Chase just dropped a new transfer bonus, letting you turn your Ultimate Rewards points into IHG One Rewards points with a sweet 70% boost! That sounds amazing, right? Basically, for every 1,000 Chase points you send over, you'll get 1,700 IHG points. This could be a great way to boost your IHG balance for that dream vacation.

But hold on a sec, don't jump the gun just yet! As savvy travelers, we know that transfer bonuses aren't always the golden ticket. Before you hit that transfer button, do some quick calculations. Compare the value you'd get booking an IHG hotel with these boosted points against booking the same hotel directly through the Chase Travel portal (where Chase points are often worth a fixed amount, like 1.25 cents each if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred).

Why does this matter? Because sometimes, even with the bonus, your Chase points might be more valuable when used directly through the Chase portal. This is especially true if the cash price of the hotel is low, because IHG redemptions are tied to cash rates. The end goal is to get the most bang for your buck, so do your homework before transferring! You might find you can stretch your points further by booking through Chase's travel portal instead.