Chase Ultimate Rewards is the most versatile points currency in the game. 14 transfer partners, instant transfers, and the deepest card ecosystem of any issuer.
Here's the complete playbook.
All 14 Transfer Partners (1:1 Ratio)
Airlines (10): Aer Lingus (Avios), Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, British Airways (Avios), Iberia (Avios), JetBlue TrueBlue, Singapore KrisFlyer, Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Hotels (4): World of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Wyndham Rewards
Note: Chase dropped Emirates as a partner in October 2025.
Top 5 Sweet Spots
1. Virgin Atlantic → ANA First Class (72,500-85,000 pts) — Transfer Chase to Virgin Atlantic, book ANA First "The Suite" to Tokyo. Cash price: $10,000-16,000. CPP: 10-20+. The single best redemption in the hobby.
2. World of Hyatt All-Inclusives (20,000-25,000 pts/night) — All-inclusive resorts in Mexico and Caribbean where cash rates are $500-800+/night. Points cover room, food, and drinks. CPP: 3-5+.
3. Aeroplan for Star Alliance Business (55,000-90,000 pts) — EVA Air, Lufthansa, ANA, Turkish business class with minimal surcharges.
4. British Airways Avios Short-Haul (as low as 7,500 pts) — Domestic AA flights under 650 miles for 7,500 Avios. Better than booking through AA directly.
5. Southwest to Hawaii (8,500-12,000 pts) — One-way economy to Hawaii. With Companion Pass, bring someone free.
The Card Ecosystem
Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95) — 5x Chase Travel, 3x dining/streaming/grocery, 2x travel. The starter card.
Chase Sapphire Reserve ($795) — 8x Chase Travel, 4x direct flights/hotels, 3x dining. $300 travel credit. Priority Pass lounges.
Freedom Unlimited ($0) — 1.5x everything. The catch-all earner.
Freedom Flex ($0) — 5x rotating quarterly categories. 3x dining/drugstores.
Ink Business Preferred ($95) — 3x on first $150K in travel, shipping, internet, advertising.
All pool together. No-fee cards require a Sapphire or Ink Preferred to unlock transfers.
The 5/24 Rule
Chase auto-declines anyone with 5+ new personal credit cards in the last 24 months — from ANY issuer. This is the most important application rule in the hobby.
The play: Always get Chase cards first. Before Amex, before Citi, before Capital One. Start under 5/24 and maximize your Chase approvals.
Business cards from Amex, Citi, and Barclays don't count toward 5/24. Capital One business cards DO count (except Venture X Business and Spark Cash Plus).
When to Transfer vs. Hold
Hold until you have a specific redemption confirmed. The only exception: Hyatt. World of Hyatt consistently delivers 1.8+ cents per point, making direct transfers almost always worthwhile.
For airlines, wait for confirmed availability + transfer bonus alignment. Never transfer speculatively.