Here Are the 6 Chase Credit Cards I Now Have – Scott, Managing Editor MMS (And Exactly How I Use Each One)
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Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.I’ve had amazing travel experiences by earning and burning points with Chase credit cards. In January 2019, I’ll be starting my 6th year here at Million Mile Secrets! And I was a hobbyist like you before that. Here I’ll show you every Chase credit card currently in my toolkit and exactly how I use each. First, the list:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — I’ve had this card for 5+ years. This is my key to free travel.
- Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card – I’ve had this no annual fee card for 5+ years and use it all the time
- Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card
- The World Of Hyatt Credit Card – I have the older version of this card. Points at Hyatt are often a terrific deal.
- IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card — Simple to use these points at hotels around the world.
- Chase Freedom – no annual fee. I move these Chase points into my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Then there’s the 7th Chase credit card. Next I want to add the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card to my collection because I’d earn more Chase points faster…
- I’d move my business travel expenses to the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card
- Put advertising spend to grow the business on the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card.
Best Chase Credit Cards for My Travel Style
What’s the point of all this credit card craziness? Freedom to fly and stay wherever I want, whenever I want!
Some of my favorite uses of Chase Ultimate Rewards points have been:
- Business Class round-trip to Europe during peak summer season. Cash value: $8,000. I’m not nuts enough or rich enough to pay the retail price. But I sure as heck enjoyed laying down in the bed to sleep in comfort on the flights! And I had tasty full-service meals and name-brand cocktails. Plus I was invited in the Business Class airport lounges.
- Hyatt Zilara Cancun. I still dream of the ocean breeze on my skin as I fell asleep on the hammock on my private balcony. Then I slid into the in-suite jacuzzi before washing off under my bathroom’s rainfall shower then heading to an upscale dinner with drinks at this all-inclusive resort.
- Non-Stop Free Round-Trip to Portugal: I’m usually not fancy. My coach seat was good enough to get me where I wanted to go — Lisbon — for some of the best fresh seafood I’ve had in my life. Lisbon is gritty and fun. And I was totally wowed by the town of Sintra. I explored incredible castles and palaces. It’s an absolute must-see.
- Free Flight to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: Southwest Airlines got me there — and with 2 free checked bags. Not fancy but efficient and free with Chase Ultimate Rewards points. I stayed at an Airbnb condo that was a 5 minute walk to the beach. Freedom to change climates and views. That’s why I love Chase credit card points. 🙂
- Free non-stop round-trip for on Brussels Airlines. Not a big fan of the airline but a huge fan of my tri-city trip: Brussels / Amsterdam / Paris. All 3 are top cities worth exploring. Get to one and hop on the train to see the others.
- Flight to Finland: I wanted to go on a particular date without being concerned with blackout policies. So I simply bought my flight on the Chase travel site (it’s just like Expedia) with points instead of cash. 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth $625 this way when using the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card.
Now I’ll explain how I use each Chase credit card.
1. Chase Sapphire Preferred
How I Personally Use the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card…
When outside the US:
- All day everyday. I earn 2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points at restaurants and most bars/nightclubs and on travel expenses. And there’s no foreign transaction fee. Plus, it’s a Visa so it’s accepted just about anywhere they take credit cards.
When in the US:
- I buy my flights with it for the 2X points but also for the travel delay protection.
- Restaurants/bars/nightclubs and taxis/Uber/Lyft for 2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points
What I do with these Chase Ultimate Rewards points:
You may do it differently, but I most often transfer my Chase Ultimate Rewards points to
- United Airlines loyalty program – I don’t fly on United Airlines itself. I fly on their partner airlines such as Lufthansa, TAP Portugal, LOT Polish, Air Canada, etc.
- Hyatt loyalty program — the value you get for the points at these hotels is top-notch
- Southwest — 2 free checked bags per passenger makes me more likely to transform my Chase points into Southwest points for travel to places like Cancun, New York City, and more. If you’ve never flown Southwest, it’s pretty good. They get you there with friendly service.
Should You Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card?
Everyone on the Million Mile Secrets team has either the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
These Chase credit cards are vital to our free travel strategies. Whether you get one or the other is just a matter of how comfortable you are with the annual fee on each. My suggestion: if you’re not sure how much you’ll actually travel or you’re pretty new to the hobby, get yourself the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Because the annual fee is $0 in year 1 with the card. And you can always ask Chase to “upgrade it” to the ultra-premium Chase Sapphire Reserve® later on. Chase doesn’t let you have both. Chase Sapphire Preferred intro bonus: 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Best case you’ll get $1,250+ worth of travel by using these points, possibly more. Absolute worst case: $500 cash back. You really can’t go wrong here. After you get your card, come back to Million Mile Secrets and we’ll show you all our tips and tricks to use these Chase points.2. Chase Ink Business Cash
How I Use the Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card…
I only carry it in the US because it has ridiculous foreign transaction fees on it. But when home, I put most of my small business expenses on it. I charge my cell phone, internet, and cable TV bills on it for the 5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points I earn per $1.
Note: You earn 5X points up to the maximum $25,000 spent on combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services each account anniversary.
When I need home office stuff I use my Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card for not only the bonus points but for the extended warranty protection.
Restaurants (and bars that code as restaurants, which is most of them): Earn 2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on the first $25,000 spent on combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary.
What I do with these Chase Ultimate Rewards points:
I move them all to my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Because it’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card that allows you to move your points to United, Hyatt, Southwest, Singapore Airlines, etc. and to book flights and hotels at a discount.
Should You Get the Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card?
There’s no annual fee. So if the categories appeal to you, go for it. I was approved for mine by applying with my social security number for my for-profit small business.
Ink Business Cash sign-up bonus: 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (worth $500 cash back) after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of opening your account. Again, for me, I don’t use it for cash. I move the Chase points to my Chase Sapphire Preferred so I can get way more value than the cash.3. Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card
How I use the Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card
For many other business expenses that aren’t covered by my Ink Cash, I’ll use my Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card. Because you get an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
What I do with these Chase Ultimate Rewards points:
I move them all to my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. You may be sensing a theme.
Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card has no annual fee.
4. The World Of Hyatt Credit Card
How I Personally Use the World Of Hyatt Credit Card
I have the older version of this card. I use it for paid Hyatt stays. Um, that’s about it. I keep it and pay the annual fee because you get a free night every year after your card membership anniversary.
The newer World Of Hyatt Credit Card version gives you a few more incentives to use it at more places. And it makes sense for folks who do NOT have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. But you’ll find those cards give you a better bonus than the Hyatt card for most expenses. Especially because you can turn the Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earn on those cards into Hyatt points anyhow.
Should You Get It?
If you already have either the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® and you like Hyatt, I recommend it.
5. IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
How I Personally Use the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
I only use it for paid stays at IHG hotels. I keep paying the annual fee because of the free night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide.
I had a couple of free hotel stays with IHG points recently that I really enjoyed:
- InterContinental Warsaw – good location. Walked to beautiful Old Town each day. Loved the hot tub, swimming pool, and gym overlooking the impressive skyline. The room was big with a great view too.
- Holiday Inn Helsinki City Centre – clean and comfortable in a convenient location. The service was surprisingly good. ex. It was raining and the front desk person handed me a big ol’ Holiday Inn umbrella to borrow. Nice.
I’m also a big fan of IHG Staybridge Suites because of the big suites, in-room kitchen, happy hour, free breakfast, and gym.
Should You Get It?
If you already have either the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® and you like IHG brands like Crowne Plaza, Candlewood Suites, etc. then go for it. IHG has ~ 5,000 hotels in ~100 countries so it’s easy to use your points pretty much wherever you travel.
6. Chase Freedom
How I Personally Use It
I mostly use Freedom when they have 5X points categories. Occasionally I use it for other purchases.
What I do with these Chase Ultimate Rewards points:
I push them over to my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card so I can flip them into free flights and hotel stays.
7. Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card
I don’t have this Chase credit card. But I want it next. I admit it, the sign-up bonus is just too good to pass up: 80,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Whoa. That’s easily a
- round-trip flight to Europe when you move the points into the United Airlines loyalty program. Or
- it’s a one-way Business Class flight to Europe or
- it’s 3 nights at a beachfront all-inclusive Hyatt hotel or
- it’s worth $1,000 of flights, hotels, rental cars, etc. booked on the Chase travel site or
- it’s 3 round-trip coach tickets within the US on United Airlines or
- ~$1,200 worth of flights on Southwest (soon they’ll be flying to Hawaii too) or
well, you get the idea. The world is yours with Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
On the Million Mile Secrets team here, Keith, Meghan, Jasmin, and Emily have this card.
How I’ll Use the Chase Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card
For everyday spending I’ll be hitting up the 3x bonus categories:
- 3X Chase Ultimate Rewards points for every $1 you spend on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites, and search engines (up to a maximum of $150,000 in combined purchases per account anniversary year)
I’ll skip internet, cable, phone and continue to use my Chase Ink Business Cash for those. Although… the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card has cell phone insurance ($600 in cell phone insurance when you pay your cell phone bill with the card).
- My small business travel expenses would immediately shift to the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card.
- And ad spending to grow the business would also go on the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card.
Bottom Line
I’m thirsty for the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card because it’s simply the best business credit card and has an outstanding sign-up bonus. I want to add it to my Chase credit card collection of:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — #1 card for folks new to using points for travel
- Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card – no annual fee, move the points to Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card – no annual fee, move the points to Chase Sapphire Preferred
- The World Of Hyatt Credit Card
- IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
- Chase Freedom – no annual fee, move the points to Chase Sapphire Preferred
Tell me which Chase credit cards you have or want next.
Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)
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