chase travel partners vs amex

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Chase Ultimate Rewards vs. AmEx Membership Rewards Transfer Partners

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Table of Contents

AmEx vs. Chase airline and hotel transfer partners

Amex membership rewards overview, chase ultimate rewards® overview, overlapping partners between chase and american express, how to earn chase ultimate rewards® and american express membership rewards points, how to decide if amex or chase is best for you.

In the world of miles and points, two loyalty programs reign supreme: Chase Ultimate Rewards® and American Express Membership Rewards. Each program's points are particularly valuable because they can be transferred to airline and hotel partners, as well as redeemed for travel, gift cards and statement credits.

Transferring points to airlines and hotels and redeeming for award flights/hotel nights can yield excellent value. We take a look at both programs and analyze AmEx and Chase’s best and worst transfer partners. In addition, we explain who benefits the most from each program and show you how to earn and maximize the points.

» Learn more: AmEx points vs. Chase points

Chase has 11 airline partners, while American Express has 20. Both programs also offer three hotel chains as transfer partners.

Although AmEx offers more partners, it doesn’t mean that AmEx’s program is superior. Rather, it's a matter of deciding which airlines or hotels you prefer.

For example, if you love Southwest Airlines and want to use your points for an award ticket on that airline, you’ll want to focus your efforts on earning Chase Ultimate Rewards® points because Southwest only partners with Chase.

Transfer partners

With a total of 21 partners (18 airlines, three hotels), AmEx points can be transferred to the following airlines and hotels.

AmEx airline partners

Aer Lingus — AerClub Avios.

Aeromexico — Club Premier.

Air Canada — Aeroplan .

Air France / KLM — Flying Blue .

Alitalia — MilleMiglia.

ANA — Mileage Club Miles .

Avianca — Lifemiles .

British Airways — Executive Club Avios .

Cathay Pacific — Asia Miles .

Delta Air Lines — SkyMiles .

El Al — Matmid Frequent Flyer Club.

Emirates — Skywards Miles .

Etihad Airways — Etihad Guest .

Hawaiian Airlines — HawaiianMiles .

Iberia — Iberia Plus .

JetBlue — TrueBlue .

Qantas — Qantas Frequent Flyer .

Singapore Airlines — KrisFlyer .

Virgin Atlantic — Flying Club .

AmEx hotel partners

Choice — Choice Privileges .

Hilton — Hilton Honors .

Marriott — Bonvoy .

Best American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners

Air Canada’s Aeroplan: Air Canada’s Aeroplan is a solid program due to its decent award chart and participation in the Star Alliance network. Aeroplan miles are great for booking award seats on United, Copa Airlines and many other Star Alliance carriers.

Air France / KLM’s Flying Blue: Air France / KLM’s Flying Blue is another useful option due to the airline’s monthly Promo Rewards , which are discounted award tickets to specific destinations. Although the airline adds high taxes and surcharges to award tickets, the discount on the number of miles can be as high as 50%.

British Airways: British Airways is a member of the Oneworld Alliance , so you could use your British Airways Avios to book flights on American Airlines . Although British Airways is notorious for adding high taxes and fuel charges on awards, you won't pay those fees on domestic American Airlines flights. Furthermore, since British Airways' award chart is distance-based, Avios are great for short-haul flights on American Airlines .

Weak American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners

JetBlue: AmEx’s poor transfer ratio to JetBlue makes this airline a weak partner. Instead of a 1:1 ratio, for every 250 AmEx points, you receive only 200 JetBlue points. While JetBlue is a solid program on its own, transferring AmEx points to the carrier would not be a great use of points.

Delta or Hawaiian Airlines: American Express charges excise tax offset fees on point transfers to domestic airlines of .06 cent per point. While this seems like a tiny amount, a transfer of 50,000 points will result in an annoying $30 fee. Keep this in mind for transfers to Delta, JetBlue and Hawaiian Airlines.

» Learn more: Nerds share their best AmEx redemptions

What else you need to know

Here's a closer look at American Express' transfer ratios, minimum transfer amounts and alliance memberships.

With the exception of Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue, the remaining airline partners are international. Don’t let this deter you, though — many of these international airlines participate in large airline alliance networks , offering plenty of opportunities for redemptions on domestic carriers.

For example, Avianca and United Airlines are both members of the Star Alliance . So you could transfer AmEx points to Avianca’s LifeMiles program , and then use LifeMiles miles to book an award ticket on United.

» Learn more: Your guide to airline alliances

Additionally, American Express often runs transfer bonuses, allowing you to maximize the amount of points you’re moving into your frequent flyer account. If you time a transfer bonus to coincide with an upcoming redemption, you could extract an excellent value out of your AmEx points.

How to transfer Membership Rewards points

Log into your American Express account, select Rewards from the top menu and then Transfer Points from the pop-up menu. Click View All to see a list of available transfer partners.

The next page will show a list of airline and hotel programs, and you'll need to choose one. In our example, we’ve selected Hawaiian Airlines for a transfer.

To proceed with a transfer, you'll need to link your American Express Membership Rewards account to the HawaiianMiles program and verify your identity by entering the four-digit card ID and three-digit security code found on the card associated with your Membership Rewards account.

Once the accounts have been linked, you'll be able to transfer your points on the following page.

» Learn more: How to transfer AmEx Membership Rewards points to airlines and hotels

Chase transfer partners

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points can be transferred to 14 programs in total, comprising 11 airlines and three hotel chains.

Chase's airline and frequent flyer program partners

Air France / KLM — Flying Blue.

Air Canada — Aeroplan.

British Airways — Executive Club Avios.

Emirates — Skywards Miles.

Iberia — Iberia Plus.

JetBlue — TrueBlue.

Singapore Airlines — KrisFlyer.

Southwest Airlines — Rapid Rewards .

United Airlines — MileagePlus .

Virgin Atlantic — Flying Club.

Chase's hotel partners

Hyatt — World of Hyatt .

IHG — Rewards Club .

Marriott — Bonvoy.

The best Chase Ultimate Rewards® transfer partners

United: United is a great choice given the airline’s extensive reach and its participation in Star Alliance. Although United has eliminated its award chart , its award search tool is great for checking Star Alliance availability. Another positive is that United doesn’t charge taxes or surcharges on award tickets .

Virgin Atlantic: A lesser-known fact about Virgin Atlantic is that its miles can be used to book Delta award tickets on Virgin’s website. Despite the recent negative update to Virgin Atlantic's Delta award chart , a one-way award from the U.S. to Europe in the Delta One cabin is still only 50,000 Flying Club miles. Delta One is Delta’s international first class option, and the cabin offers lie-flat seats, a superior dining option during the flight and Sky Club lounge access at the airport (at point of departure only). If you were to book this ticket directly with Delta, you’d be subject to dynamic pricing. For example, let's consider the following flight from Boston to Amsterdam in Delta One.

On Virgin Atlantic, the flight costs 50,000 miles plus $5.60 in taxes.

However, on the Delta website, you’d need to spend 80,000 SkyMiles plus $5.60 in taxes for the exact same flight.

Not surprisingly, you could also use Flying Club miles to fly on Virgin Atlantic. However, we didn’t list this as a notable redemption given the high taxes assessed by the airline on its award tickets. If the high taxes don’t deter you, Virgin Atlantic's premium economy service is excellent.

Hyatt: Hyatt is the only Chase hotel transfer partner that’s worthy of mention. NerdWallet values Hyatt points at 2.3 cents each , which is above the valuation of any other hotel. Standard room award nights at Hyatt properties range from 3,500 to 35,000 points per night for off-peak bookings.

Weak Chase Ultimate Rewards® transfer partners

Marriott or IHG: Transferring to Marriott or IHG would not be ideal. NerdWallet values Marriott points at 0.8 cent and IHG points at 0.8 cent each. Given that you could redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards® through Chase's travel portal for 1.5 cents each if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you’d be better off booking a hotel room through Chase’s travel portal.

Here's a deep dive into the Chase transfer ratio, minimum transfer amounts and its alliance memberships.

You can transfer from Chase to airlines and hotels at a 1:1 ratio. Transfers are usually immediate, but can take up to seven business days. Unlike AmEx, transfers to JetBlue are at a 1:1 ratio, and Chase does not charge any fees when you move points to domestic airlines.

If you have points with AmEx and Chase and want to transfer to JetBlue, use your Chase points so you can benefit from the better rate and avoid the excise fee.

How to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points

Log into your Chase Ultimate Rewards® account and select your credit card. From the Earn / Use drop-down menu on the top left, choose Transfer to Travel Partners.

On the next page, you’ll see all the different programs available for point transfers. For this example, we’ve chosen British Airways.

To begin the process, you'll need to select a recipient from the drop-down menu, which will most likely be you unless you’ve linked your account to another person.

In the Member ID and Confirm Member ID fields, input your British Airways Avios number and then click Continue. The subsequent pages will ask you to enter how many points you’d like to transfer and confirm the amount.

Before transferring points from AmEx or Chase to an airline for a specific redemption, call the carrier’s customer service department and ask a representative to put the award ticket on hold in case the point transfer is not instantaneous.

There are nine airlines and one hotel that overlap as partners for both AmEx and Chase. Here are a few important things to know about the partners:

AmEx often runs transfer bonuses to airlines, so before considering a transfer to a partner that overlaps, check if AmEx is running a transfer promo.

Although JetBlue is a partner of both programs, if you do need to transfer points, you’d be better off transferring Chase points — Chase offers a 1:1 ratio, while AmEx offers a 5:4 ratio. Plus, AmEx charges excise fees on transfers to domestic airlines while Chase does not. The only instance a transfer from American Express Membership Rewards could make sense is if AmEx was running a JetBlue transfer bonus that equalized the ratio and offset the excise fee.

How to choose which points to transfer

If you want to book with a partner that overlaps both programs, you have both types of points and the transfer ratios are equal, which points should you use? Your decision can largely depend on:

How many points you already have with each issuer.

How easy it is to earn points based on your spending habits.

The cards you already have or are considering applying for.

Whether there is an ongoing transfer bonus.

If you’ve got your eye on some transfer partners and want to start earning AmEx Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards®, you may want to consider applying for a card that earns points with the corresponding program.

The fastest and easiest way to earn points with AmEx or Chase is through card welcome offers . The other way is to strategically use the cards for everyday purchases so you maximize your earnings on bonus categories.

You will need to satisfy a minimum spending requirement to receive the welcome offer. If you cannot meet the minimum spend without going into debt, it's better to hold off applying for the card, as any value you’d receive from the points will be wiped out by the finance charges you’d pay on carrying a balance.

In addition, before you start applying for any new cards, keep in mind Chase’s 5/24 rule, which limits the number of cards you can be approved for. In general, if you’re deciding between AmEx and Chase, apply for a Chase card first.

» Learn more: Chase 5/24 rule explained

Credit cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points can be earned from these cards:

Chase personal credit cards:

Chase Sapphire Reserve® , annual fee: $550 . Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , annual fee: $95 . Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Chase business credit cards:

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card , annual fee: $95 . Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.

No-fee cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards®:

These no-annual-fee cards will allow you to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards®, but it's important to note that if you don't also have one of the cards above, you're limited in what you can do with your points from a travel perspective. No transfer partners are available, and any travel redeemed through Chase's travel portal will get you a flat 1-cent-per-point value (compared to the 1.25 or 1.5 available through Chase’s fee-based cards above).

Chase Freedom Unlimited® , annual fee: $0 . Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Chase Freedom Flex℠ , annual fee: $0 . Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card , annual fee: $0 . Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card , annual fee: $0 . Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 3x points on travel and dining while the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card earns 5x on office supply store purchases. There are several ways to maximize the bonus categories on Chase cards (both fee and no fee) so you can earn the maximum number of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.

» Learn more: Maximize Ultimate Rewards® points bonus categories with the ‘Chase trifecta’

Cards that earn American Express Membership Rewards

You can earn AmEx Membership Rewards points from the following cards:

AmEx personal cards:

The Platinum Card® from American Express , annual fee: $695 . Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

American Express® Gold Card , annual fee: $250 . Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

American Express® Green Card , annual fee: $150 . Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express , annual fee: $95 . Earn 15,000 Membership Reward® points after you use your new Card to make $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Terms Apply .

Amex EveryDay® Credit Card , annual fee: $0 . Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms apply.

Blue from American Express® , annual fee: $0 . Earn 10,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.

AmEx business cards:

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express , annual fee: $695 . Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

American Express® Business Gold Card , annual fee: $375 . Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express , annual fee: $0 . This card does not have a welcome bonus offer.

AmEx offers several products for earning Membership Rewards points. The Platinum Card® from American Express earns 5x points on travel purchases directly with airlines on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and the American Express® Gold Card returns 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1x points on any additional purchases). Terms apply. You can make the most out of AmEx’s bonus categories by combining a few American Express cards.

To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page . To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page . To view rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card , see this page .

» Learn more: Maximize Membership Rewards bonus categories with these AmEx cards

American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards® are two of the most valuable transferable point currencies. The points from these programs are extremely versatile because they can be transferred to numerous airline and hotel partners.

Deciding which program to go with depends on your particular travel goals, your home airport and which airlines fly to where you want to go. With so many airline and hotel transfer partners, you really can’t go wrong with either program.

All information about Blue from American Express® has been collected independently by NerdWallet. Blue from American Express® is no longer available through NerdWallet.

All information about American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by NerdWallet. American Express® Green Card is no longer available through NerdWallet.

All information about the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card is no longer available through NerdWallet. All information about The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express is no longer available through NerdWallet. All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The American Express® Green Card is no longer available through NerdWallet.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

1x-5x 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.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1%-5% Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Earn 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.

$200 Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

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Capital one vs. chase vs. amex: who has better transfer partners.

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We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies .

For frequent travelers who use Capital One, Chase, or American Express travel cards, one of the most popular redemption options is to transfer your rewards from one of these credit card programs to the loyalty program of an airline or hotel partner.

This can help give you flexibility over how you use your points or miles, but don’t expect the available transfer partners to be the same between Capital One, Chase, and Amex. With a quick comparison between the three credit card issuers, you can see which program’s transfer partners might make the most sense for you.

Capital One vs. Chase vs. Amex airline transfer partners

Capital one vs. chase vs. amex hotel transfer partners, chase ultimate rewards, chase transfer partners, american express membership rewards, american express transfer partners, capital one venture rewards, capital one transfer partners, how to choose a travel rewards card, bottom line.

These are the available airline transfer partners for Capital One, Chase, and American Express.

These are the available hotel transfer partners for Capital One, Chase, and American Express.

Chase Ultimate Rewards is Chase’s rewards program for credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points. Ultimate Rewards is often thought of as one of the most flexible and valuable programs available because of how you can earn and redeem your rewards.

How to earn and redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Earning Ultimate Rewards points is typically straightforward — use any credit card that earns these points to make purchases and you’ll earn rewards points.

Here are some of the best cards for earning and redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points:

Ultimate Rewards redemption options include:

• Transfers to travel partners
• Travel portal redemptions, including airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, and cruises
• Experiences

Chase transfer partners include:

Amex Membership Rewards is the travel rewards program for certain American Express cardholders. Similar to Chase Ultimate Rewards, the Membership Rewards program is both flexible and valuable for frequent travelers.

How to earn and redeem Amex Membership Rewards points

Membership Rewards points can typically only be earned with American Express travel cards. If you use an applicable card to make eligible purchases, you should earn Membership Rewards.

Unlike the Ultimate Rewards program, you generally don’t have to manually combine rewards from your various Amex cards (you might if you have both personal and business accounts). If you have multiple cards that earn Membership Rewards points, your points should automatically pool together in your online account.

Here are some of the best cards for earning and redeeming Amex Membership Rewards points:

All information about Amex EveryDay ® Credit Card has been collected independently by FinanceBuzz.

Membership Rewards redemption options include:

• Amex Travel portal redemptions, including flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and cruises
• Statement credits

Booking flights or transferring your points to a travel partner often provide the most value with Membership Rewards points.

Amex transfer partners include:

Capital One miles are associated with Capital One’s lineup of travel credit cards. These credit cards earn miles rather than points, though they function in much the same way as Ultimate Rewards points or Membership Rewards points.

How to earn and redeem miles

Capital One miles can be earned by using a Capital One travel card, including certain business credit cards, to make purchases.

Note that you can transfer rewards from certain Capital One cash back credit cards to Capital One travel rewards cards. For example, you can combine rewards between the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card (Rates and fees) and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (Rates and fees) if you have both cards.

Here are some of the best cards for earning and redeeming Capital One miles:

* All information about Capital One Spark Miles for Business has been collected independently by FinanceBuzz and has not been reviewed by the credit card issuer.

Capital One miles redemption options include:

• Covering recent travel purchases
• Capital One Travel portal redemptions, including flights, hotels, and rental cars
• Shopping, including Amazon and PayPal

Most redemptions with Capital One miles offer the same value, which might make it easier for you to choose what to do with your rewards. But savvy travelers know that transfers to travel partners can offer big value if you’re able to find the right flight or hotel stay redemption.

Capital One transfer partners include:

To help decide between travel rewards cards, consider the following questions:

Does it align with your spending habits?

All travel cards earn rewards, but how do they earn them? It’s typically best to align a credit card’s bonus categories (where they have increased rewards rates) with your everyday spending habits to help increase your total points. For example, if groceries or dining out are often some of your largest expenses, it could make sense to consider credit cards that earn bonus points in one or both of these categories.

Is there a sign-up bonus?

Earning rewards on purchases you’re already making is a proven way to add to your points or miles total. But sign-up bonuses and welcome offers are often the easiest way to earn a large amount of rewards in a short period of time. In many cases, earning a welcome bonus could immediately provide enough rewards to help cover airfare or lodging for a trip.

What’s your credit score?

If you have good credit (typically above a 670 FICO Score ), you’ll likely qualify for most travel credit cards. However, some premium options could require excellent credit, which is often an 800 or higher FICO Score.

Does it earn flexible rewards?

Travel cards are often split into two groups: general cards and co-branded cards. General cards earn flexible rewards that can be redeemed for purchases with a variety of travel companies. Co-branded cards earn rewards with a specific airline or hotel loyalty program, such as United MileagePlus or Hilton Honors. Using a co-branded card is often limiting, but it might not matter if you’re happy with a specific airline or hotel.

Which transfer partners are available?

If you prefer to fly with certain airlines or stay at certain hotels, it likely makes sense to have a travel card that has that airline or hotel as a transfer partner. This can help you use rewards on redemptions you find valuable.

Are there any fees?

Travel credit cards don’t typically have foreign transaction fees, but you’ll find many with annual fees — and some are much higher than others. But certain card benefits could help offset an annual fee.

Does it have helpful travel benefits and perks?

Travel protections and purchase coverage, such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, travel accident insurance, or extended warranty coverage, are common benefits found on popular travel cards. You also might find airport lounge access (Priority Pass), TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee reimbursement, complimentary elite status with a hotel or car rental agency, annual travel credits, and more.

What’s the payment network?

Visa and Mastercard are accepted nearly everywhere credit cards are accepted, including worldwide. American Express and Discover are accepted throughout the U.S., but their international acceptance isn’t as widespread. Depending on where you like to travel, you might want to have a Visa or Mastercard credit card handy.

Every case is unique, and your travel goals could be different from someone else. But there are loads of available travel cards that could make sense in a variety of situations. For our top choices, check out our list of the best travel credit cards .

How do you transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards to travel partners?

Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to travel partners through your online account. Log into your account, click on an applicable credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, and then select the “Redeem” option. Then select the option to “Transfer to Travel Partners” to pull up the available transfer options. Keep in mind that you first have to create an account with the rewards program of the partner you want to transfer points to.

How do you transfer American Express reward points to travel partners?

Log into your American Express online account and select the “Explore Rewards” option to pull up the Membership Rewards menu. Then click on the “Earn and Redeem” dropdown menu and select “Transfer Points.” This will bring you to the transfer partners area where you can transfer your Membership Rewards to certain airline and hotel loyalty programs. You must have an account created with each loyalty program you want to transfer your points to.

How do you link to Chase travel partners?

To link available transfer partners to your Chase Ultimate Rewards account, log into your Chase online account and navigate to the Chase Travel℠ portal. Here you can click the “Earn/Use” dropdown menu and select the “Transfer to Travel Partners” option. Now select a hotel or airline loyalty program you want to transfer points to and input your member ID. This will link your accounts and allow you to transfer Chase points to travel partners.

Capital One, Chase, and American Express all provide valuable rewards programs that include useful transfer partners. However, you might find Chase and Amex transfer partners are more suited to domestic travel compared with Capital One partners. But overall, the best program for transfer partners depends on your travel preferences, including which airlines you like to fly and your preferred destinations.

And there’s more to a rewards program than its available transfer partners. If you want to make the most of any loyalty program, consider ways to earn more points or miles so you can make more redemptions. The easiest way to do this is often by utilizing multiple credit cards that earn the same rewards currency.

For a list of all our top credit card offers, use our dedicated page to compare credit cards and see which ones might make sense for you. You may find particular card comparisons, like Chase Ink vs. Capital One Spark , especially helpful as you narrow down your list.

Great for Flexible Travel Rewards

Chase sapphire preferred ® card.

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Current Offer

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Rewards Rate

5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases

• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 25% more value when redeeming rewards for travel through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary point bonus each year
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠
• Premium travel protection benefits
• Has annual fee
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• 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, 2024.
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Amex Points vs. Chase Points: Which Travel Rewards Program Is Best for You?

Here’s what you need to know about two of the best credit card rewards programs for travelers.

Courtesy of American Express

There are many reasons travelers love credit cards , but one of the top perks is earning points that can be redeemed for free travel. Two of the most popular credit card rewards programs for travelers are American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, for American Express and Chase cardholders, respectively. Both programs offer the chance to accumulate points that can be transferred to travel partners, used to purchase travel directly from the company's own travel portal, or even issued as a statement credit. Trying to decide which credit card you should apply for next? Or if you already have both, are you trying to figure out which one you should use for your next big purchase? Read on to compare Amex points and Chase points, and find out which of these two credit card rewards programs is best for you.

Amex Points Partners vs. Chase Points Partners

One of the most valuable ways to redeem credit card points is by transferring them to travel partners. Amex wins for airlines, as it has 18 airline partners compared to Chase's 11 airline partners. Both programs have three hotel partners each. That said, the specific airlines and hotel groups differ between the programs, so if you only fly one alliance or book stays at one hotel group, you may want to choose the card that offers you those partners. Here's the full list of Amex and Chase travel partners as of April 2023, but note that these can change at any time.

Amex Rewards Airline Partners

• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

Amex Rewards Hotel Partners

• Choice Hotels

Chase Ultimate Rewards Airline Partners

Chase ultimate rewards hotel partners, differences in point values.

Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards points are roughly equivalent in value, though it depends on how you're redeeming the points. If you're transferring to travel partners, it all depends on your specific purchase with those points. Typically, baseline point values for both rewards programs sit between one and two cents per point. An exception is transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to World of Hyatt — that transaction has a baseline of nearly three cents per point.

If you're using your points to book directly through the Amex or Chase travel portals, you're looking at redemption values between 0.7 and one cent for Amex and 0.7 and 1.5 cents for Chase.

And if you're trading your points for statement credits, Amex points are worth just 0.6 cents, while Chase's are worth one cent.

Top Amex Membership Rewards Credit Cards

Note that annual fees and perks are subject to change.

The Platinum Card from American Express

Annual fee: $695

If you travel frequently, this card is probably your best bet — if you can swallow that annual fee. It does cover perks like access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection (including Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs), up to $200 in Uber cash, credit for a Clear membership, up to $200 credit for airline fees (such as baggage fees), and hotel status with Hilton and Marriott. It also earns 5x points on travel purchases.

American Express Green Card

Annual fee: $150

With a more palatable annual fee, this card is a solid deal. You can get your annual fee back immediately by enrolling in Clear, as the card covers the $189 annual fee, and you can also get a $200 LoungeBuddy credit. When booking travel with this card, you earn 3x points.

American Express Everyday Card

Annual fee: $0

No fee, no problem. You can still earn Amex Membership Rewards points with this card, though it doesn't come with perks. You'll earn 2x points at supermarkets and 2x points on travel booked through Amex's travel portal. You can also earn a 20% bonus on points each billing period if you use the card at least 20 times.

Courtesy of Chase

Top Chase Ultimate Rewards Credit Cards

Chase sapphire reserve.

Annual fee: $550

Chase's top-tier Ultimate Rewards card comes with a number of travel benefits, including a $300 travel credit, a Priority Pass Select membership, and a $100 reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years. You also earn 10x points for Chase Dining, hotel stays, and car rentals if booked through Chase's travel portal, as well as 3x points for travel and dining not booked through the portal. Finally, this card provides access to Chase's Reserved by Sapphire restaurant reservation service.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Annual fee: $95

For a low annual fee, cardholders receive a $50 hotel credit for stays booked through Chase's travel portal, fairly strong travel insurance, and an annual points bonus that equates to 10% of your year's purchases. You also earn 5x points on travel booked through Chase's portal and 2x points on other travel.

Chase Freedom Flex

If you're just dipping your toe in the points game, this card is a good place to start. Though it doesn't have many perks right off the bat, it does allow you to earn 5x points in different categories every quarter on up to $1,500 in purchases. You'll also earn 3x points on dining and drugstore purchases.

• Chase Overview
• Chase Transfer Partners
• Amex Overview
• Amex Transfer Partners
• Chase vs. Amex

Amex Membership Rewards vs. Chase Ultimate Rewards: Which should you choose in 2024?

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate credit cards to write unbiased product reviews .

The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Chase Freedom Flex℠, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

• Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards are the most popular credit card reward programs.
• Both let you redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, and the most valuable option: Travel.
• Amex has more travel partners, but Chase's selection of partners is better for many U.S. travelers. 
• Read Business Insider's guide to the best rewards credit cards.

If you're looking for a card that earns you rewards on all your purchases, you have no shortage of options. You can choose a luxury travel rewards card like The Platinum Card® from American Express, which offers perks like airport lounge access , elite hotel status , and annual airline fee credits **. You can also choose a card with a much lower annual fee and more basic benefits like the popular Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

The Amex Platinum Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred earn points in two different programs — American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards® , respectively. Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards are easily the two most popular flexible programs available today, but there are differences in the cards that accrue these points and how the programs themselves work for consumers.

So how do you decide which program makes the most sense for you? If you're in the market for a new travel credit card but can't decide between Chase points and Amex points, this guide should make the decision much easier.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Overview

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are flexible rewards you can earn with top Chase credit cards , including:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95 annual fee)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve ($550 annual fee)
• Ink Business Preferred Credit Card ( small-business credit card with a $95 annual fee)

Note that you can also earn Chase Ultimate Rewards with cash-back credit cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited, but these points don't transfer to airline and hotel partners unless you have an annual-fee Chase Ultimate Rewards card.

When you start earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you'll immediately notice that there are many ways to redeem them . You can cash in points for gift cards and merchandise , and you can even use them to stop on Amazon.com or the Apple Store. You can also redeem rewards for experiences and travel through the Chase Travel Portal℠ . 

With premier travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, and Ink Business Preferred card, you can also transfer points 1:1 to popular airline and hotel partners. This means you'll get 1,000 airline or hotel points for every 1,000 points you transfer to Chase partners.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be especially valuable when you transfer points to airline and hotel partners. For example, you could transfer points to the World of Hyatt program and stay in a luxury hotel that might cost $1,000 or more per night.

You could also transfer points to an airline partner to redeem for a business or first-class flight.

Either way, one of the main benefits of Chase Ultimate Rewards points is that you have the option to explore all the rewards opportunities with Chase hotel and airline transfer partners if you have a travel credit card like the Sapphire Preferred.

However, you don't have to redeem these rewards for travel. You can also cash in points for statement credits or gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point, or even for merchandise through the Chase portal.

Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. Earn 2x on all other travel purchases. Earn 1x on all other purchases.

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Earn 60,000 bonus points

Good to Excellent

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong travel coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit

If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• 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, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Chase Ultimate Rewards: Pros

• You can get more value for your points when you redeem them for travel through the Chase portal. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve, for example, you'll get 50% more travel when you use points in the portal. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred, on the other hand, you get 25% more travel.
• Chase Ultimate Rewards cards offer significant sign-up bonuses that let you rack up points quickly . Chase cards come with generous welcome bonuses . This includes the Chase Ink Business Preferred, which gives you 100,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Chase lets you pool points with a partner or spouse who lives at your same address. This is a huge benefit for families who want to pool all their points together to maximize redemptions.
• Chase lets you pool all your points in a premier travel credit card account before you redeem. For example, you can pool points earned with the Chase Freedom Flex℠ or Chase Freedom Unlimited into your Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve account to get 1:1 transfers to airlines and hotels. 
• Chase's new Pay Yourself Back feature gives you great value when you use points to cover dining and groceries.  Chase introduced the Pay Yourself Back feature during the coronavirus pandemic to give cardholders a non-travel option for using points. It lets you redeem your points on eligible cards to cover dining, grocery, home improvement, and eligible charity purchases at a rate of 1.25 or 1.50 cents per point, depending on the card you have.

Chase Ultimate Rewards: Cons

• Premier Chase travel credit cards all charge an annual fee. The only real "downside" of Chase Ultimate Rewards points is the fact that all the top cards in this program charge an annual fee.

American Express Membership Rewards Overview

This brings us to the American Express Membership Rewards program , which is similar to the Chase Ultimate Rewards with a few key differences.

One thing you'll notice right away with this program is the fact that there are so many Amex cards you can use to earn rewards. You can opt for a premium travel card like the Amex Platinum Card if you're willing to pay the hefty $695 annual fee , but you can also earn Membership Rewards points with a card like the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card , which doesn't charge an annual fee.

Once again, there are plenty of ways to redeem rewards in this program . With American Express Membership Rewards, you can pay with points at checkout with merchants like Amazon.com , Boxed.com, and Dell.com.

You can also redeem rewards for gift cards or shop for merchandise through the Amex website. Finally, you have the option to book travel directly through American Express Travel , including hotels, airfare, cruises, and travel packages.

The American Express Membership Rewards program includes the following transfer partners :

Like the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, American Express Membership Rewards offers the most bang for your buck when you transfer points to airline and hotel partners. However, you don't have to use these rewards for travel at all, since there are so many other ways to cash in points for gift cards or merchandise.

American Express Membership Rewards: Pros

• Redeem your rewards for superior travel redemptions, including transfers to airlines and hotels. One of the biggest advantages of the Amex Membership Rewards program is the fact there are so many ways to cash in your points. However, you'll get the most bang for your buck with transfers to airlines for redemptions in premium cabins.
• You can earn American Express Membership Rewards without paying an annual fee. Several cards let you earn Membership Rewards without an annual fee, including the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express.
• Some cards offer bonus points back when you redeem points for airfare.  The Business Platinum Card® from American Express gives you 35% in bonus points when you redeem points for airfare on American Express Travel (up to 500,000 points back each calendar year).
• You can use points to bid for flight upgrades. American Express offers the option to use points to bid for upgrades on flights you've already booked.

American Express Membership Rewards: Cons

• Redemption values aren't that great for merchandise, shopping, and gift cards. Unlike Chase Ultimate Rewards, which typically lets you get 1 cent per point in value for gift cards or statement credits, Amex redemptions aren't that generous. You'll normally get 0.5 cents per point to 1 cent per point for gift cards and cash, and up to 0.7 cents per point for merchandise from select retailers. Other redemption values can vary.
• You can't pool points with a spouse or partner. This program doesn't let you pool points in a single account with a partner or spouse, although all the points you earn across multiple cards will collect in a single Membership Rewards account.

Limited time offer: Earn 10X Membership Rewards® Points at restaurants worldwide for three months, on up to $25,000 in purchases when eligible card member refers a friend and the friend applies by May 22, 2024 and gets the card (terms apply). Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Points on other purchases.

See Pay Over Time APR

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Bonus categories leave something to be desired
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards

If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, complimentary hotel elite status, and more.

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Choosing Between Chase Points and Amex Points

If you can't decide between Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards, there are some serious questions you should be asking yourself. For example:

• Which program has transfer partners I'll actually use?
• Which credit card in each program has additional benefits I'll take advantage of?
• Am I willing to pay an annual fee on a credit card?
• Do I want to pool points with a partner or spouse, then redeem them together?

Most of the time, the best rewards program for you is the one that has the transfer partners you'll actually use. In that sense, Chase Ultimate Rewards tends to come out ahead, since it has popular transfer partners most Americans are familiar with, including Southwest Rapid Rewards, World of Hyatt, and United MileagePlus, to name a few.

On the other hand, American Express Membership Rewards has more transfer partners in total, including ones that can be hard to transfer points to otherwise. If you're a huge Delta Air Lines flyer, for example, you may want to stick with Membership Rewards and also pick up a co-branded Delta credit card to get benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding.

If you really just want to redeem rewards for cash back or gift cards, Chase Ultimate Rewards is a better deal. That's because you'll typically get 1 cent per point in value for these redemptions, whereas American Express Membership Rewards redemptions for cash, merchandise, and gift cards are typically worth less than that. And with the Pay Yourself Back feature on certain Chase cards, your points are extra valuable toward dining, groceries, and home-improvement purchases.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, please click here.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

• Main content

Personal Finance

Amex trifecta vs. chase trifecta: which card combination will help you maximize rewards.

Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we may earn a commission from our partners’ links. This content is created independently from TIME’s editorial staff. Learn more about it.

Tens of millions of Americans use a reward credit card to earn valuable points and miles that can be redeemed for travel. But when you get serious about award travel, you’ll discover that there are complimentary collections of credit cards that you can leverage to earn the most possible rewards from your spending.

Terms and Conditions may apply to offers and benefits on this page.

Two of the most popular award travel strategies involve having three different cards from American Express or from Chase. These strategies are often referred to as the Amex Trifecta and the Chase Trifecta.

Amex trifecta overview

Chase trifecta overview, the added value of having three cards from the same provider.

Travel rewards credit cards tend to come in two different types. First are the kind that offer bonus points for certain types of purchases, but just one point per dollar on all other spending. Then, there are cards that offer more than one point per dollar spent on all purchases, but don’t have any bonus categories.

By having two different types of credit cards from the same card issuer with bonus categories, you can enjoy more bonus points than you can with just one. And when you have a third card from the same issuer that offers an elevated amount of points for purchases that don’t qualify for a bonus, then you can maximize your points earnings potential, since you can pool all of your points together from all three cards from the same card issuer.

Amex vs. Chase Trifecta Compared

Both American Express and Chase offer numerous business and personal credit cards that offer points in their flexible rewards programs. Award travel experts can have different ideas as to what makes up their ideal three-card trifecta.

For the purposes of this article, let’s examine the Amex Trifecta including card_name , the card_name and card_name . For the Chase Trifecta, let’s look at the card_name , the card_name and the card_name .

Card combos

For the Amex Trifecta, The card_name , The card_name and card_name offer the ideal combination of benefits and bonus categories. The card_name is almost all about benefits and fee credits, while the card_name is about bonus categories and the card_name is the perfect card for spending on purchases that don’t qualify for a bonus.

With the Chase Trifecta, the card_name offers both travel benefits and bonuses for travel purchases. The card_name offers several bonus categories, while the card_name features more bonus categories plus elevated regards for all non-bonus spending.

Earnings categories

With the Amex Trifecta, The card_name offers 5x points on flights booked directly with a spend cap of $500,000 with the airlines or through AmexTravel.com and on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com. You earn 1x on all other purchases.

The card_name has some of the most valuable bonus categories available, including 4x points at restaurants, and up to $25,000 spent each year at U.S. supermarkets (1x thereafter). You also earn 3x on flights booked directly with the airlines or on AmexTravel.com, and 1x on all other purchases.

With the card_name , you simply earn 2x on all purchases, up to $50,000 per year. This is the ideal card for all purchases that don’t qualify for a bonus.

With the Chase Trifecta, the card_name is the card you would use to earn 3x points on travel purchases. The card_name offers you 5x points at office supply stores and on telecommunications purchases, while the card_name features 3x points on dining and at drugstores, and 1.5x points on all non-bonus spending.

Total annual fees

The Amex Trifecta is certainly the most expensive when it comes to annual fees. The card_name has a annual_fees annual fee ( Rates & Fees ). The card_name has a annual_fees annual fee ( Rates & Fees ). There is annual_fees for the card_name ( Rates & Fees ).

The only credit card with an annual fee in the Chase Trifecta is the annual_fees fee for the card_name .

Total annual credits

With the Amex Trifecta, the card_name offers over $1,500 in statement credits towards travel fees and with merchants such as Uber, Saks Fifth Avenue, CLEAR and Equinox ( Enrollment required wherever applicable ). The card_name also offers $120 in annual credits with Uber and another $120 in dining credits ( Enrollment required wherever applicable ).

With the Chase Trifecta, the card_name ’s annual_fees annual fee is largely offset by a $300 annual travel credit that’s automatically applied to any travel purchase.

Transfer partners

American Express and Chase have many travel partners in common, including Aer Lingus, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club, Emirates Skywards, JetBlue TrueBlue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

American Express offers several partners that Chase doesn’t including:

• Aeromexico Club Premier (1:1.6)
• ANA Mileage Club
• Avianca LifeMiles
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Delta SkyMiles
• Etihad Airways Guest Program
• Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Choice Privileges

ANA is an exceptionally valuable partner because it’s part of the Star Alliance and it offers awards for much fewer miles than most frequent flier programs. For example, round-trip business class tickets from North America to Europe are just 88,000 miles each, which is half what other programs often charge. Delta is a major American carrier that is not offered by Chase and other airlines such as Hawaiian, Etihad, Avianca and Qantas can offer particular value in certain situations. The Choice Privileges hotel program can also be very valuable.

On the other hand, Chase offers the following transfer partners that American Express doesn’t:

• Iberia Plus
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• IHG Rewards Club
• Marriott Bonvoy
• World of Hyatt

Among these, U.S. based cardholders are going to find both United and Southwest to be very useful. Additionally, the World of Hyatt program can offer outstanding value. Unfortunately, transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Marriott and IHG are only at a 1:1 ratio, and don’t offer nearly as much value per point as Hyatt.

Other benefits and additional perks

In many ways, both the Chase and Amex Trifectas are as much about benefits and perks as they are about rewards. In the Chase Trifecta, the card_name is the card that has the most perks. It offers a Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership that offers access to two guests and includes credits at restaurants. It also features a $300 annual travel credit and numerous travel insurance and shopping protection benefits.

The card_name offers numerous additional benefits including elite status with Marriott, Hilton, National and Hertz. It also includes the Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership for cardholder and two guests, but doesn’t offer credits at restaurants in the program. However, it includes access to Delta SkyClubs and Amex Centurion lounges for the cardholder only.

• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
• Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
• Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

The card_name also includes similar travel insurance and shopping protection features plus numerous statement credits for specific purchases. However these statement credits correlate with the Platinum card’s higher annual fee.

• Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Earning rate

The Amex Trifecta does exceptionally well with supermarket and dining purchases, where savvy cardholders will use the card_name to earn 4x points. With Chase, the advantage is that the card_name offers 1.5x points on all purchases. And while you will earn 3x on dining with both the card_name and the card_name , this is less than what the card_name offers. However, the card_name does offer 3x on all travel purchases. And those with a card_name can earn an outstanding 5x on telecommunications services and purchases from office supply stores.

How to redeem

With both Chase and Amex, you can transfer your points to airline or hotel travel partners. Chase allows you to redeem your rewards directly for travel purchases at 1.5 cents per point, while Amex only offers 1.0 cents in value per point redeemed through AmexTravel.com. Both programs offer merchandise gift cards and cash back, but Chase offers 1.0 cents per point redeemed for cash back, while Amex offers just 0.5 cents.

Amex or Chase trifecta: How can you earn the most?

With both credit card issuers, the strategy is to use the card that offers the most points at any particular merchant. For example, card_name cardholders can earn 5x on things like school supplies and furniture purchased at office supply stores. And card_name users can buy numerous non-food items at supermarkets such as cleaning supplies and prescription drugs.

Why We Recommend The Chase Trifecta

It’s very close, but the Chase Trifecta comes out slightly ahead of Amex. Chase offers 1.5 cents per point towards travel reservations, which is how many cardholders will use their rewards. Chase also features United, Southwest and Hyatt as transfer partners which are not available from Amex. Finally, Chase has much lower annual fees, and the card_name annual travel credit of $300 is much easier to use than American Express’s numerous, merchant specific opportunities to earn statement credits.

Why You Would Still Opt for the Amex Trifecta

The Amex Trifecta offers 4x on dining and U.S. supermarket purchases, which is where many households will spend heavily. The card_name is also great for getting you into the superior Centurion lounges. And if you can find strong value from Amex exclusive transfer partners such as ANA Airlines of Japan, then you may wish to opt for the Amex Trifecta instead. Also, the Amex Trifecta can be a great compliment to the Chase Trifecta.

For rates and fees of the card_name , please visit this URL .

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Which chase credit card trifecta is best.

There are several credit cards you can combine to create your own Chase Trifecta, other than the credit_score_needed , credit_score_needed and credit_score_needed . For example, you can substitute the card_name instead of the Reserve, and have a much lower annual fee. However, you’ll be giving up airport lounge access and you’ll only get 1.25 cents per point redeemed. Others may prefer the card_name over the credit_score_needed , so that they can get 5x points on up to $1,500 spent on rotating spending categories.

Who is the Amex Trifecta best for?

This credit card combination works best for frequent travelers who appreciate the multiple airport lounge memberships offered by card_name . It’s also a great program for those who find strong value from transfer partners exclusive to the Membership Rewards program

Why can American Express cards be hard to get?

American Express generally has a “once per lifetime” limit on receiving the welcome bonus for their cards, so you won’t be eligible if you’ve had a particular card in the past. Most American Express cards also require that applicants have excellent credit in order to be approved.

Best Credit Cards Best Cash Back Credit Cards Best Rewards Credit Cards Best Travel Credit Cards Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards Best Small-Business Credit Cards Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit

The information presented here is created independently from the TIME editorial staff. To learn more, see our About page.

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Yahoo Finance

Amex points vs. chase points: who has the best rewards program.

Editor's note: Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

American Express and Chase have two of the most robust travelers’ rewards programs today. Their flexible travel credit cards , high-value redemptions, and long lists of added perks can all go a long way, whether you travel often or only a few times yearly.

Before you plan your next trip, this guide can help you decide whether American Express Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards points can take you further.

American Express Membership Rewards

How to earn amex membership rewards points.

You can earn Membership Rewards points with a points-earning Amex credit card. If you choose a card with bonus rewards in your most frequent spending categories, you’ll have the greatest chance to boost the points you earn more quickly.

You can also earn points from purchases made on authorized user cards connected to your primary account. However, you won’t earn points on many non-purchase transactions, including cash advances, card fees , loading prepaid gift cards, returns, and more.

Best credit cards for earning Amex points

These are some of our favorite Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards points today:

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Annual fee: $695 (see rates & fees )

Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 points after you spend $8,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of account opening

5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel (up to $500,000 spent each year, then 1x)

5x points on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel

1x point per dollar spent on everything else

Up to $200 annual statement credits on eligible hotel bookings through Amex Travel

Up to $200 annual statement credits for incidental fees with your choice airline

Up to $155 in annual Walmart+ statement credits to cover auto-renewing monthly subscription

Up to $240 annual statement credits ($20 monthly) for Disney+, Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal purchases — enrollment required

Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the U.S. annually (Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Members only)

Up to $300 annual statement credits for Equinox+ or Equinox club membership

Up to $189 annually for CLEAR Plus membership

Up to $100 annual credits for Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com spending ($50 January-June and $50 July-December) — enrollment required (terms apply)

American Express® Gold Card

Read our full review of the American Express Gold Card

Annual fee: $250 (see rates & fees )

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of account opening

4x points at restaurants worldwide

4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x)

3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel

Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash toward Uber rides and Uber Eats (up to $10 in credits per month)

Up to $120 annual credits ($10 per month) for purchases with Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations (terms apply)

Can't decide between the Amex Platinum and the Amex Gold cards?

American Express® Green Card *

Annual fee: $150 (see rates & fees )

Welcome offer: Earn 40,000 points after you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of account opening

3x points on travel (flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation rentals, and more)

3x points on transit

3x points at restaurants worldwide (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.)

Up to $189 annual credit toward CLEAR Plus membership

Up to $100 annual credit to purchase lounge access through Lounge Buddy (terms apply)

*All information about American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Yahoo Finance; American Express Green Card is no longer available through Yahoo Finance.

Business credit cards that earn Amex points

These are the options for small business owners who want to earn Membership Rewards points:

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

American Express® Business Gold Card   (read our full review of the Amex Business Gold )

Business Green Rewards Card from American Express *

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

* All information about Business Green Rewards Card from American Express has been collected independently by Yahoo Finance; Business Green Rewards Card from American Express is no longer available through Yahoo Finance.

How to redeem American Express points

To get the most out of your Amex points, you’ll want to use them for travel. There are multiple travel-related redemptions to choose from, though — and a few non-travel options for comparison.

Book travel through Amex Travel

You’ll get up to 1 cent per point when you redeem rewards for travel through the Amex portal. The specific type of travel you can change your redemption value. Here’s a breakdown:

Flights: 1 cent per point

Prepaid hotels: 0.7 cents per point

Prepaid rental cars: 0.7 cents per point

Cruises: 0.7 cents per point

Vacation packages: 0.7 cents per point

Fine hotel and resort bookings (available for Platinum cardholders only): 1 cent per point

Say you’re planning a trip to Paris next spring and want to use your Membership Rewards points for the flight and hotel. Through American Express Travel, you find a round-trip flight for $650 and a 4-night hotel stay for $700 prepaid — $1,350 total.

If you choose to redeem points for that itinerary, you would spend 65,000 on your flight (1 cent per point) and 100,000 on your hotel (0.7 cents per point), or 165,000 points in total.

Booking through Amex Travel can be a great way to redeem points, but you’ll get the best value if you stick to flight reservations. Or, if you have a Platinum Card , on booking hotels in the Fine Hotels and Resorts collection. At less than 1 cent per point, you’re not getting the highest possible value otherwise.

Transfer partners

For the most part, Amex Membership Rewards points transfer to partners at a 1:1 ratio. However, you can get a more lucrative redemption value with some partners, and Amex sometimes offers transfer bonuses for a limited time.

Below is an overview of each of Amex’s airline and hotel partners and their transfer ratios. Unless otherwise noted, the minimum amount you can transfer starts at 1,000 — 1,000 Membership Rewards points for 1,000 partner points or miles.

This can be one of the best ways to redeem your Amex points because partner hotels and airlines often offer dynamic pricing on award flights or stays.

To put these transfer ratios in perspective, say you want to fly Delta Air Lines from New York to Los Angeles for a long weekend over Memorial Day.

The least expensive flight currently available for Friday, May 24 costs $557 for a main cabin fare. But the same ticket costs only 47,500 in miles. If you transfer your Amex points to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio — and each point is worth 1 cent each — you could reduce your overall cost to the equivalent of $475.

Even accounting for the extra $12 in taxes and fees, that’s a difference of $70. In this instance, that would make your points worth about 1.15 cents each.

Other redemption options

Non-travel redemptions are possible with the Membership Rewards program but are often lower value.

You can use points at checkout with certain retailers, including Amazon.com, Best Buy, PayPal, and more. With some exceptions and limited-time boosted rates, this option generally gets you about 0.7 cents per point.

Gift card redemptions can vary, with some only worth 0.5 cents per point, and others up to a full 1 cent per point. If you’re interested in redeeming points for gift cards, make sure you look at all the options available to compare the best value.

When you use points to cover eligible purchases or for statement credits to your account, you’ll get a lower 0.6 cents per point.

How much are Amex points worth?

American Express has a pretty straightforward system for assigning value to your redemptions. The issuer even has a rewards calculator you can use to preview the monetary value of different redemption options associated with your specific Amex credit card.

For the most part, you can count on getting up to a value of 1 cent per point with Membership Rewards when you use them for travel. The best redemption options are booking flights through American Express Travel or transferring to Amex’s long list of airline and hotel partners. Transfers can potentially be worth even more than 1 cent per point, depending on your itinerary.

Other redemptions will be less valuable, and often closer to 0.6 cents or 0.7 cents per point.

If you choose Amex Membership Rewards as your preferred program, stick to travel redemptions if you want to maximize points.

Chase Ultimate Rewards

How to earn chase ultimate rewards points.

The best way to earn Chase points is also with a Chase credit card. Chase offers multiple different options for maximizing both travel and everyday spending.

Any purchases you make with an eligible Chase card will earn at least 1 point per dollar — including those made by an authorized user on your account. You will not earn points on things like balance transfers, cash advances, money orders, card fees, lottery tickets, unauthorized charges, and more.

We reviewed all of Chase's credit cards to see which one is the best

Best credit cards for earning Chase points

Here’s more about the Sapphire and Freedom cards from Chase that earn Ultimate Rewards points:

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Annual fee: $550

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within 3 months of account opening

10x points on hotels and rental cars purchased through Chase Travel

5x points on flights purchased through Chase Travel

3x points on other travel and dining

Points are worth 1.5 cents each when you use them to book travel through Chase

$300 annual travel credit (you’ll only start earning points on travel spending after maxing out this credit each anniversary year)

Priority Pass Select membership for complimentary lounge access (with enrollment)

Up to $100 statement credit every four years for TSA PreCheck , Global Entry, or NEXUS fee

10x points on Lyft rides plus complimentary 2-year Lyft Pink All Access membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2024)

10x points on Peloton equipment and accessories (when you spend over $150 with 50,000 points max earned through March 31, 2025)

Additional DoorDash and Instacart benefits

We put the Chase Sapphire Reserve against the Amex Platinum to see which card is best

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Annual fee: $95

5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel

3x points on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery)

3x points on online grocery purchases (does not include wholesale clubs, Target, or Walmart)

3x points on select streaming services

Points are worth 1.25 cents each when you use them to book travel through Chase

Up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel (you won’t earn points on hotel spending with Chase until maxing out the credit)

Earn bonus points for 10% of your total spending amount each anniversary year

5x points on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025)

5x points on Peloton equipment and accessories (for purchases over $150, up to 25,000 points earned through March 31, 2025)

Note: The cash-back-earning Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards must be used alongside a Chase Sapphire card to get the full flexibility of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You can redeem rewards for travel through Chase with these cards, but you won’t be able to transfer to partners.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

Annual fee: $0

Welcome offer: Earn $200 after spending $500 within the first 3 months of account opening; also get 5% cash back on grocery store and gas station spending for the first 12 months (not including Target or Walmart; applies to the first combined $12,000 in purchases)

5% back on rotating quarterly bonus categories (up to $1,500 combined spending, with activation)

5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel

3% back at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery)

3% back at drugstores

1% back on all other spending

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (20.49%–29.24% variable APR thereafter)

5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Welcome offer: Earn an extra 1.5% cash back (up to $300) on all purchases for the first year (up to $20,000 in spending)

5% back on travel through Chase Travel

1.5% cash back on all other spending

Business credit cards that earn Chase points

If you’re a small business owner, you can also earn Chase Ultimate Rewards using one of the following Ink business credit cards from Chase.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (this card also gets a 25% boost on redemptions when you use points to book travel through Chase Travel)

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

How to redeem Chase points

Chase points have the most potential value when you redeem them for travel — but other options can still be valuable. Here’s what to know:

Book travel through Chase Travel portal

Using your points toward Chase Travel purchases is one of the best ways to maximize them — especially if you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card . While other Chase cards will get you a value of 1 cent per point when you redeem through the portal, your points go further with these cards:

Chase Sapphire Reserve : 1.5 cents per point

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card : 1.25 cents per point

Say you’re looking at purchasing a flight on the Chase Travel portal that costs $800 round trip. If you were to use your points for the flight instead, you would need to redeem only 53,400 points with a Reserve card or 64,000 with a Preferred card . You could book the same flight with a Chase Freedom Unlimited card , for example, and use a full 80,000 points.

In other words, you’re getting the value of 80,000 points, but only have to spend 53,400 or 64,000 points, respectively, when you redeem this way.

Chase points transfer to each of its hotel and airline partners at a ratio of 1:1 and a minimum transfer of 1,000 points. Occasionally, Chase does offer transfer bonuses to boost redemptions with specific partners during a given time period. With any rewards program, it can pay to keep up with your account and check for any offers before planning your trip.

Compared to Amex, Chase has fewer partners, but most cross over. Here’s an overview of each of the current Chase airline and hotel partners:

Consider Chase’s transfer partners using the same trip we looked at with Amex. This time, maybe you want to make the same Memorial Day trip, but you prefer flying with United Airlines — a partner with Chase, but not American Express.

The lowest-fare main economy ticket for a May 24 flight from New York to Los Angeles is currently $419. But the same flight using United miles is just 19,100. If you transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United to pay for the airfare and assume a redemption rate of 1 cent per point, you could effectively bring the price down to $191 plus $5.60 in extra fees.

On this particular trip, that means you could redeem your points for an incredible value of about 2.12 cents per point.

Beyond travel redemptions, Chase offers a few additional options for redeeming Ultimate Rewards points.

You can redeem points for cash back as a statement credit or deposit into your account for a value of 1 cent per point. You’ll get the same rate for gift cards, though you may sometimes find discounted rates on gift card redemptions. You can pay with points at checkout with Amazon or PayPal for a lower redemption value.

How much are Chase points worth?

The value of Chase points can vary a bit more by card than with American Express, though you can generally get at least 1 cent per point value for each redemption option — including cash back.

Transfer partners are one way to get a higher value, but you’ll need a Sapphire Reserve or Preferred card that offers this redemption. Most points transfer 1:1 but you can get a greater value from the transfer depending on your travel plans. However, this can vary greatly from partner to partner and trip to trip.

Booking travel through Chase can be the most lucrative way to use your Chase points. Because Chase Sapphire Reserve points get a boosted 1.5 cents per point value and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card points are boosted to 1.25 cents per point, this is one way to guarantee you get the maximum value for your rewards on flights, hotel stays, and more.

Non-Sapphire cards from Chase, however, tend to have a standard 1 cent per point value for any redemption option, without the option to use transfer partners. If Chase Ultimate Rewards is the program you’re interested in, read the card agreement to understand how your card’s rewards work within the program’s ecosystem. You may get even more value for your points when you combine a Freedom and Sapphire card to combine points under your more flexible account.

Amex points vs. Chase points: Which should you choose?

Whether you decide to collect American Express or Chase points can depend greatly on your spending habits and travel goals. Here are a few factors to consider:

Credit card rewards categories

You’ll need a qualifying travel rewards credit card to earn and redeem points under either program. Both Chase and Amex offer a range of options, from premium cards with valuable travel perks to more cost-effective options for occasional travelers .

Choose the points-earning card that best fits your budget and spending habits to decide the best overall program for you.

Card combinations

If you already have a card with either issuer, you may also want to consider whether you can pair that card with another points-earning card to maximize your rewards . For example, you might pair the Chase Freedom Unlimited with the Chase Sapphire Reserve , or carry both the American Express Gold Card and The Platinum Card from American Express .

The more you can maximize your regular spending to earn points, the more you’ll have to redeem toward future vacations . Just keep in mind that these cards also often carry annual fees. If you’re not getting enough value from your rewards and benefits to offset the fee — or you’re spending more than you can afford to pay down each month — they may not be worth it.

Transfer partner options

Between the two programs, Amex does offer significantly more partners, which could be useful for future travel. Amex’s international airline partners can help unlock some great deals on worldwide travel in premium fare classes. And popular brands like Delta Air Lines and Hilton only partner with American Express.

Updated offers and perks for new and existing Delta SkyMiles cardholders

On the other hand, Chase may be the better option for domestic travelers who prefer to fly with United Airlines and Southwest Airlines through Chase, or stay at IHG or Hyatt properties.

If you live near an airline hub or you already have elite status with a certain hotel brand, transfer partner options could make a big difference in your rewards program choice.

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers.

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Transfer partners: what you need to know.

Ultimate Rewards ® gives Chase cardmembers flexibility in redeeming their points, from cash back to special event concert tickets .

Many cardmembers know that they can redeem points for dining and gift cards. But one of the options cardmembers may not know about is the ability to redeem their points through the Chase travel portal.

Here’s an overview on Ultimate Rewards and points transfers.

Chase credit cards that allow you to transfer to travel partners

Sapphire Reserve ® , Sapphire Preferred ® and Ink Business Preferred ® are the cards that offer Chase cardmembers the ability to transfer points to travel partners. Some of those partners also offer bonuses for transferred points. In addition, you may be able to transfer points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners to put towards flights or hotel stays.

To check if your points are available to transfer to a travel partner, sign in to the Ultimate Rewards portal and locate the “Transfer to Travel Partners” section. Within this portal, you’ll find eligible partners for a rewards point transfer.

Any rewards you transfer may help with the cost of a flight when combined with the miles you’ve earned on a partner airline. If you do not have an account set up with the Chase partner airline or hotel frequent stays program, you will need to set up one before any transfer. It may also be a good idea to call the airline or log on to their frequent flyer website to confirm the number of miles needed to redeem for a trip.

How to earn Ultimate Rewards

You can earn Ultimate Rewards points with many of Chase’s credit cards . Ultimate Rewards points can be earned on purchases using any eligible Chase card. Some Chase cards offer bonus points for specific types of purchases, such as those made at grocery stores.

How can I transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points?

Here are the steps to take to transfer Ultimate Rewards points you’ve earned:

• Sign in to your account at chase.com.
• Choose the “Redeem Rewards” prompt within the dashboard.
• Select an option to transfer between eligible cards or travel partners.

Points can be transferred in 1,000-point increments. Keep in mind that all points transfers are final. It may also be possible to combine points across Ultimate Rewards accounts held by a single cardmember, and points earned on authorized user cards on those accounts also accrue to the primary cardmember.

How long do Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfers to partners take?

After completing a transfer in the Ultimate Rewards portal, the points should post within several business days. We understand that being able to transfer points promptly can help Chase cardmembers book the ticket that they want before seats on their preferred flight fill up.

In conclusion

Ultimate Rewards points can be earned by making purchases using Chase cards. Depending on the card you have, some purchase categories offer more points per dollar spent. Transferring rewards points to partner airlines and hotels can be a flexible way of using rewards you’ve earned. Wherever you’re going next, bon voyage!

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Why the Amex Platinum Is the Only Card I’ll Use To Book Flights

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The Amex Platinum Card Earns Me the Most Points

The amex platinum card has excellent travel insurance, amex’s global lounge collection is industry-leading, amex points are my favorite flexible currency, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Although I’m not technically a digital nomad, I fly enough to qualify as one.

With trips taking me on roughly 100 flights per year, I’ve done a lot of research when it comes to booking airfare.

Though I have plenty of credit cards to spare, The Platinum Card ® from American Express always finds its way to the front when it comes time to pay — here’s why.

There are plenty of credit cards that earn bonus points on travel , and especially airfare. However, the Amex Platinum card personally beats out others, despite its $695 annual fee ( rates & fees ).

This is because it earns 5x American Express Membership Rewards points per $1 spent (up to $500,000 per year) on flights booked directly with the airline or via AmexTravel.com .

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

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• Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Capital One Venture X vs Amex Platinum
• Amex Platinum vs Delta Reserve

If you travel often, you know that booking with a third party , such as Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, or even an issuer’s travel portal, can save you some money. But it can also lead to huge amounts of headache s if your flight needs to be changed or canceled or if there are crazy delays and you need to be rerouted.

This is because booking through a third-party agency makes them responsible for your ticket rather than the airline, so they need to be the middleman.

Compare the Amex Platinum card’s earning rates to other premium travel rewards cards :

• Chase Sapphire Reserve ® : 5x points per $1 spent on Chase Travel; 3x points on all other travel purchases
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : 5x miles per $1 spent on airfare booked with Capital One Travel,

In order to earn these elevated rewards, you’ll need to book your flights with either issuer’s travel portal, which means you’ll be using a third party. That opens you up to issues in the event your travel plans change, which mine often do.

While the Amex Platinum card does have a limit on your 5x earnings up to $500,000 annually, I’ve never even come close to hitting the cap. This means that I’m always able to book directly with the airline while still earning the most rewards.

I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest proponent of travel insurance . I know that it’ll protect you if you get injured, lose your bags, or have travel delays, but purchasing a policy goes against my “spend as little as possible” ethos when it comes to travel.

That’s another reason why I love the Amex Platinum card and use it for my flights. As a premium travel card, it offers complimentary travel insurance . For it to kick in, I need to pay for my travel with my card and it will apply in eligible scenarios.

What kind of travel insurance is offered? A lot:

• Rental car insurance (secondary)
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Trip delay insurance
• Baggage insurance plan
• Premium Global Assist Hotline (emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical transport)

There are two things that really stand out when it comes to the Amex Platinum card’s travel insurance: emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical transport as part of the Premium Global Assist Hotline. Neither of these has a cap, which isn’t something you’ll find often, even when purchasing a policy.

There is only one exception where I’ll use a card other than the Amex Platinum card to pay for my flights, and that’s when I’ve booked an award flight.

This is because Amex has limitations on its baggage insurance plan for award flights, whereas competitors, such as the travel insurance on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card , do not. In this case, the Amex Platinum card won’t cover lost luggage unless you’ve paid the ticket in cash or you’ve used Amex Membership points for your flight. Other award flights outside of this don’t count :

“Other loyalty programs (i.e. non-American Express) do not qualify on purchases redeemed in part or full or pre-arranged travel cost,” according to the terms of baggage insurance plan on the Amex Platinum card. “An example would be common carrier frequent flyer miles point redemption.”

I’m not a snob about a lot of things, but airport lounge access is certainly one of them. I know that as more credit cards offer lounge access, they can be crowded.

That’s one reason I value the Global Lounge Collection offered by Amex’s high-end cards.

This collection includes a Priority Pass Select membership (upon enrollment), Centurion Lounges, Escape — The Centurion Studio lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Lufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa), Delta SkyClubs (when flying Delta), and more.

That’s far more than you’ll get with other credit cards and lessens the chance that you’ll find yourself in a standing-room-only situation.

This is probably not the most popular opinion, but I think Amex Membership Rewards beat out Chase Ultimate Rewards , Capital One Miles , Citi ThankYou points , and Bilt Rewards .

While each currency has their own strengths and weaknesses, Amex points fit my travel style better than the others. Sure, I love that Chase has World of Hyatt (and it’s where I use my points most often) and that Citi transfer to Choice at double Amex’s rate, but Amex has more usable transfer partners .

I’ll be even more unpopular and say that I’ll often transfer Amex points over to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio, especially when they’re offering a transfer bonus . This isn’t usually a good idea, but I spend my Hilton points at high-end resorts such as the Conrad Maldives and the Conrad Bora Bora , where I can easily net 5-10 cents in value per point. That makes it worth it for me.

Other transfer partners that I frequently use include:

• ANA MileageClub : For low-cost business class flights to Europe
• Avianca LifeMiles : For Lufthansa first class
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club : For first and business class redemptions on ANA
• Qantas Frequent Flyer : For cheap Air Tahiti Nui flights to French Polynesia

Beyond transfer partners and the Amex Platinum card, I also find Amex points easier to earn . This is due to a variety of reasons, including their robust lineup of Amex point-earning cards , Amex Offers (upon enrollment), and their Rakuten partnership.

I’m not going to throw out all my other credit cards in favor of the Amex Platinum card — I love points and miles too much ever to let that happen. But there’s certainly a strong case for it sticking around in my wallet.

Sure, it offers lots of statement credits (enrollment required for some benefits) and other perks. But I’ll keep the Amex Platinum card to book my airfare. And it’ll stay that way until someone else can match the high earnings and travel insurance offerings, which I don’t anticipate happening anytime soon.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the premium global assist hotline benefit of the Amex Platinum card, you can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by premium global assist hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

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About Carissa Rawson

Carissa served in the U.S. Air Force where she developed her love for travel and new cultures. She started her own blog and eventually joined The Points Guy. Since then, she’s contributed to Business Insider, Forbes, and more.

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Credit Cards

Why I chose the Chase Sapphire Preferred as my first ever rewards card

Sarah Li Cain

Robin Saks Frankel

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Grace Pilling

Published 6:03 a.m. UTC April 15, 2024

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I first started learning about the world of rewards credit cards from friends and bloggers and knew I wanted in. The challenge was that it took me a long time to build my credit , and I wanted to be sure I picked the right card. After some research, I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as my first rewards credit card. Yes, there are other cards with lower (or no) annual fees, but I have squeezed a ton of value from this credit card.

Here are the reasons why I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s Take

• Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
• $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
• Valuable travel protections.
• $95 annual fee.
• Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
• Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership ® Rewards and Citi ThankYou ® .

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• 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, 2024.
• Member FDIC

1. I wanted flexible redemption options

Learning about travel rewards and how to redeem points as a beginner all those years ago felt extremely intimidating. I wanted to earn rewards that offered plenty of redemption options and where I could learn at a pace that felt accessible to me. Initially, I ignored the airline and hotel transfer partners and decided I would focus on how I would use my Ultimate Rewards® points through the Chase Travel℠ portal. 

Taking this route eased my fears about how to book flights and hotels using rewards. I was also happy that I didn’t have to feel loyal to one airline or hotel chain like I would have with a cobranded rewards card. After booking a few trips through the Chase travel site, I took the time to learn about the issuer’s travel loyalty transfer partners (there are 14 in total). But I still liked choosing which method — booking through Chase Travel or transferring points — was better for me to squeeze the most out of my points. 

Some travel rewards redemptions offer more value than others. Here’s some of the best ways to use Chase points .

2. The annual fee is accessible, even for occasional travelers

When I opened the Sapphire Preferred card, my family wasn’t traveling much. We were still settling into our new home, my husband had started a new job and I was juggling taking care of my young child with my freelance career. I aimed to earn enough rewards from the card to nab heavily discounted hotels and the occasional flight when we visited family once or twice a year.

At $95, the annual fee felt affordable to us. A pricier card with lounge access wasn’t important, because we didn’t fly enough to feel that feature would be worth it. However, the Sapphire Preferred’s $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit was, since we stop and stay overnight on our cross-country drives during the summer. 

3. I was able to earn the welcome bonus easily

My family and I mostly used credit cards to pay for bills like utilities and groceries. Looking over our expenses, we could easily spend thousands of dollars over a span of several months. The minimum spend requirement to earn the welcome bonus — 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening — was well within our reach. Plus, I paid off my credit cards each month, meaning we didn’t pay any interest and our rewards earnings didn’t cost us extra. 

The minimum spend is higher than some rewards cards, though lower than luxury ones — my family and I were able to hit the minimum spend in a little over two months. Considering I earned $750 worth of travel if I booked through Chase Travel (which I was mostly doing in the beginning anyway), it was well worth it.

4. There are no foreign transaction fees

My mom and sister live in Canada where I grew up, so I make the annual trek with my family to visit them along with several other close friends. I knew that whatever credit card I signed up for, I wanted no foreign transaction fees when using it in another country. My last credit card did charge fees for transactions overseas, and though they may not seem like much on their own, they do add up.

This benefit alone didn’t convince me to sign up for the Sapphire Preferred but it was certainly a welcome benefit in addition to all the others. 

5. Why I keep the Sapphire Preferred even years later

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has stayed in my wallet for the last six years and I don’t plan on canceling it anytime soon. The initial signup bonus earned my family several hotel nights when we visited family and friends. In subsequent years we took advantage of the $50 annual hotel credit and other benefits, such as primary rental car insurance , to make the annual fee worth it. 

Over the years I’ve added two other Chase cards to the mix — the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card * The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . I pool the points I earn from these two credit cards with my Sapphire Preferred because the Preferred offers a 25% points boost when booking travel through Chase. Since I have a family of three to book travel for, I want to use all the advantages I can get. 

Considering a rewards card? Here’s how to choose the right credit card for you.

*The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Sarah Li Cain is a finance and small business writer currently based in Jacksonville, Florida whose articles have been published with outlets such as Fortune, CNBC Select, the Financial Planning Association and Zillow.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

Grace Pilling is a deputy editor for credit cards at USA TODAY Blueprint. She believes credit cards are the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tools of the financial world and gets excited about helping people discover the best credit card strategy for their unique goals. Prior to joining Blueprint, Grace worked on and led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MoneyUnder30 and MoneyGeek. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and a diploma in editing and publishing.

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Should You Use a Credit Card Travel Portal?

Unlock the details of credit card travel portals and learn how to maximize your benefits.

Using a Credit Card Travel Portal

Getty Images

Using a credit card portal to book travel could help you save money and help you earn more points or redeem travel credits.

Key Takeaways

• Credit card travel portals search across multiple travel options, giving you the power to compare prices.
• You can use your credit card or rewards to book travel with your credit card issuer's travel portal.
• Some cards may offer travel credits and benefits when you book using the associated travel portal. 

You have many options for booking travel, whether you want to book directly with airlines and hotels, use an online travel agency or book with your credit card's travel portal. Using a credit card travel portal may allow you to take advantage of cardholder benefits and credits and give you additional choices for your booking.

Understand how to use credit card travel portals to save money on your next trip and maybe get some elevated perks along the way – but also recognize when it doesn't make sense.

What Are Credit Card Travel Portals?

Similar to online travel agencies, such as Expedia or Booking.com, credit card travel portals are online travel booking platforms. Cardholders can use credit card travel portals to browse and book travel options, including flights, hotels, rental cars and experiences using your credit card or rewards.

Credit card travel portals include:

• American Express Travel.
• Capital One Travel.
• Chase Travel.
• Citi Travel.

Some credit cards offer cardholder savings or perks when you book travel using the issuer's credit card portal, such as travel credits or cardholder privileges, including free breakfast or late checkout.

How Credit Card Travel Portals Stack Up

When you use a credit card travel portal, the amount and method of payment may be the deciding factors in how you book. Using a credit card travel portal to book travel can save you money, but not always.

We compared a midweek economy flight from Los Angeles to New York and a weeklong stay at a three-star hotel in Manhattan. In some cases, credit card travel portals were competitive, but Expedia had the lowest overall price for flight and hotel costs on this test trip.

Still, this is just one example, and travel prices can fluctuate depending on how you book. It's always a good idea to compare all of your options.

Benefits of Credit Card Travel Portals

Booking your travel with a credit card travel portal can help you earn more points or redeem travel credits. Some examples:

• Cardholders of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card get a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through the Capital One Travel site. When booking on the Capital One Travel site, cardholders earn unlimited 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars and 5 miles per dollar on flights. ( See Rates and Fees )
• With The Platinum Card ® from American Express , cardholders get a $200 annual hotel credit for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel and earn five points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. ( See Rates and Fees )
• Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card holders get a $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit and earn five points per dollar on Chase Travel purchases.

"Using the travel credits is huge," says JT Genter, editor in chief of rewards and travel tracking tool AwardWallet. "Card issuers are leaning more towards those only being accessible through the portal."

Credit card travel portal bookings may help your points go further, too. "Because I have a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, when I use the (Chase) portal to book travel, my points get an extra 25% bump," says Chip Chinery, personal finance blogger at Chip's Money Tips. For example, you'd only pay 100,000 points for a flight or hotel that would require 125,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book without the points boost.

Helpful features can add up to savings on credit card travel portals. For example, Capital One Travel offers a price match guarantee. Genter used the Capital One Travel price match feature on a flight from Cairo to Marrakech, Morocco. Although he booked with Capital One Travel, an online travel agency had a better price. He was able to price match with Capital One Travel to get a travel credit.

Genter points out that cardholders of The Platinum Card from American Express can take advantage of the International Airline Program for potential savings on international flights in first, business or premium economy.

You may also get benefits for booking with credit card travel portals, particularly when booking hotels. For example:

• Cardholders of The Platinum Card from American Express get elite benefits at participating hotels, including early check-in, room upgrades, breakfast for two, a $100 experience credit, complimentary Wi-Fi and guaranteed 4 p.m. check-out.
• If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , you can book The Edit properties through Chase Travel and receive benefits, including daily breakfast for two, a $100 on-property credit, room upgrades, early check-in and late check-out and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Drawbacks of Credit Card Travel Portals

Travel credits and on-property perks are compelling reasons to use a credit card travel portal. However, it pays to compare pricing among your card's portal, direct booking or an online travel agency, because the lowest-priced option depends on the trip you're taking. Also, you may forfeit some benefits, as credit card travel portals are third-party bookings.

With a third-party booking, you'll have less flexibility in customer service and cancellation than you would if you booked directly. For example, if you're dealing with a delayed flight and need service from the airline, you may be directed to the travel portal customer service. You may have limited options for cancellation and how you get your money or rewards back.

Another major point to consider with third-party bookings: You generally won't be able to earn points or miles with the airline or hotel, though you can earn points with your card. Additionally, you may not be able to use elite benefits for any status you hold. For example, if you have Hilton Honors status that entitles you to a daily food and beverage credit, you're not likely to get it when you book a stay with your credit card travel portal.

When to Use a Credit Card Travel Portal

Booking travel with a credit card travel portal can make sense in some scenarios. For instance:

• You want to compare your travel options across multiple airlines or hotels in the portal.
• You have a travel credit available that can only be redeemed through the issuer's travel portal.
• You have rewards you want to redeem on the portal, and booking this way offers a good redemption value.
• You want to take advantage of benefits, such as elite hotel perks that you can get when using a credit card travel portal.
• Your booking options on the portal are priced lower compared with other options.
• Booking on the portal earns elevated rewards, and the prices and benefits are comparable to those of other booking options.

"It makes sense if you want to take advantage of the credits but also to earn bonus points," says Genter. "And sometimes, they have promotions such as hyper-targeted offers."

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Comparative assessments and other editorial opinions are those of U.S. News and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by any other entities, such as banks, credit card issuers or travel companies. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired.

Battle of the credit card travel portals: Which is the best for booking flights?

American Express, Capital One, Chase and Citi are four of the major players in the travel credit card space . As such, these issuers offer their own travel portals, where users can earn and redeem their points and miles for flights, hotels, car rentals and more.

These issuers also incentivize their cardholders to use the bank's own portal, done by offering bonus points on bookings.

For instance, with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , you'll earn 10 miles per dollar on hotel and car rentals and 5 miles per dollar on flights — but only when booked through the Capital One Travel portal. Purchases made outside the portal earn 2 miles per dollar.

Likewise, with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card , you'll earn 5 points per dollar on all travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal. Otherwise, you earn 2 points per dollar on those travel purchases.

Given the lucrative earning potential that booking through these portals presents, it begs the question: Is it worth your time to use them rather than booking directly?

In this guide, we put these four travel portals to the test when booking flights. We compared price, ease of use, redemption value and other metrics.

Methodology

For this analysis, we limited our research to flights and didn't include hotels, rental cars or other travel. That's because we generally recommend that you avoid booking hotels through a third party since you likely won't receive elite-status benefits (if you have any) or earn elite-qualifying stay credits.

If you're not concerned with earning hotel elite status or are booking an independent hotel, then booking your stay through a travel portal could be advantageous for you.

It's also worth noting that you can get elite-like perks at hotels, even without elite status, by booking with these programs: Amex's Fine Hotels + Resorts , Amex's The Hotel Collection , Capital One's Premier Collection , Capital One's Lifestyle Collection , Chase's Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection , Citi's Hotel Collection and Citi's Luxury Hotel Collection.

With flights, you may be able to "double-dip" your earnings: You can usually earn bonus points on bookings through your card issuer's portal and earn airline and elite-qualifying miles just as you would by booking directly through the airline. That said, here are the features we examined in each portal:

• Results: Do you get comprehensive results when searching through the portal?
• Price: How do the prices compare to booking directly with an airline versus through a portal?
• Ease of use: Is navigating the portal easy for a user? What unique features or benefits do users get from using this portal?
• Redemption value: Is it worth redeeming your points and miles for travel through a portal?

With these four factors in mind, here's how the individual issuers' travel portals stack up.

American Express Travel portal

Any American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points grants access to the Amex Travel portal . Depending on your specific card, you may earn bonus points for booking through the portal.

The Platinum Card® from American Express , for instance, earns 5 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases annually, then 1 point per dollar) and 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotel bookings made through Amex Travel. The American Express® Gold Card , meanwhile, earns 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel.

You can search for flights, hotels, flight and hotel packages, rental cars and cruises on the Amex portal.

Related: Everything you need to know about Amex Travel

Capital One travel portal

The Capital One travel portal offers a fresh interface powered by the travel tech app Hopper and is accessible with most credit cards earning Capital One miles or cash back.

Bonus earnings are available, depending on which card you have. Using the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card to book flights in the portal provides 5 miles per dollar; flights booked elsewhere earn 2 miles per dollar.

Currently, you can only book flights, hotels and rental cars through the portal. The portal also houses the Premier Collection for luxury hotels. However, this is only accessible if you have the Venture X or its counterpart, the Capital One Venture X Business .

Related: How to use the Capital One travel portal — now with more cards and new rewards

Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal

Chase's Ultimate Rewards travel portal was powered by Expedia for many years, but the issuer migrated to cxLoyalty in 2021 .

You can access the portal with your Ultimate Rewards-earning credit card , including popular options like the Chase Sapphire Reserve , the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Freedom Unlimited . Cardholders can book flights, hotels, cars, activities and cruises on the Chase travel portal.

Related: Why are some flights more expensive through the Chase travel portal?

Citi travel portal

The overhauled Citi travel portal launched in March 2023 after months of delays. It's powered by Rocket Travel by Agoda , part of the Booking.com family.

You can access the portal with any credit card earning ThankYou points , and several cards earn bonus points on bookings in the portal. Unfortunately, flights aren't included in these bonus offerings.

With Citi's new portal, you can book flights, hotels, rental cars and attractions of numerous types. The portal also offers two hotel programs: Hotel Collection and Luxury Collection.

Related: Ultimate guide to the Citi travel portal

Booking flights

I looked at a variety of round-trip routes with the same dates (roughly six months from now) and gathered the following prices:

All of the travel portals generally fared well when it came to searching economy flights versus booking directly. However, there were a few major caveats worth noting.

Southwest Airlines is not bookable on any of the portals, and tickets for low-cost airlines like Spirit Airlines and Frontier are typically more expensive on the Chase and Capital One travel portals than booking directly. Amex Travel didn't display any Spirit Airways or Frontier Airlines flights.

When it came to international flights, all of the bank portals struggled at times to match prices or give comparable results versus booking directly. For a deeper dive on some of these routes and flight prices, we did a broader comparison across 20 flights in this guide .

As a general word of advice, domestic flights should yield the same results and price, but it gets tricky when searching for international fares. Your best bet would be to compare the prices and only use a portal when the prices are identical.

Ease of use

The Amex portal is my favorite for a comprehensible search experience, fast load times for results and the simplicity of parsing through the various options.

On the other hand, the Capital One portal offers one of the most visually appealing interfaces, with color-coded dates to indicate the lowest prices in a calendar view — plus price drop protection. However, the Capital One portal did not provide as many options as its competitors on some searches. It also yielded higher prices for international routes, but I'm hopeful that the issuer will continue to make improvements in the future.

Based on millions of data points from Hopper, Capital One is supposed to let you know if this is the best time to book via its price watch prediction feature.

To standardize the offerings across various airlines, Capital One also provides detailed insights into what flyers can expect from their chosen fare class. With the rise of "basic economy" fares, it's not always clear what amenities are included in your ticket and what you'll have to pay for as extras.

Capital One does an excellent job of explaining in-depth features such as seat pitch, aircraft type, and food and beverage options on board.

Speaking of basic economy, it's worth noting Amex Travel rarely (if ever) displays these fares. If you're looking for basic economy, you should use another portal.

Citi's new portal does a good job of offering a broad range of results in economy and offering upgrades on the payment page. And being able to book flights plus other travel elements in one transaction is great. However, searching directly for business-class fares is tricky on this portal.

Finally, the Chase portal has seen vast improvements since fully migrating toward its cxLoyalty interface. Previously, when Chase was powered by Expedia, users complained about slow load times and much higher prices than those offered directly by the airlines. Some of those issues seem to have been resolved.

While the Ultimate Rewards portal could use some work in cleaning up the interface, the overall user experience is much better than before. That said, it's also the portal with the highest frequency of price divergence from booking directly — sometimes higher and sometimes lower.

Redemption value

This is not a criterion we used for evaluating these bank travel portals for this particular article. The value of your points or miles can depend on which particular rewards card you carry. Still, it is worth remembering if you intend to use your credit card's travel portal to earn or redeem points and miles.

Your credit card points or miles are typically worth 1 cent each for flights in your respective travel portal. That's the case with Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards points and Capital One credit cards . Even with the Capital One's premium card (the Venture X), your points are only worth 1 cent each when redeemed for travel through the Capital One portal. The same applies to credit cards earning Citi ThankYou points .

On the other hand, Chase's credit cardholders are incentivized to use the Ultimate Rewards portal via a higher redemption value. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve , your points are worth 1.5 cents each toward travel bookings, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred Credit Card fetch 1.25 cents per point in value.

While not as consistent of a program, American Express offers "Insider Fares," allowing cardholders to redeem their points for a better value than 1 cent apiece on select domestic and international itineraries. However, these can be quite specific.

Select Amex business credit cardholders can also leverage the Pay with Points benefit to get a 25% to 50% points rebate when booking select airfare through Amex Travel — yet another incentive to book through the portal.

Due to all these card-specific circumstances, we didn't make redemption values a main criterion for judging these portals for booking flights. Rather, we focused on each portal's user interface and the availability of competitive fares — as those two factors will probably be the determinants as to whether travelers end up using them.

Related: Why I love the Amex Business Platinum's Pay With Points perk

Bottom line

Credit card issuers have improved their travel portals over the years, but they're still far from perfect. While there isn't a clear winner for the best travel portal, each has unique features and incentives for its cardholders.

If you decide to book a flight through your issuer's travel portal, be sure to compare that price against booking directly with the airline to get the best deal possible. And don't forget that you may want to book directly anyway to avoid any headaches down the road. If you need to change or cancel your airfare, booking with a third party can complicate matters when plans change.

Additional reporting by Ryan Smith.

What the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Card offers

• How other travel cards compare to the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card
• 3 key benefits cardholders get from the Autograph Journey 

Move Over, Chase Sapphire Preferred. This New Travel Credit Card Is Turning Heads

Wells Fargo's newest card has one key advantage over the gold standard in travel cards.

Holly Johnson

Contributor

Holly Johnson is a credit card expert and writer who covers rewards and loyalty programs, budgeting, and all things personal finance. In addition to writing for publications like Bankrate, CreditCards.com, Forbes Advisor and Investopedia, Johnson owns Club Thrifty and is the co-author of "Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love."

Tiffany Connors

Tiffany Wendeln Connors is a senior editor for CNET Money with a focus on credit cards. Previously, she covered personal finance topics as a writer and editor at The Penny Hoarder. She is passionate about helping people make the best money decisions for themselves and their families. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and has been a writer and editor for publications including the New York Post, Women's Running magazine and Soap Opera Digest. When she isn't working, you can find her enjoying life in St. Petersburg, Florida, with her husband, daughter and a very needy dog.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card * -- Wells Fargo’s latest and best travel card -- recently launched with an impressive set of features. Its competitive rewards, welcome bonus and redemption options take aim at incumbent travel credit cards from Chase, American Express and Capital One.

What gives Wells Fargo’s first foray into the point-transfer space an edge is that you don’t have to book travel in a portal to earn the highest rewards rates. 

Here’s why we think the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey could go toe-to-toe with some of the best travel credit cards, plus three insider tips to help you decide if you should add it to your credit card lineup.

Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect with the Autograph Journey:

• Earn 60,000 welcome bonus rewards points after spending $4,000 in purchases within three months of account opening.
• Earn unlimited 5x points on hotels, 4x points on airlines, 3x points on other travel and dining and 1x on other purchases.
• Receive an annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Other benefits include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, roadside dispatch and cell phone insurance.
• $95 annual fee.

How other travel cards compare to the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

3 key benefits cardholders get from the autograph journey .

Here’s a rundown of four facts we discovered about the Autograph Journey that you should know when deciding whether to apply.

1. You can transfer points with Wells Fargo point-based cards

The launch of the Autograph Journey also marks the first transferable points program from Wells Fargo, which joins other card issuers like Chase and Capital One, which have their own pooling programs .

Autograph Journey will be able to do a points transfer with the no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card . This is especially notable since the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers bonus rewards in different categories than the Autograph Journey. 

For example, the Autograph card earns unlimited 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans, plus 1x points on other purchases. So you can maximize your point earning across different categories, then transfer your points to your Autograph Journey account to access premium travel redemptions.

2. It offers more options for earning bonus miles on travel than some competitors

The Autograph Journey will offer more flexibility than many travel rewards cards when it comes to earning more points on travel purchases. For example, cardholders earn unlimited 5x points on hotels booked directly with hotel brands and 4x points on airfare booked with airlines. 

This helps the card stand out from other popular travel credit cards that offer the most bonus points only if you book travel through their portals. For example, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card * and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card * only offer the highest bonus rewards on travel booked through Capital One Travel. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers its highest rate of 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, whereas other travel purchases earn 2x points.

Autograph Journey cardholders also earn a minimum of 3x points on other travel purchases, which could include rental cars, cruises and travel booked through online travel agencies like Expedia and Priceline.

3. The card may grow in value as more transfer partners join

The Autograph Journey Card will earn flexible travel rewards points that transfer to a selection of airline and hotel partners, similar to Amex Membership Rewards points or Chase Ultimate Rewards . While the list of transfer partners is limited, Wells Fargo stated in its initial press release that “more partners will continue to be added throughout the year.”

Points transfers could dramatically change the value proposition of the Autograph Journey, especially if new partners include domestic airlines and popular hotel loyalty programs. 

Wells Fargo point transfers will be available to new cardholders starting on April 4. For now, Wells Fargo transfer partners include the following:

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After writing about hundreds of credit cards, these two are still my favorite, 6 reasons the chase sapphire preferred should be your next credit card, 3 steps to take when your flight is canceled or delayed, 8 best credit card strategies to maximize earnings in 2024, as a foodie who enjoys a night out on the town, this credit card gives me plenty to savor.

* All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

CNET editors independently choose every product and service we cover. Though we can’t review every available financial company or offer, we strive to make comprehensive, rigorous comparisons in order to highlight the best of them. For many of these products and services, we earn a commission. The compensation we receive may impact how products and links appear on our site.