Understanding the Chase Trifecta Strategy for Maximizing Rewards
Saving money on understanding chase trifecta strategy does not have to be complicated. We rounded up the essentials so you can spend less and skip the guesswork.
Key Takeaways
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- The Chase Trifecta is a straightforward strategy I often recommend to beginners who are looking to get the most value from the Chase Ultimat...
The Chase Trifecta is a straightforward strategy I frequently recommend to beginners who are looking to get the most value from the Chase Ultimate Rewards points program. This approach is designed to optimize both the number of points you can earn and the value of your points.
Table of Contents
ToggleUnderstanding the Chase Trifecta
It’s called the Trifecta because it relies on a combination of three different credit cards offered by Chase.
To understand why the strategy is so powerful, you must understand two key aspects of the Chase Ultimate Reward points ecosystem:
- Only three Chase cards offer transferable points to airline and hotel partners in addition to an increased point value when booking through the Chase Travel Portal: the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and Ink Business Preferred.
- Chase allows you to move points between credit card accounts.
Without a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred, options for using Chase Ultimate Rewards points are limited, frequently resulting in lower-value redemptions such as gift cards or statement credits at a 1 cent per point valuation.
However, the fact that you can move points between accounts can increase the value of points earned on any Chase cards that earn Chase Ultimate Reward points.
For example, you can transfer points from a no-annual-fee card like the Chase Freedom Flex to your Chase Sapphire Reserve card and unlock higher redemption values and more flexible reward options.
The links directing to Chase cards on this page are my personal referral links, earning me a bonus when you sign up through them.
Why the Chase Trifecta Works
The Chase Trifecta strategy is designed to optimize the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points, particularly when redeeming them through the Chase travel portal and holding a premium card.
For instance, the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred cards boost the value of your points by 25% when redeemed through the travel portal. This means that instead of the standard 1 cent per point value, your points are worth 1.25 cents each.
The value increases even more if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. With this card, your points are worth 50% more when redeemed through the travel portal, translating to a value of 1.5 cents per point.
A screenshot from my personal Chase Sapphire Reserve account, showing that the 22,927 CUR points I currently have can be redeemed for $343.91 in travel.The real magic happens when combining the earning potential of cards like the Chase Freedom Flex, which offers five Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent in rotating bonus categories.
Transferring points earned on the Freedom Flex to a premium card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve increases your points’ value to 1.5 cents each, effectively boosting your return on spending to an impressive 7.5% (5% x 1.5).
While earning this value on your spending is impressive, you can get even more value by utilizing the transfer partners of Chase.
Suppose you were to book a hotel that normally costs $600 for 20,000 CUR points.
In that case, your points would be worth 3 cents each. And if you earned those points spending within a 5% bonus category using your Chase Freedom Flex, your effective return on spend is an astonishing 15% (5% x 3).
Furthermore, you can earn multiple signup bonuses when you sign up for multiple Chase cards.
Learn how to maximize the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards for travel in our guides to booking airfare with points and redeeming points for hotels.
Be Aware of Chase’s 5/24 Rule
The Chase Trifecta can be a powerful credit card strategy for earning rewards and maximizing your spending, but it’s key to be aware of the Chase 5/24 rule.
This rule states that if you have opened five or more credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months, you will not be approved for a new Chase credit card.
So, you’ll need to take a more patient and deliberate approach to build your Chase Trifecta over time. This may mean spacing out your applications over a longer period of time or prioritizing the cards that offer the most benefits and fit your spending habits.
See our article on travel hacking responsibly for more information regarding spacing out credit card applications and protecting your credit score.
What Cards Make Up the Chase Trifecta
Since the term was first coined, Chase has expanded its line of credit card offerings, which means there are now several variations of the Trifecta.
The original version is still valid and involves three cards:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- Chase Freedom Flex (previously called Chase Freedom).
- Chase Freedom Unlimited.
You have more options today to design the right Trifecta for you. But the key to making the strategy work is having at least one card that earns transferable points. These cards are frequently referred to as premium Chase Cards.
Your options here for personal cards are the Chase S
Final Thoughts
The bottom line: a little research on understanding chase trifecta strategy goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.
Originally published at thewaystowealth.com.
R.J. Weiss
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