If big trips feel out of reach — international flights, multiple hotel rooms, or family vacations during school breaks — these cards are one of the most efficient ways to earn a large balance of Chase Ultimate Rewards points — even if you don’t have what you consider a traditional business.

Chase Ink Business cards are a cornerstone of my travel strategy because they earn Chase Ultimate Rewards, one of the most flexible and valuable point currencies. These points transfer 1:1 to travel partners like Hyatt, Southwest, United, and many more. With the right cards, you can leverage everyday spending into free flights and hotel stays for your family.

In this post, you’ll learn:

• Which Chase Ink Business card to start with
• Why business cards are so powerful for families
• The updated Chase Ink application rules you need to know
• How to use Ultimate Rewards for real travel (hotels + flights)
• Step-by-step examples that demystify the process

👉 Ready to see the current Chase Ink Business card offers I recommend? Start here.

Who Chase Ink Business Cards Are For

You do not need a traditional business to qualify.

If you earn any income outside a W-2 — even a few hundred dollars — you may qualify as a sole proprietor.

Examples of qualifying side hustles and activities:

• Tutoring or coaching
• Babysitting
• Selling on Facebook Marketplace or Etsy
• Photography, fitness instruction, or consulting
• Reselling items online
• Freelance work

You simply enter your name as the business owner and describe what you do. Many families I coach qualify without having “business expenses” yet — and that’s totally fine.

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How the New Chase Ink Application Rules Work (Important)

Chase recently updated its application and approval rules for business cards, and it’s crucial to understand how this impacts your strategy:

1. Business Cards Do Not Count Toward 5/24

Once approved, Ink Business cards typically do not count against your personal 5/24 total. This makes them an incredibly strategic tool for earning points without blocking future personal cards.

Important nuance:

• Ink Business card approvals may still require you to be under certain limits, but once opened, they usually are not counted toward 5/24.
• Chase’s underwriting can still consider your overall credit profile, so approval is never guaranteed — but the 5/24 impact is minimized.

2. You Can Often Apply Even With Limited Business History

Unlike many business cards that require formal business documentation, Chase only asks for basic information — and your side hustle earnings often qualify you.

3. There Are Still Application Limits for Ultimate Rewards Cards

Chase has rules like:

• You can generally earn the welcome bonus on the same Chase-branded card only once every 48 months.
• Chase Sapphire cards and Ink cards may have combined application rules around earning bonuses.

The bottom line: Chase Ink cards are still one of the best opportunities for families to earn steering-wheel-worthy points balances.

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Which Chase Ink Business Card Should You Start With?

You don’t need all of them at once — and starting with one will help you learn how Chase Ultimate Rewards points work before expanding.

Here are the three Ink Business cards that earn Ultimate Rewards:

Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Annual Fee: $0
Why families like it:

• No annual fee
• Great earning rates on everyday business categories
• High welcome bonus for a no-fee card

This is a common first Ink Business card — especially if you want to keep costs low but earn valuable points.

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Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Annual Fee: $0
Why families like it:

• Simple structure — 1.5x points on every purchase
• No category tracking or planning required
• Ideal for “set it and forget it” earning

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Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Annual Fee: $95
Why families like it:

• 3x points on travel, shipping purchases, internet/cable/phone services, and online advertising — up to $150,000 per year
• Strong welcome bonus
• Best overall earning structure of the three

This card is often the end goal for many families once they’re comfortable with Chase points, because it earns more points on more spend categories and unlocks powerful transfers to travel partners.

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Why Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Are So Valuable

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are valuable because:

• They transfer 1:1 to 14 travel partners (airlines + hotels)
• You can combine points across cards before transfer
• Transferred points cannot be reversed (so always check availability first)
• When paired with a Sapphire card, you can redeem points through the Chase Travel Portal at a boosted value (1.25–1.5¢/pt)

This flexibility is what makes Chase Ultimate Rewards so powerful for family travel.

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How to Combine and Transfer Points for Travel

Step 1: Earn Ultimate Rewards Points

Use your Ink Business card for everyday purchases — including categories like:

• Office supplies (Ink Cash)
• Travel and online services (Ink Preferred)
• Everyday expenses (Ink Unlimited)

Don’t forget: sign-up bonuses are usually where the biggest point gains come from.

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Step 2: Combine Points Across Chase Accounts

If you have Ultimate Rewards points across multiple Chase cards (business or personal), you can combine them into one account before transferring:

1. Log into your Chase account
2. Go to the Ultimate Rewards dashboard
3. Choose “Combine Points”
4. Select which accounts to pull points from

This is especially useful when you want a large, consolidated balance before transfer.

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Step 3: Transfer Points to Travel Partners

Once your points are combined into one account (usually your card that allows transfers), you can transfer to travel partners like:

• World of Hyatt
• United MileagePlus
• Southwest Rapid Rewards
• British Airways Avios
  …among others

Transfers are usually instantaneous or near-instant, but always confirm award space before transferring points, since most transfers are irreversible.

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Real Redemption Examples (Step-by-Step)

Example 1: Hyatt Hotel Stay

Goal: 3 nights at a Category 3 Hyatt hotel
Cost: ~12,000–15,000 points per night

Steps

1. Earn Ultimate Rewards points
2. Combine points into an Ink Preferred or Sapphire account
3. Transfer to your World of Hyatt account
4. Book on Hyatt.com using points

Example:
36,000 points = 3 nights at a Category 3 Hyatt

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Example 2: United Flight (Economy)

Goal: One-way flight for family member
Cost: ~25,000 miles

Steps

1. Transfer Ultimate Rewards to United MileagePlus
2. Log into united.com
3. Search award flights
4. Redeem miles at checkout

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Example 3: Southwest Flight

Goal: Weekend flight from Denver to Chicago
Cost: ~16,000 Rapid Rewards points (one-way)

Steps

1. Transfer points to Southwest Rapid Rewards
2. Search flights on Southwest.com
3. Pay with points at checkout

Southwest is especially useful for families because award pricing is tied to the cash price — making planning easier.

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Why I Choose Points Over Cash Back

Cash back feels simple — but it rarely gets you ahead on big travel.

Flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points can often provide meaningfully more value for:

• Hotel stays for multiple nights
• Flights for multiple travelers
• Peak-season travel
• Larger families

Turning everyday spending into serious travel is the difference between “I wish we could go” and “We’re going next year.”

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Final Thoughts

If your goal is to turn everyday spending into meaningful travel — especially for family trips — Chase Ink Business cards are one of the most reliable tools available.

You don’t need a big business.
You don’t need to travel constantly.
You just need the right starting point.

👉 To see the current Chase Ink Business card offers I recommend (and apply), click here.

If you want help deciding which card fits your situation, I break that down step by step across the blog.

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Affiliate Disclosure

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you choose to apply through my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend cards and strategies I personally use and trust.