You Won't Believe These 3 Weekend Getaways You Can Fund With Chase's 100k Welcome Bonus

Forbes

02-05-2025

Imagine unlocking a world of travel with a single decision. Right now, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is giving you the chance to turn everyday spending into your next vacation with a staggering new bonus worth at least $1,250 in travel. You might already have more than a few redemptions in mind for a hefty sum like that, but if not, we have a few exceptional suggestions on how to maximize your next weekend getaway.
Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account ... More opening.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - See Rates & Fees
Hundreds of credit cards offer bonuses to new cardholders, but the Sapphire Preferred is essentially handing you a free ticket to adventure. If you apply soon, you can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
With its 100,000 point offer on the market for a limited time, this single credit card sign-up could translate into memorable experiences without breaking the bank.
There are two primary ways to use your Sapphire Preferred welcome bonus to pay for travel.
The more intuitive of the two is using Chase Ultimate Rewards® to make reservations through Chase Travel℠ with a 25% bonus (in other words, each point is worth 1.25 cents when making these redemptions). The booking interface works similarly to most other travel booking websites, except that you'll have the option to pay with points at checkout (in addition to the typical option to charge your card). For these reasons, Chase Travel offers simplicity and nearly limitless travel options.
The other option is the ability to transfer Ultimate Rewards to travel partners. Partners include:
Airline Partners
Hotel Partners
The act of moving your points from Chase to your preferred program is quick, but it can take a little more finesse to find available awards and determine if you're getting a good deal. That extra effort can pay off, though: Some hot deals could significantly boost your redemption value.
If a weekend chasing thrills at the theme park sounds like a good time, you can make it possible using your Sapphire Preferred bonus, and likely have enough points to bring the kids along too.
Competition across airlines keeps most flights to Orlando reasonably priced, including when paying in miles. Southwest Airlines, an Ultimate Rewards transfer partner, has more service to Orlando than any other airline and can be a great option for families booking rewards since every seat available for sale is also available for point redemptions. Use its low-fare calendar to seek out cheaper travel dates and score round-trip flights in economy for about 20,000 points per person.
Even after redeeming 80,000 points for a family of four's airfare, the Sapphire Preferred welcome offer would still leave you with 20,000 remaining points. Amazingly, that's enough leftover to pay for a hotel stay.
Transfer your remaining points to World of Hyatt, another 1:1 transfer partner, and look for two nights at a Category 2 hotel. The Hyatt Place across from Universal Orlando Resort is a solid choice with an obviously convenient location, plus rooms fit for families with two queen beds plus a pull-out couch. If you book off-peak nights, the award rate drops to 6,500 points per night, meaning you'd have the budget to extend your stay a third night.
Tulum is Mexico's current hot spot, and a weekend of fun in the sun can be yours when redeeming your Sapphire Preferred offer for a getaway. It's easier to reach than ever, with new nonstop flights from the U.S. right into Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport (TQO) or comfortable rides on the recently finished Tren Maya route from Cancun's airport station to Tulum.
With so many accessible options, you can shop around for the best prices on airfare to stretch your points further. Transferring points to United, Southwest or JetBlue are all familiar ways to lock in an award flight without a steep learning curve. Then, transfer Ultimate Rewards to IHG One Rewards to book a stay at the Kimpton Aluna Resort Tulum. You'll frequently find award nights priced under 30,000 points per night—and sometimes cheaper.
For both your flight and hotel stay, do some quick math before transferring points. Occasionally, it may require fewer points to book your trip components via Chase Travel with a 25% points bonus. This extra versatility is one of the reasons we love the Sapphire Preferred. You're not beholden to a specific type of redemption and instead can pick the option that suits you best.
Pro Tip: At 1.25 cents per point, you'd need 24,000 Ultimate Rewards points to pay for a $300 flight booked through Chase Travel. Similarly, you'd need 16,000 points to pay for a $200 hotel.
With two different strategies to book, your 100,000-point Sapphire Preferred bonus should easily cover a round-trip flight and a two-night stay. With flexible dates, you can likely squeeze in a second passenger, too.
A weekend jaunt to London might seem cheeky, but if you live in a hub city on the East Coast, the flight's not so bad. And, believe it or not, 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards is enough to cover your flight and three nights at a desirable hotel, helping you plan a European getaway from a single credit card offer.
Start by transferring Ultimate Rewards to Virgin Atlantic and looking for dates with affordable economy reward flights. Unless you're traveling over the summer or a major holiday, there's a good chance you'll find rewards under 10,000 points each way.
To fund your hotel stay, move Ultimate Rewards into your World of Hyatt account. The Category 5 Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment costs 20,000 points per night and is within walking distance to major sites like Westminster Abbey or the Tate Britain.
Since the cost of a flight and three nights in a hotel is under 100,000 points, you'll have some rewards left to spare. You can cash some out as a statement credit to offset the taxes and fees on your award flight or pay for meals and attractions in London. Alternatively, treat yourself: Upgrade one or both directions of your trip to premium economy, choose a more luxurious hotel or bring a friend.
Chase Ultimate Rewards is an incredible currency when it comes to travel. While 100,000 points can be an excellent starting budget for major trips, it could also fund a weekend trip in full. Either way, turn those points into unforgettable memories and start planning your next adventure.
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