Million Mile Secrets reader Linda wants to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for a Hyatt award stay near Disneyland in California. There are 3 Hyatt hotels in the area to choose from. And all offer shuttle service to “The Happiest Place on Earth!” She emailed:
Hyatt is my favorite Chase hotel transfer partner. Because you can get incredible value when you transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points and book an award stay.Do you think it would be a good idea to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt to book an award stay at a Hyatt hotel near Disneyland?
Using Chase Ultimate Rewards points to save money on a Disneyland hotel stay can definitely be a good deal. But instead of transferring points directly to Hyatt, you could be better off booking a stay through the Chase travel portal. It all depends on the cash cost for the night your booking.
3 Hyatt Hotels Near Disneyland You Can Book With Points
You’re within a ~10 minute drive of Disneyland when you stay at any of these Hyatt hotels:
- Hyatt House at Anaheim Resort/Convention Center
- Hyatt Place at Anaheim Resort/Convention Center
- Hyatt Regency Orange County
Each of the hotels rank highly on TripAdvisor with many reviews noting the proximity to Disneyland as a major perk. Plus, the hotels offer shuttle service to the theme park, so you don’t have to drive and pay for parking!
Folks traveling on a budget might prefer the Hyatt House or Hyatt Place hotels because you’ll enjoy free hot breakfast, even if you don’t have elite status!
The 3 Hyatt hotels are Category 3, which means you’ll use 12,000 Hyatt points for a free night. And folks like reader Linda can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points directly to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio to book free nights.
You can also use the free anniversary night with The Hyatt Credit Card at these hotels. The savings easily offsets the annual fee for this card.
Is Using Chase Ultimate Rewards Points for a Free Stay a Good Deal?
Link: What Are Your Favorite Ways to Use Miles and Points?
There’s no right or wrong way to use the points you earn. Everyone has different travel goals. So the best points redemption is the one that makes you happy! 🙂
But answering these questions before using your hard earned points can help you decide how and when to use points to get the best deals.
1. Can You Use Fewer Points Booking Through the Chase Travel Portal?
Link: Save Points (and Money) Using the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal
Link: Not All Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Are Equal!
Your Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth more when you have certain credit cards and book travel through the Chase portal.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth:
- 1 cent each when you book through Chase Freedom, Chase Freedom Unlimited, Chase Sapphire, and Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card
- 1.25 cents each when you book through Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, Chase Ink Bold (no longer available), or Chase Ink Plus (no longer available)
- 1.5 cents each when you book through Chase Sapphire Reserve
So before transferring points directly to Hyatt, folks like reader Linda should check if they can use fewer points booking through the Chase travel portal. This will depend on the cash price of stay.
For example, I searched the Chase travel portal for a 2-night stay near Disneyland in September 2017. And you can save points by booking with points linked to your Sapphire Reserve card instead of transferring points directly and booking as an award stay.
Remember, booking a Hyatt stay through the Chase travel portal is essentially like paying cash. So you’ll earn Hyatt points and credit toward elite status!
2. Are Your Points Worth More by Transferring to Other Partners for Different Travel Plans?
Experienced folks in the miles & points hobby often calculate the value of a potential points redemption.
For example, if transferring 12,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt saves you $200 on a hotel stay, you’re getting ~1.7 cents per point worth of value ($200 cost of stay / 12,000 points).
But using the same number of points for a more expensive room night on different travel dates or at a different Hyatt hotel might get you a lot more value.
Transferring points to other travel partners can also get you more value. For example, team member Keith transferred 25,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United Airlines to book a Business Class award flight that was selling for ~$1,642. This redemption got him ~6.5 cents per point worth of value (~$1,642 / 25,000 points).
Keep in mind, I don’t recommend letting your points collect dust. Because the value of your points can change overnight if a transfer partner changes their award chart. So redeeming them now to save money on travel is better than hoping to get more value in the unpredictable future.
Bottom Line
Folks with Chase Ultimate Rewards points can save money on a hotel stay near Disneyland. Because there are 3 Hyatt hotels within a ~10 minute drive of the theme park.
Award nights at each of the hotels cost 12,000 Hyatt points per night. But before transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt, I recommend checking the Chase travel portal to see if you can use fewer points to book the same stay.
I’d also consider how much value your points are worth for the redemption. Your points could be worth when you transfer them to Hyatt and book an otherwise expensive stay at a different hotel. Or transferring points to a different Chase travel partner might get you more value.
Keep in mind, the best redemption is the one that helps you achieve your travel goals!