Chase Ultimate Rewards points set an excellent foundation for rewarding travelers’ portfolios.
Like other transferable loyalty currencies, high-priced rewards can be redeemed through airlines and hotel transfer partners for these key points.
As with any transferable point program, an important aspect of using Chase Ultimate Rewards Points is knowing the time it takes to transfer them to any partner you want to use. The long transfer time makes planning and booking awards more difficult, especially in limited circumstances. American Express membership rewards offer some instant transfers, while Citi Thanks for your reward transfers can take up to a week.
This is what you can expect from the transmission time of the point you chase.
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Chase the Ultimate Reward Transfer Time
We have invited many TPG teammates to determine how long it takes to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to a partner.
We have collected data points and over the past few months employees have transferred their points to their respective personal airline and hotel partner accounts. Then, we tracked how long they were around. Here is what we found:
The ultimate reward was immediately transferred to 13 partners in 14 programs and we never waited more than two days to appear in any program. In most cases, any applicable transfer bonus will be released immediately, although TPG credit card writer Danyal Ahmed does have to wait a few hours before reaching his Aeroplan bonus in December 2024.
Of course, these transfer times represent our experience and should not be considered difficult rules. However, others reported similar schedules when transferring points from Chase Ultimate Rewards.
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Your transfer may be faster or slower – especially if you are your first transfer or you recently signed up with a loyalty program – but you can use it as a guide when planning your trip.
Related: Chase the Ultimate Reward Sweet Position: From International Business Class to Domestic Travel
Things to consider before transferring the final reward
While these results set a high standard for any transferable point plan, there are some risks that reward availability may change while waiting for points to appear in your account. Transfers are irreversible in most cases, so if the flight or hotel room you are relying on disappears, you may be bothered by thousands of points.
Recently, TPG credit card writer Danyal Ahmed transferred points to Aeroplan to book Turkish Airlines prize tickets online, but kept receiving errors during the payment process.
A quick call to Aeroplan identified a disconnect between their system and Turkish Airlines, so because the availability of the Phantom is showing their error, Aeroplan proposed a turnaround shift.
Even if the Ultimate Reward Points are transferred almost immediately, consider the following tips to help you avoid the situation where reward availability disappears while waiting for the points to be transferred.
- Make sure the name on your Chase credit card matches the name in your loyalty program account.
- If the program allows, please put the reward booking on hold before transferring points.
- Select a flight with multiple available reward seats. This is helpful if someone has before your point of view or mileage comes up. You can do a search for three or four passengers at once, which should give you an idea of how many seats are open.
- There is a backup plan. If your original itinerary is Kaput, because the availability is already dry, consider other options (or multiple options) so that you can still book when points arrive.
If your original flight disappears, don’t panic. Remember that the availability of rewards changes frequently and can increase significantly as your departure date approaches. Check regularly and be prepared to take quick action when the seat is open.
Related: Travel in 2025? These 12 apps and websites make rewards easier to find
Can you transfer your final reward to someone else’s account?
Chase allows you to freely transfer points in your account. You can even convert cash returns earned by cards like Chase FreedomFlex® or Chase for Freedom® (See Rates and Fees) Transfer to transferable final reward points, but you need a final reward card to qualify for this transfer option.
Chase Freedom Flex information has been collected independently by Goint Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
You can also transfer points to another Ultimate Rewards account that belongs to your spouse or family member. If you have a business card like this Ink Business First Choice® Credit Card (See Interest Rates and Fees) You can transfer points to a final reward account that is a co-owner of the company.
How to get the ultimate reward points for chasing
If you want to offer an enhancement to your final reward account, there are currently three chase cards that offer generous rewards and a considerable welcome bonus:
Remember that Chase enforces the 5/24 rule, which means that if you have opened five (or more) cards at any bank in the last 24 months, you may not get Chase approval.
*Promotional travel credit is only available for one-time use and if you apply promotional credit to transactions under $500, you will lose your remaining balance.
Bottom line
Transferring the Ultimate Reward Points to airlines and hotel partners is often the best way to get the most value from your point of view.
Whether you want to book cheap domestic tickets through Southwest Airlines or a top-notch star league adventure, this program can help you get there. The ratio of points for almost all transfer partners to almost all transfer partners is transferred immediately, and almost all travelers are worth it.
Related: The best way to use Chase 5/24 slots
