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 Posts from January to mid-October 2018 have been archived to a separate thread.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.
Jan 30, 2019, 5:25 pm
#211
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
That is one of the reasons why a strateforward statement credit should be the easiest. Then Chase subtracts the corresponding UR pts from the affected cardholder's account - i.e. divided the value of the purchase by 1.5, then deduct the UR pts at this number - essentially equivalent to the same end result as if the travel is booked thru UR portal should the portal worked.
Jan 30, 2019, 7:51 pm
#212
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Sedona, AZ, USA
Programs: Alaska, Hilton, Chase Ultimate Rewards
Posts: 105
"Please enter a valid Chase card"
After filling out a complete 2-passenger first class reservation on Alaska PHX-SEA on the Ultimate Rewards travel site, my booking dies with the above message because the site DOES NOT ACCEPT CHASE CARD NUMBERS. That's right, the very Sapphire Reserve on which I accumulated the UR points to make the reservation is not accepted. It wouldn't let me use my Amex instead, either.
This is the first time I have used the Chase travel site since the Expedia engine implementation. Last summer, before the changeover, I successfully made a reservation PHX-IND. Chase needs to tell Expedia to accept its own credit card numbers.
This is the first time I have used the Chase travel site since the Expedia engine implementation. Last summer, before the changeover, I successfully made a reservation PHX-IND. Chase needs to tell Expedia to accept its own credit card numbers.
Jan 30, 2019, 8:46 pm
#213
Join Date: Jun 2006
Programs: UA Premier 1K, Star Alliance Gold, Titanium Elite Marriott, Celebrity Elite, IHG, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 343
Booking flights on ultimate rewards
After filling out a complete 2-passenger first class reservation on Alaska PHX-SEA on the Ultimate Rewards travel site, my booking dies with the above message because the site DOES NOT ACCEPT CHASE CARD NUMBERS. That's right, the very Sapphire Reserve on which I accumulated the UR points to make the reservation is not accepted. It wouldn't let me use my Amex instead, either.
This is the first time I have used the Chase travel site since the Expedia engine implementation. Last summer, before the changeover, I successfully made a reservation PHX-IND. Chase needs to tell Expedia to accept its own credit card numbers.
This is the first time I have used the Chase travel site since the Expedia engine implementation. Last summer, before the changeover, I successfully made a reservation PHX-IND. Chase needs to tell Expedia to accept its own credit card numbers.
"
Whoops! We apologize for the inconvenience, but we’re unable to load the
Chase Travel site at this time.
In the meantime, search from over 120 destinations to start planning for your
next getaway!
Last edited by mia; Jan 31, 2019 at 7:28 am Reason: Formatting
Jan 31, 2019, 9:23 am
#214
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
Maybe a dumb question but is it not possible to book packages (i.e. flight + hotel) via the Chase portal? Some pretty solid savings available through Expedia, so wondering if the Chase folks would have access to the same deals? Looking at one of the Hawaii FS properties so would love to use UR points to offset the cash cost.
Jan 31, 2019, 9:26 am
#215
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 10
Just tried again this morning to book a hotel, got my usual error I've been getting no matter what I try to book (flights, hotels, etc.):
Sorry We’re sorry but the itinerary you selected is unavailable. Inventory changes throughout the day and is based on demand and availability. Please try your search again and select another option.
Sorry We’re sorry but the itinerary you selected is unavailable. Inventory changes throughout the day and is based on demand and availability. Please try your search again and select another option.
Jan 31, 2019, 3:07 pm
#216
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
After filling out a complete 2-passenger first class reservation on Alaska PHX-SEA on the Ultimate Rewards travel site, my booking dies with the above message because the site DOES NOT ACCEPT CHASE CARD NUMBERS. That's right, the very Sapphire Reserve on which I accumulated the UR points to make the reservation is not accepted. It wouldn't let me use my Amex instead, either.
This is the first time I have used the Chase travel site since the Expedia engine implementation. Last summer, before the changeover, I successfully made a reservation PHX-IND. Chase needs to tell Expedia to accept its own credit card numbers.
This is the first time I have used the Chase travel site since the Expedia engine implementation. Last summer, before the changeover, I successfully made a reservation PHX-IND. Chase needs to tell Expedia to accept its own credit card numbers.
Were your card replaced therefore now has a different number than the original one? One poster has reported this problem after his card was replaced due to fraudulent charges.
Posting here is not enough. Anyone who cannot make booking NEEDS to make Chase know and escalate as high up as you can with the time you can spare to do so.
Otherwise, Chase would not be hurry up to get this fixed - because the issues have surfaced ever since Expedia took over, but Chase reps claim that only a few sporadic reports in this area and seemingly feel it is isolated incidents, completely ignoring the fact that not a single cardholder should be affected, let alone some are foced to give up their attempts to use UR pts because their bookings are much more urgent and cannot wait for Chase and Expedia to get their acts together.
Jan 31, 2019, 3:12 pm
#217
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 10
Have you contacted Chase Travel to let them know?
Were your card replaced therefore now has a different number than the original one? One poster has reported this problem after his card was replaced due to fraudulent charges.
Posting here is not enough. Anyone who cannot make booking NEEDS to make Chase know and escalate as high up as you can with the time you can spare to do so.
Otherwise, Chase would not be hurry up to get this fixed - because the issues have surfaced ever since Expedia took over, but Chase reps claim that only a few sporadic reports in this area and seemingly feel it is isolated incidents, completely ignoring the fact that not a single cardholder should be affected, let alone some are foced to give up their attempts to use UR pts because their bookings are much more urgent and cannot wait for Chase and Expedia to get their acts together.
Were your card replaced therefore now has a different number than the original one? One poster has reported this problem after his card was replaced due to fraudulent charges.
Posting here is not enough. Anyone who cannot make booking NEEDS to make Chase know and escalate as high up as you can with the time you can spare to do so.
Otherwise, Chase would not be hurry up to get this fixed - because the issues have surfaced ever since Expedia took over, but Chase reps claim that only a few sporadic reports in this area and seemingly feel it is isolated incidents, completely ignoring the fact that not a single cardholder should be affected, let alone some are foced to give up their attempts to use UR pts because their bookings are much more urgent and cannot wait for Chase and Expedia to get their acts together.
Jan 31, 2019, 6:42 pm
#218
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Sedona, AZ, USA
Programs: Alaska, Hilton, Chase Ultimate Rewards
Posts: 105
No, the Sapphire Reserve is the card I use for almost everything (how else would I have accumulated all those UR points?) and my card number has never changed.
I was subsequently able to make my reservation by phone. They too had trouble getting the card number through on the site and had to invoke several higher levels of management to get my booking made.
I was subsequently able to make my reservation by phone. They too had trouble getting the card number through on the site and had to invoke several higher levels of management to get my booking made.
Jan 31, 2019, 10:36 pm
#219
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Happy - I think my issue is related to the number change. There was a declined fraudulent charge before all these issues and they issued a new card/number. Coincidentally, it was after this that I haven't been able to book anything. Do you know what the one poster did to fix this? I already made Chase Travel aware of this multiple times but am planning to call them again tonight.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30588291-post119.html
His last post was on Dec 31st with the issue remained, that is, when the Chase reps input his card number the site gave the same error. He hasn't posted any update since then. May be he has given up.
Obviously the fundamental programming issue causing this has NOT been fixed, else you would not encounter the same issue with a replacement card, after a whole month has gone by. Nothing has been done to correct the programming glitch / or the failure to map the old card number to the new card number.
Expedia apparently is not well-equipped to handle the Reward Travel bookings from incentive programs like CSR and TYP, unlike Connexions which is specialized in this area, We have never heard of such issues in the past.
Sure inthe 2+ years of CSR being introduced there would be cardholders gotten replacement cards and had booked travel on the UR portal during such a long period.
We read about not all fares are offered, hotel confirmation is not for real, that kind of thing, but never heard about it is impossible to even book a travel at all. On top of that with Connexions their supervisors can go into the GDS system to book a fare with specific fare code but apparently this is not at all possible with Expedia - you cannot even talk to the real travel booking specialist while with Connexions you can talk to a specialist beyond the front line.
You probably need to escalate to much higher levels instead of being brushed off by their "submitting a ticket" because the matter would just die there.
Last edited by Happy; Jan 31, 2019 at 10:54 pm
Feb 3, 2019, 6:30 pm
#220
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Latest fiasco from Chase UR portal booked flight - airline has no record when the passenger check in.
Flight missed because airlines couldn’t find reservation. Flight booked with UR through Chase portal. Advice on how to get resolution?
https://www.reddit.com/r/awardtravel..._couldnt_find/
Of course Chase was of no help when the cardholder called because their system was down and told the cusomer to call in 2 hours...
Reading the comments in this reddit thread is an eye opener, in a very bad way. Many reported they had issues on all sorts of bookings from rental car to hotel rooms to airline tickets, most seem to happen after Expedia took over. Then the reps acted like as if they were doing the impacted a big favor by rebooking or crediting back the points when the travel did not happen due to the foul up.
Flight missed because airlines couldn’t find reservation. Flight booked with UR through Chase portal. Advice on how to get resolution?
https://www.reddit.com/r/awardtravel..._couldnt_find/
Of course Chase was of no help when the cardholder called because their system was down and told the cusomer to call in 2 hours...
Reading the comments in this reddit thread is an eye opener, in a very bad way. Many reported they had issues on all sorts of bookings from rental car to hotel rooms to airline tickets, most seem to happen after Expedia took over. Then the reps acted like as if they were doing the impacted a big favor by rebooking or crediting back the points when the travel did not happen due to the foul up.
Feb 3, 2019, 7:03 pm
#221
Join Date: Jun 2006
Programs: UA Premier 1K, Star Alliance Gold, Titanium Elite Marriott, Celebrity Elite, IHG, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 343
Booking Travel on Ultimate Rewards
The last time I was able to book a flight on line with UR I called the airline as soon as I printed the confirmation to verify the reservation. The UR Reservation Number will be different than the carrier’ Number.
Then I print out the carrier’s reservation. You might try reaching Chase @ Twitter. If you have a twitter account or use Google. You may want to look at the coverage on your credit card. Chase a very good list of benefits compared to other credit cards.
Then I print out the carrier’s reservation. You might try reaching Chase @ Twitter. If you have a twitter account or use Google. You may want to look at the coverage on your credit card. Chase a very good list of benefits compared to other credit cards.
Feb 3, 2019, 9:14 pm
#222
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: DL(PM), UA(Silver), AA(EXP) Marriott(Ti), HH(Gold), Hertz(PC)
Posts: 2,667
The last time I was able to book a flight on line with UR I called the airline as soon as I printed the confirmation to verify the reservation. The UR Reservation Number will be different than the carrier’ Number.
Then I print out the carrier’s reservation. You might try reaching Chase @ Twitter. If you have a twitter account or use Google. You may want to look at the coverage on your credit card. Chase a very good list of benefits compared to other credit cards.
Then I print out the carrier’s reservation. You might try reaching Chase @ Twitter. If you have a twitter account or use Google. You may want to look at the coverage on your credit card. Chase a very good list of benefits compared to other credit cards.
If I provide a (for example) Delta Skymiles number while booking at the portal, I'd expect the reservation to show up on my Delta account shortly after booking. Am I expecting too much here?
Feb 3, 2019, 10:13 pm
#223
Join Date: Jun 2006
Programs: UA Premier 1K, Star Alliance Gold, Titanium Elite Marriott, Celebrity Elite, IHG, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 343
Booking Travel Ultimate Rewards
The last time I booked a flight on UR was March 2018 was on China Eastern Codeshare with Delta this was before Expedia. I gave my Delta Skymiles Number for myself and my wife each time we checked in at the airport and advance when we called to select our seats. My two flights were posted only one of my wife’s flights posted.
Feb 3, 2019, 11:24 pm
#224
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,082
I haven't yet booked through the UR portal, but with about 170,000 UR points I'm getting ready to buy a few airline tickets.
If I provide a (for example) Delta Skymiles number while booking at the portal, I'd expect the reservation to show up on my Delta account shortly after booking. Am I expecting too much here?
If I provide a (for example) Delta Skymiles number while booking at the portal, I'd expect the reservation to show up on my Delta account shortly after booking. Am I expecting too much here?
Feb 4, 2019, 1:22 pm
#225
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
I haven't yet booked through the UR portal, but with about 170,000 UR points I'm getting ready to buy a few airline tickets.
If I provide a (for example) Delta Skymiles number while booking at the portal, I'd expect the reservation to show up on my Delta account shortly after booking. Am I expecting too much here?
If I provide a (for example) Delta Skymiles number while booking at the portal, I'd expect the reservation to show up on my Delta account shortly after booking. Am I expecting too much here?
It is up to the cardholder to call the ariline to verify the booking, get the airline's own PNR, and then also ask the airline to add the FFP number to the reservation - or you can pull up the reservation with the REAL PNR from airline's website, then at the Traveler's details, add your FF number, and may even need to add the KTNs in case it does not show up even after you have added the FF number.
In short, it requires the cardholders a lot of extra work to make sure the travel booking exists, as it should and hope the travel goes smoothly.