The Chase Travel Portal is a powerful tool for Chase credit cardholders, allowing them to easily book flights, hotels, car rentals, and more using points or cash. Integrated with the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, the portal offers a seamless way to redeem points for travel, often at a higher value than traditional cash redemptions. Here’s everything you need to know about the Chase Travel Portal and how to maximize its benefits.
1. What is the Chase Travel Portal?
The Chase Travel Portal is an online booking platform for cardholders of certain Chase credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Through the portal, you can book a wide variety of travel services, including:
Flights
Hotels
Car rentals
Vacation packages
Cruises
The portal is part of Chase Ultimate Rewards, which is one of the most flexible and valuable travel rewards programs available. When booking through the portal, you can redeem your Ultimate Rewards points to pay for all or part of your trip.
2. How Does the Chase Travel Portal Work?
To use the Chase Travel Portal, you need to be a cardholder of a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards points. Once you’re logged in with your Chase account, you can start searching for flights, hotels, and other travel services as you would on any travel booking site. The key difference is the ability to redeem Ultimate Rewards points for travel, either partially or entirely.
How to Book Travel Using Points
When booking travel through the Chase Travel Portal, you have several options for paying:
Pay with Points: Use your Ultimate Rewards points to cover the full cost of the booking.
Pay with Points + Cash: If you don’t have enough points to cover the entire cost, you can use a combination of points and your Chase card for the remainder.
Pay with Cash: You can also choose to pay entirely with cash, just like booking through any other travel site.
3. Earning and Using Ultimate Rewards Points
The Ultimate Rewards points you earn on your Chase credit card are the key to unlocking valuable discounts and free travel through the Chase Travel Portal. Here’s how to make the most of your points:
Earning Points
You earn Ultimate Rewards points through your purchases, with some cards offering higher rates in specific categories:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Earn 2x points on travel and dining.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 3x points on travel (after earning your $300 annual travel credit) and dining.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Earn 3x points on travel, shipping, internet, cable, and advertising purchases.
Redeeming Points
When you book travel through the Chase Travel Portal, points are typically worth 1.25 cents per point if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or 1.5 cents per point if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. This means your points can stretch further when redeeming for travel, making it a more valuable option than redeeming them for cash or gift cards.
For example:
10,000 points = $125 in travel value (Chase Sapphire Preferred)
10,000 points = $150 in travel value (Chase Sapphire Reserve)
Point Transfer Partners
If you want even more flexibility, you can transfer your points to one of Chase’s 13 airline and hotel partners, including United, Southwest, British Airways, Hyatt, Marriott, and more. Transferring points to these partners can sometimes offer even greater value, especially if you use your points for premium flights or hotel stays.
4. Benefits of Using the Chase Travel Portal
4.1. Higher Point Value
As mentioned, if you’re using the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, your points are worth 1.5 cents per point, and if you’re using the Chase Sapphire Preferred®, they’re worth 1.25 cents per point. This increased point value makes booking travel through the Chase Travel Portal much more efficient than redeeming points for merchandise or gift cards.
4.2. No Blackout Dates
Unlike some airline loyalty programs, which have blackout dates for reward flights, the Chase Travel Portal allows you to book travel without worrying about restrictions. You can use points to book flights and hotel stays on the dates that work best for you, without being limited by availability.
4.3. Booking Flexibility
The Chase Travel Portal offers flexibility in how you book and redeem your rewards. You can use points, cash, or a combination of both, giving you control over your spending and rewards balance.
4.4. Travel Protection Benefits
When you book through the Chase Travel Portal with a Chase credit card, you can often benefit from travel protection. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and lost luggage protection when you book through the portal.
4.5. Chase Ultimate Rewards Shopping
The Chase Travel Portal also gives you access to exclusive deals and promotions for travel-related purchases, such as discounts on hotels, flight upgrades, and vacation packages. Keep an eye on these offers, as they can help you save money or get extra perks for your trip.
5. How to Book Travel on the Chase Travel Portal
Booking travel on the Chase Travel Portal is simple:
Log in to Your Chase Account: Go to the Chase Ultimate Rewards site and log in with your account credentials.
Search for Travel: Use the search tool to find flights, hotels, car rentals, or vacation packages. The process is similar to using other booking websites like Expedia or Kayak.
Choose Payment Method: After finding your desired options, you can choose to pay entirely with Ultimate Rewards points, points and cash, or cash.
Confirm and Book: Once you’ve selected your travel options and payment method, review the details and confirm your booking.
6. Chase Travel Portal vs. Other Booking Platforms
How does the Chase Travel Portal compare to other booking sites like Expedia, Booking.com, or Kayak?
Better Point Value: If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, your points are worth 1.5 cents each, which is better than most travel portals that typically offer around 1 cent per point for hotel bookings or flights.
Flexibility: You have the option to use points for almost anything related to travel, whether it’s flights, hotels, or even car rentals, which is not always the case with other reward programs.
Point Transfer Options: Unlike most travel portals, the Chase Travel Portal allows you to transfer your points to airline and hotel partners, offering even more flexibility and potentially better value.
7. Chase Travel Portal for Business Travelers
For business owners, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card provides access to the Chase Travel Portal, allowing you to book business travel with ease. The card also earns 3x points on travel, making it an excellent choice for frequent business travelers.
8. Chase Travel Portal Tips
Maximize Point Redemption: If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, make sure to take advantage of the 1.5 cents per point value when booking travel through the portal.
Use the Chase Travel Portal for Non-Air Travel: If you’re booking hotels, car rentals, or cruises, the portal can be an easier option than searching on other travel booking sites.
Watch for Promotions: Chase often runs promotions where you can earn bonus points or discounts on travel bookings. Keep an eye on the Chase Ultimate Rewards website or app to take advantage of these deals.
9. Conclusion
The Chase Travel Portal is an incredibly useful tool for Chase credit cardholders, offering flexibility and valuable perks when booking travel. Whether you’re booking flights, hotels, car rentals, or vacation packages, the portal provides a simple way to redeem Ultimate Rewards points and take advantage of special offers. By leveraging point transfers, maximizing point value, and enjoying extra travel protections, the Chase Travel Portal stands out as one of the best travel booking platforms available for cardholders.