If you’re new to the award travel space, it’s important to understand that Chase Ultimate Rewards is the flexible rewards currency program you should start with.  More specifically, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the recommended card if you’re just starting out in points and miles, and the world of award travel redemptions.  With travel partners that make transfers simple, and points fairly easy to redeem – you can get amazing value from your points and miles.  But keep Chase Ultimate Rewards as a starting, middle, and endgame – and you’ll be booking great travel redemptions for years to come.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for any type of traveler.  If you were to book travel directly in the bank’s portal, you’d get at least a $750 value.  Now this is definitely not recommended long-term, because you can get even more value for your points when you transfer them to partners such as Southwest, United, Hyatt, or Marriott – and book directly.  Perks of this card include:

• 3x on dining
• 5x on travel purchased in Chase travel portal
• 2x on all other travel purchases
• $50 annual hotel credit
• No foreign transaction fees
• Primary rental car coverage
• 10% anniversary points boost
• 3x on select streaming services and online grocery purchases
• 5x on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025 (that’s 3x points in addition to the 2x you already earn on travel)
• Complimentary access to DashPass – a membership for DoorDash for a minimum of one year when activated by 12/31/24

Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Transfer Partner Programs are (1:1 point transfers for all):

• Aerclub (loyalty program of Aer Lingus)
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• Flying Blue Air France KLM
• Iberia Plus
• True Blue | jetBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Rapid Rewards
• MileagePlus United
• Virgin Atlantic flyingclub
• IHG One Rewards
• Marriott Bonvoy
• World of Hyatt

My personal favorite transfer partners are Southwest Airlines and Hyatt.  Transfers are instant, and for the points and miles beginner, simple and straightforward.  Check out my blog post on our upcoming fall break trip to the Bahamas and read how I scored a great redemption by booking directly with Hyatt, as opposed to booking our Hyatt hotel for our stay – through the bank’s travel portal.  Remember, the best value for your points and miles will always be found through a bank’s airline/hotel travel partners, and booking travel directly with them.

Beginner Strategy

If you have a Player 2 in the award travel game – you have an opportunity to earn more points towards travel together.  Here’s a great starting strategy:

> Player 1 gets the Chase Sapphire Preferred and earns 60k points (plus points from usage)

> Player 1 refers Player 2 and earns 15k referral bonus points

> Player 2 get his/her own Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card and earns 60k points (plus points from usage)

That’s AT LEAST 135k points, not to mention, the additional points each person earns from usage!  

Now I wish I had started this way, but alas, I didn’t.  We actually went straight to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® credit card, which is a great premium-level card (generally not advised for beginners though).  We didn’t make use of the benefits initially, nor did we fully understand them.  And when you don’t use/apply perks of a credit card, the annual fee that comes with it can prevent you from looking into further options.  Earning points/miles from just one card is fine, but that’s not a great strategy long-term – you realize that annual fees more than make up for themselves when you take advantage of all the travel-geared benefits that credit cards can offer you.

Chase Ultimate Rewards as a Middle Game

Chase Ultimate Rewards is great because if you prefer partners such as Southwest or Hyatt, you can transfer points to them as/when needed.  Rather than getting co-branded hotel or airline cards initially, you can start with the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card to help you understand the value you get through these airline/hotel transfer partners.  I personally love earning flexible currency, because my points are not tied up with a particular airline or hotel – and it allows me options as I plan future trips.  Yes, at some point in your strategy, you will need to add the respective co-branded cards to replenish your points.  But flexible rewards currency earned through Chase, Citi, Capital One, and American Express allow you options through their diverse selection of airline/hotel travel partners.

Chase also has a great selection of business credit cards – there are three Chase Ink Business credit cards with great signup bonuses.  It’s important to note that business credit cards will always offer better signup bonuses, while also requiring increased minimum spend than personal credit cards.  You may be surprised to read what can qualify as a business.  In the world of side gigs and hustles, you may even have a qualifying business and not even realize it!

Chase Ultimate Rewards as an Endgame

As you get more advanced in your credit card strategy, you’ll eventually find yourself needing to book redemptions through travel partners that can take you places internationally.  Having recently booked a redemption through our Capital One Miles for Europe next year, I can speak to Singapore Airlines’ rewards program – KrisFlyer – having great deals.  I have my eye on Air France/KLM’s rewards program – FlyingBlue – in hopes of getting the family to Europe next summer.  We are a family of 5 with kids of the ages of (almost) 13, 9, and 20 months.  Next year our little one will not be able to fly free anymore.  FlyingBlue offers 25% discounted award tickets for kids between the ages of 2-11; we’ll have two children next year who will qualify for that.  Save points on ⅖ people in the family?  Yes please, I’ll take it!  It’s hard enough earning and accumulating points and miles for our family of five.

We are currently not working to meet a minimum spend for a credit card right now, so what card are we using to charge expenses?  Yup, that’s right – my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.  Like I stated earlier, as I figure out plans for summer 2023, I want to continue to earn flexible rewards currency so my points are not tied up with a particular hotel or airline.  My husband has some work trips coming up, and even those expenses are being charged on my card, while some applicable hotel stays are charged to The World of Hyatt Credit Card.

Chase Ultimate Rewards can help you score great domestic and international redemptions.  Let’s not forget their fee-free cards such as Chase Freedom Flex® (5% cash back on rotating bonus categories) and Chase Freedom Unlimited® (worth up to $300 cash back) that are great for everyday use.  Make the most of your money by earning this flexible rewards currency, and your points, by transferring to their travel partners to book award travel.