Chase’s Pay Yourself Back updates give cardholders new redemption options.
When Chase launched its Pay Yourself Back feature in May, it was a way for Sapphire cardholders to get full value for their points without using them for travel. You could redeem points as a statement credit toward purchases at grocery stores, restaurants, and home improvement stores, and receive the same value per point as you would on travel bookings through the Ultimate Rewards site.
Based on its success, Chase has extended and expanded it. Here’s a full breakdown of all the new ways you can use your Ultimate Rewards points depending on which credit card you have.
Chase Sapphire cards
- Eligible credit cards: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card; Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Timeframe: Now through April 30, 2021
- Redemption options: Grocery stores, dining (including delivery and takeout), home improvement stores, contributions to a dozen eligible charities
- Value per point: $0.0125 per point for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card; $0.015 per point for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The biggest news for Sapphire cardholders is that the Pay Yourself Back feature has been extended. It was originally slated to end on Sept. 30, 2020. You’ll now have another seven months to use points toward everyday purchases.
Other than that, the only change is that you can also get full value when donating your points to eligible charities. A full list of eligible charities is available on the Ultimate Rewards site, but we’ve also included a list below.
If you don’t have a Chase Sapphire card, we should mention it’s the ideal time to get one. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card just increased its sign-up bonus to 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in three months. The points you can earn with this limited-time offer are worth at least $1,000 in Pay Yourself Back redemptions.
Chase Freedom cards
All the credit cards in the Freedom line, including the discontinued Chase Freedom® credit card, will offer more value on points donations. The rate of $0.0125 per point is higher than the $0.01 per point you’d get on standard cash back redemptions.
Note that if you have multiple Chase credit cards in the Ultimate Rewards program, you can move points onto the card with the best redemption options. Since choices on Chase Freedom cards are the most limited, you’d be better off sending your points to a Sapphire or Ink card, if you have one of those.
Chase Ink cards
- Eligible credit cards: Chase Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card; Chase Ink Plus® business card
- Timeframe: Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2021
- Redemption options: Select online advertising and shipping purchases, contributions to a dozen eligible charities
- Value per point: $0.0125
Pay Yourself Back will apply to the two Chase Ink travel credit cards, but not the Ink cash back cards. Of the two, only the Chase Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card is open to new applicants. The Chase Ink Plus® business card is discontinued.
In addition to this new feature, both of these Ink cards have big limited-time bonuses through Oct. 31, 2020. They earn 5 points per $1 on shipping and select advertising purchases made on social media and search engines, up to a spending cap of $10,000 in combined purchases.
Which charities are eligible?
Here are the charities currently eligible with Pay Yourself Back:
- American Red Cross
- Equal Justice Initiative
- Feeding America
- Habitat for Humanity
- International Medical Corporation
- Leadership Education Fund
- NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
- National Urban League
- Thurgood Marshall College Fund
- United Negro College Fund
- United Way
- World Central Kitchen
More ways to Pay Yourself Back
Chase’s update to the Pay Yourself Back feature is great news for cardholders, especially for those with a Chase Sapphire card or one of the Ink travel cards. You’ll still have popular travel credit card redemption options, including paying for travel in points through Ultimate Rewards or transferring points to Chase’s partners. And you’ll also have new options that make your points more versatile.
