How to Use the Chase Travel Portal: Everything You Need to Know
If you are a Chase credit card holder, you can unlock more value from your card through exclusive Chase portal Travel perks. From flights and hotels to car rentals, you can turn your points into significant travel savings by booking your trips directly through the Chase Travel portal.
In this article, we’ll explain how you’ll benefit from using this service, highlight the key benefits, and provide a step-by-step guide on making the most of your rewards for your next voyage.
What is Chase Travel?
The Chase Travel portal allows users to book hotels, flights, car rentals, cruises, tours, and other travel experiences online. It’s easy to use, though phone bookings may include a service fee (disclosed before booking). Standard taxes and fees also apply. When you book through Chase Travel and pay with your card, you earn points that can later be redeemed for travel. Points are not transferred into the portal — you only transfer directly to airline and hotel partners (typically at a 1:1 ratio). The portal has no blackout dates or travel restrictions. If there’s a seat or a room for sale, you can book it, but normal availability rules still apply.
To access the Chase Travel portal, log in to your account on the Chase website or mobile app. Navigate to the “Ultimate Rewards” section, which you can find in the main menu or dashboard. From there, simply select “Travel” to enter the portal, where you can book flights, hotels, and more.
Alternatively, you can go directly to the official Chase Ultimate Travel portal website and log in the credentials of your rewards-earning card. This gives you direct access to the portal, where you can purchase travel services using points, your credit card, or a combination of both.
Benefits of Booking through Chase Travel
Gain Points for Booking
Every Chase cardholder can earn reward points for making reservations via the portal. Moreover, these cards come with attractive reward rates, though each one provides a different level of benefits. The best option is the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which earns 8 points per dollar spent on hotel reservations made through the portal, compared to just 4 points on direct bookings.
Even though other cards don’t offer 10X points on travel and dining, they can still be highly rewarding. For instance, booking travel with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card through the Ultimate Rewards Portal earns you 5 points per dollar, plus 3 points per dollar spent on dining. In addition, you’ll receive up to $50 in statement credits for hotel nights booked through the portal.
Exchange Points with Chase Travel
When redeeming points for trips booked with Chase, some Ultimate Rewards cards provide better value than others. Both the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offer some of the best conversion rates when redeeming through the portal (1.25 cents per bonus point). The Chase Sapphire Reserve goes even further in this regard, giving you 1.5 cents per point. This is a significant upgrade compared to the standard 1 cent per point if you opt for cashback.
This added value (25% or even 50% more) can translate into major savings, especially if you’ve built up a large points balance from a welcome bonus or major purchases. For example, when you earn 50,000 Sapphire Reserve points, you get $500 in cashback. But when redeemed for travel through Chase’s portal at 1.5 cents per point, they’re worth $750 instead. This feature dramatically increases the purchasing power of your rewards if you’re planning a trip.
How to Use the Chase Ultimate Travel Tool to Book Travel?
Purchasing Airfares
Booking flights via the Chase Travel portal has certain benefits and limitations. The platform is ideal if you don’t have the flexibility to choose your departure time, as it doesn’t impose blackout days or award availability restrictions. However, it’s important to compare the number of points required to book through the portal with those needed when booking directly with an airline. Chase does not provide a definitive list of airlines available in the portal, and availability can vary. Many carriers can be searched and booked online, though some travel types (e.g., cruises) must be booked by phone.
Booking through Chase Travel also allows you to earn miles and elite flight credits. These tickets are classified as “paid” rather than “award flights” because a traveler uses points to purchase them instead of cash. Still, you should factor in taxes and fees and compare the points required with the miles you might earn depending on how you book. The interface allows you to filter and sort tickets by various metrics like cost, provider, departure terminal, booking class, and departure/arrival times.
To book flights via the portal:
- Log in to your Chase account and navigate to the “Ultimate Rewards” section.
- Select the “Travel” option, then choose the “Flights” tab.
- Enter your travel details, such as departure city, destination, travel dates, and number of passengers.
- After selecting your flight, follow the prompts to complete the booking.
Booking Hotels
If you prefer independent hotels or brands like Hilton, Choice Hotels, or Wyndham, transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards travel points to the bank’s travel portal is an excellent option. You won’t face blackout dates or restrictions on award nights. Be sure to check the cost in points on both the portal and the hotel’s website.
Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG are all 1:1 transfer partners. Whether transferring or using the portal gives better value depends on the date and property, so it’s always worth comparing both options. Be sure to check the cost in points both on the portal and directly on the hotel’s website.
When searching for hotels through the Chase Travel portal, you can filter results by price, customer rating, star rating, location, and convenience. Choose your hotel, click “Add to trip,” and complete your reservation by using either your Chase card, points, or a combination of both.
Booking Auto Rentals, Cruises, and Other Vacation Experiences
To book a cruise, you must contact Chase customer service. For other bookings, the process is generally the same as for booking flights and hotels.
If you book a car rental with Chase Sapphire, the travel portal allows you to use your bonus rewards and still enjoy primary rental car insurance as an added benefit. To activate this coverage, you must decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) offered by a rental company to get this coverage! For Sapphire auto-rental coverage to apply, you must decline the rental company’s CDW and pay the full rental cost with your Sapphire card; using points alone doesn’t qualify. The portal also allows visitors to filter the search by daily price, size, vehicle type, brand, and automobile options.
To book a tour, log in to your Chase account, select “Travel,” option, and choose “Activities” or “Tours.” Then, enter your destination and travel dates to browse available tours and activities. Payment can be made with points, a Chase card, or both.
Conclusion
Is Chase Travel worth it? In many cases, yes. The platform not only allows point transfers to travel partners but also lets you earn rewards for bookings paid with cash. With the right combination of points and Chase credit cards, you can maximize value and save significantly on future trips.
FAQ
Can I use both points and cash to pay for travel with the Chase Travel Portal?
Yes. You can pay entirely with points, fully with cash, or use a mix of both, depending on your available balance.
Does the Chase Ultimate Travel portal price match?
No. The portal does not offer a price match guarantee, and in some cases, booking directly might provide better deals. However, the key advantage of the portal is the ability to stretch your points for greater value.
Will I still earn airline miles or hotel loyalty points when booking through the Chase portal?
Flights booked through the portal are considered revenue tickets, so you can earn airline miles and elite credit when you add your frequent flyer number. Hotel bookings made via the portal, however, are generally treated as third-party reservations and generally will not earn hotel points or elite status credits.
