The best way to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points in 2026 is usually to transfer them to a partner like World of Hyatt or an airline, where a good booking gets you well above 1.5 cents per point. The next best is a Points Boost booking in Chase Travel, worth up to 2 cents a point with the Sapphire Reserve and up to 1.5 cents with the Sapphire Preferred. Cash back is 1 cent a point, and paying at Amazon is 0.8 cents, so avoid that one.
Chase changed its program a lot between June 2025 and October 2026, so some advice you’ll read elsewhere is out of date. Here’s how it works now.
Which Chase cards let you transfer points? #
Only three cards earn “full” Ultimate Rewards points that can go to travel partners: the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Ink Business Preferred.
The Freedom Flex, Freedom Unlimited, Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited earn points that Chase markets as cash back. On their own those points are worth 1 cent each. Move them to a Sapphire or Ink Preferred account and they become transferable. That pooling is the whole point of the “Chase trifecta.”
Chase also lets you combine points with one member of your household, or with a co-owner of your business for Ink cards. See how to transfer Chase points to a family member for the rules.
Who are Chase’s transfer partners in 2026? #
As of September 2026, Chase transfers to 10 airline programs and 4 hotel programs, mostly at 1:1, in 1,000-point increments. Transfers are final.
| Airlines | Hotels |
|---|---|
| Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways, Iberia, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Southwest, United, Virgin Atlantic | World of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Wyndham Rewards (added February 2026) |
Chase doesn’t partner with American Airlines or Emirates. Check the transfer page in your account for the current list, and look for transfer bonuses before you move points (Chase ran a 20% bonus to Aeroplan through September 30, 2026).
World of Hyatt: still strong, less predictable #
Hyatt has long been the best hotel partner, and it often still is. Two 2026 changes matter:
- New award chart. On May 20, 2026, Hyatt kept its eight categories but replaced off-peak, standard and peak pricing with five pricing bands per category. The same hotel can now vary by tens of thousands of points a night. At the same time, 136 hotels changed category, most of them moving up.
- New transfer ratio for some cards. Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred transfers to Hyatt move to 4 Chase points for 3 Hyatt points. That took effect June 15, 2026 for new applicants and takes effect October 1, 2026 for existing cardholders. The Sapphire Reserve stays at 1:1.
If you hold a Sapphire Preferred and have a Hyatt stay in mind, transferring before October 1 gets you the old ratio. Transfer only for a specific booking, though, because points in Hyatt can’t come back.
Airline partners #
Airline value depends on the route and cabin. A few patterns hold up:
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue publishes monthly Promo Rewards that discount selected routes, often to Europe.
- British Airways and Iberia Avios price short flights by distance, so short hops can cost very few points.
- United uses dynamic pricing, but it’s a 1:1 partner with wide availability and no fuel surcharges on its own flights.
- Virgin Atlantic can price its own premium cabins to and from the UK well, though taxes and surcharges on those routes can be high.
Compare the points price to the cash fare before transferring. For the math, see when to book flights with points vs. cash.
How much are points worth in Chase Travel now? #
This is where the 2025 changes hit hardest. Chase replaced its fixed travel bonus (1.25 cents with the Preferred, 1.5 cents with the Reserve) with Points Boost, which raises the value only on selected flights and hotels.
| Situation | Value per point in Chase Travel |
|---|---|
| Sapphire Reserve, Points Boost booking | Up to 2 cents |
| Sapphire Reserve, The Edit hotel booking | Up to 2 cents |
| Sapphire Preferred, Points Boost booking | Up to 1.5 cents |
| Any card, booking without a boost | 1 cent |
| Legacy points (see below) | 1.25 cents (Preferred) or 1.5 cents (Reserve) |
Legacy rates. If your Sapphire account was opened before June 23, 2025, points you earned before October 26, 2025 still redeem at the old fixed rate in Chase Travel until October 26, 2027, and Chase uses whichever value is higher. After that date, everything moves to Points Boost. Cards product-changed into a Sapphire from June 23, 2025 onward don’t get the legacy rate.
When does Chase Travel beat a transfer? #
- Cheap cash fares. If a domestic flight is $150 and the airline wants 15,000 miles, a transfer gets you 1 cent a point. A boosted Chase Travel booking would beat it.
- Earning miles on the ticket. Flights booked through Chase Travel count as paid tickets, so you usually earn miles and status credit.
- Hotels outside the big chains. Independent hotels aren’t bookable with transfers, and Chase Travel can cover them.
Hotel stays booked through Chase Travel usually don’t earn hotel points or elite night credit, except for some programs like The Edit.
Which Chase redemptions should you avoid? #
- Pay with points at Amazon: 0.8 cents. A $100 order costs 12,500 points. Take cash back at 1 cent and pay with a card instead.
- Cash back and statement credits: 1 cent. Fine if you need the money, but it’s the floor.
- Gift cards: usually 1 cent, occasionally slightly more during Chase promotions.
How should you decide on a redemption? #
- Price it in cents per point. Divide the cash price (minus any taxes you still pay) by the points required. Anything under 1 cent loses to cash back.
- Check Hyatt first for hotel stays, especially before the October 1, 2026 ratio change if you hold a Preferred.
- Check airline partners for premium cabins or expensive fares.
- Check Chase Travel for a Points Boost on the same trip, and use legacy points there before October 2027.
- Use cash back last.
Earning matters too. Pooling only pays off if everyday purchases land on the card with the best rate, such as the Freedom Unlimited’s 1.5x instead of the Sapphire Preferred’s 1x on non-bonus spending. Credit Card Central has a Which Card? screen that ranks your own cards for a purchase category, and it reminds you 30, 7 and 1 day before each card’s annual fee. That’s a useful prompt to decide whether a $795 Sapphire Reserve renewal still makes sense under the new rules. If you’re weighing that decision, see when to upgrade the Sapphire Preferred to the Reserve.
Frequently asked questions #
Do Chase Ultimate Rewards points expire? #
No, as long as your account is open. If you close the card that holds your points, you lose them, so move them to another Chase card or a partner first. More in do credit card points expire.
Can I transfer Chase points to a family member? #
You can combine points into the Chase account of one household member, or a business co-owner on Ink cards. Transfers to someone else’s airline or hotel account are limited to a household member who’s an authorized user on your card.
Is the Sapphire Reserve worth $795 for Points Boost? #
Only if you’ll use its credits and book boosted travel regularly. Points Boost pays up to 2 cents only on selected bookings, while the old 1.5-cent rate applied to everything. Chase’s Reserve page lists the current credits.
What is a good value for Chase points? #
A redemption above 1.5 cents per point is solid, and above 2 cents is excellent. Below 1 cent, you’d have done better taking cash back.
What is the Chase trifecta? #
It’s pairing a Sapphire card (or Ink Business Preferred) with the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited, then moving all the points to the Sapphire account. You earn bonus rates on dining, rotating 5% categories and 1.5x on everything else, and redeem everything through transfer partners.