What Can You Do With 100,000 Chase Points?

 

Right now, one of our favorite travel cards is offering an amazing 100,000 bonus offer! The Chase Sapphire Preferred is offering the increased sign up bonus for a $5,000 minimum spend. This card only carries a $95 annual fee and it includes a $100 hotel credit so it's basically FREE. 

The question is what do you get for 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points? 

Here are some real examples:

1. LA-Hawaii in the Chase Travel Portal for just 13,810 points so 100,000 points gets you 7 one way flights, wow! 

2. Maybe you want to take a cruise to Alaska? You could use your 100,000 points again the Chase Travel Portal to buy 9 one way flights from Los Angeles to Vancouver. Amazing! 

3. Or you could transfer your points to one of the 14 travel partners including our favorite KLM and snag economy flights Los Angeles to Amsterdam for just 25,000 points. So 4 one ways flights! Woohoo! 

4. Maybe you need an all inclusive hotel in Mexico? 100,000 points gets you 4 nights. Hyatt is a transfer partner. Pretty sweet. 

Read more about this offer here. And if you decide to apply, please use our referral link. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can pay a travel planning fee and we will find all the best points and miles deals for your trip! 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

Big Changes to the Chase Sapphire Preferred — What You Need to Know

Updated with the new 100,000 bonus point offer! 

Big Changes to the Chase Sapphire Preferred — What You Need to Know

Big news today for fans of the Chase Sapphire Preferred! ✈️ This has long been one of my favorite cards thanks to its flexibility, low annual fee, and solid benefits — and now it's getting even better. We don't often get to say that, but this time it mostly holds up. 😄

🎁 The Good News

• Hotel credit doubles to $100 (up from $50). With a $95 annual fee, this card is essentially free once you use it. 🤑 Here's how to use this credit. Current cardholders: if you've already used your $50 credit, you'll get another $50 on June 15th. Haven't used it yet? You'll get the full $100 on June 15th.
• $120 Global Entry credit every 4 years
• 3x points on gas stations, EV charging, and home rentals (Airbnb, VRBO, Homeaway, Homestay, Plum Guide, Vacasa)
• Free Apple TV subscription for one year — just link your Apple ID to your card in the benefits section of Chase.com by December 31, 2026 📺

↔️ Staying the Same

• 2x points on travel purchases
• 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal
• 3x points on dining, select streaming, and online groceries (Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs excluded)

😬 The Not-So-Good News

• The 10% anniversary points boost is going away
• Hyatt transfer ratio is dropping to 4:3 — October 1st for current cardholders, June 15th for new cardholders. That means 40,000 Chase points will now get you 30,000 Hyatt points instead of a 1:1 swap. Good news if you (or your travel partner) hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve: that card keeps its 1:1 ratio, so combining points is a smart workaround! 🔄

💳 Thinking About Applying?

Right now, new Sapphire Preferred cardholders can earn a 100,000-point bonus after $5,000 in spend — enough for two round-trip flights to Europe, four round trips to Cancún, or plenty of other options. ✨

If the Hyatt transfer change has you worried, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve as a companion card. It's currently offering a 100,000-point bonus for $6,000 in spend. You can hold both cards (though you may not qualify for both bonuses). Yes, the $795 annual fee is steep, but if you'll actually use the credits, this card more than earns its keep. 💎

If you decide to apply for either of these credit cards, please use our referral links above. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can pay a travel planning fee and we will find all the best points and miles deals for your trip! 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

Why airline loyalty limits your travel options

Met with a new client today to talk about booking a dream Europe trip using points and miles. ✈️ Here's the exciting part — they're sitting on more than one million miles! 🎉

The catch? Every single one of those miles is with American Airlines, which significantly narrows the options.

Here's what we found when searching available business class seats to Europe on the American Airlines site: prices ranged from 57,500 to a jaw-dropping 443,000 miles each way. 😬 Those lower-end seats often came with two stops and limited availability, while the best flights were sitting at the top of that range. Not ideal.

This is the reality of putting all your eggs in one airline's basket. When you're locked into a single carrier, you're at the mercy of whatever they decide to offer — and the sweet spots can be few and far between.

The good news? There's a smarter way to build your points stash. 💡 Flexible points currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt, or Capital One Miles give you real options. You can book directly through their travel portals OR transfer to dozens of airlines and hotels — whichever gives you the best value for your specific trip.

Flexibility really is everything when it comes to points. 🙌

The best offer out there right now, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is offering 150,000 bonus points to new cardholders, and this is one worth paying attention to. We have heard this offer is ending soon. 

Here's what the current offer looks like:

Spend $6,000 in the first 3 months and you'll earn 150,000 bonus points. Those points are conservatively valued at around $2,500 — but depending on how you redeem them, (transfer to a dozen different airlines and several hotel chains including Hyatt) they can stretch significantly further.

The annual fee is $795, which I know sounds steep. But before you close the tab, take a look at what's included:

• ✈️ $300 Travel Credit
• 🎟️ $300 StubHub Credit
• 🍽️ $300 Dining Credit
• 🏨 $500 Edit Hotels Credit
• 🏨 $250 Select Chase Hotels Credit
• 🛂 $120 Global Entry Credit
• 🚗 $10/month Lyft Credit
• 🛵 $25/month DoorDash Credit
• 🎵 Complimentary Apple TV+ & Apple Music
• 🚴 $120 Peloton Credit
• 🛋️ Priority Pass Lounge Access (you + 2 guests)
• 🛋️ Sapphire Lounge Access

If you actually use these credits, the math works strongly in your favor. That said, it does take some intentionality to make sure you're not leaving value on the table — this card rewards people who engage with it.

If this card seems like too much, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great flexible travel card. The annual fee is just $95 and the bonus is 75,000 points for a $5,000 minimum spend. 

If this fits how you already travel — or how you want to travel — it's a genuinely strong offer. Hit the link below to apply through my referral link, and feel free to reach out with any questions!

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

Real Client Case Study: Building a Points Strategy from Scratch

Real Client Case Study: Building a Points Strategy from Scratch

Recently I sat down with a new client to audit her credit card setup and figure out how she could earn and redeem points more effectively. Here's exactly what we went through — and what we decided.

Her Starting Point 📋

• Cards she holds: Chase Sapphire Preferred, Delta Amex Gold, Wells Fargo no-annual-fee card
• Airlines she flies: Primarily Delta, but price-sensitive — so JetBlue, Frontier, and Spirit (RIP ✈️) make regular appearances
• Big recurring expenses: Rent and tuition (paid twice a year, but may incur a 3% credit card fee)
• Home airport: Salt Lake City (SLC)

She was using the Sapphire Preferred for almost everything and the Delta Amex only for Delta purchases. No specific trips on the horizon yet.

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The Strategy: Go Deep on Chase Ultimate Rewards 💳

Since she has no destination locked in, flexible points are her best friend right now. She already has a small stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards from her Sapphire Preferred, so we decided to build on that foundation rather than start somewhere new.

One big win here: Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer 1:1 to JetBlue — one of her go-to airlines. That's a genuinely useful transfer partner given her flying habits.

💡 Quick tip: The Chase Sapphire Preferred includes a $50 annual hotel credit when you book through the Chase Travel Portal. With a $95 annual fee, that brings your real cost down to $45.

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The New Card Conversation: Freedom Unlimited vs. Freedom Flex

Both are no-annual-fee Chase cards that funnel points into the same Ultimate Rewards bucket — meaning they work with her Sapphire Preferred, not separately from it. You can read about how to combine CUR points here. 

Chase Freedom Unlimited

• 1.5x points on all purchases (better baseline than the Sapphire Preferred)
• 3x on dining and drugstores
• Current offer: 20,000 points after $500 spend 🎉

Chase Freedom Flex

• Rotating 5x quarterly bonus categories (this quarter includes Amazon — easy way to stack up to 7,500 bonus points fast)
• 3x on dining and drugstores
• 1x on everything else
• Current offer: 20,000 points after $500 spend 🎉

Both are worth considering — the right pick depends on whether she prefers a consistent flat rate or wants to actively track and maximize rotating categories.

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Two Free Accounts Worth Opening 🛍️

We also talked about signing up for Rakuten and Bilt:

• Rakuten — shop through their portal and earn cash back or points on purchases you'd make anyway. Use a referral link to get $50 or 2,500 Bilt points after your first $50 purchase.
• Bilt — lets you transfer points to dozens of different airlines and hotels. You can also open a Bilt credit card to earn points on rent payments with no transaction fees, but it's a bit complicated so we decided to table this one for right now. 

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What About the Delta Amex? 🤔

We discussed cancelling it. Here's the logic:

• $150 annual fee
• She rarely uses it
• It's not her oldest card, so the credit score impact would be minimal

Bottom line: keeping a card "just in case" when it costs $150/year and sits in a drawer isn't worth it.

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Where Things Stand

She's in a solid position. By consolidating around Chase Ultimate Rewards, adding a no-annual-fee earning card, and plugging into Rakuten and Bilt, she'll be sitting on a healthy stash of flexible points whenever she's ready to book something. No trip needed yet — just a smart setup so the options are there when she wants them. 🗺️

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

La Guardia Got a Glow-Up — And the Chase Sapphire Lounge Is Worth the Detour

La Guardia Got a Glow-Up — And the Chase Sapphire Lounge Is Worth the Detour

Let's be honest: La Guardia used to be the airport everyone complained about. Not anymore. The redesigned LGA is genuinely impressive, and the Chase Sapphire Lounge takes it up another level. ✨

The lounge is a perk for Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders — and right now the card is offering a 150,000 bonus point welcome offer that's hard to ignore.

👉Hot Tip: Chase Sapphire Preferred card holders get one FREE pass per year to the Sapphire Lounge. 

What's Inside 👀

The two-story space is built around a circular bar and packed with seating options — tables, couches, tucked-away nooks, phone booths, and fireplace seating. The vibe is polished without being stuffy.

Here's what's included:

• Free cocktails and an oat milk latte situation that actually delivers ☕
• Buffet-style food plus order-to-your-table service
• A faux fireplace (surprisingly cozy)
• And yes — free facials 🧖

👉Hot tip on the facials: scan the QR code at your table the moment you sit down and book a slot immediately. Appointments run every 15 minutes and the facial itself is 30 minutes, so a little advance planning goes a long way. Don't wait until you've had two cocktails and suddenly remember.

The cardholder can also bring in two guests for free — making it genuinely useful for couples or travel companions. 🙌

Where to Find It

Sapphire Lounges currently operate at JFK, La Guardia, Boston, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Diego, with Los Angeles and Dallas coming soon.

Getting to the LGA lounge requires a little navigation — the Terminal B map is not your friend. Head toward the Brooklyn Diner or gates 31–49, take the elevator down to the first floor, follow the hallway, and you're there. Worth the mild scavenger hunt.

If this lounge fits your regular travel routes, the 150,000-point welcome offer on the Sapphire Reserve is a solid reason to take another look at the card. 💳

Here's what the current offer looks like:

Spend $6,000 in the first 3 months and you'll earn 150,000 bonus points. Those points are conservatively valued at around $2,500 — but depending on how you redeem them, (transfer to a dozen different airlines and several hotel chains including Hyatt) they can stretch significantly further.

The annual fee is $795, which I know sounds steep. But before you close the tab, take a look at what's included:

• ✈️ $300 Travel Credit
• 🎟️ $300 StubHub Credit
• 🍽️ $300 Dining Credit
• 🏨 $500 Edit Hotels Credit
• 🏨 $250 Select Chase Hotels Credit
• 🛂 $120 Global Entry Credit
• 🚗 $10/month Lyft Credit
• 🛵 $25/month DoorDash Credit
• 🎵 Complimentary Apple TV+ & Apple Music
• 🚴 $120 Peloton Credit
• 🛋️ Priority Pass Lounge Access (you + 2 guests)
• 🛋️ Sapphire Lounge Access

If you actually use these credits, the math works strongly in your favor. That said, it does take some intentionality to make sure you're not leaving value on the table — this card rewards people who engage with it.

Full disclosure: I have a complicated history with this card after last year's refresh (you can read about that here), but I also just used it for a nearly free Las Vegas weekend in January 🎰 — so clearly we've worked things out.

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

🚨 Chase Just Raised the Sapphire Reserve Welcome Bonus to 150,000 Points!

🚨 Chase Just Raised the Sapphire Reserve Welcome Bonus to 150,000 Points!

Chase quietly made a big move — the Chase Sapphire Reserve is now offering 150,000 bonus points to new cardholders, and this is one worth paying attention to.

Full disclosure: I have a complicated history with this card after last year's refresh (you can read about that here), but I also just used it for a nearly free Las Vegas weekend in January 🎰 — so clearly we've worked things out.

Here's what the current offer looks like:

Spend $6,000 in the first 3 months and you'll earn 150,000 bonus points. Those points are conservatively valued at around $2,500 — but depending on how you redeem them, (transfer to a dozen different airlines and several hotel chains including Hyatt) they can stretch significantly further.

The annual fee is $795, which I know sounds steep. But before you close the tab, take a look at what's included:

• ✈️ $300 Travel Credit
• 🎟️ $300 StubHub Credit
• 🍽️ $300 Dining Credit
• 🏨 $500 Edit Hotels Credit
• 🏨 $250 Select Chase Hotels Credit
• 🛂 $120 Global Entry Credit
• 🚗 $10/month Lyft Credit
• 🛵 $25/month DoorDash Credit
• 🎵 Complimentary Apple TV+ & Apple Music
• 🚴 $120 Peloton Credit
• 🛋️ Priority Pass Lounge Access (you + 2 guests)
• 🛋️ Sapphire Lounge Access

If you actually use these credits, the math works strongly in your favor. That said, it does take some intentionality to make sure you're not leaving value on the table — this card rewards people who engage with it.

A few things to know before you apply:

You can hold both the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve at the same time. However, if you've received a welcome bonus on either personal Sapphire card in the past 48 months, you likely won't qualify for this one. The good news? Chase will show you an eligibility pop-up before the hard credit pull, so you'll know where you stand before anything hits your credit report. 👍

If this fits how you already travel — or how you want to travel — it's a genuinely strong offer. Hit the link below to apply through my referral link, and feel free to reach out with any questions!

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

Score 10,000 Free Miles for Your Fall Europe Trip ✈️

Score 10,000 Free Miles for Your Fall Europe Trip ✈️

Planning a trip to Europe this September? Here's a deal worth knowing about: book a qualifying flight now and you'll pocket a bonus 10,000 Flying Blue miles — no hoops, no tricks.

Here's what you need to qualify:

• 📅 Book by May 3rd
• 🗓️ Travel between April 22nd – September 30th, 2026
• 🛬 Fly at least one segment from the US to Amsterdam or Paris (CDG)
• 💺 Economy class only
• 🇺🇸 US residents only
• New bookings only — existing reservations don't count

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So what can you actually do with 10,000 miles? 🤔

More than you might think. Every month, Flying Blue — the loyalty program shared by KLM and Air France — releases a promotional transatlantic route priced at just 18,750 miles. That means your 10,000 bonus miles put you well over halfway to a completely free flight to Europe. You'd only need to earn (or buy) the remaining 8,750 miles to redeem a one-way award ticket.

Plus Capital One, Bilt and Chase are transfer partners with Flying Blue. 👏

If a fall trip to Paris, Amsterdam or anywhere in Europe is already on your radar 🗼, this is a genuinely solid reason to book sooner rather than later. That May 3rd deadline moves fast.

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

How Transfer Bonuses Can Stretch Your Points Further 🚀

One of the smartest ways to get more value out of your flexible points is to transfer them to airline and hotel partners. And here's a little bonus (pun intended) — almost every month, one or more partners run a transfer bonus ranging anywhere from 10% to 80%. That kind of boost can make a real difference. 💪

Not every transfer partner is worth your points even with a bonus, but the good ones become genuinely great when a promotion hits.

This Month's Standout Deal 🌟

Chase Ultimate Rewards is currently offering a 20% bonus on transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan — and this one is worth acting on. On the flip side, IHG even with a 70% bonus is not usually a good value, however, if you need to top off your account, it might be good option with the bonus. 

Aeroplan consistently offers strong redemption rates, and it's one of the best ways to book flights on United Airlines without actually using United miles.

Here's a real example to show you what that looks like:

Booking Method	Cost
Aeroplan miles (San Diego → Denver)	15,000 miles
Chase points transferred to Aeroplan (with 20% bonus)	13,000 points
United miles for the same flight	15,000 miles
Chase Travel Portal	~18,000 points

Transferring Chase points to Aeroplan with the current bonus saves you money compared to every other option though you will pay $47 in taxes. That's a real win. 🎯

How to Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards Points 📲

It's easier than you might think. Here's how to do it:

1. Log into Chase and click "Redeem Points" — the same button you'd use for the travel portal
2. Select "Transfer Partners"
3. Enter your loyalty number to link your accounts
   
   
   
4. Enter the number of points you want to transfer (in increments of 1,000) — for our example, you'd transfer 13,000 Chase points to receive 15,000 Aeroplan miles
   
   
   
5. Confirm the transfer — it usually processes immediately, though occasionally it can take a couple of days

Once the transfer goes through, pop over to the Aeroplan website to confirm the miles landed in your account, then book your flight. Done! ✅

Keep an eye on these transfer bonuses — they rotate regularly and can quietly deliver some of the best value in the points world. 👀

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities. 

You Have the Points—So Why Are You Still Paying Cash for Flights? ✈️

Both new clients I met with this past week had a serious stash of points and miles—and were still planning to pay cash for their next flights. 🤔✈️

The first client had 800,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points sitting in their account… and had just purchased a flight to the East Coast. When I asked why, she said she was saving them for a “big trip someday.”

Family trip to Finland to see the Northern Lights

The second client? 2 million Amex points. Yes, really—two million. And they were about to pay cash for round-trip flights to Europe.

And here’s the kicker: both are still actively earning points every month.

This isn’t unusual. I’ve seen it over and over:

• A client with 100,000 Chase points planning to pay cash to fly to California
• Another with 275,000 Chase points doing the same for a West Coast trip

So what’s going on? Why do smart, points-savvy people collect all these miles… and then not use them?

I asked ChatGPT, and the answer lines up exactly with what I see in real life:

1. Mental accounting
Points feel like a “special” currency—too valuable to touch. Cash feels easier to part with. If you have a steady paycheck, paying $500 for a flight doesn't seem like as much as paying 50,000 points even though it's the same value. 

2. Loss aversion
It took effort to earn those points, so spending them feels like losing something.

3. Endowment effect
Once you have a big balance, it starts to feel like something to protect. People hold out for a “perfect” redemption that rarely happens.

4. Optimization paralysis
Transfer partners, award charts, dynamic pricing…it can get complicated fast. When people aren’t sure they’re getting the best value, they freeze—and default to cash.

5. Future fantasy vs. present reality
Points get saved for a dream trip someday, while real trips—family visits, college tours, quick getaways—get paid in cash.

Here’s the reality:
Points and miles don’t get more valuable over time. They quietly lose value. Meanwhile, your travel life is happening now.

Once we talked it through, each of these clients made a shift:

• 800,000 points → used 100,000 for a round-trip flight to Europe ✈️
• 100,000 points → used 40,000 for a round trip California trip 🌴
• 225,000 points → used 40,000 for a round trip West Coast flight 🌊
• 2 million points → used 492,000 for two round trip business class flights to Europe 💺✨

Did they use their points well? Yes. The round trip business class flights to Europe priced out at $14,000.  
Do they still have plenty left? Also yes. That same client has 1.5 million Amex points left. 
Are they still earning more? Absolutely.

Over the water bungalow in Moorea paid with points

And maybe most importantly—they’re actually enjoying the benefits of what they’ve earned.

If you’re sitting on a pile of points and thinking about paying cash for your next flight, let’s take a look before you book. A quick consult can save you thousands of points—or help you finally use them with confidence.

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.