How do you redeem Chase rewards?

Credit card reward redemption works a little differently for every issuer. But generally, you can redeem your rewards online or by calling your issuer’s customer service. Depending on your card, you may be able to redeem for travel, statement credits, paper checks, gift cards, merchandise and more. And you may get more value when redeeming for some things than others. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, for example, gives you 50% more value for your points when you redeem for travel.… read full answer

Some credit card companies also have special rules and restrictions for reward redemption. For example, you might be required to earn a certain amount of rewards before you can redeem. Or you might have to redeem rewards in certain increments. In rare cases, like with the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, you might even receive your earnings just once per year.

Given how much reward redemption procedures can vary from credit card to credit card, it’s good to read a card’s terms and conditions carefully before applying.

Here are the basics of credit card reward redemption:

• Credit card users can usually redeem rewards for travel, cash back (check or statement credit), gift cards, merchandise and more.
• Most credit card companies let customers redeem rewards online or over the phone.
• Each credit card company has its own reward redemption rules. Rules may dictate when you can redeem rewards, for example.
• Your credit card’s terms and conditions will include information about reward redemption. Be sure to read them in detail.
• Some scammers attempt to pose as a credit card “reward redemption center” to get your credit card details. Don’t give personal information to unsolicited callers.

There is a common phone scam where someone claims to be from the “Reward Redemption Center.” If you get this call, hang up right away and block the number. Don’t give them any personal information. The caller is trying to commit fraud, not to give you any real reward. Here’s how the scam works: they say you have won a free gift card, but you need to pay for shipping to get it. They do this to get your credit card number, then use it for fraudulent purposes.

So, the bottom line is don’t trust anyone who calls saying they’re from the “Reward Redemption Center.” Your credit card issuer will never call you like this. And if you’ve earned rewards on your card, you can take care of reward redemption on your own. The only true way to redeem rewards you’ve earned is directly through your credit card company.

You can redeem your Chase Freedom rewards online through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. From there, you will be able to use your Chase Freedom credit card points for cash back, gift cards, travel, or merchandise from participating retailers.

Ways to Redeem Your Chase Freedom Rewards

• Cash Back: You can redeem your Chase Freedom rewards for a statement credit or a direct deposit into a U.S. checking or savings account.… read full answer
• Gift Cards: You can redeem your points for gift cards from most major retailers. Chase’s gift card brands include Lowes, Home Depot, Target, Amazon, and Apple (iTunes).
• Shopping: The “Shop through Chase” feature allows you to pay for purchases directly with points on Chase’s partner websites, including Amazon.
• Travel: You can book airfare, hotel stays, and rental car reservations with the Chase Freedom points. Plus, Chase allows you to use a combination of points and cash if you don’t have enough points to cover the costs.

Keep in mind that your Chase Freedom rewards will not expire as long as your account is open. But you will lose your points if you close your account before redeeming them. You can learn more about your Chase Freedom points from WalletHub’s review of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.

No, Chase Freedom points don’t expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. But you will lose whatever points you haven’t redeemed when you close your Chase Freedom account. The same is true if Chase decides to close the account for you. This generally happens when you don’t pay your credit card bills, but there are other situations, too.… read full answer

Even though your points won’t vanish as long as your account remains open and in good standing, it doesn’t mean they’ll always be worth as much. There’s always the chance that Chase will devalue them by increasing the number needed for redemption.

Instances when you could lose your Chase Freedom points:

• Close your account without redeeming them.
• Fail to pay the minimum required amount within 60 days of the due date.
• Misuse the rewards program. This includes farming points by buying gift cards, selling them for cash and using the cash to pay your credit card bill, for example.
• Defrauding Chase by intentionally providing false personal information, for example.
• File for bankruptcy

So, careful planning and prompt payments will save your Chase Freedom points from expiration. You should also redeem your points often in order to minimize the risk of points devaluation.