FAQ: Chase Credit Cards and Ultimate Rewards Points

This refers to the practice of having 3 credit cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points is called the Chase Trifecta: The Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Chase Sapphire Preferred + the Chase Freedom + the Chase Freedom Unlimited.

This way, you’ll earn 3X points on travel and dining with the Sapphire Reserve (2X if you opt for the lower annual fee Sapphire Preferred), then 1.5X on everything else with the Freedom Unlimited, and 5X on rotating categories that vary each quarter on the Freedom.

More information on the Chase Trifecta

In short, what it means is that if you have opened 5 new personal credit cards – from any issuer – in the last 24 months (plus any Capital One or Discover business cards, since those get reported to your personal credit profile) you will not be approved for a new Chase card.

More information on the Chase 5/24 rule.

In exchange for a $550 annual fee for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, vs. $95 for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you get a $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass airport lounge access, and you earn 3X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on dining and travel vs. 2X with the Sapphire Preferred.

We have a full guide to determining this: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which is Right For You?

The Chase Ink Business Preferred is the one that most people should get first, because it has the biggest bonus and also allows for transfers to Chase Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel transfer partners. It has a $95 annual fee but earns 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, and on advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines. Limit applies each account anniversary year.

The Chase Ink Unlimited and Chase Ink Cash both have no annual fee and sizable bonus offers as well. The Unlimited earns a simple 1.5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on everything while the Ink Cash earns 5% cash back (in the form of points) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at office supply stores and on Internet, cable, and phone services.

Only Chase Ultimate Rewards card with an annual fee allow transfers, but as long as you have a Chase Ink Business Preferred, a Chase Sapphire Reserve, or a Chase Sapphire Preferred, you’ll be able to combine your Chase Ultimate Rewards points into the premium Chase card (with an annual fee) and transfer from there.

You can also read How to Choose the Right Chase Ink Business Credit Cards for You

There are lots of ways to spend Chase Ultimate Rewards points. The simplest is to redeem for travel via the Chase Travel Portal, if you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve (each point is worth 1.5 cents towards travel) or or a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Ink Preferred (each point is worth 1.25 cents towards travel).

The best value comes from transferring to one of the 13 Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer partners. We personally find the best consistent use of points to be via transferring to World of Hyatt.

Learn more in the Chase Ultimate Rewards Guide

You can’t combine accounts, but you can transfer points between your accounts as well as between spouses at the same address and from a business card to you personal card when you are the business owner. Here’s a guide to combining points from multiple Chase Ultimate Rewards accounts.