Chase Ink Business Unlimited
It’s remarkable how quickly things can change in our shared points and travel hobby. Banks and loyalty programs are continually making tweaks, many which don’t work out in our favor. Of course, it’s on us to respond with our own changes in order to continue maximizing the latest versions of said programs. But periodically, things happen which haven’t been influenced by such updates. I recently returned to the Chase Sapphire Reserve via product change due to a bit of both. It’s resulted in yet another change in plans, also. Of all things, I’m now planning to product change to a Chase Ink Business Unlimited. Let me explain.
Changing Things Up
Back in January, I wrote about how I planned to product change an Ink Business Cash to an Ink Business Preferred. Specifically, I was expecting to do so just after finishing up my $25k spend capacity in the former’s 5x categories. I could do different things with the Preferred, even more attractive because this Cash account would have sat dormant for another 11 or so months. Something’s better than nothing.
But several months later, whodathunk, I decided to return to the Chase Sapphire Reserve via product change from a Freedom. Consequently, the Ink Business Preferred became less attractive to me. I’ve cashed out my Ultimate Rewards points for many years in all but one circumstance. However, I do enjoy having the option to transfer to partners, despite how unlikely that is. For that and other reasons, a prospective Preferred was no longer as valuable to me.
So What Now?
But I still want to find a use for that Chase Ink Business card after I hit the $25k threshold of 5x spending. I haven’t done a great job here in previous years, but better late than never! Enter the Chase Ink Business Unlimited.
I now plan to product change this Ink Business Cash account to an Ink Business Unlimited. The Unlimited earns a flat 1.5% everywhere, which translates to an uncapped 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points since I hold a Chase Sapphire Reserve. (Of course, a variety of Chase cards unlock this option, but this is the sole one I currently hold.)
But Why?
I can understand such a move might elicit a collective yawn. Why earn 1.5x bank points from a bank with a dusty, increasingly-uninspiring set of transfer partners? It comes back to the money angle.
Via the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s Pay Yourself Back categories, I can obtain 1.25 cents per point in value in particular spend categories. Right now, I find grocery stores particularly useful, and in my experience, Chase has at least one category every quarter where I find solid value. That essentially turns the Ink Business Unlimited into a 1.875% cash back card for such redemptions.
I’ve long professed that I cannot have enough 2% cash back cards. While the Unlimited doesn’t quite get there, it gives me yet another option for uncapped earning at an attractive-enough rate. And with how I and some of you enjoy the hobby, we’re only as good as our options.
The Future
I’m not quite sure how things will pan out here. Will I actively use Ink Business Cash Unlimited? Or like certain other endeavors, will it promptly fall flat, sock-drawered for several months? I’m cautiously guessing it’ll be somewhere in between. I’d love to be in the conundrum where I question if I ever should product change this card back to an Ink Business Cash. Regardless, I’m excited to mix things up here and see where it leads.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited – Conclusion
This will be my first time holding either of Chase’s “Unlimited” cards, and I like the increased flexibility I have with the business version. Most everyone should go after a different Chase card first, but seasoned Chase cardholders may find solid value here. Alas, many others are inevitably better off looking past this one. Regardless, the Chase Ink Business Unlimited is worth just enough to me now. We’ll see where things go.
Do you hold the Chase Ink Business Unlimited? Why or why not?
