mspreh

Long wait times, terrible website portal. Only gives you a very limited number of flights to choose from. Signed up for the Reserve Card for the 3x on meals, and the 50% redemption bonus for travel. The travel sight is so bad, I can hardly ever book a flight on it, unless I want to fly Delta in basic economy (which I never want to do that).

Calling in, very rare to wait less than 20 minutes to talk to someone that doesn't know how to book a different fare without asking. The headaches are more than the rewards. Think I'm going to switch back to the Amex Platinum card, I never had any issues, and could easily book whatever I wanted through their website, and the travel agents actually know what you are talking about if you call them.

United747

Really? What routes are you looking at? I've never had a problem finding the exact flight I want, besides B6, WN, etc who have to be booked over the phone.

Yumi2378

I've never booked a hotel before until now, so this might be a really simple question. I booked my hotels for my trip through Chase Ultimate Rewards Portal and paid in full. When I arrive at the hotel, will they already have received the payment or should I expect to be charged and chase pays them after? How does this work?

kpfleming

The hotel will be paid directly, but you will probably be asked for a credit card to cover any incidental charges during your stay.

Appleman

I'll give one example of being disappointed with the Chase UR Portal:
I have a bunch of points on Wells Fargo, and they buy airfare (but not other travel) at 1.75.

Recently, I booked CLT-JFK-LHR Delta via codeshare Virgin Atlantic) returning CDG-JFK-CLT Delta codeshare via Air France) - On the Wells Fargo site it offered steerage, Business Class, First Class and Premium Economy. It found these great premium economy fares via Virgin Atlantic and Air France at the cash equivalent of $990 each.
When I checked the Chase UR site, I could book steerage, Business Class, and First Class, but the Premium Economy is not an option, and it does not show the codeshares. I could book these flights as one way fares on the Virgin Atlantic and Air France sites respectively at a cost of $2500 a ticket, so the Wells Fargo Points saved me $3000 - or in fact - since I would not have paid that much, they saved me from steerage.
I was disappointed that Chase did not offer the same selection of flights - especially since I am no longer using the Wells Fargo card and have switched over to the CSR for now.

On the other hand, the Chase UR portal had great prices for NYC hotels, and even had availability at hotels that were sold out on other websites. For example, I could get into the Hilton at Grand Central through Chase when Hilton itself showed no availability.

mspreh

Very few of the flight options show for DL and AA out of MSP. This latest example I was wanting to book MSP to KEF. All that will come up on their site is the basic Economy for DL on the dates I wanted. For $10 more I could get a U fare. The basic economy doesn't allow you to pick a seat until check in, and is not upgrade eligible to Comfort Plus, nor F on DL. For $10 a person I'd be crazy not to want a fare that isn't basic E. So I waited on the phone for 39 minutes, then it took another 22 minutes to book the flight, because he had to do it manually in the system and had to ask his supervisor to make sure it was all correct.

I've run into this on 2 other occasions as well. MSP to MCO (traveling for a wedding (difference in airfare was $4 per ticket).

Then I ran into it for MSP to SAN, however by the time the phone agent picked up and looked up the flights the last 2 seats were gone, and they were $10 more each as well. On DL's website is where I saw the price differences, and the availability of the flight in the flight class I want. This time it said 2 seats remaining, but they didn't last 15 minutes, let alone the 30 I would have needed so I didn't book them.

Traveling from MSP to OGG (I'm going for work, having my wife join me). Couldn't get the flights on DL to come up going from MSP to SEA to OGG on 3/18/17, nor the return from OGG to LAX to MSP and be on the same flights. Go to Amex or DL's websites and I find them with ease.

The travel interface is just outright poor compared to any other I use for work or pleasure.

pallhedge

I agree. Having basic economy as the only Delta economy fare that you can book online is unacceptable. United and AA to follow.

love2snorkel

I love the Sapphire reserve card and was ready to use some of my points. I booked a hotel for March and now have complications.
1.I may need change my trip due to non-elective surgery, but don't have the surgical date yet.
2.Today I noticed the hotel price had dropped.

I phoned to change the reservation to one requiring fewer points.
Apparently, being a newbie, I had booked a non-refundable room. I would never intentionally book a non-refundable room...ever, on any site. I thought all rooms on the Chase UR site were refundable and didn't notice.
I spoke with two different people and no luck.
Now I'll be reluctant to use the site again.
Suggestions?

mia

Non-refundable rates are the norm on Chase's site:

I wouldn't be reluctant to use the site again if I realized I had not understood how it works. I would read more carefully and use it when it suited my future requirements.

If your surgery does end up conflicting with your trip, see if the Trip Cancellation insurance provided with your Sapphire card will offset any of the expenses. Discussion here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase...-comments.html

nk1402

Has anyone had any luck booking multi-city flights to South America on the UR portal? I've been trying for a few days to book LAX-GRU-WAS for a trip in September, and no matter which departure flight I select, I get the message "One of the flights you selected is currently unable to be booked". I've tried changing the dates etc, but no luck. If I do a simple return trip it seems to work, but that's not what I want.

United747

Are two one-way flights the same price? Or have you tried calling?

nk1402

No, the one-way flights are basically as expensive as a return flight. Tried calling once but it took so long to get through that I gave up- I'll try calling again today.

boniam

Does anybody know if you get rental insurance benefit if you use ultimate reward points to book and pay car rental.

Str8shooter

I called about this today and was told that whether you use points or the Reserve credit card to book, the benefits are the same. Insurance is supposed to be included. I would think the points would have to be from an Ultimate Rewards card account that includes the insurance though (Like the Reserve). If someone has any other information, please let us know.

el aye

When you book airfare through the UR portal and it gives errors when trying to select seats, in general will the airline (in this case Air Canada) allow you to pick seats through them if you provide the reservation number? It doesn't automatically show up under my bookings through the Air Canada site.