Feb 8, 2017, 9:00 am
Last edit by: mia
This thread covers how to use Ultimate Reward Points for booking all types of travel via the Ultimate Rewards portal.
1) How do I book a ticket? Choose my airfare class?
Login to ultimaterewards.com
Click: Use points > Explore and Book Travel
Click the button that defaults to [1 Traveler, All]
Change "Class" (the first entry in the pull-down) from All to Business
Click: Close
2) How far in advance can I book?
In mid-November 2017 it was reported that airline reservations are available only 270 days in advance. Read HERE.
3) How do I book hotels?
Follow the steps above to log on. There are standard looking search engines offered for airfare, hotel, etc at that point.
4) How do I get the better redemption rate offered on some Chase cards?
The upper left corner of the UR page will show you which card you are logged in with. If you hold a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you will be shown a better price on points bookings, as a 1.5 redemption rate is offered as one of the benefits of this card. If you log in to the UR portal from a different UR card, such as the Ink, you will not be offered this rate.
5) Where else can I find information?
This thread is a consolidated resource which covers topics including:
Fare buckets, here
Price differences between open market air fares and UR bookings, here
Selecting seat classes
Using cash and points to pay for tickets
and more.
The previous discussion, through 2016, can be found here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase...ly-2015-a.html
1) How do I book a ticket? Choose my airfare class?
Login to ultimaterewards.com
Click: Use points > Explore and Book Travel
Click the button that defaults to [1 Traveler, All]
Change "Class" (the first entry in the pull-down) from All to Business
Click: Close
2) How far in advance can I book?
In mid-November 2017 it was reported that airline reservations are available only 270 days in advance. Read HERE.
3) How do I book hotels?
Follow the steps above to log on. There are standard looking search engines offered for airfare, hotel, etc at that point.
4) How do I get the better redemption rate offered on some Chase cards?
The upper left corner of the UR page will show you which card you are logged in with. If you hold a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you will be shown a better price on points bookings, as a 1.5 redemption rate is offered as one of the benefits of this card. If you log in to the UR portal from a different UR card, such as the Ink, you will not be offered this rate.
5) Where else can I find information?
This thread is a consolidated resource which covers topics including:
Fare buckets, here
Price differences between open market air fares and UR bookings, here
Selecting seat classes
Using cash and points to pay for tickets
and more.
The previous discussion, through 2016, can be found here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase...ly-2015-a.html
Booking Flights, Rooms, Cars, etc. w/ Ultimate Rewards Points, 2014-2017
Jun 28, 2017, 6:18 pm
#256
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,089
Looking to book FS hotel in Seattle using points.
Quoted a price and then it says the following:
Taxes and Fees
$167.46
Other Local Taxes and Resort Fees may be collected directly by the hotel.
I know these taxes and fees will be converted to points but are these taxes and fees separate from the Hotel fees/taxes? FS advises its approx. 15%....so it would be another $65/night....on top of above?
Thanks for clarification
Quoted a price and then it says the following:
Taxes and Fees
$167.46
Other Local Taxes and Resort Fees may be collected directly by the hotel.
I know these taxes and fees will be converted to points but are these taxes and fees separate from the Hotel fees/taxes? FS advises its approx. 15%....so it would be another $65/night....on top of above?
Thanks for clarification
Jun 29, 2017, 1:23 pm
#257
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SEA
Posts: 311
Sharing using UR
I used UR points several times now. Here's the most recent:
3 nights at Renaissance Tower Zurich, Executive suite room, w breakfast.
Cost is barely exceeding 60K UR points total, with very little added taxes per night - I think 7.5 CHF total ... ?
Regular Marriott redemption is 30K per nights. The Marriott member rate for Executive suite is 509 CHF per night last time I checked. Quite happy with the hotel,the amount of points needed and what we get at the property.
3 nights at Renaissance Tower Zurich, Executive suite room, w breakfast.
Cost is barely exceeding 60K UR points total, with very little added taxes per night - I think 7.5 CHF total ... ?
Regular Marriott redemption is 30K per nights. The Marriott member rate for Executive suite is 509 CHF per night last time I checked. Quite happy with the hotel,the amount of points needed and what we get at the property.
Jul 6, 2017, 7:58 am
#258
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: PHL
Posts: 226
Using UR points at National Park lodge
I was researching the UR portal for a trip to Jackson Hole/Grand Teton/Yellowstone for a trip we are planning in late September, and ran across something interesting. If you look at the operator's web site there is no availability for the time frame I'm looking at (9/25-10-1). There is availability the following week @ the $500/night rack rate. The Chase UR portal, however, shows cabins for $716/night or 47739 UR points (meals included.)
Where is this inventory coming from? Has anyone else noticed a similar scenario elsewhere?
Where is this inventory coming from? Has anyone else noticed a similar scenario elsewhere?
Jul 6, 2017, 8:04 am
#259
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,905
I don't know how it works but others have reported finding availability on the portal that can't normally be found. Maybe there is some reserve set aside by the property via contract?
Jul 6, 2017, 8:17 am
#260
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: PHL
Posts: 226
It must be something along those lines, kind of like when Ticketmaster reserves inventory for brokers via contract. I believe when I redeemed UR points for a Kimpton property it showed up as a Priceline purchase at the front desk.
Jul 6, 2017, 10:32 am
#261
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: PHL
Posts: 226
I know others have reported frustrating issues with the UR portal, but this discrepancy is beyond the pale...
Jul 7, 2017, 5:21 pm
#262
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: AAdvantage EXPLAT, Hilton Diamond, SPG/Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Citi Exec MC, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,443
Chase CSR Travel reps clueless
I seem to always get Chase CSR travel reps who don't seem to know what they're doing. I remember calling in to ask about how much it would cost to change my ticket by a few days and the trip put me on hold to "research" it and 30 minutes later came back and said "change fee plus fare difference", without quoting any numbers. I was like "...??? DUH!!!" I then asked what the amounts were and the agent spent another 10 minutes and found the change fee was $100 and neglected to mention what the fare difference was. I then had to push back and ask what the fare difference was when they finally told me.
Next time, I need to make a booking on a multi city ticket with a stopover and the airline's website gave me a quote of $1500 in Premium Economy from Vancouver to SIngapore but I wanted to use my UR points and the Chase portal couldn't seem to come up with the schedule I wanted. I called in and told the agent the exact flight numbers. The agent came back 20 minutes later and quoted me "$8000 USD". And then he said he had to put me in full Y on two of the segments, I told him to try again, and after many attempts, I guess he realized what he did wrong and it came out to $1500.
I then call back a few days later to ask for my ticket number as it's nowhere and Cathay Pacific requires that number to edit some things in my res. The agent has no clue what a ticket number is and tells me to call the airline. I then ask her if she's looking at my booking in a GDS and she said she was. I then told her to look for a 13 digit number but she claimed she didn't have access to it. Finally, I tell her to look for a 13 digit number starting with a 160, and she looks again and she goes: "Ohhh, I had no idea what that thing was!!!"
it just seems like the competence of the folks manning the chase travel desks is just not high at all and I wish I could do more by simply interacting with the website. It seems like every time I need to teach the agent how to do things.
Next time, I need to make a booking on a multi city ticket with a stopover and the airline's website gave me a quote of $1500 in Premium Economy from Vancouver to SIngapore but I wanted to use my UR points and the Chase portal couldn't seem to come up with the schedule I wanted. I called in and told the agent the exact flight numbers. The agent came back 20 minutes later and quoted me "$8000 USD". And then he said he had to put me in full Y on two of the segments, I told him to try again, and after many attempts, I guess he realized what he did wrong and it came out to $1500.
I then call back a few days later to ask for my ticket number as it's nowhere and Cathay Pacific requires that number to edit some things in my res. The agent has no clue what a ticket number is and tells me to call the airline. I then ask her if she's looking at my booking in a GDS and she said she was. I then told her to look for a 13 digit number but she claimed she didn't have access to it. Finally, I tell her to look for a 13 digit number starting with a 160, and she looks again and she goes: "Ohhh, I had no idea what that thing was!!!"
it just seems like the competence of the folks manning the chase travel desks is just not high at all and I wish I could do more by simply interacting with the website. It seems like every time I need to teach the agent how to do things.
Jul 8, 2017, 10:28 am
#263
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
These are not Chase employees. They work for Connexions. Provide Chase with feedback when you cancel your Reserve card, and perhaps they will come to recognize that choosing the lowest cost providers is not the best approach to this product category.
Jul 8, 2017, 1:18 pm
#264
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: Chase Freedom
Posts: 1
Who have the same problem?
"Upon review of this transaction, it cannot be processed with the information provided. Please validate the information and try again. If you’re still experiencing problems, contact the number on the back of your card."
"Upon review of this transaction, it cannot be processed with the information provided. Please validate the information and try again. If you’re still experiencing problems, contact the number on the back of your card."
Jul 9, 2017, 9:17 pm
#265
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 14
Is booking travel via Chase Travel Portal cheaper?
Hello,
I have about 266k ultimate reward points. I was wondering what would be the best way to redeem them? Is booking via the travel portal cheaper (with the the 20% discount) than finding flights or hotels via websites like kayak.com? Or is there a way to find flights + hotels via kayak.com and then apply my points to the purchase giving me a discount?
I have about 266k ultimate reward points. I was wondering what would be the best way to redeem them? Is booking via the travel portal cheaper (with the the 20% discount) than finding flights or hotels via websites like kayak.com? Or is there a way to find flights + hotels via kayak.com and then apply my points to the purchase giving me a discount?
Jul 9, 2017, 9:40 pm
#266
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 576
it typically is if you use a CSR to redeem points compared to other sites like expedia...
the better redemption would be to a partner though, like hyatt, united, marriott, etc.
the better redemption would be to a partner though, like hyatt, united, marriott, etc.
Jul 9, 2017, 10:19 pm
#267
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: DEN
Programs: Hilton Diamond Hyatt Globalist Marriott Gold AA EXP
Posts: 1,019
Probably so, though it depends on what ticket/room you are going for. I booked a J class BCN-IAH on Lufthansa 747 upper deck on the TATL leg for 70K points (with an overnight stopover in FRA). This ticket probably would run $4,000 one way thru the portal if you could even book it, which would require 266K CSR points if purchased thru the portal.
Jul 10, 2017, 2:42 am
#268
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
Redeeming for others here?
Seriously, people have to stop asking this kind of question.
No. They work differently.
Statement credit??
Seriously, people have to stop asking this kind of question.
Statement credit??
Jul 10, 2017, 6:27 am
#269
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 384
You need to shop around and compare for your specific fares and stays. The best value going to depend on those specifics and you can't just assume that one will always be the best deal. Don't overlook transferring to UR partners.
No, points can be used in the travel portal and transferred to partners. 3rd party sites are entirely separate.
No, points can be used in the travel portal and transferred to partners. 3rd party sites are entirely separate.
Jul 10, 2017, 6:40 am
#270
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
There is no discount. The points have a fixed value of $0.01 each when redeemed for a statement credit or giftcards. They have a fixed value of $0.0125 or $0.015 when redeemed to purchase travel through Chase's portal (operated by Connexions). This tells us that redeeming for travel may be better value than a statement credit, but it tells us nothing about the prices charged by the portal compared to other sites, nor anything about the value when transferring to an airline or hotel program.