Chase

• Chase Ultimate Rewards Program
• Co-branded Credit Cards
• Low Introductory APRs
• Free Credit Score Monitoring
• Positive Customer Reviews

Chase Ultimate Rewards Program

Chase Ultimate Rewards® is the name of the company’s points program used for all Chase-branded rewards credit cards.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed in a variety of ways, including:

• Cash back
• Travel
• Gift cards
• Amazon and Apple purchases

Points are generally worth 1 to 1.5 cents.

The following Chase-branded cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred®
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Chase Freedom®
• Chase Freedom Flex℠
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Ink Business Cash®
• Ink Business Preferred®
• Ink Business Unlimited®

Through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal you can redeem your points and use the program’s travel-booking tool, powered by Expedia. The travel-booking tool allows you to purchase travel accommodations and other expenses with accumulated points instead of cash.

Co-branded Credit Cards

Chase offers a variety of co-branded credit cards, allowing you to earn more rewards and points with certain airlines, hotels, stores, etc. Chase is partnered with, and offers co-branded cards from, the following companies:

• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines
• British Airways
• Aer Lingus
• Iberia
• Marriott Bonvoy
• Hyatt
• IHG Hotels
• Disney
• Starbucks
• Amazon Prime

Co-branded cards generally allow you to earn points on all purchases which can then be redeemed for specific perks and purchases. For example, you can earn 1 percent in Disney reward dollars on all purchases made with the Disney® Visa® Card; reward dollars can be redeemed toward most anything at Disney or Disney locations.

Low Introductory APRs

Many Chase credit cards, including some co-branded cards, offer zero percent intro APRs for a certain number of months after opening a new card:

• The Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex℠ credit cards offer a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening.
• The Disney® Premier Visa® and Disney® Visa® credit cards offer a 0% promotional APR for 6 months on select Disney vacation packages from date of purchase.
• The Ink Business Cash® and Ink Business Preferred® credit cards offer a 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening.

After the introductory/promotional period, your APR will typically range from 14.24 percent to 23.49 percent depending on your card and creditworthiness.

Free Credit Score Monitoring

To help you keep track of your credit and manage your credit score, Chase offers free credit score monitoring through its Credit Journey program.

You don't have to be a Chase customer to access Credit Journey, but you must make an account which will provide you with a variety of credit monitoring services:

• Check your score — get your credit score at any time without affecting your credit
• Protect your credit — protect yourself from identity fraud
• Receive real-time alerts — get alerts when your credit score changes
• Get personalized insights — learn how you can build and maintain your credit

Positive Customer Reviews

The majority of Chase reviews are 4 or 5 star, with customers highlighting generous rewards, excellent customer service, and helpful online tools and features. In addition, many customers mention that they have had their Chase card for years (upwards of 30 years) and are still pleased with its features.

Customer Review: Jeremy Balls from Kaysville, Utah

“I have several rewards credit cards through Chase. They are straightforward and easy to understand and use. Never had any issues. It is nice that I can move my approved credit between credit cards.”

Poor reviews and complaints are limited, and the majority are outdated. But, some customers do mention high fees and difficulty being approved for a credit card even with a high credit score.

Visit Site

• Annual Fees
• Foreign Transaction Fees
• No Secured Credit Card Option

Annual Fees

The majority of Chase credit cards have an annual fee. Fees range from $49 to $550, depending on the card. 

The popular and highly rated Chase Sapphire Reserve card has the highest annual fee of $550, but offers exceptional rewards for both dining and travel purchases. In general, cards that offer generous rewards will have a higher annual fee.

If you would like to avoid an annual fee, there are Chase credit card options available. But it is also important to note that a good to excellent credit score may be required to qualify, particularly if it is a co-branded card.

Foreign Transaction Fees

Some Chase credit cards, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, do charge a foreign transaction fee of 2 to 5 percent on purchases made outside of the U.S. or in a different currency within the U.S. (e.g., buying a product online from Canada).

Chase does offer a variety of cards that don't carry this fee, but there are also other credit card issuers that don’t charge a foreign transaction fee on any cards, such as Discover or Capital One.

No Secured Credit Card Option

If you are looking to build or rebuild credit, a secured credit card can be a viable option for you. However, Chase does not offer a secured credit card. Thus, if you have bad credit or a limited credit history, you may find it difficult to qualify for a Chase credit card, especially for the use of building/rebuilding credit.