✈ CHASE TRAVEL 2026 GUIDE Can I Mix Points and Cash on “ Chase Travel Flight ” Booking? The complete, expert-written guide to combining Chase Ultimate Rewards points and cash for flights — including Points Boost, real redemption values, step-by-step instructions, and every FAQ answered. 🐀 Last Updated: March 2026 ✍ By a Travel Rewards Specialist 8-min Read 🐀 Need help with your Chase Travel booking? Speak to a live Chase Travel agent 24/7 for booking assistance, cancellations, or itinerary changes. Call +1 888-483-9719 🐀 Table of Contents 1. Quick Answer: Can You Mix Points and Cash? 2. How Mixing Points and Cash Works on Chase Travel 3. Current Chase Points Values for Flights (2026) 4. What Is Points Boost and How Does It Affect Mixed Payments? 5. Step-by-Step: How to Book a Flight with Points + Cash 6. Do You Still Earn Frequent Flyer Miles? 7. Transfer Points vs. Book Through Portal: Which Is Better? 8. Expert Tips to Maximize Your Points + Cash Booking 9. Complete FAQ: Chase Travel Flight Booking Quick Answer: Can You Mix Points and Cash on Chase Travel? Yes — absolutely. Chase Travel allows you to pay for flights using any combination of Chase Ultimate Rewards points and a Chase credit card. You can use all your points, none of your points, or any split in between. There is no minimum or maximum points requirement beyond having at least some points in your account. 🐀 The Short Answer: Chase Travel lets you split payment between points and a Chase credit card in any proportion. You choose how many points to apply at checkout, and the remaining balance is charged to your card. This flexibility makes Chase Travel one of the most versatile booking platforms available today. Whether you want to save your points for a bigger redemption later or stretch a smaller points balance to offset part of a flight cost, the portal accommodates both strategies without restriction. How Mixing Points and Cash Works on Chase Travel The mechanics of combining points and cash on Chase Travel are straightforward. When you reach the payment step in the booking process, you'll see a slider or input field that allows you to choose how many Ultimate Rewards points to apply toward your flight. The dollar value of those points is then subtracted from the total fare, and the remainder is charged to your Chase credit card on file. Key Details to Know Any split is allowed. You could apply 500 points to reduce a $400 fare by $5, or you could apply 40,000 points to cover the bulk of a $400 fare and pay only the remaining taxes with your card. The choice is entirely yours at the time of checkout. Points value at checkout varies by card. The amount your points are worth — and therefore how much of the fare they cover — depends on which Chase card you hold and whether a Points Boost offer is available for your specific flight. More on this below. You still earn rewards on the cash portion. When you use a mix of points and cash, your Chase card earns its normal rewards on the cash portion of the payment. If your card earns 5x points on Chase Travel bookings, you'll earn those 5x points on the dollars you charge to the card. Important 2026 Update: As of late October 2025, Chase eliminated the fixed 1.25x and 1.5x point value multipliers for Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve cardholders respectively. The new system — called Points Boost — offers dynamic value of up to 2 cents per point, but only on select flights. Non-boosted flights are worth just 1 cent per point. Current Chase Points Values for Flights (2026) Understanding what your points are worth is critical to deciding how many — if any — to apply to a mixed booking. Here is the current breakdown: Chase Card Standard Value (No Boost) Points Boost Value (Select Flights) Best Alternative Chase Sapphire Reserve® 1.0¢ per point Up to 2.0¢ per point Transfer to airline partner Chase Sapphire Preferred® 1.0¢ per point Up to 1.75¢ per point Transfer to airline partner Ink Business Preferred® 1.0¢ per point Up to 1.75¢ per point Transfer to airline partner Chase Freedom Unlimited® 1.0¢ per point 1.0¢ per point Combine with Sapphire card Ink Business Cash® / Unlimited® 1.0¢ per point 1.0¢ per point Combine with Sapphire card For context, independent travel experts value Chase Ultimate Rewards points at approximately 2.0 – 2.05 cents each when transferred to airline partners. This means even the best Points Boost value (2.0¢) is at or below what you'd get transferring to the right partner for the right flight. What Is Points Boost and How Does It Affect Mixed Payments? Points Boost is Chase's dynamic pricing feature introduced in June 2025. It replaces the old fixed-rate multipliers that gave Sapphire Reserve cardholders a guaranteed 1.5x (1.5¢ per point) and Sapphire Preferred cardholders a guaranteed 1.25x (1.25¢ per point) on all Chase Travel bookings. Under the new system, Points Boost offers elevated point values — up to 2 cents per point — but only on a curated selection of flights. If your chosen flight doesn't qualify for Points Boost, your points are worth just 1 cent each, which is a meaningful reduction from the old guaranteed minimums. How to Identify a Points Boost Flight When searching for flights in the Chase Travel portal, Points Boost-eligible options appear with a special indicator at the top of the search results. You can also filter results to show only Points Boost flights. If the points price appears in blue beneath the cash price, the booking qualifies for boosted value. 🐀 Pro Tip: If you find a Points Boost flight where the value is 1.75¢ or 2.0¢ per point, using a full or near-full points redemption (or a points + cash split) can be highly efficient — especially if you don't have a great airline transfer partner option for that route. Points Boost and the Mixed Payment Strategy When a flight qualifies for Points Boost, applying points toward a mixed payment is especially worthwhile. For example, if you have 30,000 points and a Sapphire Reserve card, those 30,000 points could be worth $600 toward a boosted flight (at 2.0¢ each), leaving you to pay any remaining balance with your card. This stretches your points further than any non-travel redemption. Step-by-Step: How to Book a Flight Using Points + Cash on Chase Travel 1. Log In to Your Chase Account Visit chase.com or open the Chase mobile app and sign in. Navigate to the Ultimate Rewards section, visible in the upper- right corner of your account dashboard. 2. Access Chase Travel Click on "Travel" from the Ultimate Rewards menu, then select "Book Travel." You'll be redirected to the Chase Travel portal, powered by Expedia. 3. Search for Your Flight Enter your departure city, destination, travel dates, number of passengers, and preferred cabin class. Click search to view available flights. 4. Look for Points Boost Flights (Optional but Recommended) At the top of search results, scroll through the Points Boost carousel or toggle the "Points Boost only" filter. These flights offer the highest points value. Check for the blue points price indicator. 5. Select Your Flight and Proceed to Checkout Choose your preferred flight and click through to the payment screen. Add your frequent flyer number at this stage so you earn miles on the booking. 6. Choose Your Points + Cash Split On the payment page, use the points slider or input field to select how many points to apply. The displayed total will automatically adjust, showing you the remaining cash balance to be charged to your card. 7. Confirm and Book Review your itinerary, points applied, cash charged, and total cost. Confirm the booking. You'll receive a confirmation email with a PNR (record locator) you can use on the airline's website to select seats. 🐀 Prefer to book by phone? A Chase Travel specialist can walk you through points + cash bookings, open-jaw itineraries, and more. Available 24 hours a day. Call +1 888-483-9719 Do You Still Earn Frequent Flyer Miles on Points + Cash Bookings? Yes — and this is one of the most underappreciated advantages of booking flights through Chase Travel instead of transferring points directly to an airline. When you transfer Chase points to an airline and redeem them for an award ticket, that ticket is typically a non-revenue award. That means you earn zero frequent flyer miles and zero elite qualifying credits with the airline. You're flying for free, but your loyalty status doesn't advance. Flights booked through Chase Travel — whether paid entirely with points, entirely with cash, or a mix of both — are booked as revenue tickets. This means: 🐀 You earn frequent flyer miles on the full flight value. 🐀 You earn elite qualifying miles/segments/dollars (EQM/EQS/EQD). 🐀 Your elite status perks (upgrades, lounge access, priority boarding) are recognized. 🐀 You earn miles regardless of whether you paid with points, cash, or a combination. To make sure you receive credit, add your frequent flyer number to the booking at the time of checkout. If you forgot, contact the airline directly after booking to add it to your reservation. Transfer Points vs. Book Through Chase Travel: Which Is Better? This is the most important strategic decision Chase cardholders face, and the answer genuinely depends on the specific route, cabin, and availability. Here is a practical framework: Scenario Best Strategy Why Premium cabin (business/first) international flight Transfer to airline partner Partners often yield 3 – 10+ cents per point vs. 1 – 2 cents via portal Economy domestic or short - haul flight Chase Travel (Points Boost if available) Portal rates can be competitive; you also earn miles No award availability on partners Chase Travel Portal books revenue tickets, so availability is never an issue Want to earn/maintain elite status Chase Travel Revenue ticket earns EQMs; award tickets typically don't Last - minute flight, limited time Chase Travel Instant booking, no partner transfer processing time Flying non - partner airlines Chase Travel Portal covers all airlines, not just Chase's 11 transfer partners As a general rule: if a transfer partner can get you on the same flight for significantly fewer points, transfer. If the portal offers competitive pricing (especially with Points Boost) or if partner award space doesn't exist, book through Chase Travel — and consider a points + cash split to preserve some of your balance. Expert Tips to Maximize Your Points + Cash Booking on Chase Travel 1. Always Check the Points Boost Tab First Before committing to any flight, scroll through the Points Boost carousel at the top of search results. If your desired route has a boosted option, the elevated point value (up to 2¢) makes the mixed payment strategy especially powerful. 2. Calculate Your Cents-Per-Point Before Applying Before applying points, do a quick calculation: take the cash price of the flight, divide by the points required, and multiply by 100 to get your cents-per-point value. Anything above 1.5¢ is generally a solid redemption for the portal. Anything below 1.0¢ is poor — consider saving your points for a better use. 3. Use Cash-Back Cards to "Stack" Points If you hold a Chase Freedom Unlimited or Freedom Flex alongside a Sapphire card, you can pool those cash-back rewards into your Sapphire account and use them at the higher Points Boost rate. This effectively converts 1.5% cash back into up to 2.0¢-per-point travel value. 4. Add Your Frequent Flyer Number Before Completing Checkout Don't skip the frequent flyer number field. Adding it at booking time is the easiest way to ensure your miles credit properly. Even though you're using points, Chase Travel books a revenue ticket and the airline's system will credit your miles automatically after your flight. 5. Keep Some Points in Reserve for Future Boosts Points Boost availability changes regularly. If you drain your points balance on non-boosted bookings at 1.0¢ each, you may miss a future high-value boost. Consider holding at least 20,000 – 50,000 points in reserve for opportunistic boosted redemptions. 6. Call for Complex Itineraries Open-jaw itineraries (e.g., fly into London, return from Paris) and multi-city trips can be difficult to book online. Chase Travel agents can build these over the phone, sometimes accessing fares the portal doesn't display. Call +1 888- 483-9719 for assistance. Complete FAQ: Chase Travel Flight Booking Can I mix points and cash on Chase Travel flight bookings? ▾ Yes. Chase Travel allows you to pay for any flight using a combination of Ultimate Rewards points and a Chase credit card. You control the split — apply as many or as few points as you like, and your card is charged for the remainder. There is no minimum points requirement to use this feature. How much is 1 Chase point worth when booking a flight through the portal? ▾ As of 2026, standard bookings are worth 1 cent per point. If a Points Boost offer is available for your specific flight, Sapphire Reserve cardholders can receive up to 2 cents per point, and Sapphire Preferred / Ink Business Preferred cardholders up to 1.75 cents per point. Points Boost is only available on select flights, so not every booking qualifies for enhanced value. What is Points Boost, and how do I know if my flight qualifies? ▾ Points Boost is Chase's dynamic redemption feature, launched in June 2025, that offers elevated point values on select flights and hotels. To find qualifying flights, look for the Points Boost carousel at the top of your search results, or use the "Points Boost only" filter toggle. A qualifying flight will show its points price in blue beneath the cash price. Will I earn frequent flyer miles if I pay with a mix of points and cash? ▾ Yes. Flights booked through Chase Travel are revenue tickets, meaning you earn frequent flyer miles and elite qualifying credits with the airline regardless of your payment method. This applies whether you pay entirely with points, entirely with cash, or any combination. Add your frequent flyer number at checkout to ensure the miles credit to your account. Do I earn Chase points on the cash portion of a points + cash booking? ▾ Yes. When you pay part of your flight with a Chase credit card, that cash portion earns your card's standard rewards rate for Chase Travel bookings. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 8x points per dollar on Chase Travel purchases. You'll earn those 8x points on the dollars charged to your card — even if you also applied points to cover part of the fare. Can I use points from multiple Chase cards for one flight booking? ▾ Yes, if you combine your points balances into a single Ultimate Rewards account first. Chase allows you to transfer points between your own Chase cards and to household members' accounts. Once combined, you can use that pooled balance toward a single flight booking. This is especially useful if you hold multiple Chase cards like the Freedom Unlimited alongside a Sapphire card. What happens if I cancel a flight I booked with points and cash? ▾ Cancellation policies depend on the fare type. Refundable fares will be refunded in full — points return to your account and the cash portion is credited back to your Chase card. Non-refundable fares may incur airline change or cancellation fees. All cancellations must be processed through Chase Travel, not directly with the airline. Contact Chase Travel at +1 888-483-9719 for help with cancellations. Are all airlines available for booking through Chase Travel? ▾ Most major airlines are available through Chase Travel, including carriers that are not Chase airline transfer partners. This gives you broad access to revenue inventory across nearly every major airline. However, some ultra-low-cost carriers or regional airlines may not appear in results. If you can't find your preferred airline, call +1 888-483-9719 for phone-based booking assistance. Is it better to transfer Chase points to an airline or book through Chase Travel? ▾ For premium cabin international flights with available partner award space, transferring points to an airline partner often yields 3 – 10+ cents per point in value — far exceeding the 1 – 2 cents per point available through Chase Travel. For domestic economy flights, last-minute bookings, or routes where partner award space doesn't exist, Chase Travel is a practical and often competitive option. Always compare the points cost on both options before committing. How do I contact Chase Travel customer service for flight booking help? ▾ Chase Travel customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call +1 888- 483-9719 to speak with a live travel specialist who can assist with flight bookings, points + cash splits, open-jaw itineraries, seat selections, cancellations, and any issues with existing reservations. Can I book multi-city or open-jaw flights through Chase Travel? ▾ Three-segment open-jaw itineraries can be booked through the Chase Travel online portal. Two-leg open-jaw itineraries currently require a phone booking. For complex multi-city trips, calling Chase Travel at +1 888-483-9719 is often the easiest path, as agents can build custom itineraries not always available through the online interface. Do Chase points expire? ▾ Chase Ultimate Rewards points generally do not expire as long as your Chase credit card account remains open and in good standing. If you close your card, you typically have 30 days to redeem remaining points before they are forfeited. This is why it is important to redeem or transfer your points before closing any Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card. ✈ Travel Rewards Expert This guide was written by a travel rewards specialist with over a decade of experience analyzing credit card loyalty programs, Chase Ultimate Rewards redemption strategies, and airline award travel. All information is regularly updated to reflect current Chase portal policies and point valuations. Have Questions About Your Chase Travel Booking? Our Chase Travel experts are available around the clock to help you maximize your points, structure the perfect points + cash split, handle cancellations, and assist with complex itineraries. 🐀 Call +1 888-483-9719 Now