Chase’s New Points Boost Feature Is a Game-Changer for Travel Redemptions
With recent updates to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, it’s been a bit overwhelming to digest all the changes and understand their full impact. But now that the dust has settled, one new feature stands out — and I’m officially hooked.
Introducing Points Boost
Chase has rolled out a new feature called Points Boost, which enhances the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards® points when booking travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal. Depending on your card, you can now get up to 2 cents per point — a significant jump from the previous maximum of 1.5 cents per point with the Sapphire Reserve and 1.25 cents with the Sapphire Preferred.
Here’s how it works:
– Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Up to 2 cents per point on select hotels and flights.
– Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Up to 1.75 cents per point on select flights and 1.5 cents on hotels.
This feature isn’t available on every booking, but when it is, the value can be substantial. You can even filter your search results in the Chase Travel portal to show only Points Boost-eligible options.
Real-World Examples That Show the Value
1. Disneyland Hotels: 17,000 Chase Points vs. 57,000 Marriott Points
Planning a family trip to Disneyland? Hotels near the park can be pricey in points, especially Marriott properties, which often cost 50,000–80,000 Bonvoy points per night. However, I found several Anaheim hotels eligible for Points Boost, including the Fairfield Anaheim Resort — just a short walk from Disneyland.
– Marriott Bonvoy rate: 53,000 points per night
– Chase Travel with Points Boost: Just over 17,000 points
That’s a massive savings and a much better use of your Chase points than transferring them to Marriott.
2. 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, Kauai: Luxury for 60,000 Points
One of my all-time favorite hotels, the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay in Hawaii, is now bookable through Chase Travel with Points Boost. Rooms that typically go for $1,000+ per night can now be booked for around 60,000 Chase points. Even better, it’s part of Chase’s The Edit collection, which includes perks like:
– Free breakfast
– Late checkout
– $100 property credit
3. The Edit Hotels from 15,000–20,000 Points Per Night
Not all The Edit hotels are ultra-luxury. Some offer excellent value at lower price points. For example:
– JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek: 27,000 Chase points with Points Boost vs. 74,000 Marriott points
– Bellagio Las Vegas: Under 16,000 Chase points per night with Points Boost
Both properties include The Edit perks, making these redemptions even more valuable.
Pro Tip: Always compare the cash price of a hotel before booking with points. Points Boost is tied to the cash rate, so if the cash price is low, your points go further.
Bottom Line
Points Boost is a game-changer for Chase cardholders. It opens up new opportunities to maximize your points — especially for midrange to upscale hotels that weren’t always great redemptions in the past. If you’re planning a trip, it’s now essential to check the Chase Travel portal before transferring points elsewhere.
Ready to take advantage of Points Boost? Here are two cards currently offering elevated welcome bonuses:
– Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel promo credit after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. (See rates and fees)
– Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠: Earn 200,000 bonus points after spending $30,000 in the first 6 months. (See rates and fees)
With Points Boost, your Chase points just got a serious upgrade.
Source: thepointsguy.com