Mar 30, 2018, 8:02 am
Last edit by: 747FC
This thread covers how to use Ultimate Reward points for booking all types of travel via the Ultimate Rewards portal.
In 2018 Chase changed the outsourced booking portal operator from Connexions to Expedia. Posts from January to mid-October 2018 have been archived to a separate thread. Those posts discussed the portal as operated by Connexions, -and- the transition process to Expedia.
There is another thread to discuss booking by transferring to airline of hotel programs: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chas...tc-2017-a.html
Pay special attention to booking via Chase UR/Expedia with regard to rewards and benefits. Chase UR + Expedia is considered OTA (Online Travel Agency). Travelers purchase or pre-pay travel with the OTA and is subject to the T&C from the OTA. In general, travelers receive miles rewards on flights, but do not receive night credit on hotel stays. Also, in general, travelers lose the airline or hotel status and do not receive the associated benefits (free breakfast, room upgrade etc).
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.
3.5) How to book cruises?
Chase outsources this to a travel agency specializing in cruises. (I believe they are available solely by telephone.) Agents there can book cruises for you using your URs for payments from initial deposit to final payment. It's also possible to transfer an existing cruise booking to that travel agency. That agency can then make payments (full or partial). However, to transfer a booking, there are some constraints to be aware of. A) The booking and deposit has to be made directly with the cruise line. If you use another agency, you're out of luck. B) The cruise lines limit the window when you can transfer a booking from their control to an agency's. It closes as early as 30 days after initial deposit up to final deposit due date (typically 75-120 prior to sail date) depending on the particular cruise line's rules (which are subject to change).
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 or JPMR 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.
4.5) How do Refunds Work?
When cancelling a booking (and a refund is due), points will be added back to your UR balance and dollars will be refunded to the credit card account used.
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 2017, can be found here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chas...14-2017-a.html
In 2018 Chase changed the outsourced booking portal operator from Connexions to Expedia. Posts from January to mid-October 2018 have been archived to a separate thread. Those posts discussed the portal as operated by Connexions, -and- the transition process to Expedia.
There is another thread to discuss booking by transferring to airline of hotel programs: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chas...tc-2017-a.html
Pay special attention to booking via Chase UR/Expedia with regard to rewards and benefits. Chase UR + Expedia is considered OTA (Online Travel Agency). Travelers purchase or pre-pay travel with the OTA and is subject to the T&C from the OTA. In general, travelers receive miles rewards on flights, but do not receive night credit on hotel stays. Also, in general, travelers lose the airline or hotel status and do not receive the associated benefits (free breakfast, room upgrade etc).
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.
3.5) How to book cruises?
Chase outsources this to a travel agency specializing in cruises. (I believe they are available solely by telephone.) Agents there can book cruises for you using your URs for payments from initial deposit to final payment. It's also possible to transfer an existing cruise booking to that travel agency. That agency can then make payments (full or partial). However, to transfer a booking, there are some constraints to be aware of. A) The booking and deposit has to be made directly with the cruise line. If you use another agency, you're out of luck. B) The cruise lines limit the window when you can transfer a booking from their control to an agency's. It closes as early as 30 days after initial deposit up to final deposit due date (typically 75-120 prior to sail date) depending on the particular cruise line's rules (which are subject to change).
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 or JPMR 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.
4.5) How do Refunds Work?
When cancelling a booking (and a refund is due), points will be added back to your UR balance and dollars will be refunded to the credit card account used.
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 2017, can be found here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chas...14-2017-a.html
Booking Flights, Rooms, Cars, Cruises, Activities through Chase/Expedia portal.
Aug 18, 2019, 5:40 am
#481
Join Date: May 2019
Location: RTW
Programs: Delta PM, AA PlatPro
Posts: 406
When traveling internationally, these things happen all the time. Additional fees, taxes etc.
Resort fees, city taxes, etc etc etc.
It doesn't bother me in the least. Just part of traveling.
I got my value from my points, it saved you the exact amount you expected in this case.
Now, you paid additional fees, but, you still saved the money you expected - so I'd never bother complaining here.
Resort fees, city taxes, etc etc etc.
It doesn't bother me in the least. Just part of traveling.
I got my value from my points, it saved you the exact amount you expected in this case.
Now, you paid additional fees, but, you still saved the money you expected - so I'd never bother complaining here.
Aug 18, 2019, 10:41 am
#482
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 70
When traveling internationally, these things happen all the time. Additional fees, taxes etc.
Resort fees, city taxes, etc etc etc.
It doesn't bother me in the least. Just part of traveling.
I got my value from my points, it saved you the exact amount you expected in this case.
Now, you paid additional fees, but, you still saved the money you expected - so I'd never bother complaining here.
Resort fees, city taxes, etc etc etc.
It doesn't bother me in the least. Just part of traveling.
I got my value from my points, it saved you the exact amount you expected in this case.
Now, you paid additional fees, but, you still saved the money you expected - so I'd never bother complaining here.
I'm just one data point, but I wouldn't brush off the issue so quickly. Chase Travel Center presents Hotel and Car Rental bookings as a total cost with all taxes and fees included. They do not present a breakdown of what taxes and fees are included in the rate. I thought I was comparing Apples to Apples when comparing Chase Travel Center to booking directly through Avis.
As it stands now, I don't know if I paid that fee twice since Chase Travel Center refuses to send me a breakdown of what taxes/fees they paid on my behalf.
Aug 18, 2019, 2:48 pm
#483
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,767
The website could very well make a mistake in calculating the TOTAL taxes.
Let me give you 2 examples with Avis and Enterprise, in 2 different countries - when both reservations were made on their official websites, with the words of "total taxes and fees are included" or similar - yet, at the pick up spots - both local locations said the prices were wrong.
1) Avis at Jo'burg South Africa - the agent told me just the VAT alone would be over 10% when the Avis reservation showed a tax of only $8 or so equivalent when the rental itself was over $200. I believe her because I had doubt on the $8 taxes being way way too low from previous rental experiences. The basic rate though, in local currency, matched exactly what Avis site shown - but the taxes calculation was way wrong - something were either omitted or the currency translation was miscalculated.
2) Enterprise at Adana Turkey - the Enterprise agents kept telling me something was wrong with the reservaiton confirmation and they had to call Istanbul to clarify somethings... We kept waiting and waiting, after 30 min we decided to walk over to the Avis counter just next to them - the Avis agent took a look of the reservation, flat out told me the price was wrong, that no one would be able to rent you a car at that total price - it seemed Enterprise US website completely forgot to include some serious tax items in the final total...
What I try to tell you is, taxes and fees very often are misquoted by the US rental car companies websites - Chase / UR is no different, for it only is a conduit, picked up information from whichever the rental car company shows, but in reality it is an erroneous quote. What Chase could do, is to eat the undercharge, so to make you happy - but Chase UR may not have the obligation to, though often do - in certain cases with skillful negotiation back and forth - there are enough examples in this forum and in the Booking Travel thread.
It is NOT uncommon that the final rental car cost is different from what you see on the reservation. That is the unfortunate reality. How to handle it is anybody's own decision,
Let me give you 2 examples with Avis and Enterprise, in 2 different countries - when both reservations were made on their official websites, with the words of "total taxes and fees are included" or similar - yet, at the pick up spots - both local locations said the prices were wrong.
1) Avis at Jo'burg South Africa - the agent told me just the VAT alone would be over 10% when the Avis reservation showed a tax of only $8 or so equivalent when the rental itself was over $200. I believe her because I had doubt on the $8 taxes being way way too low from previous rental experiences. The basic rate though, in local currency, matched exactly what Avis site shown - but the taxes calculation was way wrong - something were either omitted or the currency translation was miscalculated.
2) Enterprise at Adana Turkey - the Enterprise agents kept telling me something was wrong with the reservaiton confirmation and they had to call Istanbul to clarify somethings... We kept waiting and waiting, after 30 min we decided to walk over to the Avis counter just next to them - the Avis agent took a look of the reservation, flat out told me the price was wrong, that no one would be able to rent you a car at that total price - it seemed Enterprise US website completely forgot to include some serious tax items in the final total...
What I try to tell you is, taxes and fees very often are misquoted by the US rental car companies websites - Chase / UR is no different, for it only is a conduit, picked up information from whichever the rental car company shows, but in reality it is an erroneous quote. What Chase could do, is to eat the undercharge, so to make you happy - but Chase UR may not have the obligation to, though often do - in certain cases with skillful negotiation back and forth - there are enough examples in this forum and in the Booking Travel thread.
It is NOT uncommon that the final rental car cost is different from what you see on the reservation. That is the unfortunate reality. How to handle it is anybody's own decision,
Aug 18, 2019, 2:55 pm
#484
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Very confusing OP.
It is entirely unclear that OP filed a formal dispute through the process set forth on his monthly statement. That is entirely from Chase Travel Center. While the statute requires that the dispute be filed in writing and via mail, Chase honors online disputes and provides the form.
Would be helpful if OP would make clear whether he is simply arguing with CTC or whether he has initiated a dispute (which he could do with any merchant vendor).
It is entirely unclear that OP filed a formal dispute through the process set forth on his monthly statement. That is entirely from Chase Travel Center. While the statute requires that the dispute be filed in writing and via mail, Chase honors online disputes and provides the form.
Would be helpful if OP would make clear whether he is simply arguing with CTC or whether he has initiated a dispute (which he could do with any merchant vendor).
Aug 18, 2019, 9:18 pm
#485
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 70
Very confusing OP.
It is entirely unclear that OP filed a formal dispute through the process set forth on his monthly statement. That is entirely from Chase Travel Center. While the statute requires that the dispute be filed in writing and via mail, Chase honors online disputes and provides the form.
Would be helpful if OP would make clear whether he is simply arguing with CTC or whether he has initiated a dispute (which he could do with any merchant vendor).
It is entirely unclear that OP filed a formal dispute through the process set forth on his monthly statement. That is entirely from Chase Travel Center. While the statute requires that the dispute be filed in writing and via mail, Chase honors online disputes and provides the form.
Would be helpful if OP would make clear whether he is simply arguing with CTC or whether he has initiated a dispute (which he could do with any merchant vendor).
First couple calls from Chase regarding the dispute seemed to focus on the fact that it was a chip based transaction, they were also confused by the fact that the prepaid amount is paid to "Chase Travel" and the second charge was paid to "Avis Rent A Car Tocumen".
The last Chase rep that reached out to me was based in the US and definitely understood the situation. She refused to reach out to Chase Travel Center, only Avis Panama (which the correct dept. was an endless hold).
I was able to get through to Chase Travel Center, but the first tier reps that answer can't verify what was paid for. Waited almost an hour one time for a supervisor before giving up. Without any documentation from Chase Travel Center, really difficult to prove if I was double charged.
I'm not looking for help as it has already wasted too much of my time for $48. Just wanted to give others a heads up should they end up in my situation thinking your car/hotel is prepaid based on Chase's statement "The total price includes all mandatory taxes and fees." and you swipe your CSR thinking you can just dispute it later. Also, Chase Travel Center's toll free number is useless when travelling internationally since you can't call it (at least I couldn't). I imagine a savvier FT member with more time on their hands may possibly get farther than I.
Aug 18, 2019, 9:37 pm
#486
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Highland PArk,IL,USA -- AA Lifetime Platinum, IHG Plat, UA Silver, Hilton Gold, Radisson Gold, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,366
UR Points cruise benefits
Hi
I have citi Prestige and in my opinion it has been gutted. I had it for AA Admirals club but kept it for primary card rental. etc. I also have Amex Platinum so Priority Pass is redundant. Actually Sept 22 they are removing everything expected in a premium travel card. (But flyertalkers know that fact).
I've been doing some research and it seems Ultimate Rewards might be a great option. Primary Car Rental and $300 travel seem to offset different AF between two flavors.
Now my question...
My 11 year old son and I have decided to start and do a few cruises. Doing our forth, in Italy, by end of year and looking at fifth next summer.
Amex has a really great program of $200 OBC for balcony and special perks like soda package for kid, etc. on one line. It seems I can get $750 (sign up bonus) statement credit using UR Points plus maybe $300 credit in 2019 for say a deposit and $300 credit in 2020 for final payment. My son has been to around 40 countries and I've been to 70. Maybe some here would think I'm a little nuts but we really seem to enjoy cruising over using miles or tickets to visit parts of world.
I've been trying to read here and seems some people have issues with cruise pricing but I feel if I do research, talk to human with explicit cruise information and they will get same price. I also read all about different sites with different prices but that has not been my experience. I do believe, like Amex, some large cruise booking TA can give OBC or something. But all is all same price.
So does UR cruise phone support have any specials / perks / benefits (Such as Amex) they have that are cruise line specific? Is my assumption in my first year would I be able to effectively use $300 (2019), $300 (2020) and $750 UR rewards?
I have citi Prestige and in my opinion it has been gutted. I had it for AA Admirals club but kept it for primary card rental. etc. I also have Amex Platinum so Priority Pass is redundant. Actually Sept 22 they are removing everything expected in a premium travel card. (But flyertalkers know that fact).
I've been doing some research and it seems Ultimate Rewards might be a great option. Primary Car Rental and $300 travel seem to offset different AF between two flavors.
Now my question...
My 11 year old son and I have decided to start and do a few cruises. Doing our forth, in Italy, by end of year and looking at fifth next summer.
Amex has a really great program of $200 OBC for balcony and special perks like soda package for kid, etc. on one line. It seems I can get $750 (sign up bonus) statement credit using UR Points plus maybe $300 credit in 2019 for say a deposit and $300 credit in 2020 for final payment. My son has been to around 40 countries and I've been to 70. Maybe some here would think I'm a little nuts but we really seem to enjoy cruising over using miles or tickets to visit parts of world.
I've been trying to read here and seems some people have issues with cruise pricing but I feel if I do research, talk to human with explicit cruise information and they will get same price. I also read all about different sites with different prices but that has not been my experience. I do believe, like Amex, some large cruise booking TA can give OBC or something. But all is all same price.
So does UR cruise phone support have any specials / perks / benefits (Such as Amex) they have that are cruise line specific? Is my assumption in my first year would I be able to effectively use $300 (2019), $300 (2020) and $750 UR rewards?
Aug 19, 2019, 12:33 pm
#487
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,767
You can call the 1-800 if you use Skype. Otherwise ALL 1-800 number outside US and Canada are worthless, not just Chase.
Might as well to bring up another phone number related matter - the Collect Number on the back of your card when you need it from overseas - can only work on a LANDLINE, and not any VoIP set up. Very Very Few reps / customers know about this at all. I believe I learn this from Schwab's rep. These days many hotels phone systems are set up as VoIP therefore it is not workable for those "Collect Call" numbers. I had this miserable experience of being pickpocketed at Rome Termini station. Can't use the Call Collect number whether with a Pay Phone or at Hilton FCO. At the end it was Hilton FCO front desk used their phone there to contact Chase for me. Since then, if I have to alert banks about stolen cards, I use SMs - works everytime whenever the financial institutions have SM function - unfortunately some banks do away with SM (AMEX and Citi come to mind). So customers are now back to square one.
Might as well to bring up another phone number related matter - the Collect Number on the back of your card when you need it from overseas - can only work on a LANDLINE, and not any VoIP set up. Very Very Few reps / customers know about this at all. I believe I learn this from Schwab's rep. These days many hotels phone systems are set up as VoIP therefore it is not workable for those "Collect Call" numbers. I had this miserable experience of being pickpocketed at Rome Termini station. Can't use the Call Collect number whether with a Pay Phone or at Hilton FCO. At the end it was Hilton FCO front desk used their phone there to contact Chase for me. Since then, if I have to alert banks about stolen cards, I use SMs - works everytime whenever the financial institutions have SM function - unfortunately some banks do away with SM (AMEX and Citi come to mind). So customers are now back to square one.
Aug 19, 2019, 6:49 pm
#488
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Highland PArk,IL,USA -- AA Lifetime Platinum, IHG Plat, UA Silver, Hilton Gold, Radisson Gold, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,366
HI again,
Weird how no one had info on this but after doing research I might just use Amex benefit and if I go with UR card pay for stuff in cruise planner. Does anyone know if cruise planner spend posts as travel?
Weird how no one had info on this but after doing research I might just use Amex benefit and if I go with UR card pay for stuff in cruise planner. Does anyone know if cruise planner spend posts as travel?
Aug 20, 2019, 1:33 am
#489
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ATL
Posts: 802
I would suggest www.cruisecompete.com
Always found better net pricing than using Amex Platinum cruise benefits.
Always found better net pricing than using Amex Platinum cruise benefits.
Aug 20, 2019, 2:38 am
#490
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
Keep in mind - AMEX's cruise benefit is INDEPENDENT from its travel credit, as 1) they are separate benefits; and 2) AMEX travel credit can be used on airlines only. Also - the benefits can be triggered only if you book directly with PTS/CTS.
Aug 20, 2019, 6:21 am
#491
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 2,877
I've found that all sorts of companies offer something to entice you to book the more expensive cruises with them. The cheaper ones I tend to book, no one has given me anything extra. I book mine through UR and get the same prices I would through the line. No extra or no less. Although my last one took a little extra legwork. I have a bunch of UR points that I have little to no use for most hotels and airlines. It's nice to be able to take a cruise with no out of pocket expenses, and covered by insurance.
Aug 20, 2019, 7:46 pm
#492
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Highland PArk,IL,USA -- AA Lifetime Platinum, IHG Plat, UA Silver, Hilton Gold, Radisson Gold, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,366
HI, thanks.
After researching it appears entire cruise has to be bought with Amex for OBC. You can use any TA that can go to Amex website and plug in a few codes to get OBC and maybe a free champagne add on. Royal has another add on of kids soda and Johnny Rockets that does require to use Amex agent.
UR agent cannot plug in codes.
I think I've stumbled onto a really knowledgeable gal that works for one of larger cruise booking lines. We talked for over an hour and I think her value add on would be worth losing Soda (if we do Royal). I think I'll still get Sapphire (450 one) and get $600 for airfare or even I can pay for things through Cruise line web app.... If I do not see a value I can always downgrade but honestly to me with $300 making it only $150 and other one is $95 we're not talking a ton different.
I wish FT had a better Cruise section, maybe even a thread where people see deals. I tried to read cruisecritic and those people are quite rude.
After researching it appears entire cruise has to be bought with Amex for OBC. You can use any TA that can go to Amex website and plug in a few codes to get OBC and maybe a free champagne add on. Royal has another add on of kids soda and Johnny Rockets that does require to use Amex agent.
UR agent cannot plug in codes.
I think I've stumbled onto a really knowledgeable gal that works for one of larger cruise booking lines. We talked for over an hour and I think her value add on would be worth losing Soda (if we do Royal). I think I'll still get Sapphire (450 one) and get $600 for airfare or even I can pay for things through Cruise line web app.... If I do not see a value I can always downgrade but honestly to me with $300 making it only $150 and other one is $95 we're not talking a ton different.
I wish FT had a better Cruise section, maybe even a thread where people see deals. I tried to read cruisecritic and those people are quite rude.
Aug 21, 2019, 1:55 pm
#493
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,767
I would suggest www.cruisecompete.com
Always found better net pricing than using Amex Platinum cruise benefits.
Always found better net pricing than using Amex Platinum cruise benefits.
Cruise Industry remains a very fragmented business area that independent agents still handle a big chunk of businesses.
While many are very accustom in booking airline tickets and lodgings online, for booking cruises, the handling often still is better dealing with a place where you get some real human support or better yet, an independent volume agent.
I've found that all sorts of companies offer something to entice you to book the more expensive cruises with them. The cheaper ones I tend to book, no one has given me anything extra. I book mine through UR and get the same prices I would through the line. No extra or no less. Although my last one took a little extra legwork. I have a bunch of UR points that I have little to no use for most hotels and airlines. It's nice to be able to take a cruise with no out of pocket expenses, and covered by insurance.
The UR benefits in booking Travel, do require the cardholder to do some hard calculation in order to pin point the real saving or any saving at all, just like the AMEX Plat benefits.
Aug 22, 2019, 10:51 am
#494
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DTW
Programs: Alaska, Delta, Southwest
Posts: 1,663
As an aside, I understand cruises with UR points can’t be booked online... are the phone reps specifically for cruises, or are they the standard Expedia agents?
Aug 22, 2019, 11:24 am
#495
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
Moderator observation
