How the 10xTravel Team Would Use 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

Trying to decide how you’re going to spend all those Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earned? Can’t decide whether you want to fly across an ocean or stay stateside? If your travel bucket list is never-ending and you’re up for just about any adventure, it can be difficult to decide where to go. Luckily, we’ve got some exciting and very diverse options we’ve put together, so let’s dive into how the 10xTravel team would use 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Lovan Edwards: Trip to South Africa

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are among the most valuable points currencies available, offering flexible redemption options and lucrative transfer partners. With 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can strategically book flights and hotels for an unforgettable trip to South Africa. Here’s how I would do it.

Booking Flights with Virgin Atlantic

One of the best ways to maximize Chase Ultimate Rewards points is by transferring them to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, a Chase transfer partner. Even without a transfer bonus, Virgin Atlantic’s loyalty program provides outstanding value, particularly for long-haul flights.

Step 1: Find Saver Fare Availability to London

Virgin Atlantic operates flights between major U.S. cities and London Heathrow (LHR). To make the most of your points, search for saver fare availability on Virgin Atlantic’s website for flights from one of their hubs to London.

Step 2: Find Saver Fare Availability to South Africa

From London, Virgin Atlantic also operates flights to Cape Town (CPT) and Johannesburg (JNB). Johannesburg typically has more availability, so it may be easier to find a redemption at the saver level there.

Step 3: Match Up the Saver Fares

Once you find saver fare availability on both segments—U.S. to London and London to South Africa—you can book them as a single itinerary. Keep in mind that U.S. to London flights are typically overnight, and with the time zone difference, you will need to search for flights to South Africa on the following day.

Redemption Rates for Round-Trip Flights:

• Premium Economy (PE): 51,000 Virgin Atlantic points round-trip per person
• Economy: 26,000 Virgin Atlantic points round-trip per person

With 100,000 points, you can book two or three round-trip economy tickets or one round-trip premium economy ticket with points left over to book your hotel stay.

Booking Lodging with Hyatt

Because the flight redemption is so low-cost, there will still be plenty of Chase Ultimate Rewards points left for hotel stays. Hyatt is one of the best options for affordable yet high-quality accommodations in South Africa.

Hyatt Redemption Rates in South Africa

• Hyatt Regency Cape Town: 5,000 points per night
• Hyatt House Johannesburg Sandton: 5,000 points per night
• Hyatt House Johannesburg Rosebank: 5,000 points per night

With 100,000 Chase points, after covering flights, you’ll still have enough to book a five-night stay in either Cape Town or Johannesburg.

Final Thoughts From Lovan

With strategic redemptions, 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points can take you far—literally. By transferring to Virgin Atlantic, you can book a round-trip flight to South Africa at an incredible value. Pair that with Hyatt hotel redemptions, and you have an amazing 5+ night trip with flights and lodging covered entirely on points.

If you’re looking to stretch your Chase Ultimate Rewards even further, keep an eye out for transfer bonuses that could reduce the points cost even more.

Emily Jaeckel: Trip to Napa

Napa Valley isn’t just for wine enthusiasts (though that’s reason enough to visit). With its picturesque rolling hills, Michelin-starred restaurants, boutique shopping, and luxurious spas, it’s the perfect destination for a romantic getaway or a friends’ trip. And with the right points strategy, you can experience this typically expensive destination without the hefty price tag.

The Flight Strategy: Southwest All the Way (With Companion Pass!)

Flying Southwest to Napa is one of the easiest and most economical options on points, especially when you have the Southwest Companion Pass:

Transfer to Southwest Rapid Rewards

• Flying from Denver (DEN) to Oakland (OAK) on June 25th for only 9,511 points total for two people
• Return flight from Oakland to Denver on Monday for 14,916 points total for two people
• Total points: 24,427 Chase Ultimate Rewards points transferred to Southwest
• Cash value: $696

Having the Southwest Companion Pass is a game-changer here, as I’m essentially getting two tickets for the price of one!

The Luxury Hotel Strategy: Andaz Napa

With approximately 75,573 points remaining after booking flights, we have the perfect amount for a luxurious 3-night stay at the Andaz Napa. Since Hyatt is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, this makes for a super easy booking. This Hyatt property is located in downtown Napa with walkable access to tasting rooms, restaurants, and shops and has that wine country vibe about it.

Andaz Napa

• 25,000 World of Hyatt points per night (standard room)
• Total for 3 nights: 75,000 points (June 25-28, 2025)
• Cash value: $1,878.28 ($626 per night on these dates)

Combining with the 10xTravel San Francisco Meetup!

Speaking of perfect timing, you may have noticed that these trip dates line up perfectly with the 10xTravel reader meetup in San Francisco on Friday, June 28th, 2025! This makes for the perfect opportunity to combine your Napa getaway with meeting fellow points enthusiasts.

Here’s how I’d structure the perfect combo trip:

The Plan:

• Fly to Oakland (OAK) on Tuesday, June 25th for only 9,511 Southwest points total for two people (using my Companion Pass!)
• Spend 3 nights at the Andaz Napa (June 25-28)
• Check out Friday morning (June 28th) and drive to San Francisco (about 1.5 hours)
• Join us at the 10xTravel San Francisco Meetup from 5:30-8:30 PM at San Francisco Brewing Company on Polk Street
• Extend your stay in San Francisco for the weekend

About the Meetup: We’ll be gathering at San Francisco Brewing Company on Polk Street, a fantastic local brewery with a great atmosphere. This will be an incredible opportunity to meet other travel rewards enthusiasts, share tips and tricks, and connect with members of the 10xTravel team (including yours truly!). Tickets are available for free on Eventbrite.

If you decide to extend your stay in San Francisco, consider using points at properties like the Hyatt Regency San Francisco (20,000 points per night) or the Grand Hyatt San Francisco (20,000 points per night). Both are centrally located for exploring the city!

Final Thoughts from Emily

With 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can experience a premium Napa Valley vacation with flights and 3 nights at the luxurious Andaz Napa, with the perfect opportunity to cap it off by joining our 10xTravel meetup in San Francisco. This approach delivers maximum value for a destination that typically comes with a hefty price tag.

Anna Zaks: Summer in Central Europe Staying at Hyatts

So imagine you have your flights to Europe already booked and now you need to figure out where exactly you are going and where you are staying. I have a suggestion for you – Central Europe! Central European countries are still somewhat underrated and undervisited by American travelers, but Europeans have discovered that part of the world a while ago, and for some very good reasons. Central European countries are significantly cheaper than major Western European destinations like France or Spain and have great culture and food.

Let’s look at a few Hyatt properties that you can book by transferring your Ultimate Rewards to the World of Hyatt program. There are some really fancy hotels in Central Europe that would deplete your stash of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards quickly, but there are also some great lower-category properties where you can really stretch your points to cover multiple nights worth of stays.

Hyatt Place Krakow, Krakow, Poland

Poland is an underrated destination among Americans, but it should be on everyone’s must-visit list. Affordable and delicious food, atmospheric old towns, loads of history and friendly locals all make for a great trip.

Hyatt Place Krakow is a category 1 hotel that can be booked with 3,500 to 6,500 points. While it’s not right in the center of town, Krakow has good public transportation and you can easily get to the city center by tram or catch an inexpensive cab ride.

Krakow’s old town survived pretty much intact during the Second World War and subsequent years of communist rule, and I’d use just one word to describe it – enchanting. It has one of the largest and the best preserved medieval central squares in Europe and the whole city is full of light, fun and amazing food.

Lindner Hotel Prague Castle, Prague, Czech Republic

Lindner Hotel Prague Castle is a category 2 hotel located in Prague’s Castle district. And while Prague is a lot better known among U.S. travelers than pretty much any city in Central Europe, you’d still mostly see European tourists there. Go now before the country becomes more known among Americans and before the prices go up and align with other Western European cities.

You can book this hotel with 5,000 to 8,000 points.

Lindner Hotel Vienna Am Belvedere, Vienna, Austria

Lindner Hotel Vienna Am Belvedere is also a category 2 hotel, and while most people don’t think of Vienna as being in Central Europe, it’s actually geographically located east of Prague, so I’ll include it here.

Vienna is a gorgeous, imperial, world class city and an amazing summer destination. You’ve got stunning palaces, beautiful gardens and fountains. And let’s not forget lots and lots of great pastries and chocolate. It’s also a very kid-friendly destination with many activities to entertain kids of all ages.

You can book this hotel with 6,500 to 9,500 points, on average.

Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere, Vienna, Austria

Andaz is a category 3 hotel that you can book with 9,000 to 12,000 points. The hotel is located a little bit outside of the city center, but it’s right on the tram line, minutes from the main train station and a subway stop, which makes getting around Vienna and the surrounding area a breeze.

It’s a modern property with beautifully appointed rooms. And the best part is the really powerful air conditioning in all rooms and public areas. If you happen to be in Europe during one of the frequent summer heat waves, you’d appreciate it very much.

Final Thoughts from Anna

This is, of course, not the exhaustive list of great value Hyatt properties in Central Europe, but hopefully, this will help to jump start your travel planning to this fascinating part of the world.

Travis Cormier: Cultural Immersion in Mexico City

Mexico City has become one of my favorite destinations in recent years, offering an intoxicating blend of ancient history, vibrant culture, world-class dining, and surprising affordability. With 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can experience this incredible metropolis in style without breaking the bank. Here’s my strategy for maximizing value while enjoying everything CDMX has to offer.

Flight Strategy: The Virgin Atlantic Sweet Spot for AeroMexico

One of the best-kept secrets for flights to Mexico City is using Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (a Chase transfer partner) to book AeroMexico flights. This is an incredible sweet spot that few travelers know about:

Virgin Atlantic + AeroMexico Sweet Spot

• Transfer Chase points to Virgin Atlantic at a 1:1 ratio
• Economy round-trip to Mexico City: Just 14,000 Virgin points total (7,000 each way)
• Out-of-pocket cost: Only $107.69 in taxes and fees ($48 outbound, $59.69 return)

Other options include United and Southwest. When researching, I saw some United flights for 7,300 points each way, but sometimes it was over 30,000 each way! If you can find the

AeroMexico saver fares you can really stretch your points far.

Accommodation Strategy: Hyatt Sweet Spots in Mexico City

After booking flights, I’d transfer my remaining Chase points to World of Hyatt, where you’ll find exceptional value at several properties across different price points:

Luxury Option: Andaz Mexico City Condesa (Category 4)

• Located in trendy, walkable Condesa neighborhood
• Category 4: 12,000-18,000 World of Hyatt points per night
• Cash value: Approximately $250-350 per night
• Stylish, design-forward boutique hotel that opened in 2022
• Standout features:
  • Rooftop pool with stunning city views
  • Cabuya rooftop restaurant and bar
  • Wooftop Beer Garden and Canine Club (dog-friendly terrace)
  • Complimentary minibar with local snacks and non-alcoholic beverages
  • Dog-themed decor throughout (extremely pet-friendly)
• Perfect location for foodies and nightlife enthusiasts (I recently ate dinner at Baldío in this neighborhood and really enjoyed it)

Mid-Range Option: Hyatt Regency Mexico City (Category 4)

• Located in upscale Polanco district
• Category 4: 12,000-18,000 World of Hyatt points per night
• Cash value: Approximately $250-300 per night
• Central location near Chapultepec Park, museums, and fine dining
• Club lounge access if you have Globalist status

Extended Stay Option: Hyatt House Mexico City/Santa Fe (Category 1)

• Category 1: 3,500-6,500 points per night
• Cash value: Approximately $120-150 per night
• Spacious rooms with kitchenettes
• Complimentary breakfast
• Located in Santa Fe business district (note: you’ll need to use Uber/taxi to reach tourist areas)

With your remaining points (whether a solo traveler, or traveling as a pair) after flights, you could enjoy a number of nights at the Andaz or Hyatt Regency, or if you’re really looking for more of what Mexico City has to offer you could stay at the Hyatt House and really stretch your points far.

Sample Itinerary: 5 Nights in Mexico City

Here’s how I’d structure a perfect 5-night stay using my 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points:

Transportation:

• Virgin Atlantic points for AeroMexico round-trip: 14,000 points + $107.69 in taxes/fees

Accommodation:

• 5 nights at the Andaz: 75,000 World of Hyatt points (assuming peak pricing)

Total points spent: 89,000

Value received: Approximately $1,700 ($300 flight + $1,500 hotel minus $100 in taxes and fees)

Bonus, if you’re traveling as a couple you’re only 3,000 points shy of two round-trip tickets, making it a great way to do a couple’s trip if you can earn just a few extra points.

Final Thoughts from Travis

Mexico City offers an incredible sweet spot for solo travelers with Chase Ultimate Rewards points. By strategically transferring to Virgin Atlantic for AeroMexico flights and to Hyatt for accommodations, your 100,000 points easily cover a full week of travel with virtually no out-of-pocket costs except taxes and fees (and, of course, food budget!).

Your points cover the big expenses, allowing you to spend your cash on the rich cultural experiences that make CDMX so special – from world-class museums to incredible street food.

If you’re looking to experience a global city with the perfect blend of ancient history, colonial architecture, and cutting-edge cuisine while maximizing the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points, Mexico City should be at the very top of your list.

Explore the World with Points

Whether it’s South Africa, Napa, Central Europe, Mexico City or somewhere else entirely, 100,000 Chase points can take you far and bring you adventure. Points and miles allow you to explore the world on a budget. For more ideas on how to use different amounts and types of points, visit our 10xTravel Team articles section. Don’t forget to take our course when you sign up for My10x, check out our best cards list for the latest card offers, and also join our Facebook group where you can see how other travelers use points and miles to go on trips just like the ones listed in this article.

Happy travels!