Chase Ultimate Rewards are among the most flexible rewards programs available. You can use points to redeem rewards to stay at luxury hotels, book flights, rent cars, and more. This may provide increased value versus transferring your Ultimate Rewards points to hotel or airline partners. If you want to stretch your rewards points, the Chase Travel℠ portal is a powerful platform worth considering for your next trip.
What is the Chase Travel portal?
The Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal is a website cardholders can use to find and reserve anything from hotel rooms to cruises and everything in between. Users can redeem their Ultimate Rewards points to book travel or make purchases through the site to earn additional points.
You must have a specific card to use the travel portal. For example, a co-branded Chase card like the card_name wouldn’t qualify you to use the portal. You must have one of the following cards to use the Chase Travel portal:
How to use the Chase Travel portal: Step-by-step guide
You can access the Chase Travel portal in one of two ways. First is via the Ultimate Rewards site. You can also access it by logging into your Chase account.
When you log into your Chase account, you should see two areas you can select to initiate searching for travel options. First, you will see a Rewards section in the upper right-hand corner of your account. It will list Ultimate Rewards plus any other partner accounts attached to your account.
If you have multiple cards earning Ultimate Rewards, the next screen will prompt you to select a specific card. Click the card you want, click on the Travel tab at the top of the screen, and then Book travel to get to the travel portal.
Second, you will see a Travel option beneath the Rewards field. Clicking that will also take you to the travel portal.
From there, you can book hotels, flights, activities, cars, cruises, and tours. Simply input the necessary information and begin perusing possible travel options.
Ways to book through the Chase Travel portal
There are six travel options you can select once in the portal. Each option is somewhat unique, and you can book everything but cruises and tours online. You must speak with a specialist, via toll-free number, to book cruises and tours.
Here’s how to book through Chase Travel:
Booking flights through the Chase Travel portal
Booking flights is simple through the portal. Once you reach the portal, type in the arrival and departure information and the dates, then click the magnifying glass icon on the far right. It is important to remember that not all airlines may be available through the Chase Travel portal, and the same is true for hotels.
For example, I chose my home airport, Eppley Airfield in Omaha, to JFK airport in New York. It provided 89 options. When you identify a suitable departure choice, choose the fare type and click the Choose flight button. It next prompts you to select a return choice. Follow the same steps, then click on Add to trip.
Chase will take you to another page that prompts you to upgrade, if you wish. Clicking next, you will go to the Trip cart page. It shows the amount owed in points or cash. Make your choice; then it will finally take you to a screen to provide your travel information and then purchase.
Booking hotels through the Chase Travel portal
Reserving hotels is easy in the Chase portal. Simply enter the destination and your travel dates. Then, enter the number of guests and click the Search hotels button.
For example, I chose a trip for two to Miami for two adults for three nights. It provided 954 results. To avoid that overwhelming feeling, Chase allows you to filter your choices. You can type in a specific hotel name or brand, your desired price per night, star rating, Tripadvisor rating, amenities, and neighborhood.
Upon applying filters, it provided 17 results. Click on the hotel you want, and it will take you to a screen that shows you all available room options. Select the room you want, and it will reveal all rate options. Choose your desired rate, then click the Add to trip button at the bottom right-hand corner.
After clicking, you will go to the Trip cart page. It shows the amount owed in points or cash. Make your choice; then it will finally take you to a screen to provide your travel information and then purchase.
Booking activities through Chase Travel
If you’re traveling for pleasure, the activity booking possibilities are a fantastic way to round out a vacation. Like booking hotels, enter your travel destination and dates, then click Search activities.
For example, I chose activities to do in Paris, France, for three days. Chase returned 344 options. You can filter activities in the upper right-hand corner by activity name, price, Tripadvisor rating, and category. Choose your filters, then click Apply.
Upon selecting your preferred activity, it takes you to a new screen that has upgrade options and lists the number of people partaking in the activity.
Make your choices, then click on the Add to trip cart button on the far right-hand side. After clicking, you will go to the Trip cart page. It shows the amount owed in points or cash. Make your choice; then it will finally take you to a screen to provide your travel information and then purchase.
Booking rental cars through Chase Travel
If you will need a car at your travel destination, booking through Chase could be a way to save money. Provide your pick-up date and time, then your drop-off date and time, provide age of driver, then click Search rental cars.
For example, I chose rental cars at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska for five days. It provided 102 options. You can filter cars by capacity, price per day, car type, fuel type, rental company, and specifications.
Upon selecting your preferred car, click Add to trip. This takes you to the Trip cart page. It shows the amount owed in points or cash. Make your selection; then it will finally take you to a screen to provide your travel information and then purchase.
Benefits of booking through Chase Travel
Airlines, hotels, and more all have loyalty programs to earn points for their respective companies. While nice, it’s tough to overlook the vast perks of using the Ultimate Rewards travel portal to book travel when it makes sense.
Here are some of the top benefits of booking through Chase Travel.
You can earn miles: Just because you book via Chase doesn’t mean you can’t earn miles on airline purchases. Simply enter your frequent flyer number after completing payment and you can earn miles with the chosen carrier.
It’s incredibly flexible: You can book virtually anything necessary for travel. You can book affordable excursions to luxury hotels with Ultimate Rewards points in the travel portal. If Chase doesn’t partner with someone, that will limit you, but that’s typically only a concern when traveling somewhere remote.
You can pool points: If you have multiple Chase cards or your spouse has Chase cards, you can combine points in one account. This can potentially open up additional opportunities to maximize point earnings. This particularly makes sense if you hold a Chase credit card that offers a point value boost on travel purchases booked through the portal. With the card_name card, for example, points are worth 50% more when redeemed for travel through the travel portal. If you have another card which doesn’t offer this boost, it could make sense to pool your rewards under your Reserve account before redeeming.
You can earn rewards: Paying with points is an easy way to cut costs, but it’s not required. You can pay cash through the portal, which lets you earn more rewards. Many Chase cards offer at least five times the points on travel you book with Ultimate Rewards. Some cards offer ten times the points when booking hotel rooms. That can be an excellent way to earn more points.
You can pay with points. Are you trying to keep costs low? You can use Ultimate Rewards points to book travel. You may have minor fees, such as hotel resort or parking fees you must pay for with cash, but that can pale compared to paying for an entire stay out-of-pocket.
➤ SEE MORE:Why you should use your credit card’s travel portal
How to maximize rewards from Chase Travel
A significant perk of Ultimate Rewards is that they’re so versatile. You can transfer points to various travel partners, you can possibly earn more when booking through the travel portal, and points don’t expire as long as you keep your Chase credit card open.
Here are several straightforward ways to maximize rewards from Chase Travel.
Use your frequent flyer number: You currently can’t earn hotel points through Chase Travel, but you can earn frequent flyer miles. Provide your number after making a purchase through Chase Travel and you will get credit for the miles. Even if you redeem points for the flight, you can earn miles.
Shop through the Chase portal: If you shop a lot online, consider using the Chase portal to earn points. You earn a point for every dollar spent, and there’s a potential to earn bonus points to stack your earnings. Chase partners with 400 hundred retailers, some offering up to 20 points per dollar spent.
You get points when you pay in cash: What if you want to save your miles and pay cash for a flight? You can earn extra points when you use the right card. The card_name or card_name, for example, rewards you five times the total points on flights purchased via the Chase Travel portal.
Is Chase Travel worth it?
Yes, booking travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal can be well worth it. Points are versatile and can be used in multiple ways, from rental cars to excursions. It doesn’t need to be your only choice for booking travel, but it’s a valuable tool to use if you travel often.
If you’re encountering issues finding travel options through a particular carrier or hotel, it’s worth researching what’s available through Chase. In fact, you might even find that hotel you love staying at having availability, with points, via Chase when it’s not available directly through the property.
Is the Chase Travel portal more expensive? No, but it doesn’t always have the best deal, either. However, it’s an invaluable tool that may help you earn more points and save money.
Frequently asked questions about the Chase Travel portal
Booking directly with a property or airline is always an option, but Chase provides an additional resource to use. Here are some questions people have as they’re learning how to book travel through Chase.
Can you book travel on the Chase app?
If you prefer to use your phone, it’s possible to book travel via the Chase app. Once you’re in your account, scroll down to the Ultimate Rewards section and click the Book Travel button. After that, you will find the experience similar to booking online.
What airlines are in the Chase Travel portal?
Chase partners with numerous major carriers. You can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to each or book and earn frequent flyer miles with them all.
Current Chase Ultimate Rewards airline transfer partners are: Aer Lingus AerClub, British Airways Executive Club, Emirates Skywards, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Iberia Plus, JetBlue TrueBlue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Air Canada AeroPlan.
Is it cheaper to book through the Chase Travel portal?
Booking via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal is a lucrative way to earn more points. Unfortunately, they don’t always offer the best deals on travel. It’s worth compare pricing against third-party sites and directly through the provider.
Moreover, Chase Travel doesn’t price match. If you find your travel needs for less elsewhere, it may be worth it to skip Chase in that event.
Do I earn loyalty points when booking through Chase Travel?
One benefit of using the Chase Travel portal is earning loyalty points for a given service provider. Unfortunately, that’s only available for airlines and not hotels. After you book a flight, you must provide your frequent flyer number to your reservation. This will give you credit for the miles with the carrier.
The bottom line
Travel typically requires flexibility. The Chase Travel portal is a resourceful tool that is simple to use and works on everything from flights to tours. You can use points, pay in cash, or combine the two to manage your travel needs. It’s worth considering for your next vacation to cut costs and earn points for your next trip.
