that are excluded from automatic entry:
- Disney Premier Visa Credit Card*
- Ritz-Carlton Credit Card (no longer available for new applicants)
- J.P. Morgan Reserve Credit Card (not the same as the Chase Sapphire Reserve)
- United Explorer Card
- United TravelBank Card*
- United Club Card*
*The information for these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Additionally, payments made with mobile devices and smart watches are also excluded from automatic entry.
I won’t lie — the odds of winning this grand prize is pretty small. Chase estimates the odds at 1 in 15,733,477. So you shouldn’t bank on this sweepstake getting you a free trip to watch Simone Biles or Katie Ledecky bring in gold in Tokyo. But for those who already hold contactless Chase Visa cards, it’s worth making sure you’re using the tap to pay option whenever possible for a potential shot at winning a free trip to experience the Olympics.
If you are dead set on attending the Toyko Olympics, there are other points and miles tricks you can use to minimize flight costs and plan a trip of a lifetime to see your favorite athletes from around the world compete for gold. And using the right credit card on event tickets could help you maximize your already-planned trip once you’re exploring Toyko.
Related reading: Your guide to attending the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo
Featured image courtesy of Matteo Colombo/ Getty.
WELCOME OFFER: 60,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,200
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022. That’s 3X points in addition to the 2X points you already earn on travel.
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