Maximize Your Credit Card Rewards with These 3 Chase Credit Cards
Have you been trying to get into points and miles but need help figuring out how to start? The Chase Trifecta is one of the best beginner points and miles strategies to get you on the right track. It covers travel, dining, and everyday purchases.
The Chase Credit Card Trifecta can help you “up” your rewards journey by making it easy to earn and redeem travel points. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just starting to explore the world of rewards, this strategy can guide you to maximizing your benefits and achieving your travel dreams.
What is the Chase trifecta?
The Chase trifecta is a strategy that uses three Chase credit cards. When used together, they can help earn more rewards and maximize benefits. The idea is that with three cards, you will cover most expense categories, giving you the maximum number of points.
My favorite Chase Trifecta method uses the Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Freedom Unlimited, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred credit cards. Below, I have created a breakdown of the strategy and Chase credit cards, including some of their benefits.
Chase Freedom Flex
The Chase Freedom Flex does NOT get enough credit for its potential. This is because it’s primarily a cash-back card.
The Freedom Flex has quarterly rotating categories in which you can earn 5% cash back. The secret: You also have to have the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred card so that you can use that 5% cashback as points and combine them. This would equal 5x the points on the quarterly rotating categories.
So, if I charge my $100 mani/pedi to this card and get 5% back, that would equal 500 points. However, there is a cap to the number of points you can earn, which is 7,500 points per quarter. But that’s still an easy 30,000 extra points you could earn that year using your card for the quarterly categories.
Features:
- No annual fee
- Upon opening an account, you can earn $200 if you spend $3,000 within three months
- Earn 5% on quarterly bonus categories upon activation
- 3% on dining and drugstore purchases
- 5% on Chase travel purchased through the Chase travel portal
- 1% on all other categories
Chase Freedom Unlimited
You can’t ignore the Chase Freedom Unlimited, another cash-back card in the Chase Trifecta. Like the Freedom Flex, with the Freedom Unlimited, you can combine points if you have an upper-tier Chase card.
Features:
- $200 after spending $500 on purchases within three months of the account’s opening
- 3% on dining and drugstore purchases
- 5% on Chase travel purchased through the Chase travel portal
- 1.5% on all other categories
- No annual fee
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a premium travel credit card and one of the cards used in the Chase Trifecta. With an annual fee of $550, cardholders get several perks.
Features:
- 10x the points on hotels purchased through the Chase travel portal
- 5x the points on flights purchased through the Chase travel portal
- 3x points on all travel
- Global Entry or TSA Pre-check Credit
- $300 annual travel credit
- Airport lounge access
Chase Sapphire Preferred
If you want a cheaper Chase Trifecta option, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has an annual fee of $95. Currently, Chase is offering a 60,000-point sign-up bonus for this card. But keep an eye out; they offer a larger sign-up bonus at least once a year. This sign-up bonus alone can get you an international round-trip flight.
Features:
- $50 annual hotel credit
- 5x points on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Portal
- 3x points on dining and restaurants
- 2x the points on all other travel purchases
- 10% anniversary points bonus
*Remember, you can only have one Sapphire card at a time*
The Strategy
With rotating categories and point bonuses on travel and dining, the idea behind using the Chase Trifecta is to maximize points in every purchase category. By strategically using these three cards, you can earn maximum rewards and pool your points together in your Chase Ultimate Rewards account. This approach lets you take advantage of better redemption options and get the most out of your points.
Chase Rewards Program Overview
The Chase Ultimate Rewards program is highly valued. You can use the points you earn through Chase toward travel, cashback, gift cards, and paying yourself back. The best redemption for your Chase Ultimate Rewards points is for travel.
The best way to maximize your points is to transfer them from Chase Ultimate Rewards to one of their transfer partners. These include:
Airline Partners:
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- British Airways Executive Club
- Emirates Skywards
- Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
- Iberia Plus
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
- United MileagePlus
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Hotel Partners:
- IHG Rewards Club
- Marriott Bonvoy
- World of Hyatt
Tips to Maximize Travel Rewards
Transfer to Partners
With transfer partners, you can receive better point valuations and access to exclusive deals. Transferring points to airline or hotel loyalty programs lets you take advantage of promotions, premium class flight awards, and unique hotel redemptions that typically cost more if paid with cash.
This strategy allows travelers to maximize the value of their points, sometimes getting redemption rates of 2 cents per point or higher, compared to the standard rate when booking directly through the Chase portal.
Book Through the Chase Travel Portal
You can get decent value for your points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel portal, and booking is easy. Cardholders can use their Ultimate Rewards points to book travel or pay with their Chase credit card.
You simply log into your Chase account, navigate to the Ultimate Rewards portal, and choose the “Travel” option. From there, you can search for flights, hotels, car rentals, and activities. Once you’ve selected your travel preferences, you can complete the booking using points, cash, or a combination of both, often at a fair redemption rate.
Stay On Top of Categories
Make sure to check the quarterly category schedule for the Chase Freedom Flex. You are also required to “activate” your reward categories. Usually, they send an email, or you can log into your Chase account and activate them.
Why the Chase Trifecta Might Not Be for You
Annual fees
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a yearly fee of $550. The fee may not be justified if you don’t travel much and won’t use the card’s full premium benefits.
Spending
If you have difficulty paying off credit cards, this strategy is not for you. These cards charge high APRs. To succeed in this strategy, you need to pay off your credit cards in full every month. In addition, your spending may not fit the spending categories of these credit cards. In that case, this strategy wouldn’t be a good fit.
Complexity
Managing many credit cards can be complicated and time-consuming. It requires careful tracking of expenses and bonus categories. The Chase Trifecta may not be ideal if you prefer a more straightforward financial strategy.
Other Rewards Programs
You may benefit from other rewards or cashback programs that are better compatible with your lifestyle and spending habits.
Credit Score Impact
Applying for a new credit card temporarily decreases your credit score. Having multiple lines of credit requires discipline to avoid high credit utilization, which also affects your credit score.
5/24 rule
Be aware that Chase has a rule called the 5/24 rule. With this rule, you can’t open more than five personal credit cards in 24 months. This includes credit cards from any issuer. If you apply for a Chase credit card and are over this limit, you will most likely be denied.
Final Thoughts on The Chase Trifecta
The Chase trifecta strategy and the Chase Ultimate Rewards programs can significantly improve your travel and everyday spending rewards. By using the benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred, Chase Freedom Flex, and Chase Freedom Unlimited, you can maximize your points for premium travel at a fraction of the cost. But don’t forget to consider spending habits, annual fees, and the 5/24 rule before jumping in.
Ready to take your awards game to the next level? Apply for one of these core cards today and start earning and redeeming valuable rewards.
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Resources
Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card