How to book travel and save money with the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal

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Chase Ultimate Rewards is a credit card rewards program that offers flexible travel rewards points. Members can transfer these points to various loyalty programs or use them to book travel through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal. The portal allows users to book flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and more using their Chase credit card or Ultimate Rewards points.

The Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection is a feature of the portal that offers high-end hotels with perks like upgrades and free food and drinks, even without elite status.

While transferring points to airline or hotel loyalty programs may provide more value in some cases, there are still situations where booking through Ultimate Rewards makes sense.

To access the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, you need an eligible Chase card. This includes higher-end travel credit cards, business credit cards, and some cash back and cobranded retail cards. Multiple Ultimate Rewards-earning cards can be combined into one account.

The value of redeeming points for travel varies depending on the card. Chase credit cards with no annual fee can redeem at a rate of 1 cent per point, while premium cards like Chase Sapphire Reserve offer a rate of 1.5 cents per point.

To book travel through the portal, log into your Ultimate Rewards account and click on the 'Travel' button. From there, you can select the type of travel you want to book and follow the prompts to complete your reservation.

When booking flights, you have a wide range of airlines to choose from, except for Southwest Airlines, which requires a phone call to book through Chase.

For hotel bookings, you can search by city or specific landmarks. The portal offers a variety of independent hotels in addition to well-known brands.

Points and miles can be earned on flights booked through Chase, but hotel loyalty points are typically not earned when booking through third-party sites. However, you can still earn airline miles and access elite status benefits by adding your airline loyalty number to your Ultimate Rewards profile.

Booking through Chase directly can be a good option when there is no award space available or when the cash price is high. It offers a simple way to redeem points for travel without the need to transfer them.

Some Ultimate Rewards members can earn bonus points on paid bookings made through the portal. For example, Sapphire Preferred cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals, while Sapphire Reserve cardholders earn 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals (excluding Luxury Hotels & Resorts Collection bookings) and 5 points per dollar on flights.

Certain Chase cardholders also have access to additional benefits, such as statement credits for hotel bookings and access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge at Boston Logan International Airport.

Overall, while transferring points to loyalty programs may provide more value, the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal offers convenience, statement credits, and bonus points for certain cardholders. It's important to compare prices and options before booking to ensure you're getting the best deal.