Originally Posted by
roundtree
^
Certainly seems to be the intended plan from Chase. The 1.5x redemption rate for the CSR does raise the floor for UR point value, but I always try to view what I can get via transfers first. Got a much better deal for Andaz Fifth Ave in NY via Hyatt award redemption than via paying with points.
Almost without a doubt, transfer to partners generates value much higher than the "purchasing power" of the points themselves. While Hyatt and UA are the most obvious, KE is an often overlooked partner.