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Thanks to their flexibility, Chase Ultimate Rewards® are one of the most valuable currencies out there. With 14 transfer partners, there are many options for redeeming points for maximum value. You can fly the world's best first-class seat, stay at all-inclusive hotels, book a cruise or cover theme park tickets. The possibilities are nearly endless.
With the elevated Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card sign-up bonus, there are even more options to think about. The card offers 60,000 points after $4,000 spent within three months of account opening. That's at least $750 worth of travel booked through Chase. However, you can get even more value when transferring points to a partner program.
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
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- Our Rating 5/5 How our ratings work
- APR20.99% - 27.99% (Variable)
- Annual Fee$95
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Sign Up Bonus
60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,320 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.022 base)
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the gold standards for earning travel rewards. It has a generous sign-up bonus and you can earn points on travel and dining expenses. The card does have an annual fee, but you can continue earning points through bonus categories and an anniversary points boost.
Overview
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is pretty flexible as it lets you transfer rewards points into miles or points several airlines and hotel programs. You can take advantage of strong transfer partners such as United, Southwest, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Hyatt. Similarly, you can book any reservation you want through the Chase Travel℠ portal. Although the card might not be ideal for the most frequent travelers, it has a built-in upgrade path, so when it’s time to level up your travel rewards game, you won’t have to start from scratch.
Pros
- Points are easily transferable to airlines and hotel partners
- Accelerated earnings on dining, travel & household purchases
- Excellent travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Not ideal for the highest spenders
- $95 annual fee
To give you an idea of what’s possible, here are 10 ways to redeem 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points for travel.
1. Virgin Atlantic Economy Award to London
Did you know you could fly to Europe for less than the cost of a domestic award ticket? Starting at just 10,000 miles one-way in economy class, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers one of the cheapest ways to cross the Atlantic. At this rate, you can fly from the East Coast to London. West Coast flyers can also get a bargain at just 15,000 miles each way.
Considering 10,000 miles is less than what some loyalty programs charge for domestic flights, this is an excellent use of Ultimate Rewards points. With 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points, you can book multiple roundtrip tickets to London. That's unheard of outside of the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club program.
2. ANA Flights Using Virgin Atlantic Miles
Virgin Atlantic hits it out of the park again, this time with an international partner award. You can book a round trip economy-class ticket from Los Angeles to Japan on All Nippon Airways (ANA) starting at 60,000 Flying Club miles each way. Note that first class for the same route will cost you 145,000 miles.
ANA has one of the best business class products in the sky, rivaling most first-class seats. "The Room" on the airline's 777 aircraft is a fully enclosed suite nearly three feet wide, offering both luxury and comfort.
This package is an excellent application of your bonus if you want an aspirational award at a reasonable rate. And if you want to splurge further on a first-class seat, it will cost you around 10,000-12,500 extra miles each way. That’s not really necessary, since The Room isn’t that different from ANA’s first-class product.
3. All-Inclusive Hyatt Hotels
When you're redeeming points for travel, there are usually a lot of other expenses to pay out of pocket: award taxes, meals and activities, to name a few. But stay at an all-inclusive resort and it's totally possible to walk away with a $0 bill at checkout.
Hyatt’s all-inclusive resorts range from family-friendly Ziva properties in Mexico and the Caribbean to luxury Miraval resorts in stateside destinations like the Berkshires, Austin and Arizona.
Hyatt's all-inclusive resorts offer tremendous value, with rates starting at just 12,000 points per night. Hyatt does peak and off-peak pricing, so award rates will vary depending on your travel dates. That being said, you can book multiple nights at a Hyatt all-inclusive resort with 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points.
4. West Coast to Hawaii With British Airways Avios
Since British Airways prices out awards by distance and segment, the best use of Avios is for direct flights (the shorter, the better). One great way to redeem Ultimate Rewards points is for economy tickets from the West Coast to Hawaii. This will set you back around 32,000 Avios roundtrip. With 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points, you could easily book a ticket with miles to spare.
5. Singapore Suites en Route to Europe
Singapore Airlines is one of the top airlines in the world and offers a first-class product to match its reputation. If you want the private jet experience on a commercial flight, look no further than Singapore Suites on the A380. These fully enclosed suites are equipped with a plush swivel seat and a fully flat bed. If you're traveling with a companion, you can remove the partition between two suites and enjoy your own private bedroom in the sky.
The cheapest way to fly Singapore Suites is on the New York (JFK) - Frankfurt (FRA) route for 97,000 Krisflyer miles.
6. Africa With Flying Blue Miles
Air France and KLM's joint Flying Blue program has several sweet spots that make transferring Ultimate Rewards points worthwhile. One of the best ways to redeem Flying Blue miles is for flights to Africa, which start at 35,000 miles in economy and 95,000 in business.
Considering how long flights to places like Morocco and Algeria are, these rates are exceptional.
At times, Flying Blue offers even lower fares through Promo Rewards. These fares sometimes get discounted by as much as 50%.
Earn Valuable Points or Miles for TravelBest Travel Credit Cards
Visit the Marketplace7. Bargain Flights From the East Coast to Ireland With Aer Lingus
British Airways isn't the only Avios program offering outstanding value on award tickets. Aer Lingus prices out flights between the East Coast, Midwest and parts of Ireland starting at 13,000 Avios each way.
Considering most U.S.-based loyalty programs charge at least 30,000 miles each way, that's a fantastic deal. Aer Lingus lets you book a round-trip ticket for less than half that price, in some cases. Needless to say, this is an excellent way to put your Chase Ultimate Rewards to good use.
8. $750 Worth of Travel
People often overlook Ultimate Rewards Travel as a means to redeem points. After all, conventional wisdom dictates that point transfers are the best way to maximize rewards. While that is generally true, the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal can offer exceptional value.
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred's sign-up bonus, you'll have at least $750 worth of spending power at your disposal when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Points are worth 1.25 cents each for Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card cardholders. Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders enjoy an elevated redemption rate of 1.5 cents each. You can even transfer points from your Sapphire Preferred account to the Reserve to redeem points at a higher value.
These rates can work out cheaper than if you were to transfer your points to one of Chase’s 14 travel partners. Hotels aren't your only booking option. Through Ultimate Rewards Travel, you can redeem points for flights, cruises, rental cars, theme park tickets and more. You will have more flexibility regarding the type of room and seat you book, plus, you'll earn miles through your frequent flyer program.
9. Domestic Business Class With Krisflyer Miles
Flying international business class is exciting (and sometimes necessary if you want to arrive well-rested). Still, it's not the only way to enjoy a flatbed seat. For around 25,000 Singapore Krisflyer miles one way, you can book United's Polaris business class on a domestic flight.
The best way to maximize this experience is to book a transcontinental flight. That way, you get to spend as much time enjoying this premium seat as possible. Just bear in mind that with dynamic pricing, the redemption rate can fluctuate greatly.
10. Cheap Flights to the Caribbean With JetBlue
JetBlue is one of the more pleasant domestic carriers to fly with. Yet, it offers reasonable fares on its extensive route network. This is especially true for flights to the Caribbean, where fares can be less than 20,000 TrueBlue points. That's significantly less than most loyalty programs will charge for a flight to the Caribbean.
Bottom Line
The sign-up bonus from the Chase Sapphire Preferred can go quite a long way. You can splurge on incredible first-class seats and luxury hotels if you're a solo traveler. If you're traveling with a family, you might want to opt for a family-friendly cruise or all-inclusive resort to keep your out-of-pocket cost low. And if you're looking for ultimate flexibility, you can use your points through the Ultimate Rewards Travel portal for virtually any travel expense you can think of.