Chase Credit Card Guide
Chase Ultimate Rewards is a rewards program offered by Chase Bank that allows cardholders to earn and redeem points across a variety of categories. These points can be accrued through eligible purchases made on Chase credit cards that participate in the Ultimate Rewards(UR) program. Additionally, Chase has some of the best Welcome Bonuses in the industry. The program is known for its flexibility and value, offering cardholders various options for redeeming their points.
One key feature of Chase Ultimate Rewards is the ability to redeem points for travel through the Chase Travel Portal, where cardholders can book flights, hotels, rental cars, and other travel-related expenses. The points can also be transferred to numerous airline and hotel loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio, providing added flexibility for maximizing the value of the points.
In addition to travel, cardholders can use their Ultimate Rewards points for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise. However, as will discuss further using UR for travel through transfer partners can increase their value even more. Chase often runs promotions and special offers, allowing cardholders to get even more value from their points.
What makes the Chase UR program so valuable is how well you can pair all their cards together. Below we’re going to talk about Chase’s two premier cards (Main-Cast) and will also dive into some supporting cards, business, and Hotel/Airline cards that can optimize your spending even further.
Main-Cast (CSP & CSR)
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is a great starter card that earns Premium Ultimate Rewards that can be transferred into over a dozen partners including Hyatt, Southwest, United, IHG, Marriott, and more!
Annual Fee
$95
Credit Score Range
670 – 850
Welcome Offer
60,000 Bonus points
- 2x points on travel
- 5x points on travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
- 3x points on dining out, including eligible delivery services
- 3x points on online grocery purchases (Excluding Target, Walmart and other wholesale clubs)
- 3x points on select streaming services
- 1x on all other purchases
- 10% Anniversary Bonus
- Receive an additional 10% points bonus. (i.e. spend $10k in a year, receive 1k bonus points)
- $50 Annual Credit on Hotel stays booked through Ultimate Rewards.
- Complimentary DashPass (DoorDash)
- No foreign transaction fees
- Comprehensive Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Points redeem at 1.25
- 60k point welcome offer (After $4k spend within 3 months of account opening)
The Ultimate starter card for getting into the world of travel hacking. We value Chase UR at 2.0 cents making the sign-up bonus alone worth $1,200 in travel. All for a low fee of $95 (which could feel like $45 if you take advantage of the $50 hotel credit) makes this the best starter travel card on the market.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a premium travel card that offers lounge access, travel credits and can transfer into over a dozen partners.
Annual Fee
$550
Credit Score Range
740 – 850
Welcome Offer
60,000 Bonus points
- 3x points on travel
- 5x points on flights & 10x on Hotels & Car Rentals through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
- 3x points on dining out, including eligible delivery services
- 10x points on Chase Dining
- 10x points on Lyft
- 10x points on Peloton Equipment
- 1x on all other purchases
- $300 Annual Travel Credit
- Priority Pass Membership with dining access for 2 guest
- $100 application fee credit every four years for either:
- Global Entry
- NEXUS
- TSA PreCheck
- Complimentary DashPash (DoorDash)
- No foreign transaction fees
- Comprehensive Travel and Purchase Coverage
- 60k point welcome offer (After $4k spend within 3 months of account opening)
For the experienced Travel Hacker who has the spending to support the large fee. We value Chase UR at 2.0 cents making the sign-up bonus alone worth $1,200 in travel. While the fee is quite high at $550, it comes with multiple benefits that more than make up for the fee if the spend categories work for you.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred(CSP) and Chase Sapphire Reserve(CSR) are the two premier Chase Credit Cards. Both of these cards earn Ultimate Rewards and allow you to redeem those points at a premium through the Chase Travel Portal. The Sapphire Preferred points are worth 1.25x in the portal and the Sapphire Reserve are worth 1.5x. This means if you have 10,000 Ultimate Reward Points with a CSP those points are worth $125 and with the CSR those points are worth $150.
However, that is still not the best way to redeem those points as having a Sapphire card allows you to transfer the points to multiple travel partners. The image below shows all the current Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners:
To show the full power of the transfer partners here’s an example of a flight I’m looking to book for an upcoming golf trip to Phoenix. I can book the below United flight for $390 or for 31,130 points with my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card through the Chase Travel Portal.
However, that same flight on United’s site is just 20,900 points. Since the United MileagePlus program is a transfer partner with Chase UR you can transfer the points needed over and save yourself over 10k points by taking advantage of travel partners!
This is just one quick example of how transfer partners can enhance your savings even further. I have done this same thing to book hotels that were going for over $1,000 a night for less than 20k points a night through Hyatt. Or you can even use your points to travel in style.
Now Chase only allows you to hold one Chase Sapphire Card at a time. While both are great cards I would highly recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred, especially if you’re just starting out. The CSR does offer a better 1.5 cents per points through the Chase Travel but as we just showed the real power is using transfer partners and for those the CSP and CSR are equal. The CSR also does have some great premium features such as Lounge Access and a Global Entry/TSA Precheck credit, if you’re interested in these things but I would recommend checking out the Capital One Venture X (Insert link to CapOne Review) which provides the same lounge access and Global Entry/TSA Precheck credit for a lower fee and using that in companion with the CSP.
If your still interested in the CSR however, a great tool to use is The Point Calculator where you can put in your typical spending for each card category and directly compare which card comes out ahead on a value basis.
Supporting Cast
While the CSP/CSR are great premium cards and should be the main cards in your wallet, they aren’t the best way to optimize all of your spending. While they’re great for dining out earning 3x most of your other typical spending, if your like me anyways, such as groceries or gas would just be earning a lousy 1x. This is where the Chase Freedom cards come in!
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
A great support card that allows you to earn 1.5x on ALL purchases. If held with a Chase Sapphire card you can transfer these points into Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Score Range
670 – 850
Welcome Offer
$200 Bonus
- 1.5% cash back on everything
- 3% on dining out, including eligible delivery services
- 3% on drugstore purchases
- 5% on travel purchased through Chase UR
- $200 welcome offer (After $500 spend within 3 months of account opening)
- Plus, earn 5% back on combined gas station and grocery store purchases (excluding Target & Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year
This is an excellent rewards card for both those starting out and the seasoned traveler. Having a card that earns unlimited 1.5% cash back is a great way to fill holes in your wallet. The card really shines when combined with the CSP/CSR and converted to points in Chase UR.
Chase Freedom Flex®
Another great support card that allows you to earn 5x on rotating quarterly categories. If held with a Chase Sapphire card you can transfer these points into Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Score Range
670 – 850
Welcome Offer
$200 Bonus
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter.
- 3% on drugstore purchases
- 5% on travel purchased through Chase UR
- 1% on everything else
- $200 welcome offer (After $500 spend within 3 months of account opening)
- Plus, earn 5% back on combined gas station and grocery store purchases (excluding Target & Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year
This is an excellent rewards card for both those starting out and the seasoned traveler. Being able to earn up to 5% back on rotating categories for no fee is unmatched in the credit card space. This card really shines when combined with the CSP/CSR and converted to points in Chase UR.
The Chase Freedom cards by themselves are cash-back cards that can be used for cashback, gift cards, or can even be put towards purchases. What makes the Freedom cards so great though is if you hold one of the premium Chase Sapphire cards you can combine points, as shown below, to take advantage of transfer partners and the Chase Travel Portal at either 1.25x or 1.5x based on what respective card you hold. Allowing you to optimize both your spending and earning of credit card points.
I personally hold both of these cards. You’re able to earn the sign-up bonus for each card and as the cards have no fee it allows me to optimize my spending across the Chase portfolio. I’d recommend getting at least one of these cards to pair with the Chase Sapphire. If only going with one I would lean towards the Freedom Flex to get the rotating 5% categories. Below are last year’s Flex Categories to give you an idea of what you can roughly expect if you were to go the Freedom Flex route. Earning 1.5% back on every purchase with the Unlimited is great but I recommend also carrying the Capital One Venture X (add link) which gives you 2% back on every purchase.
Business Cards
Chase also offers a plethora of Business cards, but we’re just going to focus on the free ones. Now before you potentially skip over this section let’s discuss what Chase considers a business. Chase is very friendly to entrepreneurs even if you haven’t been in business for long. You don’t need to be incorporated or have an EIN either as you can apply as a Sole Proprietor using your SSN as you would a non-business card. So, even if you’re just doing some dog walking or selling items online on the side you can qualify for a Chase Business Card.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited®
A great business card that allows you to earn 1.5x on ALL purchases. If held with a Chase Sapphire card you can transfer these points into Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Score Range
670 – 850
Welcome Offer
$900 Bonus
- 1.5% cash back on everything
- 0% Intro APR for 12 months
- 5% cash back on Lyft rides
- $900 welcome offer (After $6,000 spend within 3 months of account opening)
- Employee cards at no additional cost
This is an excellent business card for both those starting out and the seasoned traveler. The card really shines when combined with the CSP/CSR and converted to points in Chase UR. Offers a whopping $900 welcome bonus for a free card, you won’t find a better offer on a free card!
Chase Ink Business Cash®
Another great support card that allows you to earn 5x on rotating quarterly categories. If held with a Chase Sapphire card you can transfer these points into Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Score Range
670 – 850
Welcome Offer
$900 Bonus
- 5% cash back on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable & phone services
- 2% cash back on gas station and restaurants
- 1% on everything else
- $900 welcome offer (After $6,000 spend within 3 months of account opening)
- Employee cards at no additional cost
This is an excellent busienss card for both those starting out and the seasoned traveler. This card really shines when combined with the CSP/CSR and converted to points in Chase UR. 2% back on gas is the best Chase offers across all of its free cards. Offers a whopping $900 welcome bonus for a free card, you won’t find a better offer on a free card!
Just like the support cards we discussed, these are cashback cards. But, just like the cashback cards if you have a Chase Sapphire you can move these points over to use them in Chase’s Travel Portal or utilize transfer partners.
With a HUGE $900 welcome bonus and no annual fee, if you can swing the $6,000 spend in 3 months, this may be the best credit card on the market. With one card you could book an entire Golf Trip to Cancún, Mexico!
Non-UR Cards
Chase has numerous cards that are branded with different partners (ex. Marriott, United Airlines, etc.). These cards rather than earning Ultimate Rewards we have been talking about earn points in their respective program. So your Marriott cards earn you Marriott Bonvoy points rather than Chase UR points. Meaning these points are siloed in their respective programs and can not be transferred outside of the program. While I carry a few of these in my wallet for these reasons I don’t put the majority of my spending on these cards because I’m limited to using the points within the program.
Where I think you can find a good amount of value though is in branded hotel cards. The World of Hyatt credit card is my personal favorite due to the free night which can easily surpass the cost of the annual fee. Hyatt has by far the best redemption rates and a limited amount of points can book you a 5-star hotel with ease. Programs such as IHG One Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy can be good as well. While not as lucrative as Hyatts program, they also offer free night awards and 4th and 5th nights free when booking on points.
World of Hyatt Credit Card
While not the biggest hotel chain in the world, what they lack in size they make up for in value redemption. With a free night award each year (up to Category 4) make this truly one of the best hotel cards on the market.
Annual Fee
$95
Credit Score Range
670 – 850
Welcome Offer
Up to 60,000 points
- 9x on purchases at all Hyatt Hotels
- 2x on restaurants, airline tickets, local transit & gym memberships
- 60,000 point welcome offer
- 30,000 after $3k spend in 3 months
- Up to another 30,000 points by earning 2x on the first $15k spent
- Free Night every year (Category 1-4)
- Earn an extra free night for every $15k spent in a calendar year
- Complimentary Discoverist Status
The World of Hyatt program offers the best value when booking on points among all major hotel chains. The $95 fee is easily covered by the free night that comes with the card as you normally can easily find $150+ hotel nights that are eligible.
IHG One Rewards Premier
While the points here are not as valuable as Hyatt’s. A big sign-up bonus and generous rewards make this card a winner.
Annual Fee
$99
Credit Score Range
690 – 850
Welcome Offer
140,000 points
- 26x on purchases at all IHG Hotels & Resorts
- 5x on travel, gas stations, and dining
- 3x on everything else
- 140,000 point welcome offer after $3k spend in the first 3 months
- Free Night every year (40k points)
- Complimentary Platinum Elite Status
- 4th night free when redeeming points
- $100 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS
- $50 United Airlines TravelBank Cash
The points on this card aren’t worth as much as the other hotel programs. But for the $99 fee it packs quite a punch with a 40k anniversary night, 4th night free, $50 United credit and $100 precheck credit
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless®
Marriott is the largest hotel chain in the world and has amazing properties on every corner of the globe. Offering a free 35k point night this can more than make up for the $95 annual fee.
Annual Fee
$95
Credit Score Range
670 – 850
Welcome Offer
150,000 points
- 17x on purchases at all Marriott Hotels
- 3x on the first $6k spent each year at grocery stores, gas station and dining
- 2x on everything else
- 150,000 point welcome offer after $3k spend in the first 3 months
- Sent as 3 free nights worth up to 50k each
- Free Night every year (35k points)
- Complimentary Silver Elite Status
- 5th night free when redeeming points
The Marriott Bonvoy program offers the most selection being a part of the largest hotel chain in the world. The $95 fee can be easily covered by using the free night award, however, it may not get you the most luxurious hotel
Chase also offers several partner cards with Airlines such as Southwest, United, and Delta. I personally don’t carry any airline cards, but if you fly one airline more than others a card can be worth it for status and other perks such as free checked luggage. This can come in handy when lugging golf clubs around! Other perks, like a companion certificate, offered by the British Airways card after $20k spend in a year or the Southwest Companion Pass, earning 135,000 qualifying points, can make these cards very valuable.
Other Useful Chase Information
- Sign Up Rules
- 5/24 – Almost all of Chase’s cards are a part of their 5/24 rule. This means that you can not sign up if you have opened more than 5 credit cards in the last 24 months. (This is all credit cards not just Chase cards.)
- 2/30: You can only be approved for 2 cards in any 30 day timeframe
- There is no limit on the number of Chase cards you can hold. I personally carry 8 cards and have carried up to 10 at once
- Welcome Bonus Rules
- For most cards, you can receive a welcome bonus every 24 months.
- However, for the Chase Sapphire cards (CSP/CSR) you can not of received a welcome bonus in the last 48 months.
- You can only hold one Chase Sapphire card at a time. Either the CSP or CSR.
My Optimal Strategy & Tips
While Chase has many great cards, for those starting out travel hacking I recommend you get these three cards first.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Chase Freedom Flex
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
