The 3 Best Ways to Use 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Right Now

Published on Oct. 27, 2024

Brittney Myers

By: Brittney Myers

Writer

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KEY POINTS

  • Transfer points to United and head west.
  • Transfer points to Flying Blue and head east.
  • Take the easy route and use Chase Travel.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are some of the most popular travel rewards around -- and for good reason. This versatile currency can be transferred to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners and redeemed for free travel.

As with all travel credit cards, the value you get for your points will depend on how you redeem them. Let's look at some of the best ways to earn and redeem Ultimate Rewards points.

How to earn Ultimate Rewards points

The most straightforward way to earn Ultimate Rewards points is through Chase's three travel cards. You'll also need at least one of these cards to use UR points for travel.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

This is an excellent mid-tier travel card with competitive rewards for travel, dining, and more, all with a reasonable annual fee. New cardholders earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

20.74% - 27.74% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases

Annual Fee

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 bonus points

  • Bonus travel and dining rewards, along with an annual $50 hotel credit, make this card worth the (very reasonable) annual fee. Chase points are both valuable and easy to use, offering 25% more value for bookings through Chase Travel, which simplifies the experience compared to other travel cards. Not to mention it provides robust travel protections, including primary rental car insurance, trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance. Read Full Review

    • Big sign-up bonus
    • Travel rewards
    • Dining rewards
    • Flexible travel points
    • Consumer and travel protections
    • Annual fee
    • Limited-time perks
    • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
    • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
    • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
    • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
    • Member FDIC

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Small business owners can maximize shipping, advertising, telecoms, and travel purchases with this handy card. Plus, it always has an excellent welcome offer, including the current offer of 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months.

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Apply Now for Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

20.49% - 26.49% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases-with no limit to the amount you can earn.

Earn 3 points per $1 in select business categories

Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn 90,000 bonus points

  • This card offers excellent earning potential for businesses looking to earn valuable rewards on everyday expenses. You’ll earn 3X points on travel, shipping, and advertising purchases (up to $150,000 per year), making it a great fit for businesses that invest in growth. With an impressive 90,000-point welcome bonus and access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards® ecosystem, this card helps you maximize rewards. Plus, we like that points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, further boosting the card’s value. Read Full Review

    • Huge sign-up bonus
    • Advertising rewards
    • Shipping rewards
    • Cell phone protection
    • Flexible travel points
    • Card perks
    • Annual fee
    • No intro APR offer
    • Spending minimum for sign-up bonus
    • Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
    • Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
    • Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
    • With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
    • Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
    • Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
    • Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
    • Member FDIC

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

An elite travel rewards card, this pick is for folks who don't mind paying for perks, including airport lounge access and travel credits. It also has a respectable welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

Ratings Methodology

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Reserve®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

21.74% - 28.74% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠.

Annual Fee

$550

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 bonus points

  • All the perks we've come to expect from a top travel card, including a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access, and big bonuses on travel and dining. Points are transferable to airline and hotel partners or worth 50% more if you book through Chase Travel. The annual fee is hefty, but if you can use all its features, this card could be well worth the cost. Read Full Review

    • Travel credits
    • Airport lounge access
    • Travel and dining rewards
    • Welcome offer
    • Flexible travel points
    • Annual fee
    • Limited-time benefits
    • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
    • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
    • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
    • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
    • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
    • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
    • Member FDIC

How I'd redeem 60,000 Chase points

When using miles, you'll typically get the best availability booking early, so I focused on next spring and summer. These redemptions were available at time of research/writing, but travel companies are fickle so YMMV (your mileage may vary).

1. Cross the Pacific with United miles

Chase is the only major travel rewards card program that transfers to United, and it does so at a 1:1 rate.

United typically has low fees, which is excellent for folks who don't want to fork over a lot of cash on award fares. Plus, the airline flies most places, and it's a member of the Star Alliance, so routes are plentiful.

One-way in economy to Melbourne, Australia: 55,000 miles

If you want to sit on a plane for a long time, I found some surprisingly good deals going from San Francisco to Melbourne, Australia, for just 55,000 miles and $23.30 in fees. Even better (or maybe not for a 16-hour flight?), it's nonstop.

One-way in economy to Hanoi, Vietnam: 60,500 miles

Folks looking to explore Southeast Asia can start in Hanoi, Vietnam. I found flights from San Francisco for 60,500 miles and just $17.90 in fees, one-way in economy. The routes I saw all included layovers, but it might be worth trying other departure/arrival airports if you want nonstop.

2. Cross the Atlantic with Flying Blue miles

Flying Blue is the rewards program for Air France and KLM, and you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points 1:1 to the program.

The two airlines are based in Europe (France and Netherlands, respectively), so you can usually get decent deals between the U.S. east coast and a variety of European hubs.

Round Trip economy for two people: 60,000 miles

If you want to get a ton of flights out of your points, you can fly from Boston to Amsterdam on a promo fare for 15,000 miles plus $156.55 in fees each way. That means two people could fly roundtrip for just 60,000 miles and $626.20 total.

One-way business class for one person: 50,000 miles

You'll need to ditch your friend -- and your return trip -- if you want to fly in business class. A one-way flight from Boston to Amsterdam in business class will start at 50,000 miles plus $233.40 in fees. On the plus side, it could be a nonstop flight.

3. Book travel through the Chase portal

Sure, we all like to get those monster redemptions where each point nets you $0.02 or more in value. Realistically, though, redeeming in the Chase portal is a heck of a lot more practical.

How much value you get in the portal will depend on your card:

  • Points are worth $0.0150 each in the Chase portal if you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
  • Points are worth $0.0125 each in the Chase portal if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
  • Points are worth $0.0125 each in the Chase portal if you have a Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.

Maximizing UR points with a Chase Trifecta

Don't limit yourself to one Chase card. As long as you have at least one Chase travel card, you can pool rewards from your other Chase credit cards, as well. (Not the cobranded cards, though.)

Indeed, the Chase Trifecta is a popular strategy that pairs a Chase Ultimate Rewards card with two no annual fee cards to maximize your rewards -- and your travel options.

Sometimes the best card is three cards.

Our Research Expert

Brittney Myers
Brittney Myers icon-button-linkedin-2x

Brittney is a data-obsessed finance nerd whose personal credit card collection is in the double digits. She has been sharing personal finance advice with readers since 2016.