Chase credit cards (2026)
Chase is the most popular credit card issuer for award travel in 2026. Their Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) flexible points program transfers to 14 airline and hotel partners — including Hyatt at 1:1 (the only US bank with this), Virgin Atlantic, United, and Iberia.
Points program: Chase Ultimate Rewards · Realistic value: 1.5-2.5¢ per point (transfer to airline partners)
Strengths
- Hyatt 1:1 transfer (best per-point hotel value in points)
- 14 transfer partners with broad coverage
- Sapphire Preferred is the #1 starter card for award travel
- Sapphire Reserve has $300 travel credit + Priority Pass
- Chase Travel portal with 5× UR earning
- 5/24 rule strict but predictable
Weaknesses
- 5/24 rule limits subsequent applications
- Premium card annual fees ($550 for Reserve)
- Less generous SUB on lower-tier cards vs competitors
Chase cards
Transfer partners
- United (1:1)
- Virgin Atlantic (1:1)
- British Airways (1:1)
- Iberia (1:1)
- Aer Lingus (1:1)
- Air France/KLM (1:1)
- Singapore Airlines (1:1)
- Hyatt (1:1)
- Marriott (1:1)
- IHG (1:1)
- Southwest (1:1)
- JetBlue (1:1)
- Aer Lingus (1:1)
- Emirates (1:1)
Best uses for Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Iberia 34K Avios off-peak business class US East-Madrid
- Hyatt Park Hyatt Tokyo (25K Hyatt/night)
- Virgin Atlantic for ANA First (110K RT) + Delta One (50K)
- United Polaris US-Europe (60-77K saver)
- Singapore Suites (95K KrisFlyer)
FAQ
What is Chase 5/24?
Chase's policy of denying credit card applications when the applicant has 5+ personal cards opened across any issuer in the past 24 months. AU cards count; business cards usually don't.
Which Chase card should I get first?
Chase Sapphire Preferred for most travelers. $95 fee, 60-80K UR sign-up bonus, broad transfer partner access. Best starter award travel card.
Related guides
Search award availability
Use AwardLocker to find premium cabin redemptions accessible via Chase Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers.
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