Chase points are a currency you earn on purchases and can trade for travel, cash back, or merchandise
When you use a Chase credit card, you earn points on most purchases. The exact rate depends on which card you hold — some cards earn 1 point per dollar spent, others earn 3 or 5 points per dollar on specific categories like groceries or gas. These points sit in your account and don't expire as long as your account stays open and in good standing.
Points have real value, but that value changes depending on how you use them. A point might be worth 1 cent if you redeem it for cash back, or it might be worth 1.5 cents if you use it to book a flight through Chase's travel portal. The same point could be worth even more if you transfer it to a Chase travel partner like United Airlines or Hyatt Hotels, though that requires more planning on your part.
You don't have to do anything special to earn points — they accumulate automatically as you spend. But you do have to take action to use them, and the path you choose affects how much value you actually get.
Key Takeaways
- Chase points accumulate automatically on purchases and don't expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing.
- You can redeem points for cash back, travel bookings through Chase's portal, or transfers to airline and hotel partners.
- The value of each point varies by redemption method — cash back typically pays the least, while strategic transfers to partners can pay the most.
- Different Chase cards earn points at different rates, and some cards earn bonus points in specific spending categories.
- Points are tied to your account, not your card, so you keep them even if you request a replacement card.
How to check your current points balance
Log into your Chase account online or open the Chase mobile app. Your points balance appears on your account dashboard, usually labeled as "Ultimate Rewards" or the specific program name for your card. You can also call the customer service number on the back of your card and ask a representative to read your balance to you.
Your balance updates within one to three business days after a purchase posts to your account. Pending transactions don't count toward your points total yet. If you're tracking points for a specific goal, check your balance after transactions have posted, not while they're still pending.
Redeeming points for cash back
Cash back is the simplest redemption option. Log into your account, find the rewards section, and select "Redeem for cash." Chase typically lets you redeem in increments of 1,000 points, which equals $10 in cash back. The cash appears as a statement credit within one to two billing cycles.
Cash back redemption gives you the lowest value per point — usually 1 cent per point. If you have 50,000 points and redeem them all for cash back, you get $500. That same 50,000 points might be worth $600 or $750 if you used them differently, which is why many cardholders save their points for travel or transfers instead.
Cash back is useful if you want the simplest path, if you don't travel frequently, or if you're close to your redemption goal and want to finish quickly. There's no wrong choice — it depends on your situation.
Booking travel through Chase's rewards portal
Chase operates a travel portal where you can book flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises using your points. Log into your account, go to the rewards section, and select "Book travel." You'll see available options with prices listed in points rather than dollars.
Points used through the portal are typically worth 1.25 to 1.5 cents each, depending on what you book. A flight that costs $500 might cost 33,000 points through the portal, which works out to 1.5 cents per point. You can also mix points and cash on the same booking if you don't have enough points to cover the full cost.
The portal includes most major airlines and hotel chains, but not every option available on those companies' own websites. If you find a better price booking directly with the airline or hotel, you can do that instead — there's no penalty for not using your points. The portal is useful when the point value is competitive, not as a requirement.
Transferring points to airline and hotel partners
Chase lets you transfer points to dozens of travel partners, including United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott Bonvoy, and others. Transfers happen when ready and are permanent — you can't transfer points back once they leave your Chase account.
Partner transfers often give you the highest value per point, but they require more planning. You need to know which airline or hotel you want to visit, understand that airline's award chart or the hotel's point requirements, and calculate whether the transfer makes sense. For example, if you need 50,000 United miles for a flight that would cost 40,000 points through Chase's portal, the transfer isn't worth it. But if that same flight costs 60,000 points through the portal, transferring to United at a 1:1 ratio saves you points.
Partner transfers work best if you travel to the same destinations repeatedly or have a specific trip in mind. If you travel rarely or to different places each time, the portal or cash back might be simpler.
Understanding point earning rates and bonus categories
Chase credit cards earn points at different base rates. Some cards earn 1 point per dollar on all purchases. Others earn 1.5 or 2 points per dollar on everything. Many cards also offer bonus earning rates in specific categories — for example, 3 points per dollar on dining, 2 points per dollar on travel, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
The bonus categories vary by card. Before you use a card, check which categories earn the higher rate. If your card earns 3 points per dollar on groceries, you'll accumulate points faster by using that card at the grocery store than at a gas station where it might only earn 1 point per dollar.
Some cards also offer sign-up bonuses — for example, 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months. These bonuses are one-time offers that appear when you first open the account. The bonus points are real points with the same value as points you earn through spending, and they count toward your total balance when ready.
What happens to your points if you close your account
If you close a Chase credit card, you keep your points as long as you have at least one other Chase credit card open. The points stay in your Ultimate Rewards account and you can continue to redeem them. However, if you close all of your Chase credit cards, your points expire and you lose them.
If you're thinking about closing a card, check your points balance first and decide whether to redeem them before the account closes. You can also transfer points to a travel partner before closing the account — those transferred points won't disappear. Once you close all your Chase cards, there's no way to recover expired points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Chase points expire?
Points don't expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. If you close all your Chase credit cards, your points expire and you lose them. Points also expire if your account is inactive for an extended period, though Chase typically sends notices before this happens.
Can I transfer points between my Chase cards?
Yes. If you have multiple Chase credit cards, all your points combine in one Ultimate Rewards account. You can redeem points from any of your cards, and the balance is shared across all of them.
What's the difference between points and miles?
Chase uses "points" as the general term for its rewards currency. When you transfer those points to an airline partner like United, they become "miles" in that airline's program. The terms are often used interchangeably, but technically points are your Chase balance and miles are what you have after transferring to a partner.
Can I use points to pay my credit card bill?
You can redeem points as a statement credit, which reduces your bill. This is different from using points to pay the balance directly — the credit appears on your next statement and lowers what you owe. You still need to make your regular payment.
Are there limits on how many points I can earn?
Chase doesn't set a maximum on total points you can accumulate. You can earn and hold as many points as your spending allows. However, some cards have limits on bonus categories — for example, a card might only earn bonus points on the first $20,000 spent in a category per year, then earn the base rate after that.