Wanting to start using credit card points to travel more? Start Here.
People always ask me, “How can you afford to take all these trips?” And most people really don’t believe me when I tell them that I mostly use my credit card points. Points can be one of the best tools for making family travel more affordable. But earning the points is only half of it. The part that can feel overwhelming is figuring out which card to get, what to do once you've earned the points, and how to actually turn those points into flights and hotels.
IF YOU TAKE ANYTHING away from reading this is should be this: If you want to start earning points but don’t know where to start and want a card with a low yearly fee. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is THE BEST FIRST CARD! I have got my 2 sisters, 3 of my best friends and my mom all to get this card and they now ALL tell me it was the best decision they made!
➡️ APPLY FOR THE CARD HERE
One of the best to get into points is to get a good welcome offer! Card welcome offers change, usually monthly. As of August 2026 these are the 2 current offers for the cards we are going to be talking about!
➡ The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a welcome offer of 75,000 points if you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
➡ The Chase Sapphire Reserve currently has a welcome offer of 100,000 points when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® and Chase Sapphire Reserve® both earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which can give you a lot of flexibility when planning travel. But knowing how to use those points wisely can make a huge difference.
In this guide, we'll walk you through:
The differences between the Chase Sapphire Preferred® and Chase Sapphire Reserve®
How to decide which card makes sense for you
How Chase Ultimate Rewards® points work
Why we often check transfer partners before booking
How to transfer Chase points to airlines and hotels
How we search for good points redemptions
The mistakes we wish we'd avoided when we were getting started
How we use this strategy to make family travel more affordable
When we first started learning about points, terms like transfer partners, award availability, airline miles, and redemption value made the whole thing sound much more complicated than it actually is.
You do not need to become a points expert to start!! You just need to understand a few basics—and once you do, you'll start looking at the cost of family travel very differently.
Ready to Start Earning Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points?
If you already know you want a Chase Sapphire card, you can use our links below to learn more about the current offers and apply.
→ Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred®
→ Apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Not sure which card is right for you? Keep reading. We'll compare the Preferred and Reserve first, and then we'll show you step-by-step how we actually use Chase points for travel.
What Are Reward Points?
Let’s start with the true basics. Credit card reward points are basically rewards you earn for spending money you were already going to spend. For example, if your credit card earns points when you buy groceries, gas, flights, or everyday purchases, those points collect in your account. You can later use them for things like flights, hotels, travel, or cash back, depending on the card.
The simplest way to think about it: You spend money → earn points → use those points to help pay for travel.
One of the best parts about getting a card like Chase is instead of a specific one for earning airline miles for just one airline, you're earning flexible points that can be used in lots of different ways.
For example, you can:
Book flights
Book hotels
Rent cars
Transfer points to airlines
Transfer points to hotels
Redeem for cash back (although we usually don't recommend this if your goal is travel)
The flexibility is what makes these points so valuable. You can use them in several different ways, but if your goal is travel, we recommend comparing your travel redemption options before simply redeeming them for cash back.
Which Chase Cards Can Transfer Points?
Not every Chase card allows you to transfer points to travel partners. The easiest one I always recommend to people who are just starting to get into using credit card points for travel is the Chase Sapphire Preferred®. It has a low annual fee with some great perks to even set that $95 fee off. These cards allow you to transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to participating airline and hotel loyalty programs.
The cards that do include:
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The Biggest Mistake Beginners Make
Most people earn points and go to the travel portal and immediately book through there. Sometimes that's the best option. But many times, you can use far fewer points by transferring them to one of Chase's airline or hotel partners instead. Whether that's the better value depends on the trip, so we always compare both options before booking.
Think of it like this: Imagine you're buying the exact same toy.
Store A sells it for $30.
Store B sells it for $18.
Wouldn't you buy it at Store B? That's exactly what we're doing with points. We're simply looking for the place where our points go the farthest.
What Does "Transfer Your Points" Mean?
This is the part that sounds scary but it's actually incredibly simple. Let's say you have 100,000 Chase points. Those points are sitting in your Chase account. Instead of booking directly through Chase, you can move some of those points into an airline's frequent flyer program or a hotel's loyalty program. Once they're there, you use that airline's or hotel's points to book your trip. That's called transferring your points. This is THE BEST WAY to get the most value for your points.
Chase's Travel Partners
Chase partners with several airlines and hotel brands. Some of the most popular include:
Airlines
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
British Airways Club
Southwest Rapid Rewards
United MileagePlus
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Hotels
World of Hyatt
Marriott Bonvoy
IHG One Rewards
Wyndham Rewards
These partnerships are what make Chase points so flexible.
Exactly How We Book a Trip
This is the process we follow every single time.
Step 1
Decide where we want to go. Whether it’s Italy, Hawaii, or even Disney. Pick your destination first. You can be open to looking at multiple cities or countries, just have an idea of where you want to go.
Step 2
Search for flights using airline loyalty programs.
We're looking for flights we can book with points.
Step 3
Compare our options. We usually compare:
Paying cash
Booking through Chase Travel
Booking by transferring Chase points to an airline partner
Sometimes the Chase Travel portal is the best value. Sometimes transferring points is the better bet. You have to do a little bit of searching but once you learn to do it, it won’t be as time consuming and will really be worth it.
Step 4
Only after we've found the flight do we transfer our points. This is important. Never transfer points first!!!!!
➡ Why? Because transfers are generally one-way and can't be reversed, so you want to be sure the award flight or hotel is available before you move your points. Chase also notes that transfers may take up to several business days depending on the partner. Although, especially with airlines, it usually only takes a few minutes! Even when booking a hotel, the longest it’s ever taken for me was 24 hours and we later found out, the hotel chain was specifically having technical issues at that time.
Step 5
Book the flight. That's it!
How Do You Actually Transfer Points?
We recommend creating your loyalty account to that transfer partner first and confirming award availability before transferring. This process only takes a few minutes. Then you will have it linked in your account for future purchases.
1. Log into Chase.
2. Open Ultimate Rewards.
3. Choose "Transfer to Travel Partners."
4. Select the airline or hotel.
5. Link your loyalty account if it's your first time.
6. Enter how many points you want to transfer (in 1,000-point increments).
7. Confirm the transfer.
8. Book directly with the airline or hotel.
How We Find the Best Deals?
This is probably the question we get the most! We search. Every trip is different. Sometimes United has the best deal. Sometimes Flying Blue. Sometimes Air Canada. Sometimes Hyatt. There isn't one "best" airline. The best value changes based on where you're going, when you're traveling, and what's available.
Every trip is different, but we do have some services we use to find the best deals. We have a subscription for Thrifty Traveler Premium. It is a paid flight-deal alert service that does the searching for you. You select your home airport(s), and Thrifty Traveler sends you alerts when they find unusually cheap cash fares or great points-and-miles award availability—including economy and premium-cabin deals—along with the information you need to find and book the deal yourself. It can be especially helpful if you have flexible travel dates or credit-card points but don’t want to spend hours searching airline websites for the best redemption; plans currently start at $129.99/year. They sometimes run promos for up to 30% of the yearly subscription.
We combine this with using seats.aero to be able search specific dates and airports to know where we are going to transfer the points to. Seats.Aero has a filter where you can even pick specific card issuers so you can pick the exact cards you have points on.
Our Favorite Hotel Transfer
If you've followed us for a while, you've probably seen us stay at amazing Hyatt properties. We have stayed at the Park Hyatt in NYC for 70K points a night in peak season using our chase points and transferring them to Hyatt. The main takeaway is to login to your Hyatt account and look at the amount of points the property you want to stay at costs and then transfer from there. The amount of points will vary on the award category of the hotel, the time of year and just how busy/booked they are.
World of Hyatt is one of our favorite Chase transfer partners because we've often found excellent value compared with paying cash or using points through other options. Of course, every redemption is different, so we always compare before booking.
How to Decide which of these cards is right for you?
That depends on your travel goals. If you want to start using points to travel I always recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred as the best card to get started.
➡ Chase Sapphire Preferred®— Best for Most Families
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is usually where we recommend beginners start because you get access to Chase's valuable points and transfer partners without paying a huge annual fee. The annual fee is currently $95.
Pros:
Only a $95 annual fee
Earn 5x points on purchases through Chase Travel
Earn 3x on dining
Earn 3x on gas and EV charging
Earn 3x on vacation homes at eligible brands such as Airbnb and Vrbo
Earn 3x on eligible online grocery purchases and select streaming
Earn 2x on other travel
Up to a $100 Chase Travel hotel credit each account anniversary year
Up to $120 toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS every four years
No foreign transaction fees
Includes useful travel protections
Most importantly for us: you can transfer your Chase points to participating airline and hotel partners.
Cons:
No complimentary airport lounge membership
Fewer premium travel benefits than the Reserve
Lower earning rate on certain travel purchases than the Reserve
Some benefits require booking through Chase Travel, which isn't always how we want to book
Who we'd recommend it for: Families who want to learn how to use points for travel without committing to a large annual fee.
For someone saying, “I've never done points before, but I want to start taking my family on more trips,” this is the card I'd have them look at first.
➡ Chase Sapphire Reserve®— Best for Frequent Travelers
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is Chase's premium travel card. The biggest thing to understand is the annual fee: it's currently $795, plus $195 for each authorized user. That's a huge jump from the Preferred, so you want to make sure you'll actually use the benefits.
Pros:
$300 annual travel credit
Complimentary access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club, including up to two guests
Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with access to 1,300+ airport lounges
Access to select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges and Cafés
Earn 8x points on purchases through Chase Travel
Earn 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
Up to $500 annually in statement credits for qualifying prepaid stays with The Edit
Additional travel/lifestyle credits and benefits
No foreign transaction fees
Premium travel protections
Access to Chase's airline and hotel transfer partners
Cons:
The $795 annual fee is significant
Adding authorized users costs extra
You have to actually use enough of the credits and benefits to justify that fee
Some credits have specific booking requirements, minimum stays, participating brands, or other restrictions
It can be overkill for someone who only takes one or two trips a year
Who we'd recommend it for: Families who travel frequently, value airport lounge access, spend a lot on travel, and know they'll use enough of the card's credits and benefits to offset the higher annual fee.
Our Biggest Takeaways
1. Keep your Chase points flexible. Don't rush to transfer them. Flexible points give you options.
2. Search before transferring - Always confirm that the flight or hotel is available before moving your points.
3. Learn one trip at a time. You don't need to master every airline. Just learn how to use the points wisely first!
FAQ
Q: Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® a good card for beginners?
A: Yes! This is the card we usually recommend to friends and family who want to start using points for travel. It gives you access to Chase Ultimate Rewards® and participating airline and hotel transfer partners without the much higher annual fee of a premium travel card.
Q: Do Chase Ultimate Rewards® points expire?
A: Your points generally don’t expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. If you’re considering closing a card, make sure you understand what will happen to your unused points first.
Q: Should I book through Chase Travel or transfer my points?
A: Always compare! Sometimes booking through Chase Travel makes the most sense, while other times transferring points to an airline or hotel partner can require fewer points. We search both before making a decision—which is one of the biggest points we emphasize throughout this guide.
Q: Should I transfer my Chase points before I find a flight or hotel?
A: No! Find the award availability first and then transfer your points. Transfers are generally one-way, so you don't want to move your points until you know what you're ready to book.
Q: How long does it take to transfer Chase points?
A: It depends on the travel partner. Some transfers can happen quickly, while others may take longer, so never assume the points will arrive instantly when you're planning a booking.
Q: What is our favorite Chase hotel transfer partner?
A: World of Hyatt is one of our favorites! We've found some incredible redemptions by transferring Chase points to Hyatt, including stays at properties that would have cost us significantly more if we paid cash.
Q: Can I transfer Chase points directly to an airline?
A: Yes, if you have an eligible Chase card. You first create a loyalty account with the participating airline, find the award flight you want, and then transfer the points from your Chase Ultimate Rewards account into that loyalty program.
Q: How do you find flights to book with points?
A: We do some searching ourselves, but we also use tools like Thrifty Traveler Premium and Seats.Aero to help find award availability. These can save a ton of time when you're trying to figure out which airline has the best redemption for a particular trip.
Q: Is it worth paying an annual fee for a travel credit card?
A: It can be, but only if the card's benefits make sense for you. We like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® for beginners because it has a relatively low annual fee while still giving you access to transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points and travel benefits. Always compare the current fee and benefits with how you actually travel.
Q: Do I need to be a points expert to start?
A: Absolutely not. Start with one card, learn how its points work, and focus on booking one trip. You don't need to understand every airline program or points strategy to start saving on family travel—which is really the whole reason we created this guide!
***As always, we only recommend products we genuinely use ourselves. Credit card offers change over time, so be sure to review the current terms, benefits, fees, and eligibility requirements on Chase's official application page before applying. Jolly good Travel may receive compensation from JPMC.
