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4 Ways to Use Chase Points to Book Hotels for Your 2024 Travels

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We love Chase Ultimate Rewards points not just because they're so valuable, but for their flexibility, too. Sure, you can use Chase points to book flights for pennies on the dollar. But that's not all: You can use Chase points to book hotels, too.

There is no shortage of ways to use Chase Ultimate Rewards points to cover lodging while you travel, whether that's next month or next year. You can transfer points to popular hotel chains, or book directly with Chase using your points. Add it all up, and we'd consider Chase points some of the best for booking hotels.

So let's dive into all of the different ways you can use Chase Ultimate Rewards points to stay for free on your next trip.

Read our master guide to earning and burning Chase Ultimate Rewards points. 

 

 

Use Chase Points to Stay at Hyatt Hotels

We saved the best for first.

One of the absolute best ways to redeem Chase points, period, is using them to book Hyatt hotel stays. The World of Hyatt program has some of the best rates to book nightly stays using points of any hotel program. That's true even with an impending devaluation that will make many Hyatt properties cost more a few weeks from now. And because it's a Chase transfer partner, it's easy to send your Chase points straight to Hyatt.

Thanks to partnerships with luxury and boutique brands, they have some amazing properties scattered all around the world that you can book using Hyatt points. Even top resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean, and private island escapes in Southeast Asia make the cut. That list is growing with Hyatt's recent acquisition of a chain of all-inclusive resorts.

You can easily transfer your Chase points to Hyatt: Every Chase point gets you 1 Hyatt point, and these transfers are instantaneous. But be warned: These transfers are a one-way street. Like all transfer partners, once you send Chase points to Hyatt, you can't get them back to your Chase account. So be sure you've got your Hyatt redemption lined up before transferring points.

Read our guide on how to transfer Chase points to partner programs here. 

 

Use Chase Points to Book Hotels Park Hyatt
Park Hyatt Mendoza, bookable at a base rate of just 12,000 Chase points per night

 

You'll just need a World of Hyatt loyalty program account before you make the transfer. If you don't have one, be sure to sign up for your World of Hyatt loyalty program account.

We think Hyatt is the best option for hotel transfers when it comes to Chase Ultimate Rewards points because of its insanely reasonable redemption rates. It starts at just 5,000 points per night for Hyatt Category 1 properties, as much as 40,000 for Category 8 hotels.

Here's a look at Hyatt's full award chart. Hyatt has implemented peak- and off-peak pricing, so your stay could cost you more (or fewer) points than these standard rates depending on when you're traveling.

 

Hyatt Hotel Award Chart

 

Hyatt has a ton of amazing values in its portfolio of properties that you can use points to book. This includes some of our favorite all-inclusive resorts scattered throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. If all-inclusive properties are your thing, these are some of the only resorts in the world that can be booked with points. And starting at just 20,000 points per night, it's a steal.

Read more: Get the most out of your Hyatt points at these 10 all-inclusive resorts

 

Hyatt Ziva and Zilara Cap Cana
Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana

 

And, Hyatt's partnership with MGM hotels means you can even use Hyatt points to book many of the properties located on the Las Vegas strip. The top-of-the-line Park Hyatt hotels scattered throughout the world are a favorite as well, starting as low as 12,000 points per night depending on the location.

 

park hyatt dubai filter
Park Hyatt Dubai

 

Read our review of the Park Hyatt Dubai.

 

Use Chase Points to Book IHG Rewards Club Stays

Another hotel transfer partner option for Chase Ultimate Rewards is IHG Rewards Club – the company behind Holiday Inn, InterContinental, Kimpton, Crowne Plaza, and many others.

Like Hyatt, Chase Ultimate Rewards points will transfer to IHG Rewards Club points on a 1:1 basis. This means that one Chase point will equal 1 IHG point. Once again, these transfers are one-way only. You'll just need an IHG Rewards Club loyalty program account before you make the transfer. If you don't have one, be sure to sign up for the IHG Rewards Club.

 

IHG extending free night certificates
InterContinental at Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) airport

 

But, just because you can transfer points to IHG Rewards Club doesn't mean you should. Their award pricing rates are often inflated, and that means it could cost more points to book than it would for a similar room with Hyatt.

Last year, IHG rolled out a dynamic hotel award pricing model. So unlike with Hyatt, there is no set cost for an award night stay: rates can swing wildly based on a number of factors like time of year, events happening close to the property, etc.

Often, that's a bad thing when it comes time to use your points – but not always. Sometimes, that means properties you want to book will be much cheaper than normal. Case in point: The InterContinental Resort Tahiti can cost as much as 70,000 to 80,000 points each night. But you can find nights for 50,000 points a night as well.

Better yet, from time to time, we have seen IHG discount properties by as much as 50% when using IHG points as well.

 

IHG Tahiti Booking

 

It is certainly worth checking the IHG program when you are looking to make an award booking. Personally, the only situation I would recommend transferring points from Chase Ultimate Rewards to IHG Rewards Club is if you are just a few thousand points short of booking an award stay and you need to top off your IHG account.

 

Use Chase Points to Book Marriott Bonvoy Stays

The third and final hotel transfer partner offered through Chase Ultimate Rewards is Marriott Bonvoy.

Like all the others, Chase Ultimate Rewards points will transfer to Marriott Bonvoy on a 1:1 basis, so 1 Chase point equals 1 Marriott Bonvoy point. You'll just need a Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program account before you make the transfer. And if you don't have one, you can sign up for the hotel loyalty program here.

In our minds, this is much like IHG: While it's possible to transfer points and book with Marriot, there are simply better ways to use your Chase points. Because of Marriott's peak and off-Peak award pricing structure, and also their newly minted dynamic award pricing, award nights can get spendy very quickly.

Compared to Hyatt, which allows you to book a night in their top-tier properties for 40,000 points a night, Marriott is no longer tethered by an award chart, which means nights can get expensive quickly. Your Chase points simply won't go as far when using them to book Marriott properties.

That said, Chase and Marriott are currently offering a big transfer bonus that will net you 50% more Bonvoy points when you transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

In my opinion, the best way to utilize Chase points transfers to Marriott is to top off your account with a few thousand points if you are just short of making an award booking.

 

Use Chase Points to Book Hotels Through the Chase Travel Portal

The Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal is one of our favorite ways to book flights. But what about hotels?

When you book flights through the portal, your Chase points will be worth more. If you hold the *chase sapphire preferred* or the *chase ink preferred*, your points will redeem at 1.25 cents each. That means 50,000 points will be worth $625 towards travel. If you hold the *chase sapphire reserve*, your points will be worth 1.5 cents each, so 50,000 points will be worth $750 towards travel.

And the same rings true if you're booking a hotel through Chase. Depending on which Chase card you have, you can book a $200 hotel stay for as few as 13,333 Chase points. While not outstanding, it's worth looking into and comparing it against some of the transfer partner options – especially when cash hotel rates are relatively cheap.

But there's a big caveat to keep in mind. Since the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal is technically an online travel agency (OTA), your bookings will be made via a third party. And that means you won't earn hotel points or hotel elite night credits on the vast majority of bookings. In most cases, any benefits you have from hotel status won't be honored, either.

 

Use Chase points to book hotels travel portal

 

In my opinion, booking through the Chase travel portal is a great option if you want to use Chase points to book hotels that are not affiliated with a major hotel brand like Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, or Hilton. It allows you the ability to use points when you otherwise wouldn't be able to.

Take one of my favorite hotels in the world: the Kempinski Hotel in Berchtesgaden, Germany. Because it is not part of a major U.S. chain, you can't use traditional hotel points to book it.

 

Use Chase Points to Book Hotels

 

But with Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can book it through the Chase travel portal for as low as roughly 20,000 points per night, depending on the nightly cash rate and which Chase card you have.

Also, thanks to a recent benefits refresh, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card now offers a $50 statement credit to use on hotel bookings through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal each year on your account anniversary.

Read more: How to use the new $50 Chase Sapphire Preferred hotel credit

 

Booking the Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection (But Not With Points)

American Express has its Fine Hotels & Resorts collection, Capital One has its new Premier Collection for Venture X Cardholders, and Chase has its own luxury booking platform it calls the Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort collection.

On its face, the Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort collection is a booking method that provides select Chase credit cardholders elite-like benefits at more than 1,000 hotels and resorts across the globe. Like the programs offered by both American Express and Capital One, the properties you'll find in Chase's portfolio are a mix of hotels associated with the big hotel chains as well as many independent properties.

But importantly, you can't use Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book a stay at one of these properties. And, you'll need to carry the *chase sapphire reserve*. You can also access the program if you carry any of the Chase United Airlines co-branded credit cards or the J.P. Morgan Reserve card, but cards like the *chase sapphire preferred* won't cut it.

To view the available properties and book a stay, head to the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection website.

 

Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection Benefits

Even though you can't use points on a Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection booking, it might be worth it for the benefits you'll receive with booking. Those benefits are as follows:

  • Daily breakfast for two
  • A special benefit worth up to $100 per stay. This varies from property to property but generally includes things like lunch, dinner, a credit for the spa, and more.
  • Room upgrades, if space is available
  • Early check-in and late checkout at select properties
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi

 

How to Earn Chase Points

Before you can use Chase points to book hotels, though, you need to earn some Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

The easiest way to quickly earn a stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards points is from a handful of different Chase credit cards. Whether you’re looking for a personal or business credit card, there are plenty of options.

First and foremost, there is the *chase sapphire preferred*. In our opinion, it’s the best card out there for beginners and one of the best all-around travel credit cards, period. You’ll earn 3x points per dollar spent on dining, 2x points per dollar spent on travel, and 1x points per dollar spent on everything else.

Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. 

Welcome Bonus: You'll earn 60,000 Chase Points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership.

Annual Fee: $95

 

chase sapphire preferred

 

Next, there’s the bigger sibling of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card called the *chase sapphire reserve*. The card launched back in 2016 and provides tons of travel-focused benefits like lounge access, an annual $300 credit for travel expenses, travel insurance, and much more. But those benefits come at a cost: The annual fee on the card clocks in at $550.

Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Welcome Bonus: 60,000 Chase Points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership.

Annual Fee: $550

 

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

 

Then there are the no-annual-fee *chase freedom unlimited* and Chase Freedom Flex cards. While Chase markets these as no annual fee cashback cards, they get infinitely more valuable if you hold pair them with a Chase Sapphire card. That’s because you can turn your cashback into Chase Ultimate Rewards – each cent gets you 1 point. And since both cards earn bonuses in a number of categories not covered by the Sapphire cards, a Sapphire and Freedom card together form a powerful tandem.

Just what you get with each Freedom Card varies, so make sure to read our post comparing them to help make the decision on which is right for you.

Annual Fee: $0

 

Chase Freedom Cards

 

Chase also offers a suite of small business credit cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. If you’re a small business owner, they’re an easy way to bolster your Chase balance.

To start, there’s the *chase ink preferred*. You’ll earn 3x points per dollar spent on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories like social media advertising each year.

Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full

Annual Fee: $95

 

Ink Business Preferred card on a passport

 

Finally, there is the *Ink Cash* and the *Ink Unlimited*. And these cards function similarly to the Freedom Cards – they technically earn cashback, but if you hold them with a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can convert the cashback into points.

Both cards have no annual fee and can be another great boost to your Chase balance. With the current offers, you can earn up $750 cash back (or 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) with both cards. But exactly how the bonus works will depend on which version of the card you choose.

  • With the *chase ink cash*, it's broken up into two tiers. You can earn $350 (or 35,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 (or 40,000 points) after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.
  • With the *chase ink unlimited* you can earn $750 (or 75,000 points) after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

So long as you can responsibly meet either card's $6,000 spending requirement, you won't find a better or cheaper way to earn a big bonus.

Annual Fee: $0

 

Chase Ink business credit cards

 

Bottom Line

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are some of the best points you can use to book your next hotel stay, period. They offer a ton of flexibility and options which is a big reason why we think they are so valuable.

Whether you want to use Chase points to book hotels with a chain like Hyatt or use the Chase travel portal to book a smaller boutique hotel, your options are limitless.

 

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

3 Responses

  • Chase Sapphire seems to have severed partnerships with a large group of hotels. All of the hotels that I usually use my points for are no longer showing up in the hotel search. I call travel assistance and they told me those hotels are not available to book using points through Chase Sapphire anymore. Very disappointing as those hotels are what I use all of my points for. Time to explore another travel credit card I guess!

  • How can I use CSP points to book Motel 6 or Best Western? For a Thrifty site, these are the hotels we should be looking to book with CSP

    • You can book properties like these through the Chase travel portal. The cheaper the price, the fewer the number of points you’ll need to book.

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