Originally Posted by
Geordie405
Can you not take a statement credit with your Chase points and then book directly with AA? I had booked AA flights using Thank You points from my Citi card but unbeknownst to me at least one of the bookings was a BT fare (even though it booked into I class), and AA refused no matter what to take over the tickets. I spent literally hours on the phone trying to resolve itinerary changes etc. In hindsight I should have taken the statement credit instead, and then just booked with AA in the normal manner.
On Chase's two highest level core cards, the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve, there is a multiplier to points used for travel through the Chase booking engine, which I believe is powered by Expedia once again. If taking a statement credit points are worth one cent each, through the portal it's 1.25 (Preferred) or 1.50 (Reserve) cents per point.