Is Chase Pushing Travelers Toward Its Premium Credit Cards?

Updated: June 26, 2026, 8:30am CDT

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Table of Contents

Recap of Chase’s Hyatt Transfer Changes
Do the Changes Encourage Travelers To Upgrade?
Final Thoughts

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Chase has offered multiple credit cards with “Sapphire” in the name for a long time, and that’s nothing new.

The cards come with different perks, annual fees, and earning rates, and they also offer different values when you use your points in the travel portal. Until recently, though, redeeming points with transfer partners looked exactly the same on these cards.

Now, those with a premium Sapphire card can still transfer points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, but others can’t. It raises the question: Is Chase trying to push travelers toward its premium credit card by devaluing a feature that’s exclusive to the entry-level Sapphire card?

Recap of Chase’s Hyatt Transfer Changes

On June 10, 2026, Chase announced that points transfers from Ultimate Rewards to World of Hyatt would change for some cardholders. Importantly, this benefit doesn’t affect any other Chase transfer partners — just Hyatt.

Those with the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve^® and Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ can still transfer their points to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome OfferEarn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
100,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$2,000

Annual Fee

$795

APR

19.49% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like worldwide airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus, it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to cover you at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the more than $2,000 in annual credits, which can offset the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

8x points on all Chase Travel purchases
5x points on Lyft rides
4x points on flights and hotels booked directly

Cons

$795 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Get $3,000 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
$300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge^® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^® every 4 years
Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
Get complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV and Apple Music for a minimum of one year when activated by June 22, 2027, a value of $288 annually.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.49% - 27.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

U.P. Rating

The Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business card is perfect for frequent traveler business owners who want premium perks.

Apply Now

Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

The Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business card is perfect for frequent traveler business owners who want premium perks.

Welcome OfferEarn 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening and access more than $7,000 in total business and travel value in your first year.
200,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$4,000

Annual Fee

$795

APR

Flex for Business Variable APR: 17.74% - 28.49%

Credit Recommended

Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card is a great pick for business owners who can easily make use of the annual credits for travel, Google Workspace, ZipRecruiter, and more. Plus, it offers helpful bonus categories such as ad spend and offers access to over 1,300 airport lounges — including Chase Sapphire Lounges.

Pros & Cons

Pros

8x points on Chase Travel purchases
4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
3x points on advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines (uncapped)

Cons

$795 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening.
$7,000+ in value your first year. 200K points, valued at $4,000 for select flights and hotels through Chase Travel℠, plus $3,000+ in annual value through travel and business benefits.
Earn 8x points on Chase Travel℠ for airline tickets, hotels, including The Edit℠, car rentals, cruises, activities and tours.
Earn 5x total points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27.
Earn 4x points on flights & hotels booked direct.
Earn 3x points on social media & search engine advertising.
Get the most flexible travel credit compared to any other card, with up to $300 in statement credits each anniversary year on travel purchases.
Enjoy complimentary access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge^® by The Club network and Priority Pass™ Select membership. Two guests may accompany the Primary Cardmember to the lounges free of charge.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: Flex for Business Variable APR: 17.74% - 28.49%
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

However, those with the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card can’t say the same.

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome OfferEarn 75,000 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
75,000 100,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$2,000

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.24% - 27.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, gas, EV charging, vacation homes, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance and emergency evacuation. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation homes (such as Airbnb and Vrbo), and select streaming services
2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

$95 annual fee
No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Enjoy beneﬁts such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 - a value of $156.
Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck^® or NEXUS application.
Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.24% - 27.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating

The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.

Welcome OfferEarn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
100,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$2,000

Annual Fee

$95

APR

17.74% - 26.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card is a powerhouse for earning lots of points from your business purchases, especially for business owners that spend regularly on ads.

Plus the card offers flexible redemption options, including access to Chase airline and hotel transfer partners where you can achieve outsized value.

Business owners will also love the protections the card provides like excellent cell phone insurance, rental car insurance, purchase protection, and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

3x Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on up to $150,000 in combined purchases on internet, cable and phone services, shipping expenses, travel, and ads purchased with search engines or social media sites
Cell phone protection
Purchase protection

Cons

No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
Earn 5x total points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27.
With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
Go further when you book with Chase Travel℠. Enjoy competitive rates, seamless booking and premium benefits.
Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Receive complimentary access to DashPass by DoorDash.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 17.74% - 26.74% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

As of October 1, 2026, these cardholders will only be able to transfer points to Hyatt at a 4:3 ratio. That’s a 25% loss in value every time these cardholders transfer their points. (Note: Those who open a Chase Sapphire Preferred card on or after June 15, 2026, will have the new, reduced transfer rate to Hyatt immediately.)

Regency Suite bedroom at Hyatt Regency LAX — Properties like the Hyatt Regency LAX may require more points transferred from Chase. Image Credit: Ryan Smith

This is an interesting move, and we’ve never seen it from Chase before. Citi has long offered better rates to some of its transfer partners for those with credit cards that have an annual fee, compared to those with no-annual-fee cards.

The difference with Chase, though, is that the affected cards do have an annual fee, and only 1 transfer partner is affected. It’s also the first partner to not use a 1:1 transfer rate from Chase.

Hot Tip:

This article focuses on just 1 difference between these cards. To learn more, consult our full comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

Do the Changes Encourage Travelers To Upgrade?

Those who value points transfers to World of Hyatt are likely wondering whether holding the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or Ink Business Preferred card is still worthwhile. Losing 25% of your points every time you transfer to one of Chase’s more valuable partners hurts.

Consider a cardholder who sends 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points from Chase to World of Hyatt in a year. If that person has the Chase Sapphire Reserve card or Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card, that transfer converts to 50,000 Hyatt points. For other people, it yields 37,500 points. For context, we currently value World of Hyatt points at 1.4 cents each, so that’s a loss of $175 in this transaction.

If you multiply that by additional transfers during the year or by higher point values, the loss adds up. It might add up to a high enough number to erase the difference in the cards’ annual fees.

For reference, here are the annual fees:

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Card Name	Annual Fee
Chase Sapphire Reserve card	$795
Chase Sapphire Preferred card	$95
Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card	$795
Ink Business Preferred card	$95

Using that same value of 1.4 cents per point, anyone who transfers 186,667 points to World of Hyatt in a year will recoup the difference in those annual fees. That’s because people using the 4:3 transfer rate will lose 46,667 points in the process — worth roughly $653 at our valuations.

Looking at it that way, Chase is making people face a new question: Which do you value more, your Hyatt points transfers or your low annual fee?

Previously, you could have both. Going forward, you can’t, and Chase is gatekeeping one of its most beloved transfer partners. This could be an intentional move to push people to a more premium credit card.

Hot Tip:

Bilt Rewards offers 3 credit cards, and all of them offer 1:1 point transfers to World of Hyatt — regardless of which card you hold or its annual fee.

Final Thoughts

Chase is making it clear that there’s something special about points transfers to World of Hyatt. If you love the 1:1 transfer rate, you’ll need a premium credit card to access it going forward. And that may be part of the logic: pushing people to more premium credit cards.

If you’re unhappy with this move from Chase and want 1:1 transfers to World of Hyatt, Bilt Rewards is probably looking nice right about now.