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 Posts from January to mid-October 2018 have been archived to a separate thread.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.
Oct 15, 2021, 8:26 am
#841
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 5,001
What Am I Missing?
I've been trying to book some flights this last week and thought I'd try the travel portal in the interest of earning extra points. Every fare that I'm finding is more expensive than the the carrier's website, often hundreds more on first class tix. The hotel search engine is better, but I can still find cheaper prices elsewhere.
Why would anyone use this site to book travel unless you're using points?
Why would anyone use this site to book travel unless you're using points?
Oct 16, 2021, 8:47 am
#842
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,786
I've been trying to book some flights this last week and thought I'd try the travel portal in the interest of earning extra points. Every fare that I'm finding is more expensive than the the carrier's website, often hundreds more on first class tix. The hotel search engine is better, but I can still find cheaper prices elsewhere.
Why would anyone use this site to book travel unless you're using points?
Why would anyone use this site to book travel unless you're using points?
Oct 16, 2021, 8:55 pm
#843
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: PDX, OGG or between the two
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 2,868
Yeah, I think Chase really hit it out of the park (for their shareholders that is) in terms of promising something that looks good and delivering nothing. All these "10X points" things sound great but seem to be pretty useless in practice.
Oct 16, 2021, 10:17 pm
#844
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
1- would never book any hotel since any res not booked with the chain = no pts or benefits. However if there isnt a hotel with a program Im with, then i could see booking with my pts
2- Car Rentals NO WAY since my CC isnt being used = no CDW coverage
3- Airline tkts, I did back in '19 but after the way Chase treated everyone with tkts that couldnt be used due to Covid and the Carrir eve CXing the light,NO WAY
End result is to transfer my UR pts to the programs themselves Airlines/Hotels
2- Car Rentals NO WAY since my CC isnt being used = no CDW coverage
3- Airline tkts, I did back in '19 but after the way Chase treated everyone with tkts that couldnt be used due to Covid and the Carrir eve CXing the light,NO WAY
End result is to transfer my UR pts to the programs themselves Airlines/Hotels
Oct 17, 2021, 7:29 am
#845
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 81
I have booked air & hotels through the Chase portal and never had a problem with getting my number added to my reservation. You just have to ask the hotel or airline when you check in, YMMV.
Oct 17, 2021, 8:05 am
#846
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
While you can add your hotel number at check-in, most hotel programs do not provide rewards or benefits to online travel agency (consolidator) bookings. There is some inconsistency because most hotel are franchised, and the operator may choose to provides benefits when not required, but if you book through a credit card portal you cannot plan on it.
Airlines do provide rewards and benefits, because the economics of their relationship with agencies is fundamentally different.
Airlines do provide rewards and benefits, because the economics of their relationship with agencies is fundamentally different.
Oct 17, 2021, 9:11 am
#847
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
While you can add your hotel number at check-in, most hotel programs do not provide rewards or benefits to online travel agency (consolidator) bookings. There is some inconsistency because most hotel are franchised, and the operator may choose to provides benefits when not required, but if you book through a credit card portal you cannot plan on it.
Airlines do provide rewards and benefits, because the economics of their relationship with agencies is fundamentally different.
Airlines do provide rewards and benefits, because the economics of their relationship with agencies is fundamentally different.
Oct 17, 2021, 9:36 am
#848
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
The airline will handle day-of-travel changes directly. You may need to deal with the agency if there is an advance schedule change or cancellation. In any event, I am not advocating booking through an agency, just explaining how it works with regard to benefits and rewards.
Oct 17, 2021, 11:15 am
#849
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
The airline will handle day-of-travel changes directly. You may need to deal with the agency if there is an advance schedule change or cancellation. In any event, I am not advocating booking through an agency, just explaining how it works with regard to benefits and rewards.
Then again flying on an award tkt vs a rev tkt, Id think Id get better taken care of if its a rev tkt, I just dont want to have to deal with Chase?Expedia ever again. Being told I cant get a Refund since Chase/Expedia got me a voucher which DOT calls a Refund an option and telling me my non0refundable tkt is just that( Im talking about when the Carrrier CX the flight) and I spoke with the Carrier who issued a full refund but it went to Chases CC which was used to pay for the tkt x 3 tkts. Leaves me simply never wanting to have to deal with Chase Travel ever again
Oct 17, 2021, 10:58 pm
#850
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,088
Yes this is our return, honeymooning in Duluth during winter would take a special couple! Currently have back to back 5 hour layovers. I emailed chase, we will see what they say coming back.
UA has an OGG-ORD flight id love to get on but much more expensive and 2 days away from my original departure.
UA has an OGG-ORD flight id love to get on but much more expensive and 2 days away from my original departure.
Oct 21, 2021, 1:54 pm
#851
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: UA/AA/Delta/BA/SW/US airway
Posts: 12
How long does it take for Travel bonus booked through Chase post?
I booked some hotels through chase portal with my CSR card. The regular 3x bonus posted, but the additional 7x bonus didn't post.
On the reward activities. it shows
Travel booked through Chase 0 pts
Is there any delay for the bonus points posted? I didn't redeem any points. paid all with my sapphire reward card.
On the reward activities. it shows
Travel booked through Chase 0 pts
Is there any delay for the bonus points posted? I didn't redeem any points. paid all with my sapphire reward card.
Oct 21, 2021, 2:20 pm
#852
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Please read the October posts in this thread Confirmed: Chase Sapphire PREFERRED rewards refresh, 2021 . Within that discussion there is a link to corresponding RESERVE thread with a small amount of discussion.
Oct 30, 2021, 4:14 pm
#853
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 39
I still have AA covid trip credit booked through the UR portal. Their crappy chat search doesn't let me change the fare class to first.
Does anyone know if I'll have luck doing that if I call?
Does anyone know if I'll have luck doing that if I call?
Nov 3, 2021, 4:47 pm
#854
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958