Watch This ~2 Minute Video and Learn How to Book Airfare With My Favorite Points (With NO Blackout Dates)
Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money.
One of the biggest frustrations I hear from folks in the miles & points hobby is the amount of time is takes to search for and book award flights. Even if you’re comfortable with award charts, there’s a chance you’ll still come up against blackout dates.
That’s why I like to collect flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Because you have the option to book airfare thorough the Chase travel portal, which a huge time-saver!
And depending on the price of the flight, you’ll sometimes pay fewer points than if you booked the flight as an award. You’ll also earn airline miles for your flight! And prices are usually the same as what you’ll find on Expedia, Travelocity, or through other online travel agencies.
Million Mile Secrets team member Keith recorded a video guide to show y’all how to use points to book flights through the Chase travel portal. Just click play below to watch. You can follow along with subtitles too if you’re not able to turn on the sound.
Remember, there are 4 low-cost airlines that do NOT show up on Chase’s travel portal: Southwest, Norwegian Air, Allegiant, and Gol. But you can still use points to book flights on these airlines by calling the Chase travel center at 866-951-6592.
We prefer transferring points to airline and hotel partners to get the most value. That said, sometimes it’s MORE valuable to be able to travel exactly on the dates you need. So if you don’t have flexible dates, this can be a good use of points. But if you can be flexible, your Chase Ultimate Rewards points can get you more flights or even Business Class and First Class flights.
Use Points Linked to the Card That Gets You the Most Value!
Link: Not All Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Are Equal!
You can earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points with several different cards.
But keep in mind, when you redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book travel through Chase, your points are worth different rates depending on which card they’re tied to. Here’s a chart to help you remember:
| Chase Ultimate Rewards Card | How Much Are Points Worth Toward Travel? |
|---|---|
| Chase Freedom | 1 cent |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | 1 cent |
| Chase Sapphire (no longer available) | 1 cent |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | 1.25 cents |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 1.5 cents |
| Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card | 1 cent |
| Chase Ink Bold (no longer available) | 1.25 cents |
| Chase Ink Plus (no longer available) | 1.25 cents |
| Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card | 1.25 cents |
So if you have more than one of these cards, your points will be worth more when you move them to the card account with the highest redemption rate to book your travel!
Bottom Line
You can quickly redeem flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points for flights by booking thorough the Chase travel portal. When you book this way, you do NOT have to worry about blackout dates, so it’s a big time-saver!
This is a good option for folks who don’t have flexible travel dates or who are traveling at peak times. And you’ll earn airline miles for your flight!
If you have multiple Chase Ultimate Rewards points earning cards, remember to book through the card account that gets you the most value. For example, Sapphire Reserve cardholders get 1.5 cents per point when booking travel through the Chase portal.
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! :)
Join the Discussion!