Maximize Your Points by Pairing a Chase Freedom Card with a Chase Sapphire Card

Chase credit cards are incredibly popular, partly because Chase points are both valuable and versatile.

Thanks to the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, Chase points can be used for travel, merchandise, statement credits, and more. The availability of Chase transfer partners who will let you book award travel with your Ultimate Rewards also increases their flexibility even further. And when strategically redeemed, Chase points can be some of the most valuable of any card rewards.

If you’re serious about getting the most bang for your buck from Chase’s rewards program, though, combining more than one Chase card can be beneficial. That’s because some Chase cards make it easier to earn rewards while others have better redemption programs that elevate the worth of those rewards points.

The good news is that it’s possible to transfer Chase points from one card to another. For most people, the two of the best travel credit cards that make the most sense are one of the Chase Freedom cards and one of the Chase Sapphire cards. This guide will explain why pairing a Chase Freedom card with a Chase Sapphire card can help you earn the maximum possible rewards and redeem them in the smartest possible way.

Why combine Chase Freedom and Sapphire points?

To understand why you should pair a Chase Freedom with a Chase Sapphire card, it helps to look at what these credit cards have to offer.

There are three Chase Freedom cards: the Chase Freedom Flex℠, the Chase Freedom Unlimited^®, and the Chase Freedom. The Chase Freedom is no longer available for new cardmembers, but it can be useful if you already have one.

• The Chase Freedom Flex has a $0 annual fee and offers 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories you activate (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service); and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• The Chase Freedom Unlimited has a $0 annual fee. With this card, you can earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• The Chase Freedom also has a $0. This card offers 5% cash back in rotating bonus categories (up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter) and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

All three of these cards give you the chance to earn great rewards. But these generous cashback rewards actually become even more valuable when you also have a card that offers generous redemption options — such as one of the Chase Sapphire cards. 

The two Sapphire options are the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® and Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card.

• The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee, but it provides a $300 statement credit for travel purchases. You also get a 50% rewards bonus when you redeem points for travel through Chase Travel℠; points can also transfer to hotel and loyalty programs at a 1:1 value.
  
  When you use your card, you earn 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases.
• The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee. It also provides a 1:1 points transfer to travel partner programs, including a dozen airline and hotel travel partners. Plus, you get a 25% rewards bonus when you redeem points for travel through Chase Travel℠, as well as a $50 annual credit on hotel stays purchased through the Chase portal.
  
  As for rewards, you earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.

Read our full Chase Sapphire Reserve review and Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

Since rewards can be transferred among Chase cards, you can take that cash back you earn on a Chase Freedom card, transfer it to a Chase Sapphire card, and then redeem it using Chase Ultimate Rewards. Each $1 of cash back you earn is worth 100 Ultimate Rewards points with this specific transfer. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are generally valued at 1.5 cents each (or potentially more) if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

How to use a Chase Freedom and Chase Sapphire together

To better understand how pairing a Chase Freedom with a Chase Sapphire card can allow you to earn amazing returns for everyday spending, consider what would happen if you had a Chase Sapphire Reserve and a Chase Freedom Unlimited card.

You could use your Chase Sapphire Reserve for all restaurant and travel spending, earning three points per dollar. If you spend $5,000 per year on travel, you’d get your $300 statement credit right away on the Sapphire Reserve, bringing your actual spending down to $4,700 per year. You’d earn your three points per dollar on that amount, leaving you with 14,100 points.

You could then make all your other purchases with your Chase Freedom Unlimited, allowing you to earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. If you spent $20,000 in non-bonus categories during your first year, this would give you $300 cash back — or you could transfer your rewards to your Sapphire Reserve at a rate of 100 points per dollar, or 30,000 Ultimate Rewards points.

At this point, you’d have 44,100 Ultimate Rewards points to spend. If you transfer to your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, points are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel℠, which would mean your 44,100 points would be worth about $662 in free travel. When transferred to partner travel programs, points can be worth as much as two cents each, potentially giving you the equivalent of $882 in free travel.

Now you’d have as much as $882 in free travel for $25,000 in spending — which is around a 3.5% rate of return on the charges you made on your Chase card. Combining the two cards essentially allowed you to double the value of the cash back you earned and get stronger returns on your spending.

How to transfer Chase Freedom points to a Sapphire Card

Transferring Chase Freedom points to a Chase Sapphire card is very easy. You simply need to:

• Log into the Chase Ultimate Rewards website and select “Combine Points” from the menu
• Review the list of credit cards that currently have transferable points and choose your Chase Freedom card
• Select the Chase Sapphire card as the account you want to transfer your points to
• Specify the number of points you want to transfer; your options include transferring all your points or choosing a specific amount
• Review your transaction and select “Confirm & Submit”

Points transfer instantly and you can use them to redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards or transfer them to a travel partner of your choosing.

FAQs about combining Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Bottom line

Many credit cards can't beat the return on your spending that you can get by pairing Chase Freedom and Reserve cards.

Transferring your points happens instantaneously, so there’s no stress involved when converting your cashback rewards into valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards. All you have to do is sign up for your chosen Chase cards to get started.

Great for Flexible Travel Rewards

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

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Current Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$95

Rewards Rate

5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 25% more value when redeeming rewards for travel through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary point bonus each year
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠
• Premium travel protection benefits

Drawbacks

• Has annual fee

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• 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.
• Member FDIC