How (and when) to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Rapid Rewards

2 days ago 3

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are a favorite currency among the TPG staff, partly because you can transfer them to a variety of airline and hotel partners. I often transfer my points to Southwest Rapid Rewards, where I can redeem them for award tickets to destinations in North America, Central America and the Caribbean — and sometimes stretch my points even further with the valuable Companion Pass.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®— Earn 100,000 bonus points plus a $500 Chase Travel℠ credit after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (see rates and fees).

However, depending on the Chase credit card you have, you may be better off booking Southwest Airlines flights through Chase Travel, as this can require fewer points and allow you to earn Rapid Rewards points on the ticket.

In this article, I'll cover how to transfer your Chase points to Southwest and when you should (or shouldn't) do it.

How to transfer Chase points to Southwest

One of the great things about transferable points is that you can redeem them for award flights with airlines you've never flown or accrued points or miles with before. But if that's the case, you'll need to set up a Southwest Rapid Rewards account before you can transfer your Chase points to Southwest.

Head to Southwest's site to create an account for free. Then, visit your Chase portal and go into your Ultimate Rewards account. Click "Travel" on the top toolbar, and choose "Transfer points to partners."

"transfer points to partners" on Ultimate Rewards portal

On the next screen, you'll see a list of Chase's travel partners, with any available transfer bonuses noted at the top. Scroll down, and click on the Southwest option.

This will take you to a page with some rules about transferring your points to Southwest. For instance, points transferred via the Chase portal are not eligible to earn Southwest status. You'll also have to pay taxes and fees on Rapid Rewards points redemptions.

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After reviewing the fine print, click the blue "Transfer Points" button at the bottom right.

On the following page, you'll need to enter your Southwest Rapid Rewards number. Chase also allows you to transfer points to one authorized user on your Chase account, so you could enter their Rapid Rewards number instead. Once you complete this step, click "Next."

Then, enter the number of points you want to transfer. This must be a multiple of 1,000, so you may have to transfer a few more points than you need for your redemption.

page to enter how many points to transfer

The next page will give you a chance to review your information before processing the transfer. Remember that transfers are irreversible, so be sure you have a redemption in mind and have confirmed award space availability before transferring. It's also a good idea to double-check the spelling of your name, your Rapid Rewards number and how many points you're transferring before you hit "Submit." An innocent typo could cause you to transfer 100,000 hard-earned points when you meant to transfer only 10,000.

number of points, Rapid Rewards name and number

If you're ready to complete the transfer, click "Submit" and wait for your points to hit your Rapid Rewards account.

According to Chase's site, "Most point transfers process by the next business day, but may take up to 7 business days." However, TPG's tests have shown that most transfers to Southwest happen instantly. That means you could be booking your award flight mere minutes after transferring your Chase points.

Chase-to-Southwest transfer ratio

As with all of Chase's current transfer partners, Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Southwest at a ratio of 1:1. However, you may be able to get an even better ratio if you can take advantage of a transfer bonus. Chase transfer bonuses are sporadic, but if you find one that aligns with your travel plans, you can save thousands of points.

Should I transfer Chase points to Southwest?

According to TPG's July 2025 valuations, Chase points are worth 2.05 cents each, while Rapid Rewards points are only worth 1.4 cents each. That's because the flexibility of transferable points makes them inherently more valuable.

Southwest historically priced award flights based on cash rates, so you'd typically get a value right around 1.4 cents per point when redeeming Rapid Rewards points for flights. However, the airline recently switched to variable redemption rates, meaning you can get far more or less value out of your points. This may lead to more sweet spots in the Rapid Rewards program, similar to other Chase transfer partners like United Airlines, Air France and Hyatt.

Before you transfer your points to Southwest, make sure this airline makes the most sense. Take a look at Chase's other airline partners and compare award rates and flight details, as well as add-ons you may need to purchase, like checked bags and seat selection. You may find a better deal elsewhere.

Lastly, compare prices with the Chase Travel portal before transferring points to Southwest. Depending on the Chase card you have and whether your flight is eligible for Points Boost, you'll get a value of 1 to 2 cents per point. Plus, flights booked this way will earn Rapid Rewards points like a normal revenue ticket.

Take this one-way flight from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Orlando International Airport (MCO). I could book a Wanna Get Away Plus ticket through Southwest by transferring 23,000 Chase points to my Rapid Rewards account and paying $5.60 in taxes and fees.

But the same fare booked through Chase Travel costs only 20,838 points. In this case, booking through the Chase Travel portal would save me a few points and earn some additional Rapid Rewards points in the bargain.

However, if you already have a decent balance of Rapid Rewards points and just need to top off your account to book the award ticket, transferring from Chase to Southwest could make more sense. The same goes if you have a valuable Southwest Companion Pass.

For instance, a couple of years ago, I transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest to purchase a round-trip ticket to Turks and Caicos. My ticket cost 46,000 points — not a particularly good deal — but thanks to the Companion Pass I had at the time, I got my partner's ticket for just the cost of taxes and fees. I spent 46,000 Chase points on two seats that would have cost nearly $1,400 total, giving me a value of around 3 cents per point. I couldn't have gotten that kind of deal if I'd booked through Chase Travel or any other airline loyalty program.

How to earn Chase points

The more Ultimate Rewards points you accrue, the sooner you can redeem your next free trip with Southwest or any of Chase's other partners. Here are some of TPG's favorite cards that will help you earn Ultimate Rewards points through welcome bonuses and everyday spending:

However, you're not limited to just these Chase cards. I personally love the Chase Freedom Flex® and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees). They don't earn Ultimate Rewards points by themselves, but if you also hold one of the cards listed above, you can turn that cash back into full-fledged Ultimate Rewards points and transfer them to any of Chase's partners.

The information for the Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

If you've never transferred points from Chase, it can be a little nerve-wracking to watch the points vanish from your account and wait for them to appear in your account with an airline or hotel partner. Thankfully, the process is usually smooth and almost instantaneous. Just be sure to confirm the number of points you need, and make sure you can't get a better deal by using your points through Chase Travel. Then, follow the steps above to transfer your points.

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