Why I call this one bank my favorite
By Rachel Lipson
Oct 2, 2025
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It might sound odd to hear someone tell you they have a favorite bank. When it comes to banking, it’s usually pretty straightforward and not that common to have a very strong opinion about which one they like best!
When I talk about which bank is my favorite, it’s a shorthand way of saying, this bank can get you tremendous value with points and travel — oftentimes, beyond the others out there.
On top of this being a “favorite” bank, they also have my favorite card! It’s the #1 card for all points travelers and essential to have in order to get the most out of your points.
As an affiliate, there are rules around where and when I can mention the names on social media and in newsletters, so there are times when I just can’t say the name outright.
Just following the rules :)
The bank:
Chase!
Why:
There are a few banks that have a currency of points called “transferable points”. These are points that can be transferred to a hotel or airline to book travel directly. Chase has some of the best transfer partners out there (think: Air France, Virgin, United, Air Canada and more and on the hotel side… Hyatt!)
How:
Rather than using points in Chase Travel℠, the points can also be transferred out and used to book travel directly on the hotel or airline website. A huge advantage!
The three ways I use these the most:
To book hotels: Hyatt has the best hotel program for points travel. The amount of points needed for stays with Hyatt are typically a small fraction of those compared to the other major hotels brands.
To book Delta flights: I love to book these through Virgin Atlantic! Booking Delta “saver fares” using the alliance between Virgin and Air France is an excellent way to save a ton of points on a booking. Booking through an alliance is when you book a flight through one airline’s website, to fly on another airline’s actual airplane. Each airline prices their flights differently so this can be an excellent advantage.
To book United: Rather than booking United flights on Chase Travel℠ or through United directly, I often will transfer my points to their alliance partner Air Canada and book the same flight at a fraction of the cost.
My favorite cards from my favorite bank:
These cards both unlock the ability to transfer Chase’s Ultimate Rewards Points to airlines and hotels allowing you to book travel directly with partners. Because this isn’t something all Chase cards can do, and because Chase has excellent travel partners, having a card that makes this possible is extremely important.
Both of these cards below offer this capability, so just choose the one that feels right to you!
LEARN HOW TO APPLY
Note sure which one to choose? Click here for more info on both!
Park Hyatt Milan, Summer 2024 by Rachel Lipson (booked on points of course!)
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