If your Chase Ink Business Premier card has been giving you rewards, you have one of the most valuable types of trip rewards money. The card gives you 3 points for every dollar spent in a lot of different business areas. It also comes with a nice welcome bonus, but the real magic happens when you know how to use those points in the best way. Let’s talk about the smartest ways to get the most out of the rewards you’ve won.
Transfer Points to Airline Partners for Maximum Value
Transferring your Chase Ink points to Chase’s flight partners is the best way to get the most out of them. Chase Ink Business Premier transfer points to United, Southwest, or Singapore Airlines; you can often get 1.5 to 2 cents per point, or even more for flights in the first-class cabin.
You might want to book international business class trips through partners like Virgin Atlantic or Air Canada Aeroplan. There are times when these programs let you fly in style for a lot less than what you’d pay in cash. Virgin Atlantic, for example, lets you book a business class trip from the US to Europe for about 50,000 points one-way. This would normally cost a lot of money.
The important thing is to look at award charts and see what’s available before you move. Chase sends points instantly to most partners, unlike some other programs. This means you can move your points only when you’ve found the best way to redeem them.
Book Premium Hotel Stays Through Hyatt
As a Chase hotel transfer partner, World of Hyatt comes out as one of the best. The program is a great deal, especially at high-end hotels where you can easily get two cents per point or more.
Hyatt’s award chart is clear and easy to understand. It has groups for everything from cheap hotels to ultra-luxurious resorts. A Category 1 hotel costs only 5,000 points a night, while a top-level resort costs 30,000 points. The program also has all-inclusive hotels in places like Mexico and the Caribbean. At these hotels, your points cover more than just the room. They also cover meals and drinks.
One more good thing about Hyatt is that they don’t have any blackout dates. You can use points to book a basic room if one is available. This makes it easier to plan trips during busy travel times.
Leverage the Chase Travel Portal for Flexibility
Most of the time, taxis are cheaper, but the Chase Travel Portal is more convenient and gives you more options, so don’t miss it. When you book through the portal with the Ink Business Premier card, you’ll get 1.25 cents per point, which is a good starting value.
This choice is good when you need to book fast, there aren’t many award seats available, or you’re booking a domestic economy flight where transfer partners don’t offer much value. You can also book hotels, rental cars, and holiday packages all in one place, so you only have to go to one place to plan your whole trip.
You can use the portal to make bookings that you can get your money back on or to earn elite status credits with flights and hotels, which you don’t get with award bookings.
Combine Points with Pay Yourself Back Options
Through their Pay Yourself Back feature, Chase sometimes raises the values of points that can be redeemed for statement credits on certain types of purchases. This can be a good choice when you don’t want to drive, but availability may vary.
During special times, you may get 1.25 or even 1.5 cents for every point you earn on things like restaurants, petrol stations and business costs. This gets you cash back at a higher rate without having to deal with booking travel.
Keep an eye on your Chase account for these chances, as they can change every three months and are a great deal if you don’t plan to travel or are focused on work expenses instead of vacations.
Strategic Point Pooling with Personal Cards
Combining your Ink Business Premier points with personal Chase cards like the Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Preferred is a plan that is often missed. It’s easy to transfer points between your personal and work cards, so you have a choice of how to use them.
This is especially helpful if you have a Sapphire Reserve, since it gives you 1.5 cents per point through the travel site while the Ink only gives you 1.25 cents. Transfer bonuses may be available on your personal cards but not on your business cards. You can also use these bonuses.
Conclusion
When you use your Chase Ink Business Premier points in a smart way, they have a lot of value. It’s important to make sure that the way you redeem your points fits your goals, whether you’re moving to airline partners for dream trips, booking high-end hotels through Hyatt, or using the flexibility of the portal. You can make every point work harder for your business and personal travel needs if you know these five tricks.
