I am a Sapphire Most popular Card holder: This is my Chase Journey Factors Increase technique

I am a giant fan of the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs). I’ve held it for years and advocate it as one of the best starter card for these seeking to earn transferable rewards, particularly due to its beneficiant welcome bonus, low annual charge and bonus factors classes.

I’ve redeemed 1000’s of Chase Final Rewards factors by transferring them to airline and resort companions; Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt are amongst my favourite switch choices. I’ve additionally loved the pliability and ease of incomes Chase factors by reserving journey by means of the Chase Journey℠ portal and redeeming my factors at a set price of 1.25 cents per level.

Nevertheless, with the latest refresh of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) and the launch of the all-new Chase Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise℠ (see charges and costs), Chase has enhanced the fixed-rate Chase Journey redemption possibility with a brand new, variable system known as Factors Increase.

I have been equally nervous and excited to see how this new characteristic would work and if it could present me with worthwhile redemption charges. So, after scouring redemptions on the portal, this is how I plan to make use of it to maximise my factors going ahead.

The fundamentals of Factors Increase for Sapphire Most popular Card holders

The Chase Sapphire Most popular Card earns 5 Final Rewards factors per greenback spent on journey when reserving by means of Chase Journey. This is not altering.

Beforehand, these with a Sapphire Most popular might redeem their factors by means of Chase Journey for just about any airline, resort or rental automotive at a set price of 1.25 cents apiece.

This was an excellent possibility when buying flights or lodging not bookable by means of a switch associate or when there was no award availability. For instance, when touring to small cities outdoors of main cities that do not have big-name resort manufacturers comparable to Marriott, IHG or Hyatt to redeem my factors, I might ebook boutique lodges by means of the Chase portal.

Notice that present cardholders, those that utilized for this card earlier than June 23, can nonetheless redeem their Final Rewards factors for 1.25 cents every on all Chase Journey purchases (on factors earned previous to Oct. 26, 2025, and redeemed till Oct. 26, 2027, then 1 cent thereafter).

New cardholders, being those that utilized for this card after June 23, can redeem their factors for a set worth of 1 cent apiece by means of Chase Journey.

Whereas this may seem to be a devaluation, Chase’s new Factors Increase characteristic will enable Sapphire Most popular Card holders (whether or not new or present) to redeem their Final Rewards factors on choose lodges and flights at as much as 1.5 cents apiece and premium cabin flights on choose airways at as much as 1.75 cents apiece.

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Is Factors Increase higher or worse than the fastened worth system?

For present Sapphire Most popular Card holders like me, the brand new Factors Increase characteristic is a particular enchancment for factors earned as much as Oct. 26, 2025, and redeemed by Oct. 26, 2027. I can nonetheless redeem my Final Rewards factors by means of Chase Journey on the identical 1.25 cents per level that I beforehand might, however I now even have the extra possibility of getting even better worth by redeeming them for as much as 1.75 cents every by choosing a Level Increase possibility.

For factors earned after Oct. 26, 2025, I am going to solely come out forward if I am choosing a Factors Increase possibility, as a result of in any other case, I am going to solely be receiving 1 cent per Final Reward level in worth in comparison with the 1.25 cents I obtain now.

So, for the factors I earn after Oct. 26, 2025, I am going to in all probability solely redeem them by means of Chase Journey after I discover a Factors Increase possibility.

How you can discover Factors Increase redemptions

I am all the time slightly cautious of provides on “chosen” merchandise, as I do not understand how vast the choice shall be. So, with some trepidation, I logged into Chase Journey when Factors Increase went dwell to see the way it labored.

The excellent news is that Factors Increase redemptions are clearly marked as such (search for the little rocket) and shall be proven on the prime of search outcomes.

As somebody with a Sapphire Most popular, I can see choices to ebook each low-cost and luxurious lodges for 1.5 cents per level.

I additionally discovered flights on United Airways in Economic system Plus and premium financial system boosted to 1.5 cents apiece.

Keep in mind that Factors Increase is just obtainable on choose lodges and flights, and these choices could change over time.

It wasn’t till I looked for business- or first-class flights by means of Chase Journey that I noticed Factors Increase redemption choices obtainable for 1.75 cents per level.

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How I am planning to make use of Factors Increase

I am happy to see Factors Increase choices on each high-end and price range resort bookings at a price of 1.5 cents every. This shall be a incredible choice to redeem Final Rewards factors after I’m staying at an impartial resort that does not belong to a main resort loyalty program.

I anticipate this shall be notably helpful for my one-night stays at airport lodges, the place I am normally there for lower than 10 hours and am not bothered by elite perks, incomes factors or on-property facilities.

I’ll evaluate Chase Journey’s money worth with different on-line reserving websites (and reserving immediately) to make sure I am not overpaying for the upper stage of an Final Rewards redemption, as I’ve sadly discovered some bank card journey platforms exhibiting inflated money charges.

For flights, I am slightly disenchanted at how few airways have proven Factors Increase choices in my preliminary searches. Thus far, it is solely a handful of carriers (primarily United and Air Canada), however I am hopeful that Chase will embody extra, given this can be a new characteristic.

It is going to be tempting to “purchase up” to premium financial system, enterprise or firstclass after I see a proposal to get 1.5 cents or 1.75 cents in worth from my Final Rewards factors. Nevertheless, for long-haul business- and first-class flights, I will be attempting to ebook award seats outright by transferring my Final Rewards factors to associate packages. Even with a 1.75-cent worth when reserving by means of Chase Journey, I am prone to get higher worth when transferring my factors to a associate program to ebook an award seat immediately with the airline.

TPG values Chase factors at 2.05 cents per level, per our July 2025 valuations. Subsequently, when reserving by means of the journey portal, I am going to all the time be shedding some worth.

Try our information if you wish to learn how to maximise your Chase factors for journey redemptions

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Backside line

I used to be barely nervous in regards to the introduction of Factors Increase, because it modifications the simplicity of redeeming Chase Sapphire Most popular factors for a flat 1.25 cents every by means of Chase Journey, however to date, I am impressed by how the brand new redemption system works.

I am going to in all probability use Chase Journey much less to redeem Final Rewards factors for factors I earn after Oct. 26, 2025, when non-Factors Increase choices cut back to simply 1 cent.

Proper now, it is one of the best of each worlds, as I can nonetheless receive at the least 1.25 cents per level. I am going to additionally maintain an eye fixed out for extra Factors Increase choices. I am going to particularly be searching for impartial lodges that do not belong to a significant resort program to doubtlessly ebook at a price of 1.5 cents per level or doubtlessly buying premium cabin seats (particularly on longer home flights) on airways like United and Air Canada through which there is not an enormous money worth distinction and I can receive 1.75 cents per level in worth.

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