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The Chase Trifecta is a credit card combination popular among card enthusiasts, thanks to the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. The combination allows you to earn rewards quicker and boost their value even further, all while enjoying premium benefits and perks.
Below, CNBC Select explains which cards the Trifecta typically includes, how it can help you boost your travel rewards and what steps you can take to maximize the cards' value.
What cards make up the Chase Trifecta?
When it comes to cards that earn Ultimate Rewards® points, you have plenty to choose from. Even when Chase markets a card as a cash-back card, it tracks rewards as points (which you could then redeem as either a statement credit or as a deposit). For instance, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers 1.5% cash back on all other purchases (see rates and fees). But in the card's rewards program agreement, you'll see that "each $1 in cash back rewards earned is equal to 100 points." This means that you can pool points from a Chase cash-back card with points from a Chase travel℠ card — which is rare among card issuers.
This gives you plenty of options when choosing the specific cards for your own Chase Trifecta. For most cardholders, the combination that usually creates the most value is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), the Chase Freedom Flex® and the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests.
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get $3,000 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSM and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $288 annually
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the only annual-fee credit card in this version of the Trifecta. But that fee is steep, setting you back $795 per year. Luckily, the card's rewards and benefits can help you offset that cost.
With the card, you'll get 4X points on travel and hotels booked direct, 3x points on dining worldwide and 1X points on all other purchases. Additionally, you'll earn 5X points on Lyft rides plus a new $10 monthly in app Lyft credit (through September 30, 2027), 8X total points on purchases through Chase Travel℠. Bonus travel rewards kick in after you've spent the card's $300 annual travel credit.
This, along with the Reserve's travel protections, travel benefits and other luxury perks, made this card our choice for the best card for luxury travel.
If the $795 annual fee still gives you sticker shock, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) could be a better choice for your Trifecta. At $95 per year, the card earns 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3X points on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs), 2X points on all other travel purchases and 1X points on all other spending.
Chase Freedom Flex
The Chase Freedom Flex® is an excellent cash-back card for maximizing your spending in a variety of categories.
- Long intro APR for purchases and balance transfers
- Rewarding quarterly bonus categories
- No annual fee
- Bonus categories are capped each quarter
- Has a foreign transaction fee
Rewards
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1%)
- 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠
- 3% on drugstore purchases and on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services)
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3%
The Chase Freedom Flex doesn't charge annual fees and the cash-back calendar updates every quarter and often includes some lucrative spending categories. Previously, we've seen bonus categories such as groceries, Walmart, Amazon.com, gas stations and more.
With this card, you can earn elevated rewards on multiple kinds of spending each year. Then, you can redeem them at an increased value with one of the Chase Sapphire cards or transfer them to the issuer's travel partners.
If you have a small business or even a side hustle, you can look into swapping the Freedom Flex for a business credit card from Chase. For example, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card earns 5% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services (each account anniversary year), 2% on the first $25,000 in combined purchases on dining and gas (each account anniversary year) and 1% on everything else (see rates and fees).
Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a no-annual-fee card that earns generous cash-back on everyday purchases and a lucrative welcome bonus.
- Users get a high rewards rate and strong welcome bonus
- Purchases and balance transfers get long intro APR
- No annual fee
- Travelers face a foreign transaction fee
- Few rewarding ongoing benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can use points to redeem for cash through an account statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.24% - 27.74%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, in the first 60 days. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
With any credit card combination, it's best to have a card that earns more than 1% cash back (or 1X points) on purchases that aren't included in the bonus categories with your other cards. In this Chase Trifecta, the Chase Freedom Unlimited plays that role and makes sure every swipe counts.
New cardholders can earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. The Chase Freedom Unlimited also earns you 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
How to make the most of the Chase Trifecta
Juggling multiple cards requires strategy and planning — from when you apply for the cards to how you redeem your rewards, you have to stay on top of your game. Here's how to use the Chase Trifecta to its fullest potential.
When to apply
It can be tricky to get several cards in a short span of time when it comes to Chase. This is due to Chase's rumored 5/24 rule which may prevent you from being approved for most Chase cards if you've opened five or more personal cards within the past 24 months. Keep this unofficial policy in mind to avoid potential rejection.
Overall, it's a good idea to put some space between your credit card applications. It's generally recommended to wait at least six months between applications to avoid the negative effect frequent hard inquiries can have on your credit.
Finally, don't forget about the sign-up bonuses. For example, the current Chase Sapphire Reserve welcome bonus requires that you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months to earn 150,000 bonus points. This can be a considerable sum, especially compared to the Chase Freedom Flex which only requires $500 spent on purchases in your first three months to get the current bonus of $200. For that reason, it's wise to apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve when you know your budget is ready for it.
How to use the cards
The next step is maximizing your rewards earnings.
Stay on top of the rotating categories on the Chase Freedom Flex and don't forget to activate them to earn the 5% cash-back rate. You can also use it or the Chase Freedom Unlimited for drugstore purchases.
When it comes to travel purchases, on the other hand, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a better choice most of the time. If you're booking through the issuer's travel portal, you'll get 8X total points purchases through Chase TravelSM. All other flight and hotel purchases will earn 4X points when booked direct.
If you're booking other types of travel through the portal — such as cruises — using either of the Freedom cards will yield 5% back.
For the rest of your spending, use the Chase Freedom Unlimited to earn 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
How to redeem your points
The best use of your Ultimate Rewards® points from the Trifecta is to pool them in your Chase Sapphire Reserve account. This will allow you to redeem them for travel at a potentially increased point value through the Chase travel℠ portal — or transfer them to travel partners at a 1:1 transfer ratio to potentially stretch your rewards even further.
How to use the benefits
The Chase Sapphire Reserve allows you to get the most out of the rewards you earn with the Chase Freedom cards. However, to fully maximize the value of the $795-annual-fee card — and the Trifecta overall — you'll also want to use the Reserve's premium perks. These include:
- $300 annual travel credit
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit (up to $120 every four years)
- Priority Pass Select lounge access at 1,300+ airport lounges in over 500 cities worldwide
- Special car rental privileges after enrollment in National Car Rental, Avis or Silvercar rewards programs. You can receive additional benefits, such as discounts, upgrades and more
- Complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027
- Travel insurance benefits, including trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement and travel and emergency assistance services
- Purchase protection, return protection and extended warranty protection
- Access to the Visa Infinite Concierge service
By ensuring you take advantage of these benefits, you can travel in comfort and have peace of mind while doing so. When it comes to perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve definitely packs a punch and more than justifies the annual fee.
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Bottom line
The Chase Trifecta can empower travel lovers to easily rack up valuable travel rewards without giving up the ability to earn cash back. Still, it's important to remember that balancing multiple credit cards requires strategy and discipline. You don't want to miss out on the rewards — but you also don't want to overspend chasing them.
And finally, remember to look into alternatives. Sticking with one issuer is a commitment and you want to make sure you've explored all the options before going into it. For example, the American Express® Gold Card is another fantastic card earning travel rewards on dining. Terms apply. Or, if you're looking for elevated rewards on all spending, similar to what the Chase Freedom Unlimited offers, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card can get you unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. (See rates and fees.)
Compare multiple card products and consider how they would match your spending habits and rewards goals to choose what will work best for you.
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