Chase Ultimate Rewards points are lauded for their versatility, offering redemption options from cash back to gift cards. However, their true value shines when used for travel, especially for cardholders of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, or Chase Sapphire Reserve. These premium cards unlock enhanced redemption avenues:
- Point transfers to esteemed airline and hotel partners such as United Airlines, Southwest, and Hyatt.
- Access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, where points can be used for booking flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation homes, and activities, often at better redemption rates compared to other Chase cards.
Many users might wonder, does Booking.com have anything to do with the Chase travel portal? It’s a valid question in the landscape of online travel agencies. While both platforms facilitate hotel bookings, they operate independently. The Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal is actually powered by Expedia, a major competitor to Booking.com. Understanding this distinction is key to leveraging the Chase portal effectively for hotel stays.
While the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal presents a convenient way to use points, it’s crucial to understand when it’s the most advantageous option for hotel bookings, and when it might be better to explore alternative redemption methods like transferring points to hotel partners. Sometimes, using the portal can lead to significant point savings compared to direct hotel award bookings, and it offers the benefit of no blackout dates.
However, a significant drawback to consider is that bookings made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal typically do not qualify for hotel loyalty points or elite status benefits at chain hotels. This is because these bookings are processed as third-party reservations, similar to bookings made through Expedia or Orbitz. Despite this, the potential for point savings can sometimes outweigh the lost benefits, making the portal a valuable tool in specific scenarios.
Hyatt Ziva Cancun hotel pool view
This guide will delve into when booking hotels through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal is a smart move, and when you might want to consider other options to maximize your Chase Ultimate Rewards points, especially concerning chain hotels and loyalty programs.
Understanding the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal for Hotel Bookings
For those unfamiliar, the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal functions as a comprehensive travel booking platform:
- It allows bookings for hotels, flights, car rentals, cruises, vacation rentals, and activities using Chase Ultimate Rewards points, Chase credit cards, or a combination of both.
- For Chase cards without annual fees, such as the Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card, Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card, Chase Freedom, and Chase Freedom Unlimited, points redeemed for travel through the portal are valued at 1 cent each.
- Cards with annual fees like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, and Chase Sapphire Reserve offer enhanced point value within the portal. Points are worth 1.25 cents each with the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred, and 1.5 cents each with the Sapphire Reserve.
- Point pooling is allowed, meaning you can combine points from no-annual-fee cards with points from annual-fee cards to take advantage of the higher redemption rates offered by the latter when booking through the portal.
- Only Chase Sapphire Preferred, Ink Business Preferred, and Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders have the option to transfer points to airline and hotel loyalty partners, providing additional flexibility in redemption.
- The Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal’s backend is powered by Expedia, making its interface and functionality familiar to users of Expedia, Orbitz, or other third-party travel websites.
Note: Information regarding Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, Ink Business Cash, Ink Business Unlimited, and Chase Freedom card is independently collected. Card details on this page are not provided or reviewed by the card issuer.
Sign Into Your Chase Account to Book Hotels Through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal, Then Click the “Hotels” Tab
The Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal is particularly useful for travelers seeking ease and flexibility, especially when award availability is limited or inflexible travel dates are a concern. It provides access to a wide range of accommodations, including independent hotels, vacation rentals, and bed and breakfasts, alongside major hotel chains. This broad selection means you can often use points for a “free” stay even when direct award bookings at chain hotels are unavailable.
However, it’s critical to be aware of the trade-offs, especially concerning chain hotel bookings. As the Chase portal is a third-party platform, booking chain hotels through it means you typically forfeit benefits associated with direct bookings. This includes earning hotel points, accruing elite night credits towards status, and often, recognition of existing elite status perks like upgrades or complimentary breakfast. Despite these drawbacks, there are specific situations where booking chain hotels via the Chase portal can still be the most sensible option.
When Booking Chain Hotels Through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal Makes Sense
Choosing to book chain hotels through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal is strategic when certain conditions align with your travel priorities. If you are comfortable foregoing hotel points and elite benefits for a particular stay, or if these benefits are not a priority for the trip, then consider the Chase portal under these circumstances:
- Limited Hotel Loyalty Points: When you lack sufficient points within a specific hotel loyalty program for an award booking but still prefer to stay within that chain.
- Award Availability Issues: When your desired hotel has no award nights available for your travel dates.
- Points Efficiency: When the points required through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal are significantly fewer than what an award stay would cost by transferring points to a hotel partner.
1. Utilizing Points When You Lack Hotel Loyalty Currency
Consider Wyndham Rewards as an example. Wyndham boasts a vast global portfolio of hotels, yet their points can be less commonly accumulated compared to other major hotel chains unless you are a frequent guest or a Wyndham credit card holder.
Even without Wyndham Rewards points, you can still book a Wyndham hotel using Chase Ultimate Rewards points through the portal. This provides access to stays that might otherwise be out of reach if you were solely reliant on hotel-specific points.
Instead of Paying Cash for a Night at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Resort, You Could Spend ~10,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points With Cards Like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred
It’s important to note that some rates available through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal may be non-refundable. Always carefully review the booking terms and conditions before finalizing your reservation.
Additionally, be mindful of resort fees. While some hotels waive these fees for award stays booked directly with points, bookings made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal are typically subject to resort fees if charged by the hotel.
2. Overcoming Lack of Award Night Availability
Award night availability at chain hotels can be restrictive, particularly if your travel dates are inflexible or if you are booking close to your stay date. For example, consider the EMC2, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel in Chicago. Searching for a weekend stay on short notice might reveal no award availability, even though it typically costs 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. While transferring Chase points to Marriott is an option, it’s often not the most valuable redemption unless you’re just topping up your Marriott account, given Marriott isn’t typically the highest value transfer partner.
There’s No Award Availability for This Marriott Hotel on Short Notice
However, checking the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal might reveal a refundable room at the same hotel, for the same dates. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred, this could cost around 17,764 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (at a value of 1.25 cents per point). If you hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the cost could be even lower, around 14,804 points (at 1.5 cents per point).
Even when award nights are unavailable, the Chase portal can provide a route to a “free” stay at your desired hotel. While you will forgo Marriott Bonvoy points and elite night credits, and elite status perks may not be recognized, this strategy can be invaluable when staying at a specific hotel is a priority, or when alternative accommodations are unsuitable.
3. Capitalizing on Cost-Effective Paid Rates
It’s always prudent to compare the points cost in the Chase portal against the points needed for an award stay by transferring to a hotel partner. This comparison is especially critical when paid rates are low, as booking through the portal can sometimes yield a significantly better deal in terms of points redemption.
Consider the Hyatt Place Niagara Falls during the off-season. An award night might cost 12,000 World of Hyatt points. Transferring Chase points to Hyatt for this redemption would not be optimal if the cash rate is only around $72 plus taxes.
Paying 12,000 Hyatt Points for an Inexpensive Room Like This Doesn’t Make Sense
In such cases, paying the cash rate directly may be preferable. However, if your goal is to utilize points and avoid cash outlay, the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal offers a more points-efficient alternative. The same room at Hyatt Place Niagara Falls might be available for around 6,076 Chase Ultimate Rewards points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred, or even fewer – approximately 5,064 points – with the Sapphire Reserve.
By booking through the Chase portal in this scenario, you could save nearly half the points compared to transferring to Hyatt for an award night. Again, booking through the portal means foregoing Hyatt points and elite night credits. While Hyatt Place typically offers complimentary breakfast for World of Hyatt members, this benefit usually requires booking directly with Hyatt. However, in situations like this, the substantial points savings often outweigh the value of potential benefits and earned points, especially if you prioritize point conservation. It’s always advisable to evaluate the numbers based on your specific circumstances to determine the most advantageous approach.
When Avoiding Chain Hotel Bookings Through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal is Recommended
The primary disadvantage of booking chain hotels through the Chase portal is the forfeiture of hotel points, elite stay credits, and consistent elite status recognition. This is particularly relevant for travelers who:
- Pursue Hotel Elite Status: Are actively working towards or maintaining elite status within a hotel chain and require stay credits to reach or retain their desired tier.
- Value Elite Benefits: Hold elite status and rely on associated perks such as complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, or late check-out to enhance their hotel stays.
Furthermore, bookings through third-party sites like the Chase portal typically disqualify you from participating in hotel promotions, which often require direct bookings to earn bonus points or other incentives. Booking via a third party may also reduce your chances of receiving preferred room assignments or better views, as hotels often prioritize direct bookings for premium room allocations.
Finally, be aware that booking expensive rooms through the portal can require a significant number of points, often exceeding the points cost of an award stay booked directly through the hotel’s loyalty program. Always compare the points needed for both options before making a decision.
Booking Independent and Boutique Hotels Through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Portal
For independent, boutique, and specialty hotels that lack formal loyalty programs, redeeming points for stays can be challenging through traditional hotel loyalty schemes. However, the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal expands your options to use points at many of these unique properties, provided they are listed in the portal’s inventory.
Personal experience highlights this benefit. Booking an independent water park hotel for a family trip through the Chase portal cost approximately 10,000 Ultimate Rewards points. This redemption covered not just the room rate, but also included four 2-day water park passes. Interestingly, the cash rate for this package on the Chase portal was actually lower than booking the room and passes directly through the hotel.
Checking the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal Is a Good Call If You Want to Redeem Points at a Specialty Property, Like Waterpark Hotels
This example illustrates that checking the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal can be beneficial even when intending to pay cash. Chase may sometimes have access to negotiated rates or special pricing that can result in savings on paid stays.
In a follow-up booking for the same water park hotel after a cancellation, the stay was rebooked through the Ultimate Rewards portal using a Chase Freedom card. This was motivated by a promotion offering Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Unlimited cardholders 10% cash back (or 10X Ultimate Rewards points per $1) on hotel bookings via the portal until March 31, 2019 (up to $2,500 in purchases). This strategy allowed for a significant accumulation of rewards while still securing the desired accommodation.
Ultimately, regardless of your booking method, comparing prices across different platforms, including the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and direct hotel bookings, is always a prudent step to ensure you are getting the best possible value.
In Conclusion
Booking hotels through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal can be a strategic way to use points, especially for Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, or Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders, who benefit from enhanced redemption rates (1.25 or 1.5 cents per point respectively).
Consider using your Chase Ultimate Rewards points for hotel bookings via the portal when:
- You lack sufficient points in a specific chain hotel program but still want to stay within that chain.
- Award nights are not available for your desired dates.
- Redeeming points through the portal requires fewer points than transferring to a hotel partner for an award stay.
However, remember that Chase Ultimate Rewards bookings are treated as third-party bookings by hotels. Consequently, you will likely forgo hotel points, elite stay credits, eligibility for hotel promotions, and consistent recognition of elite status benefits. If these aspects are important to your travel strategy, booking directly with the hotel chain for either an award stay or a paid stay is generally preferable.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal also offers significant value for booking stays at independent hotels and unique accommodations without loyalty programs. In all cases, comparing prices and redemption values between the portal and direct bookings is essential to ensure you make the most informed decision.
What has your experience been like when booking hotels through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal?
