Chase Points Boost: A guide to getting maximum value

With the massive modifications made to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) and the introduction of the all-new Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (see charges and charges), there was so much taking place on the planet of Chase bank cards just lately.

In this avalanche of modifications, Chase has introduced an necessary change to the way you redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards factors. Chase has lengthy been recognized for its priceless redemptions of Chase Ultimate Rewards factors (starting from 1.25 cents to 1.5 cents) by Chase Travel℠, however the issuer is phasing out this distinctive perk in favor of a brand new characteristic: Points Boost. This perk now permits eligible cardholders to redeem factors for up to 2 cents per level, relying on the cardboard and the redemption.

But is that this a optimistic change or a damaging one? Now that the brand new profit is reside, let’s examine these choices to see which one presents extra value.

Benefit to be axed: Fixed redemption value

Chase is eradicating the flexibility to redeem factors with the 25% to 50% bonus for cardholders of choose premium playing cards. As the brand new normal, all playing cards will supply 1 cent per level for eligible purchases by Chase Travel.

However, regardless of this being a significant damaging growth, this alteration will happen steadily for present cardholders. If you are an present cardholder whose account was opened earlier than June 23, the factors you earn prior to Oct. 26 of this 12 months can nonetheless be redeemed on the present charges till Oct. 26, 2027.

Conversely, factors earned on new accounts opened from June 23 can solely be redeemed for 1 cent per level, except the acquisition is eligible for the brand new Points Boost perk.

Here’s a take a look at how the modifications have an effect on present and new cardholders:

Remember that in the event you maintain Chase cash-back playing cards, you’ll be able to mix your factors right into a single account.

New profit: Points Boost

The alternative profit — referred to as Points Boost — is now reside for brand spanking new and present cardholders. This perk takes the place of the 25% to 50% bonuses with Chase Travel redemptions; nonetheless, for present cardholders who utilized prior to June 23, factors can be redeemed routinely on the increased price (mounted redemption value or Points Boost) till Oct. 26, 2027.

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With Points Boost, cardholders will get greater than 1 cent per level on choose Chase Travel redemptions. Using Points Boost, choose flight and resort bookings might be made by redeeming factors for 1.5-2 cents apiece, relying in your card.

Compared to TPG’s June 2025 valuation of Chase factors at 2.05 cents every, the brand new redemption value vary from Points Boost might be disappointing. If you are in a position to get a Points Boost buy at 2 cents per level, that is unbelievable; in any other case, in case your buy is bringing in lower than 1.5 cents per level, it represents poor value.

As an outline, the next are the sorts of Points Boost charges you’ll be able to anticipate for various purchases and eligible playing cards by Chase Travel:

Hotel bookings

Sign in to the Chase Travel portal, and seek for a resort as you usually would.

From the appears to be like of it, all The Edit by Chase Travel resort bookings qualify for a better redemption of two cents per level. As a Sapphire Reserve cardholder, I can get 2 cents per level towards most luxurious resort bookings.

The Chase Travel portal additionally has a helpful filter titled “Points Boost only,” which makes trying to find eligible lodges a complete lot simpler. Points Boost eligible bookings will even denote slightly rocket ship do you have to determine to scroll by the outcomes as a substitute of filtering them.

For instance, a three-night keep on the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane prices $4,124.31 or 206,216 factors for the whole keep.

At the checkout web page, you’ll be able to enter what number of factors you need to redeem. Interestingly, the web page reveals the redemption being utilized is Points Boost, whereby 100,000 factors provides you $2,000 in value. It additionally states what number of factors I’m saving; on this case, 33,333 factors.

This reveals the distinction between Points Boost and if I have been to redeem these factors on the typical value of 1.5 cents apiece as a Sapphire Reserve cardholder.

Flight purchases

Booking flights by Chase Travel and benefiting from Points Boost requires a bit extra work. Not all airways, lessons of service and flights are eligible for Points Boost, and we anticipate that this listing can change from time to time.

The listing of eligible airways for Points Boost at present consists of:

• Air Canada
• Emirates
• EVA Airways
• Qantas
• Singapore Airlines
• United Airlines

When on the lookout for flights between Los Angeles and New York, I used to be proven varied carriers, however when filtering for under Points Boost-eligible flights, United was the one eligible service. Additionally, not all flights and lessons of service on United have been eligible.

For instance, the 9 p.m. departure for New York didn’t have a Points Boost choice for financial system or Economy Plus; as a substitute, solely premium financial system was eligible. This flight prices $1,238 in premium financial system or 70,741 factors with Points Boost, which is equal to 1.75 cents per level and better than what the Sapphire Reserve would’ve provided prior to now with its 1.5 cents per level.

Note that when exploring premium cabins, Points Boost might or might not present one of the best value if award seat availability exists.

For occasion, this one-way flight from San Francisco to Taipei, Taiwan, would value you $3,434 in money or 171,700 factors with Points Boost. You can redeem factors to partially pay for the airfare at a price of up to 2 cents per level.

However, when taking a look at utilizing Chase’s switch companions, you may get a greater deal than Points Boost. If you opted to switch your factors to a associate, on this case Air Canada Aeroplan, you could possibly ebook your ticket for 100,000 factors and minimal taxes and charges. That saves you greater than 70,000 factors in contrast to Points Boost. That’s a value of three.4 cents per level, properly above TPG’s June 2025 valuation of Chase factors and the Points Boost valuation of two cents.

If you are in want of a flight and no award availability exists, Points Boost is a good choice, contemplating you’ll be able to break up the cost between factors and money. However, it is value trying to find award availability to examine your choices.

Is Points Boost value it?

If you are a Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Reserve for Business cardholder, you’ll be able to anticipate at most 2 cents per level on The Edit lodges and premium cabin airfare, which falls simply shy of our June 2025 valuation of Chase factors at 2.05 cents apiece. I might say Points Boost redemptions are value it for premium cabin airfare (if award availability is nonexistent) and The Edit bookings; in any other case, it isn’t a fantastic use of factors.

Unfortunately, Points Boost makes a weaker case for Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred cardholders. For lodges, you will obtain up to 1.5 cents per level, so there’s some value to be had past the cardboard’s earlier 25% bonus on Chase Travel purchases. But by way of airfare purchases, it is hit and miss. Because not all airways are eligible, it is an enormous disadvantage compared to the cardboard’s earlier profit, which utilized to any airline.

Living within the hope of getting the maximum value from Points Boost redemptions would not empower the patron. You’re basically at Chase’s will, which determines which resort, airline, flight and cabin can provide the most value. Plus, there are benefits to reserving instantly fairly than by a web-based journey company.

Remember, reserving by Chase Travel might be costlier than instantly with an airline or resort, so do your homework to calculate whether or not a doubtlessly increased ticket worth by Chase Travel is sensible if Points Boost is utilized to it.

Bottom line

Chase has made a significant change in how Ultimate Rewards factors might be redeemed, dropping the 25% to 50% bonus for Chase Travel redemption for brand spanking new cardholders. Luckily, the issuer has determined to steadily section the profit out for present cardholders (playing cards opened earlier than June 23), giving them by Oct. 26, 2027 to obtain the redemption choice that gives extra value (for factors earned prior to Oct. 26, 2025).

It’s good to see Points Boost rolled out concurrently the earlier perk nonetheless being provided, because it provides present Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred cardholders the choice to redeem factors both method.

After Oct. 26, 2027, the mounted redemption charges can be fully phased out, and it is anybody’s guess how priceless Points Boost can be by then — it might enhance or stay restricted. For now, present cardholders want to weigh which is the best choice, whereas new cardholders ought to examine Points Boost to transferring factors to companions to decide how to greatest maximize their hard-earned factors.

Related: 9 issues to contemplate when selecting to ebook by way of a portal vs. reserving instantly