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Unlike some loyalty programs, Chase points — known as Chase Ultimate Rewards points — do not expire due to inactivity. As long as you keep your Chase credit card open, the Ultimate Rewards points tied to that account won't expire.
The bad news is that you'll lose all of the Ultimate Rewards points tied to an account when you close your Chase card. However, we will show you below how to keep these Chase points from expiring.
You can also lose your Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you act improperly. As Chase puts it:
Your points don’t expire as long as your account is open, however, you’ll immediately lose all your points if your account is closed for program misuse, fraudulent activities, failure to pay, bankruptcy, or other reasons described in the terms of the Rewards Program Agreement.
Chase Ultimate Rewards Cards
Chase credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points include:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Chase Freedom Flex℠
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Our best offer ever! Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,250 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Enjoy new benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3X points on dining and 2X points on all other travel purchases, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 100,000 points are worth $1,250 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
- 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
How to Keep Your Chase Points From Expiring if You Close a Chase Card
If you close a Chase credit card, you will lose the points associated with that card account. But, there are a few ways to save your points before you close your card.
If you have multiple Chase Ultimate Rewards cards, you can combine Chase points between accounts. By doing so, you transfer the points at risk of expiring to a card that you're going to keep. To do so, you'll need another Ultimate Rewards card account in your name. Or, you can transfer points to someone else in your household — or a business co-owner in the event of a business credit card — who will still have an Ultimate Rewards-earning card.
What About Expiration Due to Inactivity?
Many rewards programs have points that expire due to inactivity. However, that is not the case with Chase Ultimate Rewards. But, since Chase Ultimate Rewards are one of the most valuable travel rewards currencies available, inactivity and account dormancy shouldn't be an issue!
If you’re concerned about points expiring, or somehow losing your rewards, call the number on the back of your card to address your specific concern.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
We like to hold the non-expiring UR points until we need to transfer for a trip we plan 🙂
I love the big signup bonus with Chase. My DIL was given a “we’ll think about it” response. Any idea why? She doesn’t have many cc’s in her history.
Can you transfer from Ink to Sapphire? Thanks
Yes! We show the process here: https://awardwallet.com/blog/combine-chase-ultimate-rewards-multiple-credit-cards/
If the Ink isn’t showing up as an eligible account, you may need to link the cards by combining log-ins: https://awardwallet.com/blog/combine-chase-accounts-automated-process/
I’ve heard if the balance gets big enough, chase will terminate the account. Never happened to me, I don’t let my rewards get more the $500 before redeeming.
Thanks for the info, good tip on combining accounts to another card prior to closing an account.
I have the same question regarding the steps required to follow to transfer points to another card belonging to household member. Can anyone help? Thank u
The process is currently very much in flux right now. Chase recently removed the option to do so online, but reports from readers are that you can call Chase to request a transfer. It may be an anti-fraud measure that Chase is implementing.
The Chase card programs are usually pretty good deals. The 100k bonus points is about the best you’re going to get. And for those who feel $4k expenditure over three months is difficult, consider inquiring about ability to pay your Rent or Mortgage for a few months using a credit card, even if they impose a small fee! It really ends up being worth it. I pay a lot of utilities using my credit card, groceries add up, and other spends. So spending $4k over three months really isn’t that difficult for many people if you consider ways to use the card that you normally wouldn’t do. Cheers!
Yeah I do not have this problem. I don’t think that this would cross my mind since I use my cards way too often. lol! I love getting this points. I have plans for these points. Doesn’t everybody?
I got my first Chase Ink card just after takeover from legacy WAMU checking accounts. Still have Ink Plus, Ink Biz & Freedom helps get UR points.
May get another CSR sometime….
I would like to cancel my chase credit/debit card. I have requested this before but I keep getting mail on this card. thanks Tonny Rachal.
Love the CSR, so far…
Being able to not worry about my points expiring is one more reason to keep my Chase UR cc’s at the top of my wallet.
Great knowing I can group my points onto better cards
nice to know this
Thank you for the heads up. I don’t know if I will ever get rid of my chase card since I’ve really been able to use it for so many things! I just love the options I have using it! Cash, giftcards, using the points for travel, redeeming them at Amazon, etc. Just wonderful! I have been thinking about getting the freedom unlimited. What is Award Wallet’s option on which would be the best earner of points with chase? I use my freedom card really during the the 5% boost and then focus on everything else on my disney credit card. Would be it be better to have the freedom unlimited and divide charges between my disney and freedom unlimited or stay with the boost and disney card? I’m thinking for a trip it’ll be better to focus on my freedom card next time but well now I’m well into the disney build up. thank you for your thoughts!
The best earners are the Freedom Unlimited (1.5x points on everything) and the Sapphire Reserve (3x on travel & dining). Those two, in our opinion are the best cards for racking up Ultimate Rewards. The Disney card isn’t particularly rewarding with what you spend on it — you’re probably better off with even a simple 2% cash back card.
Sometimes it is advantageous to change the brand name on a card rather than cancelling it…for example “downgrading” a CSR to a Chase Freedom.
This strategy will do less damage to one’s credit score.
this is the same for United miles as long as you have a Chase United card
Marc, you need to use the United card — so a simple charge of a cup of coffee once in a while will work, but yes, effectively the same.
I guess I will keep my Chase Freedom card around then. Thanks for the information.
Didn’t know you could transfer points to another account, good to know!
Its really card to card under the same UR account. Not even a number like Amex.
Helpful article- how do you transfer the points to another card or household member? are there fees involved in that transfer? thanks
Jason, once you login to your account at UltimateRewards.com, if you hover over your balance in the top right-hand corner you should see a popup that comes out and it provides you an option to “Combine Points”.
The two cards I use the most: Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Freedom Unlimited. Both GREAT cards, and because the Ultimate Rewards points transfer to so many airlines and hotels these are no-brainers!
Good to know! I was thinking of closing my Chase reward cards but didn’t realize I would lose all my points in that process so I will keep one account open.
Super helpful, we were about to close our freedom card. Good to know to transfer the points to our preferred card. Thanks!!
IMO everyone should have a couple of Freedoms, they and the Inks are the most robust earning UR cards Chase has. Two freedoms can easily earn 30k to 45k ea year even skipping a quarter. Like a mini signup bonus year in and year out.
Good to know! I don’t need to worry so much about award points expiring these days though with Award Wallet!
This article is a great primer for people (like me) who do not remember all the benefits of Ultimate Rewards points. These are more reasons why I am concentrating on bank points and not hotel points this year.