Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points before downgrading your Chase Sapphire card: A quick guide

If you’re considering changing your Chase credit card, there’s an important step to consider before doing so. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® are two of the top travel credit cards at TPG, offering generous welcome bonuses. Both cards earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, providing access to top hotel and airline transfer partners.

Ultimate Rewards points are flexible, allowing you to decide when and where to transfer your points. However, transfers are typically done in increments of 1,000 points. You can transfer points to various partners, such as World of Hyatt or Aeroplan, for hotel stays or flights.

If you’re looking to earn another welcome bonus offer, keep in mind that you won’t qualify for a bonus on a Chase card if you currently hold that card or received a sign-up bonus on it in the last 24 to 48 months. In this case, you may consider downgrading your current Chase Sapphire card to a no-annual-fee Chase card to protect your credit history and keep your Ultimate Rewards account active.

It’s important to note that you can only transfer Ultimate Rewards to travel partners if you have an active Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred Card. If you downgrade to a Freedom card, you can still redeem points for travel, cash back, or gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point, but you won’t be able to transfer to partners.

Before downgrading your card, consider transferring your Ultimate Rewards balance to your favorite partners to maximize value. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait until you’re approved for a Sapphire or Ink Business card again to transfer points. Make sure to plan accordingly to make the most of your rewards.