Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall
Do you have a Chase Ultimate Rewards card or are you thinking of getting one? If so, here are 5 tips and tricks you need to know!
If you are new to Chase Ultimate Rewards: This is the premier credit card rewards program from Chase. It allows you to redeem the points you earn on purchases for practically anything you want… cash back, travel with no blackout dates or restrictions, merchandise, gift cards, and more.
Trick #1 – Combine these bonuses to score a windfall of points!
Did you know that you can transfer points between accounts? You can do this within your own accounts or you can even transfer UR points to someone else!
This means you can signup for multiple bonus offers and combine them. For example if you already have the Freedom, then you can signup for the Sapphire bonus offer and combine those points with your existing UR account.
Here are the cards you can do this with and their best signup offers during 2013 (I constantly update this list). Consider signing up for the cards you don’t already have.
6/16/2013 update: Hurry because right now they’re doing special LARGER signup offers for their Ink Plus and Bold cards as part of Small Business Week. For this week only, you can get a whopping 60,000 bonus points. This is the best deal I’ve seen on these cards ever since they launched in 2009 ’til present, so don’t miss out on this.
- Sapphire Preferred: Use this link to earn 40,000 points (after $3k spend in first 3 mo.)
- Chase Freedom: Use this link to earn 10,000 points (after $500 spend in first 3 mo.)
- Chase Ink Plus*: Use this link to earn 60,000 points (after $5k spend in first 3 mo.)
- Chase Ink Bold*: Use this link to earn 60,000 points (after $5k spend in first 3 mo.)
*The Ink are business cards but you can still apply for them as an individual (sole proprietor). To do that, use your Social Security for the tax ID field and your legal business name will be the same as your legal name (i.e. “Jane Smith” would be your biz name if that’s your name).
Think about it… when combined the above offers equal well over 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points. Think how long it would take for you to earn that many points with normal spending (several years?!). But with signing up for a bonus or two, you can fast-track the process and earn a lump sum very quickly. Get these offers while they’re this generous because if history is any lesson, credit card bonuses this big don’t happen every year.
Trick #2 – Use the online mall to earn even faster
The Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall gives you extra points for shopping online. Simply use the online “mall” to access your favorite merchant’s websites – you will earn up to an extra 10 points per dollar spent! That’s like getting up to 10% cash back for your online purchases.
There are hundreds of merchants participating:
Stores: There are well over a hundred popular stores, everything from JC Penney to Best Buy (by the way those are both 10 points per dollar!). Whatever you’re buying, chances are you will find it.
Travel: Don’t forget to use the mall whenever you book travel. Earn extra points at Orbitz, Priceline, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Holiday Inn, Best Western, Marriott, Sheraton, Choice Hotels, Holiday Inn, Delta, United, Enterprise, Budget rent-a-car, and tons of other popular travel companies!
Service Providers: Many long-time Ultimate Rewards users aren’t even aware of all the services that participate. For example, last year there were ways to earn bonus points by opening up a new Netflix account (score an extra 1,500 points) and opening up a new AT&T account (get a cool 50,000 points). There was even 8 pts/dollar for using TurboTax. You can check your account to see the latest UR offers for service providers.
Trick #3 – Multiply your savings using promo codes
When shopping online through the Chase Ultimate Rewards mall, you might be able to use retailer promo codes too!
If details for a listed merchant says “cannot be combined with any other offer” then you probably can’t use a coupon code and get your Ultimate Rewards at the same time. However some retailers may have no such restrictions on combining offers!
*Important* If you are going to be using a retailer’s promo code, make sure you look up and gather the codes before you enter the Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall. Why? Because most coupon websites make money when you click on the coupons they have listed (they put a cookie on your computer so they can get a commission on your purchases for that store).
Those cookies that the coupon websites use could replace the cookies from the Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall if you click on the coupon site afterward. So make sure you have your codes looked up beforehand!
Trick #4 – Did you know about the auctions?
We all know auctions can be a great way to score a deal, but did you also know that the Chase Ultimate Rewards program has their very own auctions?
Yes, that’s right… you can use your points to bid on auctions which are only available to the holders of Chase credit cards with Ultimate Rewards. Last I checked there were over a hundred auctions going on… everything from a private gold lesson with a PGA pro instructor to a cruise for two on Chesapeake Bay. Auctions are organized by category, point value, and location for your convenience.
These auctions can be a great way to snag a deal and pay significantly less than what you normally would.
Trick #5 – Use points to buy unique experiences
Many Chase credit card holders aren’t aware that you can also redeem your points for unique experiences that you might not be able to buy on your own.
At any given time there are tons of experiences available, ranging from VIP access at must-see events, culinary experiences, concerts, sports and leisure activities, and more. A cool one that caught my eye was going in an Indy race car at 180 mph!
Why can’t i get a phone number to redeem my rewards. I like to talk to a live person.
I converted some of my ultimate points for cash and a screen appeared saying the I would be receiving a check for $182.32. As yet, this check has not arrived.
Call them it may have gotten lost and they will replace it, but next time get the credit into your checking account and then you can withdraw it, or use it however you want it is safer and it usually takes about two days.
Why can’t I just get a phone number to redeem my rewards. I want gift cards.
I just spent a frustrating hour with no luck
What happened to the Apple store? Its no longer available thru Ultimate rewards-but it was last week.
Personally, I find the Chase rewards program top-notch. I did once have the issue with Rewards Mall purchase points not being credited to my account, but Chase customer service credited me without any hassle. The 5% is great, I just wish the categories wouldn’t change. I’ve ordered from rewards before, but mostly I just exchange my points for cash. I switched to chase from BoA’s world-points program (or so it was called then). Chase’s program is far superior, and my freedom card has no annual fee like american express. A+ in my book. On another note, Somebody PLEASE tell chase put rolling balance information on their online statements.
The UR travel site was great until they recently changed it. In June I was able to book tickets going to a relatively obscure international city and using the flexible date search I was able to find a great price too. Now they won’t allow the flexible search and they won’t give any fares at all for the same route. UR was the only thing that made the sapphire preferred card worth it’s annual fee. And now it is no better than expedia or any other online service. I will likely drop the card before paying the annual fee again.
I have been trying to get into the rewards area and everytime hat I try it will not allow me in. Some kind of security message comes on and when I try to enter my temporary ID code it will not accept it. Is there a number where I could speak with a real person. Please advise.
Sherry Riddle
Did you ever get an answer on this? I’m wonder the same thing.
The Ultimate Rewards travel program is a total scam. All they do is bait and switch! It took me more than two hours to book a simple flight online since every time I would find a flight I wanted – where the times worked and the price was right for amount of points I had – I would select it and then the price would literally be DOUBLE what was just on the previous screen. This happened multiple times, with multiple flights – I would try to change times or spend more points, and every time the same thing would happen – the flight would be listed for $1,200 (or 120,000 points), for example, and then when I selected it the site would tell me that the flight was now $2,000 (or 200,000 points). When I finally got a flight booked I also booked a car for the trip, thinking I was using points. Only when I got to the rental car counter did I learn that the reservation was only being “held” using points, and I was charged cash to pay for it. I have spoken with Chase customer service about this bait and switch – making me think I paid for the car with points, only to find out later that I merely made a reservation – and they claim that they just changed the system to now allow you to actually book a rental car with points the same way you could do for airfare and hotel rooms. That doesn’t help me since they never indicated to me that I wasn’t actually “paying” for the car with points (as I clearly would have booked a cheaper car on my own and not through Chase Ultimate Rewards).
Given this horrible experience, and this very clear bait and switch, I am going to cancel this card and sever all ties with Chase. It’s ridiculous to pay an annual fee for a card that earns points that are WORTHLESS when you try to actually redeem them!
Not sure what you are doing to get this issue. I have used the travel site a number of times to both redeem points or just use cash. The prices are usually as good if not better and never had issues with the points or price jumping up.
You should contact support.
I have Sapphire Preferred
What retail stores are avaible in the ultimate rewards mall?
I LOVE the Chase Ultimate Rewards Program. I purchased my husband a Mac-Book Pro, myself an IPad 2, iPad covers, and stylus. No problems at all. Used my points and not one cent more. Im about to order the New IPad.
I received a reward check from Ultimate Rewards for 76 dollars which I appreciate, but my problem is that I haven’t cashed it yet. I had it on the dining room table with an even smaller check. When I went to get them cashed them this morning I found that the $76 had been taken. I am wondering if there is any way this check can be canceled so that they cannot cash it if they haven’t already? I have someone who has gotten into my house many times and it is very un-nerving. I would call Chase but I don’t know the number to call about this. Thank you for whatever advice you can provide.
Betty
I had a $450 amercian airlines credit from an Ultimate Rewards flight that I cancelled. To use the credit Ulitmate Rewards will charge your credit card $150 while american airlines will let you take the $150 out of the credit (AA did charge me an additional $25 booking fee). Bottom line: deal directly with the carrier when using credits from cancelled flights.
I just spent twenty minutes responding to a pop-up survey that followed a frustrating and eye-opening attempted use of the “Ultimate Rewards”" site. Here, in brief, is what I said:
1. The so-called 20% savings realized when booking hotels through the site is a hoax. The vast majority of the “discounted” prices are at least 20% higher than those quoted by Kayak and, amazingly, by some of the hotels themselves! I discovered this only after doing a hotel-by-hotel comparison between the price quoted on the Ultimate Rewards site and the Kayak or hotel price.
2. The flights and airlines available for booking through “Ultimate Rewards” are a small subset of what’s available in the “real” world. By way of example, I searched for flights from Bangkok to Rangoon. The routing proposed by “Ultimate Rewards” required several legs that totaled approximately 9 hours. When I checked Kayak, I learned that there was a non-stop on Thai Airways that took a little more than an hour. When I called the travel desk at “Ultimate Rewards” I was told that they didn’t carry Thai flights on their system. I asked whether there were other airlines and flights that wouldn’t be available and they admitted there were.
3. You will notice if you book a flight or hotel via “Ultimate Rewards” that the message you receive refers to your reservation as having been “requested” rather than “confirmed.” I don’t know why they use this language but it leads me to suspect that the airline or hotel or rental car agency can reject the “request.”
4. When I spoke with what I thought was an employee of the “Ultimate Rewards” program I asked a question concerning whether a purchase of a portion of my trip through the program would entitle me to the various travel benefits associated with “Ultimate Rewards” or just for that leg. He replied that he was employed by a travel agency that was unaffiliated with Chase and that he knew nothing about how or whether the program applied to particular arrangements.
If I’m wrong in these observations or there’s some plan to fix any or all of the problems I’ve mentioned, I’d like to hear about it.
What is up for auction?
The website says nothing about AT&T Service. I just switched to AT&T. I want my 50,000 points! Do you need to use the Chase Card to get it? Is there a way i can still redeem?
Hey Austin, it looks like the Chase UR website currently doesn’t have any ways to earn points with AT&T right now.
Use points to buy gift cards that are on sale and your points will go further than just taking straight cash.
to credit your statement, go to the tab marked “cash back”. choose “get cash” from the drop down menu. the next screen gives you the option of receiving a check or a statment credit. super easy from there. hope this helps !
Is it possible to redeem 10,000 points after closing the account and finding out you had those points? Any input?
You better keep excellent track of your mall purchases. I have now had 6 purchases through the mall where the earn rate was the standard 1pt. when it should have been anywhere between 3 and 10 points per dollar. Granted the customer service rep saw this on my account and credited it about 4500 points, but it’s troubling to know that the system is not working properly. I have checked all 3 computers used to make the purchases and all have cookies enabled. I made sure to access the website through UR Mall, too.
Overall I’m very satisfied, just a little puzzled as to why they are using such a primitive Web site setup for this program.
I just recently discoverd the many things I can get with my points. For 7 years we have used our points for airline tickets. This year we took advantage of the cyber monday special and bought two ipods and a tablet for christmas gifts. It was an easy transaction and no shipping. Wow! Thanks for this forum. I will now pay better attention to how I can maximize future transactions.
Monica,
In the future if you like I can even buy these points from you. For example for 10,000 points you will be able to purchase $100 worth of travel or merchandise. I will pay you $150 which means you get 50% more.
Thank You
Raj,
I will sell you 50,000 points for $750. Tell me how to do this if you want.
Thanks
How do I find out how many points I have on my chase freedom card?
How many points are on my Chase Freedom card?
@Thomas: I agree. Their Ulitmate Points are not working well on their website. I too, will cancel my Chase credit card and I will find another Visa company.
Everybody loves to talk about the bad experience with chase rewards but they should know this: just like with everything else, it has good moments and bad moments, so please suck up and enjoy the good moments..
Sounds like Lynette Perez is someone’s secretary within the chase group. I too find this whole site/system NOT very user friendly. Also, why have to waste time every 3 months to update the specials, why not just make it automatic, seems very silly to make a production of signing up for something that should just be year around. Poor English or slang is quite frustrating, not to mention these people have too much access to our information .
We just used 88,000 points to book a hotel in LA…we couldn’t get there because of the hurricane in NYC that weekend – flights were cancelled and airport closed…now chase says the points are not refundable!!! they are no help on the phone at all..very rude…they claim the points are now held thru a 3rd party – some booking agency, not the hotel – and that they can’t re-instate them…of course i cannot call the booking agency myself – supposedly someone at the rewards program is doing that but is only leaving messages and voice mail…in the meantime we want to re-sched for 2 weeks from now, and can’t re-book the flights until we find out about the hotel…chase bank is horrible!!!
Hi Claudia,
If you still have those points and you don’t want them, I will be happy to trade for American Airline miles, American express or even buy from you.
Thanks
Sam
I agree with Thomas. I used to do the statement credits all the time and it was easy and convenient. With all you have to do now, it’s not even worth it anymore.
I’ll be canceling my account with Chase after my first attempt to navigate the new Ultimate Rewards web site. It’s no longer possible to simply trade your points for statement credit, now you must redeem them for individual purchases made in the last few days. The site dose not streamline the process, it doesn’t give you a list of eligible purchases. You need to click back and forth between the rewards page and your statement, and enter the date, and amount of the purchase one by one.
When I called Chase, to ask if there was some way around the poorly implemented new system, it took 20 minutes to navigate though their phone tree. When I finally spoke to a live person it was someone who spoke English poorly, and told me that generic statement credits had never been possible. An obvious lie, I’ve been using my credits for statement credits for years.
Chase, you used to be the best credit card in the business, now you are just a sad mockery of your former self.
I guess it only takes one time to ruin your experience with a rewards program. I think getting it as a check is kinda no hassle as well but i guess you’re entitled to your own opinion.
I have no idea what all the fuss is about concerning the website. I was able to redeem my 20000 points for a $200 statement credit with two mouse clicks.
How?
I do statement credits through ultimate rewards. I just pick a day in the past week and redeem as much as I want. Just ignore the per transaction part.
my question….
chase said that no matter what, you get 1 pt or every dollar spent on any purchase from anywhere.
now when i go to the rewards mall it says i get 1pt per dollar from newegg.com. does that mean 1 extra point per dollar or still just 1pt, if its still just 1pt then wheres the benifit? or if i buy from bestbuy (through the mall) would i get 10pts or 11pts per dollar?
one other thing you forgot to mention, every season chase has a 5% cash back promotion on certain goods. from july to september you get 5% back on all gas/hotel/air plane ticket purchases. then october-december it will change to something else (maybe clothes/food/home goods…. just an example).
I would just like to say that I have an Ultimate Rewards card and was not aware of all the options I have until I went to this website and I am so excited about it! I used to not really worry about if a store ran my card as a debit or credit but now, I will make sure it is always done as a credit and will be using the online mall for companies that I currently or have considered establishing service with that I didnt know would earn more rewards! Thanks Chase Bank!!!