Guides· Cards & Points

How to Use Chase Ultimate Rewards

Updated August 28, 2026

Chase Ultimate Rewards is the most beginner-friendly transferable currency out there. You earn it on the Sapphire and Ink cards, move it to 10 airlines and 4 hotels, and its headline sweet spot, World of Hyatt, can turn 35,000 points into a hotel night that would cost hundreds of dollars in cash. The golden rule: find the award you want first, then transfer, because every transfer is instant and one way.

Earning it, and the one rule that matters

Chase points come from the Sapphire family (Preferred and Reserve), the Ink business cards, and the Freedom cards. Here is the catch that trips people up: only a card that earns full Ultimate Rewards, a Sapphire or an Ink Business Preferred, can transfer points to travel partners.

Freedom and Ink Cash or Unlimited points can't transfer on their own. First move them into a Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred account (free and instant in the Ultimate Rewards portal), then transfer out to a partner. If you only hold a Freedom card, that pooling step is what unlocks the whole transfer game.

The 14 transfer partners

Chase moves points 1 to 1 to every partner, with one exception noted below.

Airlines (10): Air Canada Aeroplan, United, Southwest, JetBlue, British Airways Avios, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Air France and KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, and Singapore KrisFlyer.

Hotels (4): World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, and Wyndham Rewards.

The one exception is Hyatt, and it now depends on your card. The Sapphire Reserve still transfers to Hyatt at 1 to 1. The Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred dropped to 4 to 3, a 25 percent haircut. It is already in effect for new applicants, and existing Preferred cardholders hit it on October 1, 2026. If you hold a Preferred and want Hyatt points, moving them before October 1 locks in the 1 to 1 rate.

The sweet spots

World of Hyatt is why most people hold Chase points. Top Park Hyatt and Alila resorts that run several hundred dollars a night book for 35,000 to 45,000 points. Nothing else in the transferable world touches it. (Watch the Reserve versus Preferred ratio above.)
Aeroplan offers a free stopover, no fuel surcharges on many partners, and strong Star Alliance business class pricing.
Avios (British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus) shines for short off-peak flights, especially the US East Coast to Europe and hops within a region, for very few points.
Virgin Atlantic is the way into ANA first class and Delta One when award space appears.
Southwest has no change fees, no award chart games, and points count toward the Companion Pass.

How to actually redeem

Transfer to a partner for premium cabin flights or Hyatt nights. This is the highest value move.
Book through Chase Travel at 1 to 1.5 cents per point, with the Sapphire Reserve getting the top rate. Simple, and no transfer needed.
Cash back or gift cards at 1 cent each. A fine floor, but you leave real value behind versus transfers.

Can you share points with someone else?

Yes, with one important limit: the other person has to live at your address. It can be a spouse, partner, roommate, or any family member, and the relationship does not matter, only the shared address does.

Here is exactly how it works:

The first time, call the number on the back of your card and tell the agent you want to combine points with a household member. They will ask for that person's card number to link the two accounts.
After that, you move points yourself using the Combine Points tool in the Ultimate Rewards portal, and they arrive in the other account almost immediately.

You cannot send points to a friend, to family at a different address, or to a business contact. The rule exists to stop people from selling points.

Mistakes that quietly burn value

Transferring before you find the award. Transfers are one way and final, so confirm the seat or room is available first.
Letting Freedom points strand.They can't reach partners until you pool them into a Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred.
Defaulting to cash back. At 1 cent you are ignoring the whole reason to hold Ultimate Rewards.
Ignoring the Hyatt ratio change if you carry a Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred.

Quick answers

Do transfers cost anything? No fees or taxes on any partner, and they are instant for nearly all of them.
Does Chase transfer to American or Emirates? No, neither is a partner.
Do points expire? Not while your card account is open and in good standing.