Chase is offering Freedom and Freedom Unlimited cardholders 10% cash back on up to $2,500 in hotel and car rental bookings made through the Ultimate Rewards portal. The terms say that you must pay with your Freedom or Freedom Unlimited card. The 10% cash back is total and does not stack on top of the typical 1%/1.5% earned on those cards.
It’s always nice to save a few bucks, but don’t forget to compare with other options. For example, if you book through a traditional online travel agency and use a shopping portal combined with 3x earnings using the Chase Sapphire Reserve, your savings may be comparable. Also keep in mind that you will likely forgo the opportunity to earn points or use elite benefits when booking through a third party.
Still, this deal may present an opportunity to save some money in the right situations.
Offer Details:
- 10% cash back on hotel/car rental bookings (total, not in addition to normal rewards)
- Must pay with Chase Freedom / Freedom Unlimited
- Booking must be made between March 1st and March 31st, 2017 (though you can travel any time)
- Cash back earned on a maximum combined total of $2,500 in spend
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Not a huge fan of OTAs, so this actually works out perfectly for me. Thank you! Booking a few hotel rooms tonight.
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Since $2500 in month on hotel and car generally doesn’t happen for most folks, is there an opportunity to MS.
I’m not aware of any way to MS on this.
One semi-related thought might be booking for other people. If you have friends or family booking trips, you could offer to book for them. I think you can book a hotel room for anyone via the Chase portal. You’d put their name on the reservation instead of your own. Ideally, you’d choose a prepaid rate as it would be more difficult if paying at check-in and you won’t be there.