Chase Ultimate Rewards is a highly valued flexible points currency, known for its excellent airline and hotel transfer partners. Understanding how and when these points might expire is key to maximizing their value.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Expiration Policy

Similar to American Express, Chase Ultimate Rewards points do not expire as long as you keep at least one Ultimate Rewards-earning card open and in good standing.

  • Eligible cards include popular options like the Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
  • Even points earned on no-annual-fee cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ or Chase Freedom Unlimited® do not expire while the card account is open.

This policy allows cardmembers to accumulate points without the pressure of an expiration deadline based solely on time or inactivity.

Why You Could Lose Chase Points

Missed payments

If you repeatedly miss credit card payments, Chase may close your account. When that happens, any unused Ultimate Rewards points are forfeited. The best way to avoid this is simple: pay your bill on time each month. Not only does this protect your rewards, it also helps your credit score.

Misusing your account

Chase can close your account for misuse, which would wipe out your points. Examples of misuse include:

  • Buying or selling points
  • Selling or exchanging gift cards, travel, or other items earned with points
  • Moving or transferring points to ineligible third parties
  • Repeatedly opening accounts just to generate rewards
  • Fraudulent activity

Closing your card

If you voluntarily close a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, any unused points tied to that account are gone. To avoid this, make sure to either use your rewards first or transfer them to another Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards.

How to Keep Your Chase Points

Fortunately, there are plenty of strategies to protect your rewards.

Keep your account open

The simplest option: keep at least one Ultimate Rewards–earning card open and in good standing. Your points will remain safe as long as you do.

Open a no-annual-fee card

If you don’t want to keep paying an annual fee, consider moving your points to a no-annual-fee Chase card before canceling. Eligible cards include:

  • Chase Freedom Flex®
  • Chase Freedom Rise®
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited®

You can combine points across Chase accounts by logging into your Ultimate Rewards portal, which makes it easy to move them before closing your old card.

Downgrade your card

Downgrading keeps your account open while avoiding higher annual fees. You can switch to another Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards, such as:

  • Chase Freedom Flex® (no annual fee)
  • Chase Freedom Rise® (no annual fee)
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited® (no annual fee)
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® ($95 annual fee)

Note: Points earned with the Freedom cards can’t be transferred to travel partners on their own. To unlock full transfer options, you’ll need a premium card like the Sapphire Preferred® or Sapphire Reserve®.

Transfer to a household member

Chase allows you to transfer points to another member of your household if they also have a Chase Ultimate Rewards–earning card. You can do this online or by calling customer service.

Transfer to travel partners

Select Chase cards let you transfer points to airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. This is one of the most valuable redemption strategies. Just remember: once transferred, points can’t be moved back to your Chase account, so it’s smart to have a redemption plan ready.

Book travel through Chase Travel

Another easy way to use points before closing a card is to book travel through the Chase Travel portal.

  • Points are worth 1.25¢ each with the Sapphire Preferred®
  • Points are worth 1.5¢ each with the Sapphire Reserve®

Redeem for cash back

If travel isn’t in your plans, you can always redeem points for cash back or statement credits. While this generally provides less value, it’s a safe way to avoid losing your rewards if you’re closing an account.

Official Policy

For detailed rules and specific scenarios, consult the official Chase Ultimate Rewards program agreement:

By keeping an eligible Chase card open, you can confidently collect Ultimate Rewards points without worrying about them expiring.

The Best Ways to Redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are among the most flexible travel currencies available, especially when transferred to airline and hotel partners. While you can always redeem points for cash back or through the Chase travel portal, the biggest value usually comes from transferring points to partners. Here are some of the top ways to get outsized value from your Ultimate Rewards balance.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic now uses dynamic pricing, but there are still excellent opportunities if you can be flexible with your dates. One-way saver awards to the U.K. can start as low as:

  • 6,000 points in economy
  • 10,500 points in premium economy
  • 29,000 points in business class

Look for seats labeled “Saver” when searching, or use Virgin Atlantic’s reward seat checker to compare availability across multiple dates.

United MileagePlus

United offers some of the cheapest domestic awards you’ll find. Short flights like San Francisco (SFO) to San Diego (SAN) can be booked for as little as 5,000 miles one-way plus $5.60 in taxes. For U.S. travelers, this is one of the most practical ways to save money on last-minute or otherwise expensive routes.

Air France–KLM Flying Blue

Flying Blue’s saver-level pricing is one of the best deals for transatlantic flights:

  • 25,000 miles in economy
  • 40,000 miles in premium economy
  • 60,000 miles in business class

Even better, Flying Blue frequently runs monthly Promo Rewards with discounted award tickets, sometimes slashing the required miles by 25–50%. You can also build in a free stopover in Paris or Amsterdam, adding even more value to your redemption.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Singapore Airlines reserves much of its premium cabin award space for KrisFlyer members, making it one of the best uses of Chase points. A standout redemption is the world’s longest flight from New York (JFK) to Singapore (SIN). At just 111,500 miles for a business class saver award, you can enjoy nearly 20 hours in one of the best premium cabins in the sky.

World of Hyatt

When it comes to hotel redemptions, Hyatt stands far above the rest. Award nights range from just 3,500 points at Category 1 properties on off-peak dates to 45,000 points at top Category 8 properties during peak season.

For example:

  • Thompson Hollywood in California: 17,000–23,000 points per night
  • Grand Hyatt Athens in Greece: 9,000–15,000 points per night
  • Park Hyatt Beaver Creek in Colorado: 45,000 points per night (cash rates often exceed $1,400)

With Hyatt, it’s not unusual to get over 3 cents per point in value, especially at luxury properties like the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa or Park Hyatt St. Kitts.

Summary

Chase Ultimate Rewards points don’t expire, but you can lose them if your account is closed, misused, or canceled without a plan in place. The easiest way to keep them safe is to maintain an open Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards. If you’re considering canceling or downgrading, transfer your points first — whether to another Chase card, a household member, or a travel partner.

With a little planning, your hard-earned rewards will stay secure and ready for your next redemption.

Disclaimer: Program terms are subject to change. Always refer to the official Chase documentation for the most accurate information. This guide is for informational purposes only.