How to maximize your rewards using the Chase Travel℠ portal

You've picked out one of the best travel credit cards, but what else can you do to save on your next adventure? For many people, one good option is to use Chase Travel℠.

Chase Travel is Chase's travel booking system. It lets you make reservations using either Ultimate Rewards points or cash. And if you play your cards right, you can score a great deal.

What is the Chase Travel portal?

Chase Travel could be a convenient option for booking your next trip. It's an online platform where you can search for and make travel bookings with Chase Ultimate Rewards points, cash, or a combination of both.

Most cards let you redeem your Ultimate Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio, but some cards have elevated redemption rates up to a 1.5:1 ratio. The portal will show you the remaining cash price if you don't have enough points to cover a booking.

You can also earn Ultimate Rewards points if you pay cash for your bookings. These point rates are usually much higher than everyday spending rates — sometimes earning you up to 10X points back.

"Many people like the Chase Travel portal because it’s simple and familiar," says Julian Kheel, Founder and CEO at Points Path. "Since it looks and works like any other online travel booking site such as Expedia or Booking.com, it’s easy to use."

Who can access the portal?

Anyone with a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points can access Chase Travel. This includes the following credit cards:

• Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Chase Freedom Flex®
• Chase Freedom Rise®
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
• Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
• Ink Business Premier® Credit Card

Understanding Chase Ultimate Rewards points

You earn Chase Ultimate Rewards with every purchase you make. You can redeem these points for cash back, gift cards, Amazon purchases, or purchases through Chase Travel.

Depending on the card, some purchases may earn you more than others. Most Chase cards have a base earning rate of 1% per dollar, but some — like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card or Chase Freedom Flex — offer up to 3% in categories like dining or drugstores.

Travel is another category where you can typically earn more, especially if you spend through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.

You can enjoy boosted redemption rates with the Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Preferred cards in the Chase Travel portal. "The 25% bonus that you’ll get when you redeem points at Chase Travel℠ with the Sapphire Preferred, or the 50% bonus with the Sapphire Reserve, is an easy way to get extra value for your rewards without a lot of extra work," says Kheel.

You also have a third option — transferring your points to one of Chase's 14 transfer partners. This works well if you want to book directly with airlines and hotels. With this method, you'll still enjoy the total bonus value of your points.

For example, the Sapphire Reserve card offers $1.50 in credit per 100 points, while the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred cards offer $1.25 per 100 points.

Strategies to maximize rewards in the Chase Travel portal

If you're ready to try Chase Travel, many strategies exist to maximize your rewards. To start, look into any travel redemption bonuses with your Chase card. For example, you can get reimbursed for up to $300 in travel purchases you make with the Sapphire Reserve card each year.

Use multiple cards

However, Kheel's favorite strategy is maximizing his points with multiple Chase cards."Your best bet for earning as many Chase points as possible is to have multiple Chase credit cards and use each one at the right time for the right purchases," says Kheel.

He has the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which lets him redeem points at a 1.25:1 ratio in the portal. He also uses this card to get 3X points at restaurants and 2X on other travel purchases.

His card for everyday spending is the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, which earns 1.5% cash back. He transfers anything he earns on this card to the Sapphire Preferred to get the 25% boosted redemption rate.

Time your purchases

If you're not in the market for multiple cards, try timing your purchase around seasonal deals or promotional offers. Also, check your email and the website for new offers. Two of Chase's current specials include a 20,000-point bonus for first-time users booking a hotel and a 10,000-point bonus for repeat bookers.

If you have some flexibility for your trip, try to book it during off-peak times. Chances are, prices will be cheaper.

Check multiple platforms

It's also always a good idea to compare Chase Travel prices to other booking platforms. It might be cheaper to book directly with the provider — especially if it's a Chase transfer partner.

"Last year, I was trying to book a five-night stay at the all-inclusive Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica," says Kheel. "I wanted to transfer my Chase points to Hyatt to book the room because, with high cash rates at the resort, I can get more value for my points by transferring them instead of booking through Chase Travel."

How to use the Chase Travel portal

You can access the Chase Travel portal after logging in to your Chase account. Once there, you'll see it resembles most travel search engines.

How to book flights

Booking a flight with Chase Travel will require choosing your departing airport, destination airport, and flight dates.

"Use the Chase Travel portal like any other online travel booking site," recommends Kheel. "That means being aggressive with the search filters to narrow the options to the ones you want. Eliminate flights with connections, filter out undesirable early morning flights, and choose airlines that you prefer so you can cut through the weeds and get right to what you need."

After you find a flight you like, you can see what it will cost in points by selecting the seat you want. Repeat the process if you want a return flight, then complete the booking by deciding how many points you wish to use on the flight.

How to book hotels

"The Chase Travel portal is also a great place to find hotel rooms at boutique and non-chain hotels that aren’t available to book with points otherwise," says Kheel.

To get started, choose your dates and destination. You'll see a map and a list of results that break down the cost in cash and points.

Choose the hotel you like, then select which room option works for you. Again, you'll see the points and cash breakdown for each room.

How to book car rentals, cruises, and any other travel

The process for booking other services in the portal varies. For example, to book a cruise, you'll need to call Chase directly at 1-866-331-0773. However, you still browse itineraries to find the specific trip you're looking for.

Booking a rental car will just require you to input your age, dates, and pick-up and drop-off times. After sorting by rental company, price, and car type, you can choose the car you want.

One unique option is booking activities through Chase Travel. Simply select a location and date and browse top attractions and their prices.

The bottom line

Now that you know how to use Chase Travel, you can use it to make your next trip more affordable.

Start by choosing cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points, and then be strategic about your spending to earn more points. When it's time to redeem them, use a card with boosted redemption values like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Also, consider using one of these cards to foot the bill if you don't have enough points to cover it. It takes a little effort, but the savings make it worthwhile.