Using Ultimate Rewards for Apple products

Chase launched the Apple Ultimate Rewards Store in 2018, giving Sapphire, Freedom and Ink cardholders another option to redeem their Ultimate Rewards points.

If you have a Chase credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, you can use those points to buy Macs, iPads, iPhones and more – and you’ll get free shipping on all orders placed through the Apple Ultimate Rewards store.

As managing director of Ultimate Rewards and Loyalty Solutions, Lisa Walker explained when the program launched, “We know our customers crave flexibility and choice with their rewards, so we are thrilled to provide another way to redeem points for things our card members love, including Apple’s newest products.”

If you’re interested in redeeming your Chase Ultimate Rewards points for a new iPhone or your first Apple Watch, here’s what you need to know about the Apple Ultimate Rewards Store. We’ll show you how to shop, how many points you’ll need to make a purchase, and how the point redemption value compares to other Chase redemption options.

What is the Ultimate Rewards Apple store?

The Apple Ultimate Rewards store is just one of many redemption options available through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. In addition to redeeming points for travel, gift cards, cash back, Amazon purchases and experiences, cardholders can use their points to cover all or a portion of Apple products.

Currently, 1 point is worth 1 cent when redeemed through the Apple Ultimate Rewards Store. An iPhone 13 with 128 GB of storage, for example, costs 82,900 points or $829.00. These are the same prices you’ll pay if you bought this phone (unlocked) through Apple.com, but you wouldn’t be able to redeem your Ultimate Rewards points to cover part or all of the cost if you purchased directly with Apple.

How the Ultimate Rewards Apple store works

To access the Apple Ultimate Rewards Store and redeem your points for Apple products, start by logging into your Chase account online.

Select the arrow leading to the “Rewards” section to enter the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. You can also enter the Ultimate Rewards portal directly by visiting UltimateRewards.Chase.com and logging in with your Chase username and password.

Once you are inside the Ultimate Rewards portal, look for the option to “Shop Apple.” The Apple Ultimate Rewards store lets you scroll through various Apple products available for purchase. If you already know what Apple product you are interested in buying – an iPad Air, for example – you can select the product category from the menu at the top of the screen.

Once you have identified the Apple product you want to purchase and customized the specs as necessary, select “Add to Bag” and complete the checkout process. If you do not have enough Ultimate Rewards points to make the purchase in full, you can use a credit or debit card to cover the remainder of your balance. To split your purchase between payment types, you must be able to pay for at least 20% of the purchase with points.

Apple purchases vs. other Chase redemption options

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are some of the most valuable rewards points on the market, but not all redemption options offer the same value per point – and your Ultimate Rewards point value might depend on which Chase credit card you currently have in your wallet.

Take the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for example, which offers a 60,000-point sign-up bonus when you spend $4,000 in the first three months of card membership. If you redeem those 60,000 points for Apple products, they will be worth $600.

On the other hand, if you redeem your Chase Sapphire Preferred sign-up bonus for travel through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal, those same 60,000 points will be worth $750.

You may want to try purchasing your Apple product through Shop Through Chase since that method allows you to earn Ultimate Rewards per dollar on your purchase. However, when trying to shop at BestBuy.com through Shop Through Chase, the program terms specifically state that Apple products are excluded. All that to say, if you’re trying to cheat the system – be sure to carefully read the terms and conditions before going through with a purchase.

If you are able to make an Apple purchase with Shop Through Chase, that’s great. Then you can redeem your existing points for their maximum value for Ultimate Rewards Travel.

Here’s a quick overview of how much your Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth when redeemed for various options:

As you can see, redeeming your points through the Apple Ultimate Rewards Store is a better option than redeeming your points for Amazon.com purchases. However, if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you might want to save your points for the more valuable travel redemption.

Should you use your Ultimate Rewards for Apple purchases?

If you want to buy a new Apple product like an iPhone, iPad or Mac and, have earned enough Ultimate Rewards points to cover at least 20% of the cost, using your Ultimate Rewards points for Apple purchases can be a smart move. It’s especially a good idea if you don’t plan on traveling anytime soon.

Chase offers a 1:1 redemption value when you redeem your points through the Apple Ultimate Rewards Store, which is equivalent to the value you’d earn if you redeemed your points for a statement credit or a gift card.

However, if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve or Ink Business Preferred card, you might want to consider redeeming your points for travel purchases instead of Apple purchases. For cardholders who love all things Apple, perhaps you should apply for a separate card to earn rewards for your Apple purchases.