How to harness the power of the Chase trifecta
Depending on your situation, preferences, and travel habits, you can choose how to construct your own Chase trifecta from a list of five cards. Here's what you need to know about how it works and how to make the most of your card choices.
The Chase trifecta consists of three Ultimate Rewards-earning credit cards of your choosing. By strategically using a combination of Chase credit cards, you can maximize the points you earn on every dollar you spend, and then redeem those points for the highest possible value.
Here are some of the cards that are most commonly used.
The Chase Freedom Flex offers 5% cash back on rotating categories, but only up to a $1,500 spending cap each quarter. In addition, the card comes with a 0% APR offer for both purchases and balance transfers.
Remember that while this is billed as a cash-back credit card, you're actually earning Ultimate Rewards points.
With the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you'll earn a minimum of 1.5% cash back on every purchase. Like the Freedom Flex, the Freedom Unlimited offers rewards in the form of Ultimate Rewards points. It also includes the same 0% intro APR offer on new purchases and balance transfers.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is an entry-level travel credit card that offers bonus points on travel purchases, dining, select streaming services, and online groceries.
Unlike the Freedom cards, however, the Sapphire Preferred gives you access to more than a dozen airline and hotel transfer partners. You'll also get 25% more value when you use your points to book travel through Chase.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a top-tier travel card, offering bonus points on travel and dining spending. Like the Sapphire Preferred, the Sapphire Reserve lets you transfer your points to several travel partners. You'll also get 50% more value when using your points to book travel through Chase.
What really sets the card apart, however, is its premium travel perks, which include an annual $300 travel credit and complimentary airport lounge access.
If you're a business owner, you may consider including the Ink Business Preferred in your Chase trifecta. The card offers bonus points on up to $150,000 spent each year on travel and select business categories.
Like the Sapphire cards, the Ink Business Preferred offers access to hotel and airline transfer partners. It also provides a 25% redemption bonus on travel booked through Chase.
If you're looking for a way to maximize the rewards you earn for travel, it's hard to beat what the Chase trifecta has to offer. The Ultimate Rewards program is incredibly versatile, and some of its cards and transfer partners offer outsized value when it comes to redemptions.
Here's how to make the Chase trifecta work for you.
Each Chase trifecta credit card offers solid rewards, but the right mix of cards for you will depend on a few factors:
Your budget: While the Freedom cards don't charge annual fees, the Sapphire cards and Ink Business Preferred do. If you can afford a steeper annual fee, the Sapphire Reserve's perks may be worth its $550 yearly cost. But for many, the Sapphire Preferred Card's $95 annual fee may be more palatable.
Your spending: There is some overlap in rewards rates among the personal Ultimate Rewards credit cards, so you'll want to choose the cards that best fit your spending profile. If you own a business, it could make sense to opt for the Ink Business Preferred instead of the Sapphire Preferred, especially if you spend a lot in the business card's reward categories.
Travel habits: If you're just dipping your toes into the realm of travel rewards, it could make sense to start off small. For example, the Freedom Unlimited, Freedom Flex, and Sapphire Preferred can help you minimize your annual fees while offering better travel redemptions. However, if you're a frequent traveler, the Sapphire Reserve's premium benefits and higher travel redemption bonus may be a better fit for you.
Chase has an unofficial 5/24 rule, which means that if you've opened five or more new credit cards in the past 24 months, your application for a new card may be denied.
Review your credit reports to get an idea of how many cards you've already opened in the past two years. Even if you can safely open three cards in quick succession, it's best to space out your applications by six months or more to minimize the credit impact. You'll also want to give yourself time to earn the welcome bonus with each card, which can take a few months depending on your spending.
As you round out your Chase trifecta, use the cards strategically based on their rewards rates. For example:
Chase Freedom Flex: Use this card for its 5% bonus categories and its extra rewards on drugstore and dining purchases.
Chase Freedom Flex: Use this card for its 1.5% base rewards rate and possibly even its bonus rewards on drugstore and dining purchases.
Chase Sapphire Preferred: Use this card for its bonus rewards on dining, select streaming services, online grocery purchases, and travel.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: Use this card for travel and dining purchases.
Ink Business Preferred: Use this card for travel and bonus-eligible business expenses.
If you have two cards that earn the same rewards rate in a single category — for example, dining — it won't matter which one you choose.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards program allows you to combine the points you earn with different cards in the program. You can even pool your rewards with another person in your household. So, if you're partnered, you can double up on rewards by each having your own Chase trifecta. Alternatively, you can add your partner as an authorized user on your cards.
Pooling doesn't happen automatically, however. You'll need to manually move points from one card to another through your online account. Simply visit the rewards page and select "Combine points" from the menu of options. Then, you can move points one card at a time. Fortunately, transfers are instantaneous.
One of the best ways to maximize your Ultimate Rewards points is to transfer them to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs.
However, this often requires a lot of research. If you want to use your points to book a flight, for instance, you'd need to check award flights with Chase partners and compare them to the cash price to see how valuable your points would be.
Let's say you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards to United Airlines and book a flight for 20,000 miles. If the cash price of that flight is $400, you'd divide $400 by 20,000 points to get a value of $0.02 per point.
That may sound simple, but you'll likely need to check multiple airlines, flight dates, and destinations to find the best possible redemption.
If you enjoy that process, it shouldn't be an issue. However, if you want a simpler approach, it could make sense to transfer your Freedom card points to one of the Sapphire cards or the Ink Business Preferred, so you can enjoy the bonus redemption value on travel booked through Chase.
To make the most of your credit card rewards, it's essential to pay your balances on time and in full every month. Even a little monthly interest can diminish or completely erase any value you earn from rewards.
What's more, racking up large balances can threaten your financial security. If you're not currently on a budget and spending less than what you earn, it may not make sense to use the Chase trifecta until you can get your spending under control.
Before you get started, it's important to understand both the advantages and disadvantages of using multiple credit cards to maximize your rewards. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Increased rewards earning potential
Flexible redemption options
Potential for high redemption values
Annual fees can add up
Managing multiple credit cards can be time-consuming
Could increase your chances of racking up high-interest debt
If you're thinking about setting up your own Chase trifecta, it's important to understand the benefits and drawbacks. It's also a good idea to take your time to choose the right mix of cards based on your spending habits, budget, preferences and travel habits.
As you walk through the steps above thoughtfully, you'll have an easier time racking up a lot of rewards and enjoying incredible redemption rates and even some valuable travel perks.
This article was edited by Alicia Hahn
Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank's website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
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