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Chase Ultimate Rewards Points is a popular travel points currency among points enthusiasts and frugal tourists like myself.
Since Singapore Airlines is a transfer partner of Chase, you can essentially accumulate Singapore Airlines miles as a result of earning Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) points.
Earning Ultimate Rewards Points is relatively easy and can be accrued by using any of the following credit cards below:
Chase Personal Credit Cards:
- Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card
- Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card ($95 annual fee)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card($550 annual fee)
Chase Business Credit Cards:
- Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
- Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card ($95 annual fee)
Feel free to skip to Instructions on How to Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards to Singapore KrisFlyer if you already know why transferring to a Chase premium card is necessary before we can initiate this transfer.
Important: You Need to Own A Chase Premium Card
To have the ability to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program, you need to hold at least one of the three Chase premium cards. You only need one.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card (Learn more about this card here.)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card (Learn more about this card here.)
- Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Learn more about this card here.)
Heads Up: Without one of these three Chase premium cards, you will not have the ability to transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program or to any of Chase’s Travel Partners. In my opinion, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best of the three.
Deep Dive on Chase Credit Cards: No Annual Fee Cashback Cards versus Premium Cards
Before we proceed with the steps involved in transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program, we must understand the distinction between no-annual-fee Chase cards and premium Chase cards.
The table below illustrates which category each card belongs to.
| No-Annual-Fee Cards | Premium Cards (AF=Annual Fee) |
| Chase Freedom / Flex / CF | Chase Sapphire Preferred / CSP ($95 AF) |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited / CFU | Chase Sapphire Reserve / CSR ($550 AF) |
| Chase Business Ink Cash / CIC | Chase Ink Business Preferred / CIP ($95 AF) |
| Chase Business Ink Unlimited / CIU |
To soften the blow of the steep annual fees on Chase’s premium cards, Chase provides additional benefits to premium card consumers that are not available to those who only have no-annual-fee cards.
One of these valuable premium Chase card benefits is having access to my all-time favorite Ultimate Rewards (UR) redemption option – TRANSFER TO TRAVEL PARTNERS.
Redemption Options for Chase No-Annual-Fee Cashback Cards and Premium Cards
Let’s compare the redemption options of “no-annual fee” cashback cards versus premium cards.
At first glance, you might think that the choices are pretty generous for no-annual-fee cards, specifically, the cashback and gift card options.
But if you want to maximize the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards Points, it is recommended that you explore other redemption methods other than cashback, especially if you also have a premium card. I’ll explain this later.
Unless you have an emergency and are in dire need of cash, exchanging your hard-earned points for cash or gift cards will not generate the best bang for your buck, in my opinion.
Now let’s check out the redemption options for premium Chase cards.
In the image below, you will notice that “Transfer to Travel Partners” became an available redemption option when I logged on to my Ultimate Rewards Account under my Chase Sapphire Preferred (CSP).
These options will also appear in your Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Ink Business Preferred accounts because they are both premium cards but not in your no-annual-fee cards.
PREMIUM CARD REDEMPTION OPTIONS
The table below comparatively illustrates the redemption options for each card type.
| NO ANNUAL FEE REDEMPTIONS | PREMIUM CARD REDEMPTIONS |
| AMAZON | AMAZON |
| APPLE | APPLE |
| CASHBACK | CASHBACK |
| GIFT CARDS | GIFT CARDS |
| TRAVEL | TRAVEL |
| EXPERIENCES | |
| PAY YOURSELF BACK | |
| ***TRANSFER TO PARTNERS *** |
Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to Travel Partners Such As Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
It is essential to underscore that each Ultimate Rewards Point is not created equal.
The value of each Ultimate Rewards Point will depend on whether they originate from a premium card or not.
As previously stated, even if no-annual-fee cards generate Ultimate Rewards Points, you will not be able to transfer to partners like Singapore Airlines unless you have one of Chase’s premium cards (Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Ink Business Preferred).
In the image below, you can see that I have Ultimate Rewards Points in several accounts, but not all of these points can be transferred to Chase travel partners.
That is the principal reason why I strongly recommend owning at least ONE premium Chase card because this incredibly fantastic redemption option would not be possible without owning one.
Chase Travel Partners
The image below lists all the other Chase travel partners. Please check their website regularly as it is not unusual for Chase to initiate new relationships (Hello, AerLingus!) and terminate old ones (Bye, Korean Air).
What if my Ultimate Reward Points are in my No-Annual Fee Cashback Cards?
Should you find most of your points in a no-annual-fee card, do not worry, as Chase allows the transfer of points between Chase Ultimate Rewards credit cards. Click “Ultimate Rewards Points” to access your points. Please see the image below.
Chase calls this feature “COMBINE POINTS” (see image below) and can be accessed under any of your Ultimate Rewards accounts.
As a general rule of thumb, I suggest transferring all of your no-annual-fee (cash back) Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to your premium cards so you can have the ability to move your Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to travel partners, such as Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer anytime.
This transfer also significantly increases the worth of your Ultimate Rewards Points acquired from your no-annual-fee cards, making them all the more valuable.
Steps for Combining Points or Converting No-Annual-Fee Chase Points to Premium Chase Points
STEP 1:
Log in to your Chase profile and select one of your Chase cards that earns Ultimate Rewards points. In the image below, I selected my Chase Freedom card, which currently has 26,256 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points. I then click “Redeem” in the Ultimate Rewards points section (inside the red box).
Clicking “Redeem” will lead you to the “Ultimate Rewards” page. Click the “Earn / Use” drop-down menu (see image below).
STEP 2:
The drop-down menu will reveal the different redemption options, including “Combine Points”.
STEP 3:
Click “Combine Points,” then select a no-annual-fee card under “From” on the left column. This account will have the points you will be transferring to a premium Chase card.
STEP 4:
Select a premium card under “To” which is the Chase card where you want your points to go.
In the image below, I am moving points from my no-annual-fee Chase Freedom® Credit Card to my premium card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card.
STEP 5:
Initiate the transfer by clicking “Continue.” You will be directed to a page where you can indicate the number of points you would like to transfer to your premium card.
Since the value of your no-annual-fee Ultimate Rewards points significantly increases when transferred to a premium card, I highly suggest transferring all of your points.
Generally speaking, you would want all of your Ultimate Rewards Points stored in one of your premium cards at all times. Click “Review” once you have made your selection.
If you have two premium cards that include the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card (CSR), transfer all of your points to the CSR, as that provides the best redemption value among all the other Chase cards.
Want to know more? Here’s a beginner’s guide that will go over the differences between premium cards.
STEP 6:
Chase will give you another opportunity to review your selection. You would want to ensure that you are transferring no-annual-fee Ultimate Rewards Points to a premium card and not the other way around.
As previously mentioned, my example involves moving my Ultimate Rewards Points from my no-annual-fee Chase Freedom® Credit Card to my Chase Sapphire Reserve, a premium card.
Confirm & Submit.
STEP 7:
Once you have completed this transfer, you will be notified if the transfer was successful.
Once your points are in your premium card, you can transfer your Ultimate Rewards Points to your Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Account (see next section).
Instructions on How to Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program
Assuming that you already have your Ultimate Rewards Points in either the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card, or Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, transferring to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program is pretty straightforward.
STEP 1:
Make sure that you have a Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Account.
It is free to register. Once you have your KrisFlyer account number, write it down on paper, as we will need it in a little bit.
If you do not yet have a Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer account, click the button below to sign up.
STEP 2:
Go to Chase.com, then click one of your premium cards.
Each premium card will give you the option to access Ultimate Rewards. If you do not have sufficient points, you can transfer points from your other no-annual-fee Chase cards to your premium card.
Please see the previous section for steps on how to “Combine Points” and convert your cashback no-annual-fee Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to premium transferrable points.
STEP 3:
Choose Transfer to Travel Partners
STEP 4:
Look for Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and click Transfer Points
STEP 5:
Enter your Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer account number and recipient details.
You can transfer points to yourself. However, according to Chase.com, you can also transfer to an authorized user (family member or business partner), but you would need to re-enter the recipient information each time manually.
STEP 6:
Type in the number of points you would like to transfer in 1,000 Ultimate Rewards Points increments.
The minimum amount that you can transfer is 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points.
The transfer ratio is 1:1, so 1 Ultimate Rewards Point = 1 Singapore KrisFlyer Mile.
STEP 7:
Verify if all the information you entered is correct, then click “Submit.”
How to Search for Award Space on Singaporeair.com
STEP 1:
Create a Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Account
Log on to Singaporeair.com. If you do not have a Singapore KrisFlyer account, you can enroll by clicking the button below.
STEP 2:
Enter the Award Search Ticket Details
When booking an award ticket on Singaporeair.com, accurately fill out the following information:
- Click “Redeem Flights”
- Enter your departure city and destination
- Choose your cabin: Economy, Premium Economy, Business, or First
- Enter the number of passengers
STEP 3:
Select One-Way or Round Trip
Enter your dates when flying round-trip. If booking a one-way itinerary, tap the “Depart Date” box to unlock the calendar feature. Select “One-Way” on the upper right-hand corner of the calendar. See image.
STEP 4:
Click Search
Once you are done entering the particular details of your preferred award ticket, click “Search.”
STEP 5:
Explore Partner Award Availability
Singapore Airlines allows you to search for flights on Singapore Airlines/Silk Air, Star Alliance Partners, and other Airline Partners.
If your award search did not churn out decent award availability, you could click “Star Alliance” and/or “Other Partner Airlines” to see if award flights are available through Singapore Airlines partners.
I also recommend comparing the various available awards and selecting the best flight for you.
STEP 6:
Determine if Eligible for a Stopover
Select a complimentary stopover, if applicable. Stopovers are only available for flights booked on Singapore Airlines.
A one-way Advantage Award and a round-trip Saver Award are both eligible to receive a free stopover.
To determine if you are eligible to receive a complimentary stopover for up to 30 days, feel free to take a look at the related post below.
STEP 7:
Select Your Flights
Before selecting your flights, ensure you are familiar with Singapore’s two different award types: Saver Awards and Advantage Awards.
Saver Awards
These are capacity-controlled award seats that require a lower number of KrisFlyer miles. Since they are limited in quantity and highly in demand, my strategy for obtaining these inexpensive saver awards is to purchase them as soon as the Singapore Airlines award calendar opens up, typically around 355 days before travel.
Advantage Awards
Once saver awards are sold out, Advantage Award tickets will be your only alternative if you truly want to use your KrisFlyer miles. These tickets are considerably more expensive than Saver Awards, so I try to avoid booking them whenever possible. If you have some flexibility in your travel schedule, definitely aim for Saver awards instead of Advantage Awards.
Select your flights. I typically only redeem Saver Award flights.
Step 8:
Call Singapore Airlines to Verify That Award Space is Available Before you Transfer your Points
This is an essential step that I recommend you carry out before transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program. Before transferring your Chase points, ensure there is available award space.
Pro-Tip: Sometimes, the award seats Singapore Airlines shows as available are actually phantom seats and are not really available to be booked.
When you see the award space available, follow the prompts until you reach the payment page. If you can get to the payment page without any issues, then that means that the award is available to book.
After verifying award space availability, you can initiate your transfer. Remember that you can no longer reverse the process once your Ultimate Rewards Points have been successfully moved to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program.
As of October 2022, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program can no longer put award seats on hold.
STEP 9:
Wait for Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to Show Up In Your Singapore KrisFlyer Account
Either call Singapore KrisFlyer again once your points appear in your KrisFlyer Account so that you can book your award flights or book the award seats online by going through the steps outlined above.
How Fast/Long Does It Take For Chase Ultimate Rewards Points To Transfer to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program?
If you are doing this transfer for the first time, it may take a few days before the process is completed.
Conversely, if you have already transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to Singapore KrisFlyer in the past, then the transfer should take about 24-48 hours. This can change anytime, though.
Do Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles Expire?
Yes, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles expire after 36 months and do not reset even with activity.
When Does Singapore KrisFlyer Make Award Tickets Available
Between 11.5 – 12 months in advance.
Credit Cards That Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards
Premium Chase Credit Cards That Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Points That Can Be Transferred Directly to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program
CHASE SAPPHIRE PREFERRED® CREDIT CARD: Earn 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 within 3 months. Points can be redeemed for cash back or travel. Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred here.
CHASE SAPPHIRE RESERVE® CREDIT CARD: Earn 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Read more about the Chase Sapphire Reserve here.
INK BUSINESS PREFERRED® CREDIT CARD: Earn 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Learn more about the Ink Business Preferred here.
No Annual Fee Chase Credit Cards that Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Cashback That Can Be Transferred to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Program through a Chase Premium Card.
INK BUSINESS CASH® CREDIT CARD: Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The Ink Business Cash also earns 5 Ultimate Rewards Points for every dollar spent at office supply stores, phone, internet and cable. Learn more about the card here.
INK BUSINESS UNLIMITED® CREDIT CARD: Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The Ink Business Unlimited also earns 1.5 Ultimate Rewards Points for all purchases. Learn more about the Ink Business Unlimited here.
CHASE FREEDOM FLEX® CREDIT CARD: Get $200 cash back or 20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points after spending $500 within 3 months. It also has revolving quarterly categories that earn 5X, 3x in dining, 3x in drugstores, and 5X on travel booked at the Chase travel portal. You can read more about this card here.
CHASE FREEDOM UNLIMITED® CREDIT CARD: Get $200 cashback after spending $500 within 3 months. This card also earns 3X at drugstores and dining. Earn 1.5 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points for everything else. Learn more about Chase Freedom Unlimited here.
Summary
Final Thoughts
Without a doubt, flying for free is my primary motivation for accumulating travel miles and points.
Whether you aim for premium cabins or discounted airfare, Chase Ultimate Rewards is a travel currency that I strongly encourage you to earn because of how flexible their points are. And they are relatively easy to earn too!
Aside from being a transfer partner of Hyatt – the frequent recipient of my Chase Ultimate Rewards Points transfers, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is another Chase travel partner that can potentially have rewarding redemption options.
Every so often, Singapore runs promotions where they offer specific routes for a discount. This can certainly provide incredible value for those who want to get as much mileage from their points.
Lastly, I hope that this blog post made the transfer process easier to execute. Safe travels!
DO NOT TRAVEL WITHOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE. GET A QUOTE HERE.EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE – Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. The content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
hey i just called SA and they no longer hold flights over the phone
HI Ron, Thanks for the heads up. I will update the blog post.