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Just to clarify - real means the premium cards like CSP or Ink plus. Yes?
Yes. There are two types of Ultimate Reward points. The points you earn with Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Ink Plus, or Chase Ink Bold can be transferred to airline frequent flyer and hotel frequent stay programs, in addition be being used to buy merchandise at the Ultimate Rewards Mall, book tickets on the Chase website, or redeemed for cash back.
The regular Chase Sapphire card, Chase Freedom, and the other versions of the Chase Ink card earn Ultimate Rewards points that cannot be directly transferred to airline or hotel programs. But you CAN transfer those Ultimate Rewards points to the account of one of the cards that DOES earn transferable points, and that magically transforms the points into transferable ones which can then be sent on to the airline or hotel program.
I don't have an Ink card, since I don't have a business, but I do have Chase Freedom and Chase Sapphire Preferred. I periodically transfer the points I earn with the Freedom card to my CSP account, where they become "real" Ultimate Rewards points I can then transfer to airlines. If I ever do get an Ink Bold or Ink Plus card, I could downgrade to the no annual fee Chase Sapphire and then transfer the points from both Freedom and Sapphire to the Ink card's account. The key is to always have one of the cards that generated "real" Ultimate Rewards points on hand at all times if you want to use your points as frequent flyer miles.
I have the AMex cashback preferred that gives 6% back on groceries. This is what I was referring to as cashback. I don't think there is an option other than anything but to get cashback.
Last year American Express opened up a new set of cards, American Express Everyday Preferred (annual fee) and Everyday (no fee), which generate Membership Rewards points with bonused spend on groceries and gas, with an additional bigger bonus if you meet a minimum number of swipes per month. If you're thinking about collecting Membership Rewards points, one of those cards is what I'd recommend for your wife.
only if there was a card that I could use on amazon to get some chase UR points!
Chase Freedom generally has Amazon as a 5x category for three months out of the year. Chase Ink cards have office supply stores as a permanent 5x category, and those stores sell Amazon gift cards. And on the American Express Membership Rewards side of things, grocery stores are one of the bonus spend categories, and grocery stores sell Amazon gift cards as well. So you can easily get additional bonus points (either Ultimate Rewards or Membership Rewards) for your Amazon purchases just buy using the right cards.