How to Get a $360+ Weekend Starwood Stay With 18,000 Chase Points

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Do you collect Chase Ultimate Rewards points?  You can use them book award nights at Starwood hotels!

Because you can now transfer Marriott points to Starwood at a 3:1 ratio.  And Marriott is a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner!

This means you can convert 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to 6,000 Starwood points by first transferring to Marriott.  That’s enough for 2 free weekend nights at Category 2 Starwood hotels.

I’ll explain how you can get $360+ worth of Starwood stays using Chase Ultimate Rewards points!

Use Chase Ultimate Rewards Points for Big Travel

Link:   Why Chase Ultimate Rewards Is My Favorite Points Program

Chase Ultimate Rewards is my favorite points program.  Because points are flexible and relatively easy to earn.

The value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points varies depending how you redeem the points.  For example, 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards can get you:

• $180 in cash back
• $225 worth of travel through the Chase portal if you have the Chase Ink Plus or Chase Sapphire Preferred
• $270 worth of travel through the Chase portal if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve

But you might get even more value by redeeming your points for travel through a transfer partner like Marriott or Hyatt..

For example, 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points can get you 2 free nights at Category 1 Marriott hotels or at Category 2 Hyatt hotels.

But if you can’t find a hotel available at these chains, you’ll have a new option!

Book Starwood Stays With Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

Link:   How to Link Your Starwood & Marriott Accounts

Starwood is NOT a direct Chase hotel transfer partner.  But you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott.  Then, transfer Marriott points to Starwood at a 3:1 ratio.

You’ll get 1 Starwood point for every 3 Marriott points you transfer.

So, you could convert 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to 6,000 Starwood points by first transferring to Marriott.

And you can book free weekend nights (Friday & Saturday) at Starwood hotels for:

• 2,000 Starwood points at Category 1 hotels 
• 3,000 Starwood points at Category 2 hotels

Starwood hotels include Aloft, Design Hotels, Element, Four Points, Le Meridien, Sheraton, St Regis, The Luxury Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Westin and W brand hotels.

Keep in mind, each of these Starwood brands does NOT have hotels that are Category 1 and 2.

Save $360+ on a Weekend Stay at Starwood Hotels

Here are 3 examples, where you could convert 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to 6,000 Starwood points to save $360 or more.

1.   Sheraton Dallas Hotel by the Galleria

A weekend at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel by the Galleria costs ~$201 per night if you stay November 18, 2016, to November 20, 2016.

But you could use 6,000 Starwood points to stay for free.  This means you’ll save ~$402.

So your 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points would be worth ~2.2 cents each ($402 / 18,000).  That’s more than DOUBLE the value you’d get redeeming points for cash back.

2.   Aloft Rancho Cucamonga

Rancho Cucamonga, California, is ~1 hour drive from Los Angeles.

I found award nights available for a stay at the Aloft Rancho Cucamonga hotel from November 25, 2016, to November 27, 2016.  If you paid cash, the nightly rate is ~$182.

That means converting 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Starwood points would save you ~$364.  So your Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth ~2 cents each ($364 / 18,000) with this example.

Million Mile Secrets team member Keith has stayed at this hotel several times.  He likes the modern feel of the rooms and the pool table in the lobby.

3.   The Westin Atlanta Airport

The Atlanta airport is less than a 20 minute drive from downtown.  So you might consider a weekend stay at The Westin Atlanta Airport.

I found a weekend stay October 14, 2016, to October 16, 2016, which costs ~$181 per night or $362 total.

You could transfer 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott.  Then transfer to get the 6,000 Starwood points you need for a free stay.  Your Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth ~2 cents each  ($362 / 18,000) with this stay.

This is more value for your points than you’d get booking through the travel portal.

How to Earn 18,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

You’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points from the sign-up bonus and ongoing spending with these cards:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve (best card if the perks outweigh the annual fee for you)
• Chase Sapphire Preferred (my favorite card for folks new to the hobby!)
• Ink Plus (great small business card)
• Ink Cash (no-annual-fee small business card)
• Freedom (I love the rotating 5X categories)
• Freedom Unlimited (good for everyday spending)

Bottom Line

You can convert Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Starwood points by first transferring to Marriott.

18,000 Marriott points are worth 6,000 Starwood points when you transfer at the 3:1 ratio.  And 6,000 Starwood points are enough for 2 free weekend nights at a Category 2 Starwood hotel.

Depending on your travel dates, redeeming your Chase Ultimate Rewards points could save you more than $400!

I love that Chase Ultimate Rewards points now allow us even more flexibility when traveling!  For hotels, you can transfer directly to Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and Ritz-Carlton.  Or transfer indirectly to Starwood!