Chase recently rolled out a new feature called Points Boost on its travel portal, but the reality is quite different from what the name suggests. Points Boost actually represents a significant devaluation for travel bookings made through Chase.
Our team delved into the data on Points Boost for flight reservations, and the results are clear: If you utilize Chase points to book flights through their portal, you can expect to receive just 1 cent per point — a decrease of 20% to 33% compared to previous valuations. The implementation date of this change will vary depending on when you acquired your card.
Understanding Points Boost
Points Boost has disrupted the value proposition of Chase’s travel portal, and not for the better.
For the past decade, Chase allowed users to redeem points in the travel portal at fixed values based on their card. However, this valuation is now changing. With the introduction of the Points Boost system:
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Each point is valued at 1 cent (e.g., 10,000 points equals $100), regardless of the card type you hold.
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Specific bookings labeled as Points Boost can elevate the point value to between 1.5 and 2 cents each.
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The value and availability of Points Boost rewards will vary depending on the card you possess.
This new system applies to applications made after June 23, 2025. If you had or applied for one of these cards before that date, any points earned before October 26, 2025 can still be redeemed at the previous value — but only until October 26, 2027.
According to Chase, Points Boost may be available for select airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, activities, or cruises. However, our analysis focused specifically on airline bookings.
To discover a qualifying Points Boost flight, conduct a search in Chase’s travel portal. Once the results are displayed, you’ll find a scrollbar of Points Boost options at the top of the screen. You can also filter the results by selecting “Points Boost only” using the toggle below that box.
While a result may indicate “Points Boost” in the top left corner, it will only qualify for special pricing if you see the points price in blue below the cash price.
Search results page for Chase Travel. (screenshot by Craig Joseph)
Analysis of Points Boost Data
We examined 81 domestic and international roundtrip travel itineraries encompassing 13,316 departure flights. The chosen routes included airports served by both Chase partners and non-partner hubs, such as United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, British Airways, and Air Canada. Here are our findings.
Less than 10% of flights qualified for Points Boost. Out of over 13,000 flights, only 1,259 (9.5%) had at least one seat eligible for Points Boost pricing, which was primarily offered on premium economy and first-class seats.
Just 3% of the Points Boost itineraries were in economy class. All economy tickets we identified were for United’s Economy Plus (economy with enhanced legroom), while the remaining 97% were for business or first-class seats.
The prices for these economy tickets were sometimes unreasonably high; Several flights were priced higher for United economy with Points Boost than a first-class ticket without Points Boost. If you prefer flying economy, it seems that your points will now be valued at 1 cent each when booking flights through Chase.
Over 80% of the Points Boost options we identified were for United Airlines. Other airlines featured include Air Canada, Emirates, EVA, Qantas, and LATAM. No Points Boost options were available for Chase partners Southwest Airlines and British Airways, or non-partners Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, or Alaska Airlines.
For most domestic first-class tickets, we noticed comparable pricing between Chase’s travel portal and booking directly with United. These tickets seem to be the one potential area of value in the new Points Boost program.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offered slightly more Points Boost options than other cards. Chase mentions in its terms that Points Boost availability varies by card. Here’s what we observed:
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Out of 2,907 departures searched with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, 356 (12.2%) had a Points Boost option.
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Out of 7,557 departures searched with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, 644 (8.5%) had a Points Boost option.
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Out of 2,852 departures searched with the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, 259 (9.1%) had a Points Boost option.
Several Points Boost itineraries featured unfavorable pricing, extended layovers, or inconvenient routes. While you may obtain a decent redemption rate on these bookings, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a good deal. Here are a few examples from our analysis:
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All Points Boost awards for flights between Phoenix and Minneapolis included a layover in Denver (United’s hub). This route offers non-stop services by Delta, American, and Sun Country Airlines. A Points Boost ticket (with a layover) was also priced around 5,400 points higher than a direct, non-Points Boost ticket.
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The cheapest Points Boost award for flights between Seattle and Salt Lake City required a seven-hour journey with a layover and still cost more points than a first-class ticket on a 2-hour direct flight with Delta (non-Points Boost).
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All Points Boost awards for flights between Miami and Dallas included a layover. This route offers non-stop services by Southwest and American. A Points Boost ticket (with a layover) cost nearly 4,900 points more than a direct, non-Points Boost ticket.
Is this the most extensive devaluation we’ve witnessed?
When an airline or hotel devalues its rewards program, consumers often have the option to switch to another program. However, Chase is one of the largest credit card issuers in the country, and there are few other issuers offering flexible travel rewards, limiting alternatives for affected cardholders. Due to the significant number of impacted cardholders, this change could be one of the most far-reaching devaluations in the industry.
Unless you plan to travel in a premium cabin on the limited flights where Points Boost seats are available, your Chase Ultimate Rewards® will now be valued at 1 cent each in Chase’s travel portal. This translates to a 33% reduction in value for Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders and a 20% decrease in value for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card holders.
While opportunities exist to potentially extract more value than before, there are numerous ways to receive less value. Moreover, this devaluation isn’t limited to flights — your points are now worth less (1 cent each) for