Best Way to Use Chase Ultimate Rewards Points for Flights

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are among the most flexible in the market. They work in two fundamentally different ways: you can book travel directly through Chase's portal at a fixed rate, or transfer them to airline programs and book award flights at rates that can far exceed the portal's value. The right path depends on your destination, the available award space, and how much complexity you're willing to manage.

This guide covers both options, ranks the airline transfer partners by usefulness for flights, and explains how to execute a transfer correctly.

Two Ways to Redeem

Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be used for flights in two distinct ways, each with different mechanics and different value ceilings.

Option 1: Chase Travel Portal

The Chase Travel portal functions like an online travel agency. You search for flights, select one, and pay with your points at a fixed rate. No partner programs involved, no award space to hunt, no transfer required. The rate depends on your card:

The portal books any seat available on the airline — not just award seats. If a flight shows up in a commercial search, it's bookable through the portal. This makes it reliable and simple, but the fixed rate caps your upside.

Option 2: Transfer to Airline Partners

Transferring points to an airline program and booking an award flight through that program can return 2–5× more value per point than the portal. The trade-off is complexity: you need to find available award space in the partner program, understand that program's award chart or pricing, and transfer points before space disappears.

Portal vs. Transfer: Which Is Better?

The portal is the right choice when simplicity matters more than maximum value, when you're booking economy on a domestic route, or when the flight you want doesn't have award availability in any partner program.

Transfers are the right choice when you're booking premium cabin seats (business or first class) internationally, when a partner program has a clear pricing advantage over the portal, or when the value difference is large enough to justify the extra steps.

Chase Airline Transfer Partners

Chase currently partners with 10 airline loyalty programs. All transfer at a 1:1 ratio — 1,000 Chase points become 1,000 miles in the partner program. There are no partial transfers; most programs require transfers in 1,000-point increments.

Best Partners for Flights

Aeroplan — Best Overall

Air Canada's Aeroplan program is the most versatile of Chase's airline partners for flights. It books across the entire Star Alliance network — over 40 airlines — with no fuel surcharges on most partner awards. Pricing is distance-based with a short-haul focus and competitive transatlantic rates. Because Aeroplan, United, and Singapore Airlines all belong to Star Alliance, you can price check award availability across all three programs before deciding which currency to use for the same flight.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer — Best for Specific Routes

Singapore KrisFlyer pricing is distance-based and offers some compelling rates for specific routes. Economy from the US mainland to Hawaii prices at 20,500 KrisFlyer miles — competitive with United on the same routes. Economy from the US to Europe runs 32,500 miles. KrisFlyer also provides access to Singapore Airlines' own premium cabins, which are consistently ranked among the best in aviation.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club — Best for Premium Cabin Value

Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club program holds some of the most well-known award sweet spots in the points world. It can be used to book Delta One business class on transatlantic routes at rates significantly below what Delta charges through its own SkyMiles program. It also provides access to ANA business and first class to Japan at strong rates. The program prices by zone rather than distance, which benefits long-haul premium bookings considerably.

United MileagePlus — Best for Domestic US

For straightforward domestic US award travel, United MileagePlus is the most accessible option for most Chase cardholders. Short domestic routes start at 5,000 MileagePlus miles. United also serves as a Star Alliance hub, so MileagePlus miles can book flights on partner airlines like Lufthansa, ANA, and Air Canada when Aeroplan space isn't available.

Air France / KLM Flying Blue — Best for Monthly Deals

Flying Blue runs monthly Promo Rewards, which temporarily reduce the miles required for specific routes by up to 50%. These promotions are announced each month and can make transatlantic and intra-Europe flights significantly cheaper than normal pricing. If your travel dates are flexible, checking Flying Blue's current promo awards before transferring is worth doing.

Southwest Rapid Rewards — Best for Domestic Simplicity

Southwest's Rapid Rewards program prices awards based on the cash cost of the ticket — more expensive cash fares cost more points, cheaper fares cost fewer. The value is consistently around 1.3–1.4 cents per point, which is close to but slightly above the Sapphire Preferred's 1.25 cpp portal rate. The main advantage is flexibility: Southwest allows free changes and cancellations, and points are redeposited at no charge if you cancel.

How to Transfer Points

Transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to an airline partner takes a few minutes and follows the same process regardless of which partner you choose.

Step 1: Find Award Space First

Before touching your Chase account, log into the airline program's website and search for the award you want. Confirm the flight, the class of service, and the number of miles required. Have the booking page open and ready.

Step 2: Initiate the Transfer

Log into your Chase account and navigate to Ultimate Rewards. Select "Transfer to Travel Partners" and choose your airline program. Enter the number of points to transfer — most programs require increments of 1,000. Confirm the transfer. Points typically arrive in the partner account within minutes.

Step 3: Book the Award Immediately

Return to the airline program's website and complete the award booking before the space disappears. Award availability can change between when you find it and when your transfer completes. This is why confirming space first — before initiating the transfer — is critical.

Mistakes to Avoid

Transferring Before Confirming Award Space

The most common and costly mistake. Award seats — especially in business and first class — are limited and can disappear between the time you find them and the time your transfer completes. Always confirm the space exists and is still available before sending points to the airline program.

Using the Portal for Premium International Flights

Booking a business class flight through the Chase portal at 1.25 or 1.5 cpp when a transfer to Virgin Atlantic or Aeroplan could return 4–5 cpp is leaving significant value on the table. For any international premium cabin booking, run the transfer math before defaulting to the portal.

Transferring to the Wrong Star Alliance Partner

Aeroplan, United, and Singapore Airlines all fly the same Star Alliance network. The same flight may price differently across all three programs. Transferring to United when Aeroplan prices the same route at half the miles is an avoidable mistake. Compare all three before committing.

Letting Points Expire in Airline Accounts

Most airline loyalty programs have activity requirements to keep miles from expiring. If you transfer Chase points to an airline program and don't use them within the program's activity window, they may expire. Keep points in Chase Ultimate Rewards until you have a specific booking in mind.

Redeeming at Poor Value on the Portal

The portal is a good tool for the right situations, but redeeming 10,000 points for a $100 domestic flight when a transfer could yield $200–$300 in value from the same points is a loss. Know your baseline (1.25 or 1.5 cpp on the portal) and compare it against what transfers could return before booking.

Frequently Asked Questions