In the world of travel rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are the golden ticket to unforgettable journeys. Whether you are dreaming of a first-class flight across the Atlantic, a serene getaway in a tropical paradise, or a family vacation to Hawaii, these points can help make it happen. But how do you earn them efficiently and quickly?

The secret lies in the right credit cards, designed to maximize your earning potential while offering a suite of benefits tailored to savvy travelers. With the right credit card,  you can turn your everyday purchases into extraordinary travel adventures. From hefty sign-up bonuses to lucrative earning rates and exclusive travel perks, these cards are your passport to a world of possibilities.

Before You Apply: Know Your Credit Score

If you are new to travel rewards and credit in general, it is a good idea to check your credit score before applying for a credit or charge card. That way, you will be able to apply for travel rewards cards which align with both your credit score and your travel goals.

Credit. Time. Credit Score Chart.

Credit Scores are shown numerically and range from 300 (Poor) to 850 (Excellent / Perfect). While there are a number of credit agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) and credit scores (FICO and VantageScore), generally, scores above 750 are considered excellent*. While some agencies charge for a credit report, there are a number of “free” options as well:

• Personal Bank
• Credit Karma
• Annual Credit Report

Related: Credit Scores 101: Everything You Need to Know

The Best Credit Cards For Chase Ultimate Rewards – Personal

Here is a quick overview of the best personal travel rewards cards earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which includes a summary of card details, reward rates, benefits, and more.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular travel rewards credit cards on the market and has long been the standard as one of the best travel rewards cards for beginners. The value of the card comes from the ability to earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, a relatively low annual fee, and a host of benefits. In addition, cardholders can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 1.25 cents when booking travel through Chase Travel℠ or transfer the points to one of the many airline and hotel transfer partners.

Credit. The Points Guy. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

Credit Card Details

• Intro Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Annual Fee: $95
• APR: 21.49% – 28.49% Variable
• Recommended Credit: 670-850 (Good / Excellent)*

Reward Rates

• 5x on Travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 5x on Lyft purchases (through March 31st, 2025)
• 3x on Dining, select Streaming Services, and Online Groceries
• 2x on All Other Travel purchases
• 1x on All Other purchases

Other Benefits

• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠
• Premium travel protection benefits including trip cancellation insurance, primary car rental insurance, and lost luggage insurance
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best premium travel rewards cards on the market. The value of the card comes from the ability to earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, a generous travel credit, and a host of other impressive benefits (i.e. lounge access and travel protection). In addition, cardholders can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 1.50 cents when booking travel through the Chase Travel portal or transfer the points to one of the many airline and hotel transfer partners. 

Credit. The Points Guy. Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Credit Card Details

• Intro Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Annual Fee: $550
• APR: 22.49% – 29.49% Variable
• Recommended Credit: 740-850 (Excellent)*

Reward Rates

• 10x on Hotels and Car Rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠
• 5x on Flights when you purchase through Chase Travel℠
• 3x on Other Travel and Dining
• 1x on All Other purchases

Other Benefits

• Get 50% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Premium travel protection benefits including trip cancellation insurance, primary car rental insurance, and lost luggage insurance

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is perfect for beginners and more seasoned travel rewards experts looking to supplement their credit card portfolio. With no annual fee and a simple earning structure, earning a minimum of 1.5% back on non-bonus spend (up to $20,000 spent in the first year), the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a surprisingly useful travel rewards card. However, the true value of this card is unlocked when paired with a card that earns premium Chase Ultimate Rewards points such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. When paired, you can connect your cash back rewards into fully transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. 

Credit. The Points Guy. Chase Freedom Unlimited®.

Credit Card Details

• Intro Offer: Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year)
• Annual Fee: $0
• APR: 20.49% – 29.24% Variable
• Recommended Credit: 670-850 (Good / Excellent)*

Reward Rates

• 5.0% Cash back on Travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 3.0% Cash back on Drugstores
• 3.0% Cash back when dining at Restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service)
• 1.5% Cash back on All Other purchases

Other Benefits

• No minimum to redeem for cash back
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%
• Access to Chase Credit Journey

The Chase Freedom Flex® is one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. This value lies in the high earning rates across a wide variety of categories, quarterly bonus earnings on specific spending categories, and no annual fee. However, similar to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, the true value of this card is unlocked when paired with a card that earns premium Chase Ultimate Rewards points such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. When paired, you can connect your cash back rewards into fully transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. 

Credit. The Points Guy. Chase Freedom Flex®.

Credit Card Details

• Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• Annual Fee: $0
• APR: 20.49% – 29.24% Variable
• Recommended Credit: 670-850 (Good / Excellent)*

Reward Rates

• 5.0% Cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter
  • Manual quarterly activation required
  • Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter
• 5.0% Cash back on Travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 3.0% Cash back on Drugstores
• 3.0% Cash back when dining at Restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service)
• 1.0% Cash back on All Other purchases

Other Benefits

• No minimum to redeem for cash back
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%
• Access to Chase Credit Journey

The Best Credit Cards For Chase Ultimate Rewards – Business

Here is a quick overview of the best business travel rewards cards earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which includes a summary of card details, reward rates, benefits, and more.

The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is an excellent all-around business credit card. The value of the card comes from the ability to earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, a high intro offer, a low annual fee, and four business-relevant bonus categories (travel, shipping, advertising, and telecommunications). In addition, cardholders can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 1.25 cents when booking travel through the Chase Travel portal or transfer the points to one of the many airline and hotel transfer partners. 

Credit. The Points Guy. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.

Credit Card Details

• Intro Offer: Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Annual Fee: $95
• APR: 21.24% – 26.24% Variable
• Recommended Credit: 670-850 (Good / Excellent)*

Reward Rates

• 3x on Travel and Select Business Categories ($150,000 limit per year)
• 1x on All Other purchases

Other Benefits

• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card [Elevated Offer]

The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is perfect for those starting their business as well as more seasoned business veterans looking to supplement their credit card portfolio. With no annual fee, and a simple earning structure, earning a minimum of 1.5% cash back on all purchases, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card is an extremely useful travel rewards card. However, the true value of this card is unlocked when paired with a card that earns premium Chase Ultimate Rewards points such as the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. This card also pairs with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®. When paired, you can convert your cash back rewards into fully transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. 

Credit. The Points Guy. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card.

Credit Card Details

• Intro Offer: Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Annual Fee: $0
• APR: 18.49% – 24.49% Variable
• Recommended Credit: 670-850 (Good / Excellent)*

Reward Rates

• 1.5% Cash back on all purchases

Other Benefits

• Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Travel℠
• 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
• Add employee cards for free

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is a great card for businesses with hefty spend at office supply stores. With no annual fee and high earning potential (up to 5% cash back), the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is a valuable business travel rewards card. However, the true value of this card is unlocked when paired with a card that earns premium Chase Ultimate Rewards points such as the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. This card also pairs with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®. When paired, you can convert your cash back rewards into fully transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. 

Credit. The Points Guy. Ink Business Cash Credit Card.

Credit Card Details

• Intro Offer: Earn up to $750 cash back: $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months after account opening
• Annual Fee: $0
• APR: 18.49% – 24.49% Variable
• Recommended Credit: 670-850 (Good / Excellent)*

Reward Rates

• 5.0% Cash back on purchases at Office Supply Stores and on Internet, Cable and Phone Services (up to $25,000 each account anniversary year)
• 2.0% Cash back on purchases at Gas Stations and Restaurants each account anniversary year (up to $25,000 each account anniversary year)
• 1.0% Cash back on all purchases

Other Benefits

• Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Travel℠
• 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
• Earn up to a 10% Business Relationship Bonus if you have the Ink Business Cash card plus a Chase Business Checking account on your first card anniversary

The right credit card can be your gateway to a world filled with travel opportunities and luxurious experiences. Chase Ultimate Rewards points offer unparalleled flexibility and value, whether you are booking flights, hotels, or unique experiences. By choosing the cards that align with your spending habits and travel aspirations, you can accelerate your points earning and unlock a myriad of rewards. From substantial sign-up bonuses to generous points multipliers on everyday purchases, these credit cards empower you to make every dollar spent work harder for you. As you consider which card best suits your needs, keep in mind your personal travel goals and the additional card benefits and perks. Bon voyage!