Last fall, Chase officially launched the *ink premier* with a massive welcome bonus of $1,000 cash back after spending $10,000 in the first three months – a big bonus that's still around today – plus a great return on your big business spending. But the card had a glaring weakness.
Unlike other Chase cashback cards, there was no avenue to turn those earnings into ultra-valuable Ultimate Rewards points. That's a key feature of other Ink cards like the *Ink Cash* and the *Ink Unlimited*, unlocking the ability for travel aficionados to send points to Chase transfer partners. Oddly, even with a $195-a-year Chase Ink Premier, you could only redeem for cash back.
But it sure seems like that's finally changing.
Earlier this week, data points started surfacing on both Reddit and in the Travel on Points Facebook group from current cardholders reporting that they can now combine rewards from their Ink Premier Card with other Chase cards, turning them into Ultimate Rewards points. Thrifty Traveler reader Luke D. confirmed it himself on Thursday: He could send “points” from his Ink Premier Card to the Sapphire Preferred – an option that wasn't previously available.
Read our guide on how to combine rewards between Chase cards and accounts!Â
Not every Ink Premier cardholder may have this option just yet – and Chase hasn't made any formal announcement about it yet, so it's unclear whether this is a permanent change being rolled out or some temporary glitch. Several Chase spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.
There's no option to send points directly from an Ink Premier card to Chase transfer partners like United, Virgin Atlantic, or Hyatt. But this would still be a huge (and much-needed) improvement for the Ink Premier Card, giving it the same functionality as both the no-annual-fee Chase Ink Cash and Unlimited cards.
Our Analysis
Not giving the *ink premier* an avenue to transfer points to hotels and airlines always seemed like an odd decision.
If this is a permanent change, it immediately makes one of Chase's top business cards more valuable – especially if you already have it and are earning cash back. Still, it's odd that Chase wouldn't announce or even confirm this change, if it's intentional.
At this point, we simply don't know if this is a result of some kind of error or if the bank truly meant to make this improvement. We know which we're hoping for…
While the Ink Premier is great for some small business owners, it won't make sense for everyone. Simply put, it's for big spenders:Â You can earn an unlimited 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more, plus an unlimited 2% cash back on all other purchases.
Compared to the 1.5% cash back (or 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points) you earn on the no-annual-fee *Ink Unlimited*, you'd have to spend a whopping $39,000 each year (or less if you’re making several big, $5,000-plus purchases) to earn enough points to justify the $195 annual fee on the Chase Ink Premier. That's a lot.
If that's you, it can be a great way to earn another $1,000 cash back – or, maybe 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points – after spending $10,000 in the first three months of card membership.
Not sure if you're eligible for a small business card? Even with a side hustle, you might be!
Chase Ink Premier: Full Benefits
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- Earn an unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more
- Earn an unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.
- Earn an unlimited 5% total cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance.
- Cell Phone Protection, and Extended Warranty Protection.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Add employee cards at no additional cost
- Annual Fee:Â $195
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Learn more about the *chase ink premier*
Bottom Line
Chase seems to have quietly added the ability to turn the rewards from the Chase Ink Premier business card into points, combining them with other cards like the Chase Sapphire lineup.
But is this a permanent change that Chase simply hasn't formally rolled out yet? Or a mistake that could get removed? We don't know for sure yet.