Combine Delta eCredit with Chase UR points?
 

Hey all,

I've been doing lots of research but can't seem to figure out my next best move here. I have ~$1800 in Delta credit to use up this year. I'd like to use them on a special trip abroad. It's a big occasion (and a long flight) so I was hoping to use the credit AND figure out a way to upgrade to business class using Chase Ultimate Rewards points (~200k). I hatched this idea before I learned Korean Air was no longer a UR partner...

I've been researching this for hours, and it seems I pretty much have to choose 1 or the other: using the Delta credit OR booking via the Chase portal to try and get business class (though I only have enough points to partially cover it).

Does anybody have any other ideas I can look into? Strongly considering paying an awards booking service to help me navigate this trip :P

I can't remember if you can do this with Chase, but if you were to purchase the ticket, minus whatever the Delta credit using your Chase credit card, you can redeem UR points at 1 cent per point in the form of a statement credit, similar to Capital One's purchase eraser. This may not be the best value but at least you'll be able to use the credit and your points.

Don't believe you can do both in the same transaction. Redeeming UR at 1cpp is an option, but far from optimal.

See if you can split your r/t fare into two o/ws, then look into booking DL using Air France/KLM Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, which are UR transfer partners. Book with points one way, then eCredit the other way.

You CAN book the flight on Delta, apply your eCredit and pay the rest with your credit card and redeem the points for a STATEMENT credit. This implies that you do this after you pay for it on Delta.com.

Splitting a roundtrip in two one-way's is going to be very costly in general for an international flights as most of the cheaper fares have a roundtrip booking requirement. You might be able to get a cheap points one-way booking, but the eCredit will have to be used on a cash fare and that will most likely not be cheap when booked as a one-way.

Thanks for the input, everybody!

If I split the round trip, the credit's enough to cover one way on Delta for the two of us + I found a route I could book via United's awards portal on Air China. It'd be an easy points transfer from Chase to United, and I do have enough to get us business class that way.... But yeah, totally right LBJ - even though it's minimal out of pocket, it is a VERY expensive itinerary overall that 100% makes me feel a bit like a chump for taking it, especially knowing I could probably make the credit+points go a lot further.

Appreciate every one of these responses! I think I'll just use up the eCredit (since that has an impending expiry date), maybe pay to upgrade to Comfort+ and put all our lodging on points instead.

You could also consider transferring to Virgin Atlantic and going on ANA if your travel takes you to Japan. Apparently that's a really good redemption to be had....

Reviving this 3+ year old thread with the same question to ask for clarification on one of the answers, and see if maybe anything has changed in the interim (with a pandemic at that!)

Same boat -- $300 in Delta credit, which it'd be nice to combine with Chase UR for a J ticket purchase.

Is this still true? If so, is point redemption lower with a statement credit than it would be if I redeemed for travel using the UR portal? (If so, unlikely I will do this, and I'll save the points for another time.) And pardon the ignorance but how does one redeem points for statement credit?

You can book a Delta flight through the Chase portal with the bonus redemption, then cancel for ecredit and combine.

Deleted... I was responding to the 2019 stuff.

Yes, statement credit is $0.01 per point and using the portal is worth $0.015 per point if you have the CSR.

Appealing strategy — but does cancelling a flight booked with UR points (in part; some cash would be needed too) on the Chase portal take place through Delta? Wouldn’t they bump me to the “travel agent” (Chase) instead? I don’t believe I’ve ever cancelled a flight booked via Chase UR.

Thanks, that’s helpful — and yes, I wouldn’t want to lose out on the bonus redemption this way.

I usually have been able to cancel on Delta.com (just did one today), but occasionally need to cancel through Chase, which can also be done online.

And even cancelling through Chase I would receive a Delta eCredit (rather than a point refund), is that correct? Sorry for the multiple questions, but I want to make sure I understand everything correctly before attempting this, if I do.

Correct, if you cancel after 24 hours. I can't remember if you're given the option to receive an eCredit or full refund through Chase (when <24 hours), I know Delta gives you the option.

Correct, Delta gives you the eCredit, not the travel agent. I have had to rebook through Chase for AA vouchers before.