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Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners
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Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners A Comprehensive Guide

Last updated: March 02,2022
Originally Published: March 02,2022
by Sam Helmy

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Chase Ultimate Rewards has been one of the leading players in the travel rewards credit card market for a long time now. The Ultimate Rewards program is one of the most well-developed and valuable programs out there and offers you multiple options to use your points.

While you can always opt to redeem your points via the Chase travel portal, there is some excellent value to be had by transferring your points to one of Chase’s transfer partners. Currently, you can transfer points to 11 airlines and 3 hotel partners. Read on to find out how to maximize the value of your points and how you can redeem them for thousands of dollars worth of travel rewards.

Credit Cards That Earn Ultimate Rewards Points

Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the heavyweights of the travel rewards credit card world and comes with an equally weighty list of benefits and an annual fee. Whether you are after a tremendous welcome bonus, fantastic earning rates, or even complimentary airport lounge access when traveling, the Sapphire Reserve has it all for a $550 annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Reserve 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards

Currently, the Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with a 50,000 chase Ultimate Rewards points welcome bonus. after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. These points can be transferred to Chase travel partners, or you can redeem them directly via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal at a rate of 1.5 cents per point. Choosing to redeem them via the chase portal would mean the points are worth a whopping $750 in travel rewards, which is an excellent return even for a card with a $550 annual fee. Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve include:

  • Receive a $300 annual travel statement credit to cover travel purchases made on your card.
  • Earn 10X points on Hotels and car hire when you purchase directly through the Chase Ultimate Rewards- After the first $300 of annual travel purchases.
  • Earn 5X points on flights purchased directly through the Chase Ultimate Rewards- After the first $300 of annual travel purchases.
  • Earn 3X on travel purchases worldwide- After the first $300 of annual travel purchases.
  • Earn 10X points for dining purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
  • Earn 3X for all other dining, including takeout and delivery.
  • Earn 1X points for all other purchases.
  • Receive a $100 statement credit towards global entry or TSA precheck membership once every 4 years.
  • Enjoy complimentary airport lounge access with free Priority Pass Select membership
  • No foreign transaction fees when making purchases abroad.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of our favorite travel rewards credit cards. The card provides its holder with some excellent perks, benefits, and earning rates and comes with a very reasonable annual fee of $95.

Chase Sapphire Preferred 5 Chase Ultimate Rewards

Currently, the Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with a welcome bonus of 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. These points can be transferred to partners or redeemed directly via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal at a rate of 1.25 cents per point. Doing so would mean the points a worth a whopping $750 in travel rewards, which is incredible value for a card with a $95 annual fee. Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred include:

  • Earn 5X on travel when purchased via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
  • Earn 3X points on selected streaming services and dining out.
  • Earn 3X points when grocery shopping online- excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs.
  • Earn 2 on all other travel purchases.
  • Earn 1X point on all other purchases.
  • Receive an annual points bonus equivalent to 10% of your total purchases from the last year.

Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Small business owner have the opportunity of earning Chase Ultimate rewards for their business expenses by using the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card. So, the next time they buy stationary, travel or any other business expenses they can carry on accumulate points towards their next travel rewards goals. The card carries a very affordable $95 annual fee.

Chase Ink Business Preferred Chase Ultimate Rewards

As a bonus if you hold a consumer card and a business card you can combine points from both to substantially boost your balance. Also if your business has also owner you can share the points earned form the Ink preferred card with them. Features of the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card include:

  • Receive a 100,000 points Ultimate Rewards points bonus when you spend $15,000 on your card in the first 3 months of card membership.
  • Earn 3X on the first $150,000 of annual spending (1X after that) on select business categories including:
    • Travel
    •  Shipping purchases
    • Advertising with search engines, and social media.
    • Internet, cable, and phone services purchases.
  • Earn 1x on all other purchases.
  • Receive Zero Liability protection, against unauthorised charges made with your card or your account information.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • Free employee additional cards.
  • $95 annual fee

Other Ways to earn Ultimate Rewards Points

There is another way to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Points if you already hold an Ultimate Rewards earning card and you earn cashback with either the Chase Freedom Unlimited or the Chase Freedom Flex. You can convert the cashback earned into Ultimate Rewards points at a rate of 1 cent per point.

Chase Freedom Flex

The Chase Freedom Flex remains one of our top travel rewards cards; the card offers excellent cashback earning opportunities that can then be converted to Ultimate Rewards points, making it a true points earning powerhouse. Aside from the great welcome bonus and the excellent earning potential, the card carries no annual fee, making it the perfect card for beginners into the travel rewards hobby.

chase freedom Chase Ultimate Rewards

Even though the Chase Freedom Flex has undergone some changes early in 2022, it still remains a strong performer. The card offers a host of features and benefits, including:

  • Receive a $200 welcome bonus when you spend $500 on purchase in the first 3 months of card membership.
  • Earn 5X cashback on $1,500 of combined purchase son select bonus categories every quarter- a max of $75 cashback.
  • Earn 5X on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
  • Earn 3x back at restaurants, including eligible delivery services and take out.
  • Earn 3X on drugstore purchases.
  • Earn 1X on all other purchases.
  • No annual fee.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

the Chase Freedom Unlimited is another Ultimate Rewards points earning powerhouse. The card is ideally suited to earning on everyday spending and, like the Freedom Flex card, carries no annual fee.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Like the flex card, the Freedom Unlimited card has undergone some changes in January 2022. However, it still offers a good option including a wide range of features and benefits, including:

  • Receive a welcome bonus of an additional 1.5% cashback on the first $20,000 of spending in the first year, which is worth up to $300.
  • Earn 5X on travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
  • Earn 3x back at restaurants, including eligible delivery services and take out.
  • Earn 3X on drugstore purchases.
  • Earn 1.5X on all other purchases.
  • The card carries no annual fee.

Chase Airline Transfer Partners

Aer Lingus AerClub

Aer Lingus is part of the International Airlines Group IAG with Iberia and British Airways. The airline uses the same points currency Avios. Aer Lingus divides the year into peak and off-peak season, and award pricing is changed depending on the season. The dates are not fixed every year but vary depending on holidays. For instance, a quick look at the 2022 peak calendar shows that the entirety o February, March, May, October, and November are off the peak while most not all of the other months are peak days.

Aer Lingus 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards

Image Courtesy of Aer Lingus  

As the Irish national carrier and considering the long historical links between Ireland and the United States. It will come as no surprise to find some of the best Aer Lingus award chart sweet spots are for flights between Ireland the US.

One-way awards in economy between the west coast of the US and Ireland will set you back a stunning 13,000 Avios plus taxes and fees. That is excellent value for a one-way fare between Shannon SNN and Boston or New York. Or between Dublin and Boston, Chicago, Hartford, Minneapolis, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Washington. Transferring 13,000 Ultimate Rewards points for a transatlantic flight is an absolute steal

Aer Lingus 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Aer Lingus  

If you are looking to fly business class, things also look promising with the same routes setting you back 50,000 Avios one way plus taxes and fees.

If you want to head further afield, then flights to the east coast are also great value for money. Flights from Dublin or Manchester to Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, San Francisco, and Seattle will set you back 16,250 Avios Plus taxes and fees for a one-way award.

Aer Lingus 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Aer Lingus  

At 62,500 Avios plus taxes and fees for the same routes in business class, it is still good value, although not as good as awards to the east coast.

Aer Lingus does not fly much further afield than Europe and the US. And as such most other awards from Ireland to Europe tend to be very poor value. When you factor in the cost of taxes and fees, often they are almost the same price as paying cash for the flight!

Air Canada Aeroplan

Air Canada Aeroplan is the most recent Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner, only joining the program in mid-2021. Points transfer to Aeroplan at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer of 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points. Transfers typically occur instantaneously, so find the right award then transferring your points is relatively easy to do. the relationship between Chase and Aeroplan was further strengthened  in late 2021 with the launch of the Chase Aeroplan co-branded credit card.

With the recent revamp of the Aeroplan award chart there is some excellent sweet spots and some great value to be had by transferring your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Aeroplan. First Aeroplan has divided the globe into 4 distinct regions:

  • North America- encompassing the US, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
  • South America- all of south and Latin America.
  • The Atlantic- encompassing Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India and sections of Russia.
  • The Pacific- constituting most of Asia, Australia, China, and Russia’s eastern parts.
Aeroplan 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Air Canada Aeroplan  

One of the best sweet spots for Aeroplan award is for flights with partner airlines between North America and the Pacific that are under 5,000 miles. One way awards in business class will set you back 55,000 miles and taxes and fees.

Aeroplan 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Air Canada Aeroplan  

A quick look on the Aeroplan website shows show a direct flight on Star Alliance partner ANA for 55,000 miles plus a very reasonable C$92 in taxes and fees.

Aeroplan 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Air Canada Aeroplan  

Flights within North America can also be an excellent use your Chase Ultimate Rewards points. flights under 500 miles will set you back 6,000 miles or 6,000 Ultimate Rewards points oneway plus taxes and fees. While there is also good value to be had on flights between 500 and 1,500 miles which will only set you back 10,000 miles plus taxes an fees one way.

Aeroplan 4 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Air Canada Aeroplan  

Air France-KLM Flying Blue 1894

Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Flying Blue at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer ratio of 1,000 points. Typically transfers will occur very quickly and should show within your Flying Blue account within an hour or so.

Ever since Air France-KLM Flying Blue abolished their award charts and moved to a dynamic pricing award model, leveraging your miles for great redemptions has become more difficult. While the airline no longer publishes an award chart, it does have an award price calculator that you can use to get an indication of the cost of your award.

One of the best ways you can build value is by using the Air France-KLM Flying Blue monthly Promo Rewards promotion. Every month Flying Blue offers a series of award fares to global destinations (including North America) from Europe. Awards are offered for various classes of travel, including premium economy and business class, and with the promotion, the typical discount is 25%, although you can luck out and occasionally get a 50% discount on a transatlantic fare in business class.

One thing to remember is that the number of Promo Rewards seats are limited, and they are released at the begging of every month. So, it is always worth checking at the first couple of days of the month to see if anything fits your travel plans. An example award you typically would be Paris to Chicago one way in economy for a mere 16,125 miles.

Flying Blue 1 Promo rewards Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Air France/ KLM Flying Blue   

Partner Award Within The US

If you are looking to travel within the US, there is some stunning value on round trip awards between the west coast and Hawaii. You can book a partner award with Delta or Alaska for as little as 17,500 miles one way or 35,000 round trip plus taxes and fees. That is excellent value and, in some cases, is actually less than what those airlines are charging their own program members in miles for the same award.

Flying Blue 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Air France/ KLM Flying Blue  

Business Class Awards Between Europe & The US

Business-class awards between Europe (specifically London) and the US can be excellent value, especially when booked with partners Virgin Atlantic or Delta. One way awards start from 53,000 miles plus taxes and fees.

Flying Blue 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Air France/ KLM Flying Blue  

Again, this represents excellent value, especially when you consider the reduced level of fuel surcharges that Flying Blue charges compared to other airlines operating the same route.

One thing worth remembering is that unlike many US-based programs that are only a partner with one financial institution, Air Franc KLM Flying Blue is one of a handful that is a partner with multiple. You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriot Bonvoy points to Flying Blue. This makes the program very flexible, either in terms of consolidating small point balances or using a couple of points currencies to get your next award flight.

British Airways Executive Club

Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to British Airways Executive Club at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer ratio of 1,000 points. Transfers occur almost instantaneously and should show in your account immediately, making finding a reward then initiating a transfer a breeze.

British Airways no longer publishes an award chart like many airlines, making it more difficult for points and miles enthusiasts to work out what awards represent the best bang for your buck. The only way to find out the cost of an award is to actually simulate going through the booking process to see the final cost. That being said, with a little research, there is some excellent value to be had by transferring your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to British Airways.

One thing to keep in mind is that British Airways operates a peak and off-peak pricing model. This means that if you want to get any value out of your award, you need to restrict your searches to the off-peak for maximum value. As with a lot of airlines, the best value can be had when you use your Avios for partner awards.

Using your BA Avios for economy flights from the west coast of the US to Hawaii can be a steal. There are some great options on routes under 3,000 miles with one world partners Alaska or American Airlines.

British Airways 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of British Airways Executive Club   

A one-way award in economy with Alaska from Los Angeles to Honolulu will set you back 13,000 Avios or 13,000 Ultimate Rewards points plus around $7 in taxes and fees.

British Airways 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of British Airways Executive Club   

Another Great option and value is for short flights with North America and to the Caribbean with a distance under 1,150 miles. A quick one-way flight from Miami to Freeport, the Bahamas, will set you back 7,500 Aviso plus around $27 in taxes and fees, which is fantastic value.

British Airways 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of British Airways Executive Club   

One thing to remember is British Airways is another carrier that is a transfer partner with multiple financial institutions. You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriot Bonvoy points to British Airways. This means you can transfer points earned from your American Express Platinum Card or from your Venture X credit card or bto0h to reach your next travel award with British Airways.

Emirates Skywards

You have been able to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Emirates Skywards for some time now. This makes it a great option if you want to sample some of Emirates’ world-renowned first-class products, including the shower onboard their A380.

Chase points transfer to Emirates at a ratio of 1:1, with a minimum transfer ratio of 1,000 points. In terms of time frames, points transfer virtually instantaneously, making it an excellent option when planning since you have the time to find the right award before you commit to transferring your valuable credit card points.

Unfortunately,  while Emirates does have a distance-based award chart, it does not publish it. Instead, Emirates Skywards has an online mileage calculator that lets you know how many miles you will either earn for certain flights or how many miles you need of r an award or upgrade.

A great option for travel from the US is to head to Europe aboard one of Emirates Fifth Freedom routes between New York and Milan. A one-way award will set you back 85,000 miles plus taxes and fees.

Skywards Miles 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Emirates Skywards   

While the price is a little steep for what is a relatively short long-haul flight, it is worth it, especially if you want to sample Emirates sumptuous first-class product aboard its A380 aircraft.

If you are after a luxury tropical break to the Maldives from the west coast of the US, then emirates can be tremendous value. Round trip awards in economy will set you back a very reasonable 90,000 miles plus taxes and fees

Skywards Miles Calculator 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Emirates Skywards   

If you want to travel in a little more luxury, you will have to pay a premium. The same award in business class will set you back 180,000 miles round trip plus taxes and fees.

Skywards Miles 4 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Emirates Skywards   

One thing to remember is like a few other international airlines on the list Emirates Skywards is a transfer partner for a wide range of flexible credit card points. You can transfer Capital One Miles, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, and Marriott Bonvoy points to Emirates Skywards.

Iberia Plus

Iberia is part of IAG like British Airways and Aer Lingus, so it comes as no surprise that it is also a transfer partner for Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Points transfer to Iberia Avios at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer of 1,000 points. Similarly to BA and Aer Lingus, transfers to Iberia are virtually instantaneously, although they can sometimes take a few minutes to come through.

It will come as no surprise to learn that Iberia operates a peak and off-peak distance-based award chart. If you are looking to maximize the return on your points, you are best served staying well clear of any peak awards.

Iberia L.A.E. 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Iberia    

Being distance-based, there are some gems to be had with the Iberia Program. Flights for Madrid to various east coast destinations, including Washington, New York, and Boston, all come in between 3,000 and 4,000 miles, making them a category 5 award.

Iberia 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Iberia  

A one-way award in business class will set you back 34,000 miles plus taxes and fees. That is incredible value for a transatlantic business class award. If you are looking to fly in economy the same award will set you back a very reasonable 17,000 miles plus taxes and fees.

This sweet spot applies to a couple of other transatlantic routes, specifically to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Which again is excellent use and return on your Avios.

JetBlue TrueBlue

JetBlue TrueBlue is a relatively recent Chase Ultimate Regards transfer partner, having only come on board in late 2018. Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to JetBlue at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer ratio of 1,000 points. Typically, transfers are almost instantaneously, which is ideal if you want to find the right award before initiating your points transfer.

Unlike a significant number of other airlines that operate a distance-based award chart, JetBlue TrueBlue operates a model that ties the cost of awards to the cash value of your tickets. The amount you would pay in points reflects the cash price of the ticket at the time of booking. This can work out great if booking well in advance but can be expensive when booking closes in.

Typically, JetBlue uses an exchange rate of around 1.4cents per point. This is a poor valuation for exchanging Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Adopting a smarter strategy will mean you can redeem your points for a much higher value, especially if you transfer them to an airline that uses a distance-based award chart.

That being said you, you can get better value for your points if you are a Mosaic member, where you can use points to book JetBlue’s even more space seats starting from 200 points. Using your points for even more space upgrades can be a great earner and vastly increase the rate of return over the standard 1.4 cents per point!

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Singapore KrisFlyer at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer ratio of 1,000. Unfortunately, transfers are not the quickest, and it can take 1 or 2 business days for them to go through. This makes it very difficult and too risky to transfer your points if you are after a specific award since it may no longer be available once the points hit your Singapore account. Transferring points is best left to when you are sure you will be booking soon and have some flexibility.

There are several different ways you can use your miles for the best value with the Singapore KrisFlyer program. A quick look at the Singapore star Alliance award chart shows there is some excellent value to be had on flights from the US to Europe. Bear in mind the award chart is priced for round trip awards, so get the price for a one-way award; you need to divide the price by two.

Singapore KrisFlyer 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Singapore Airways Krisflyer    

One-way awards from the US to Europe will set you back 27,500 miles plus taxes and fees. If you are looking to travel in a little more luxury, then there is some good value to be had flying business with one-way awards pricing at 65,000 miles one way plus taxes and fees. This can be an excellent redemption if you select your route carefully and are lucky to land a flight with United on a Polaris-equipped aircraft.

If you really want to turn up your luxury experience and sample one of the best first-class experiences in the world. Then a one-way award from Frankfurt, Germany with Lufthansa to the US will set you back 85,000 miles plus taxes and fees. This is of tremendous value to sample the legendry first-class terminal in Frankfurt.

Singapore’s partner award chart with Alaska Airlines is generous for flights within the US, offering a surprising amount of value for shorter awards. Singapore divides North America into 5 zones. Cheaper awards start from 7,500 miles one way in economy plus taxes and fees.

Singapore KrisFlyer 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Singapore Airways Krisflyer   

Choosing the right paring of zones can be tremendous value; all the following pairings will set you back 7,500 miles:

  • Zone 1 and zone 1.
  • Zone 1 and Zone 2.
  • Zone 2 and zone 2.
  • Zone 3 and Zone 4.

Like many international airlines, Singapore does not have an exclusive relationship with any large US financial institution, and you can transfer several different credit card point currencies to the Singapore KrisFlyer. You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points, Capital One miles, and Citi ThankYou points to Singapore in addition to Ultimate Rewards points. When you factor in that ability to pool family miles in the program coupled with multiple transfer partners, Singapore KrisFlyer is one of the few programs that is ideal for consolidating points balances to hit your next premium travel award.

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Rapid Rewards at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer ratio of 1,000 points. Transfers occur instantaneously, although this is not a significant issue since you can redeem your points for any ticket.

Southwest lets you pay with points for any ticket. However, its points do not have a set value, and the per cent value of your points will fluctuate with the cash price of the ticket. Generally, the more expensive the cash price of the ticket, the less the cent value of your points.

Take a simple flight from Las Vegas LAS to Dallas Love Field- that would set you back either $144, $104, or $54, depending on the class of ticket you purchase.

Southwest Airlines 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards    

If you try and book the same flights using your Southwest points that were transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards points, the cost in points would be 9,990, 6,901, and 3,041, respectively.

Southwest Airlines 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards    

While this relationship looks to be relatively straightforward, some simple mathematics shows that you are getting substantially better value for your points booking the cheaper ticket. Booking the three tickets using points would yield the following values 1.44 cents per point, 1.50 cents per point, and 1.77 cents per point, respectively. One thing to note is 1.7 is near the top end of value for what you can redeem Southwest points for, and it would be extremely rare if not impossible to find better value.

One thing to keep in mind if you are looking to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points and then redeem them for a flight is the value you can redeem them for by booking the flight through the chase portal. If you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can redeem your points for 1.25 cents per point. So, if your redemption is working out at less value, use the chase portal instead. Things are even better if you Hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, where you can redeem your Chase points for 1.5 cents per point through the portal. At this value, it is well worth double-checking which redemption route will give you the best bang for your points.

United MileagePlus

You have been able to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United Mileage Plus for a long time now. Ultimate Rewards points transfer at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer of 1,000 points. Transfers typically occur instantaneously, meaning you can plan, search and find the right award you need before committing and transferring the points from your Chase amount to United.

Like many US legacy carriers, United has reduced its transparency and eliminated its award chart. This has meant that United can charge whatever they want for an award and change that amount at the drop of a hat. While the company has systematically stripped most excellent value out of its awards, some sweet spots are left in the program.

One of the best redemption options you have is for short-haul flights with the US and North America. Short flights will set you back as little as 5,100 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. This is typified by an award from New York to Miami.

United Airlines 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of United Airlines Mileage Plus    

If you are looking to spread your wings further afield, there is some value to be had by redeeming your mile for awards between the US and Europe. One way award in business class from the US to Europe starts at 73,100 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees.

United Airlines 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of United Airlines Mileage Plus    

This may be a little expensive, and if you can find partner availability, you may be better off transferring your chase points to Singapore Kris Flyer then booking a partner award instead of booking the award directly with United. You would end up saving over 8,000 points.

If you want to fly economy from the US to Europe, there are some real bargains to be had. One way saver awards will set you back 20,700miles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. That can be a fantastic deal, especially if you are looking to travel as a family.

United Airlines 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of United Airlines Mileage Plus    

Remember the lack of clarity and transparency with United’s award chart system and the fact that it is a Star Alliance partner; it is often worth checking for partner awards with other airlines to get the best value from your points.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic is a partner with multiple points currencies. You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer of 1,000 points. Typically, you can plan and find your award before e initiating a transfer since Chase points transfer to Virgin almost immediately or within a few minutes.

In addition, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points, and Marriot Bonvoy points to Virgin Atlantic, making it an ideal program to consolidate some points balances in.

Since early 2021 when Virgin put through an unannounced devaluation, it has ripped the heart out of most of the value of its award charts. However, one sweet spot remains in the generous award chart it has for ANA. Booking some ANA routes through Virgin is an absolute steal and a source of excellent value.

One-way first-class awards with ANA from Japan to the West coast of the US, Canada, or Australia will set you back a mere 55,000 miles plus taxes and fees.

All Nippon Airways 1 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club     

If you are looking to head to Europe or the east coast of the US, things are a little more expensive but still tremendous value. A one-way first-class award on a Japan to the East coast and central US, Europe, and Mexico will set you back 60,000 miles plus taxes and fees.

All Nippon Airways 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards
Image Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

When you consider the actual cash price of these tickets and compare it to the award price in miles, you are on to a real winner here since a typical first-class ticket would have set you back several thousand dollars!

Hotel Partners

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards point to 3 different hotel partners IHG Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt.

IHG Rewards

Ultimate Rewards points transfer to IHG Rewards Club at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer of 1,000. Transfers are not instantaneous and can typically take up to 24 hours.

Marriott Bonvoy

Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Marriott Bonvoy at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer of 1,000. Similar to IHG, Rewards transfers are not instantaneous but typically take between o 24 and 48 hours to post to your Marriott account.

World of Hyatt

You can transfer Ultimate Rewards points transfer to World of Hyatt at a ratio of 1:1 with a minimum transfer of 1,000. Unlike Chase’s two other hotel partners, transfers are virtually instant.

When to Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hotel partners

The simple answer is almost never. You will never get good value by transferring ultimate rewards points to a hotel program since your redemption options will not work out great value. You are far better served transferring your points to an airline or keeping them safe in your Chase Ultimate Rewards balance.

The only exception to the above is when you are a few points short of a specific redemption; In that case, transferring 1,000 or 2,000 points to a hotel program may be worth it. This is especially true if the redemption you are after is an outstanding deal.

Final Thoughts

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are one of the most valuable out there. If you have a smart travel rewards strategy and properly plan your award strategy, you can leverage your points for hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of travel rewards. The value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points comes from its flexibility and not just of partners you can transfer them to, but also the multiple ways you can earn them, including converting cashback to points.

Despite the fact that Chase almost never offers transfer bonuses like other credit card currencies, Ultimate Rewards are still one of our favorite credit card points currencies out there and our go-to points for a significant part of our travel award plan.

Advertiser Disclosure

  • Earn 75,000 Bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Earn 2X miles on everyday spend.
  • Earn 10X miles on hotels and car rentals, and 5x on flights booked on Capital One Travel
  • Receive 10,000 bonus miles every account opening anniversary.
  • Get a $300 credit to use on Capital One Travel each year.
  • Unlimited Access to Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass lounges internationally.
  • $395 annual fee.
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Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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