Hey fellow travel rewards enthusiasts! As a travel credit card blogger, I’m constantly on the lookout for the best ways to squeeze every last bit of value out of my hard-earned points. Chase’s Pay Yourself Back feature has been a game-changer for many of us, and it’s definitely worth exploring, especially with the Q3 2025 categories now in full swing. If Pay Yourself Back isn’t on your radar, now is the time to learn about it. I’ve been using Pay Yourself Back for a few years now and can attest to its flexibility. So, let’s dive into everything you need to know to make the most of this redemption option.

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Understanding Chase Pay Yourself Back: A Quick Refresher

Back in 2020, when global travel ground to a halt, Chase introduced Pay Yourself Back as an alternative to travel redemptions. Now, while I absolutely love using my points for luxurious flights and exotic hotels, sometimes life gets in the way. Pay Yourself Back offers a way to redeem your Ultimate Rewards points for statement credits on specific categories. Over time, Chase has expanded this program. The best part is that you often get a better redemption value than a standard cash-back redemption, which I’ll get into later.

Think of it this way: Pay Yourself Back lets you use your points almost like cash, but with a potentially boosted value. It might not always be the absolute highest value you can squeeze out of your Ultimate Rewards (transferring to partners like Hyatt can be incredibly lucrative), but it’s a fantastic option when you need flexibility or have a large point balance that you can’t use for travel immediately.

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What Can You “Pay Yourself Back” For? (Q3 2025 Categories)

This is where things get interesting. The eligible categories for Pay Yourself Back change periodically, so it’s essential to stay updated. These offers are available through September 30, 2025 unless otherwise noted. Here’s a breakdown of the current categories and redemption values for Q3 2025:

| Card | Redemption Value | Current End Date | | :——————————————————————————————————————————————————

| Chase Sapphire Reserve® / J.P. Morgan Reserve Card | Select charities: 1.5 cents per point Gas stations, groceries, home improvement stores and cardholder annual fee: 1.25 cents per point | Sept. 30 | | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Select charities: 1.25 cents per point Cardholder annual fee: 1.1 cents per point | Sept. 30 | | Chase Freedom Flex® / Chase Freedom Unlimited® / Chase Freedom | Select charities: 1.25 cents per point | Sept. 30 | | Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card / Ink Business Cash® Credit Card / Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card / Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ / Ink Business Premier® Credit Card | Select charities: 1.25 cents per point | Sept. 30 | | Aeroplan® Credit Card | Travel purchases (up to 200,000 points or $2,500 annually) and cardholder annual fee: 1.25 cents per point Dining at restaurants, grocery stores (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs), home improvement stores, gas stations, select department stores and select utilities: 0.8 cents per point | Dec. 31 for home improvement stores, gas, select department stores and select utilities (dining at restaurants and grocery stores are ongoing categories) | | United Airlines personal and business credit cards | Cardholder annual fee: 1.35-1.5 cents per mile (based on which card you have) United airfare purchases made directly with the airline of at least $50: 1 cent per mile | Dec. 31 | | Southwest Airlines personal and business credit cards | Cardholder annual fee within 90 days of transaction date: 1 cent per point | Sept. 30 | | Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card | Travel purchases made directly with airlines or Marriott Bonvoy hotels (up to $750 total per year): 1 cent per point | Ongoing perk of the card | | Disney credit cards | Purchases made at select U.S. Disney locations in Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney store and outlet locations in the U.S., shopDisney.com, DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com and ESPNPlus.com in the past 90 days: 1 Disney Rewards Dollar per dollar | Ongoing; no specific end date | | | Those with a Disney® Premier Visa® Card can redeem Disney Rewards Dollars toward airline purchases with any airline at the rate of 1 Disney Rewards Dollar per dollar | |

As you can see, the specific categories and redemption rates vary depending on which Chase card you hold.

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Strategic Uses: How I Plan to Maximize Q3

So, how am I planning to use Pay Yourself Back this quarter? Well, I have both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Chase Freedom Unlimited, which gives me a few options.

First, I’m seriously considering redeeming some points for donations to select charities. With both cards offering 1.25 or even 1.5 cents per point for charitable donations, this is a fantastic opportunity to support causes I care about while getting a good value for my points. I love that Chase includes organizations like Feeding America and the American Red Cross; it makes it easy to give back.

Second, the 1.25 cents per point redemption value for gas stations, groceries, and home improvement stores on the Sapphire Reserve is tempting. While I typically try to save my points for travel, using them to offset everyday expenses can free up cash for other travel experiences. We have been working on improving our house so I might apply this to the Home Depot purchases we recently made.

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Step-by-Step: Redeeming Your Points with Pay Yourself Back

The Pay Yourself Back process is user-friendly. You can access it through the Chase mobile app or the Chase website. Here’s a quick guide:

1. Log in: Access your Chase account online or through the mobile app. 2. Find Pay Yourself Back: Navigate to the “Rewards” section and look for the “Pay Yourself Back” option. 3. Choose Eligible Purchases: You’ll see a list of eligible purchases from the past 90 days. Select the purchase you want to offset with your points. 4. Redeem: Enter the amount of points you want to redeem (up to the full purchase amount) and confirm the redemption value. 5. Confirm: Review the details and confirm your transaction.

The statement credit usually posts to your account within three business days. It’s a seamless and hassle-free process, which I appreciate.

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Don’t Forget the Regular Statement Credit Option!

It’s worth mentioning that Chase also offers the standard option to redeem points for a statement credit (or cash back). You can find this option in your Ultimate Rewards account by selecting “Cash Back” from the drop-down menu. However, keep in mind that the redemption value for this option is fixed at 1 cent per point. Therefore, in most cases, you’ll get more value from Pay Yourself Back if your spending aligns with the eligible categories.

In comparison to other issuers, Chase’s standard cash-back option is fairly competitive. For example, you get the same value with Citi ThankYou points, but Amex only offers 0.6 cents per point. Capital One offers a dismal 0.5 cents per point.

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Is Pay Yourself Back Right for You? The Verdict

Chase’s Pay Yourself Back program provides a significant amount of flexibility. You should take advantage of the feature if you need the flexibility. So, should you redeem your points this way? It depends.

Here’s how I evaluate whether or not to use Pay Yourself Back:

* Consider your travel goals: If you have specific travel plans in mind, transferring your points to airline or hotel partners can often yield a higher value. * Assess your point balance: If you have a large point balance and aren’t planning any immediate trips, Pay Yourself Back can be a good way to use some of your points without letting them sit idle. * Evaluate the current categories: If the eligible categories align with your spending habits, Pay Yourself Back can be a fantastic way to offset everyday expenses. * Compare redemption values: Always compare the redemption value of Pay Yourself Back with other options, such as transferring to travel partners or redeeming for travel through the Chase portal.

Ultimately, Pay Yourself Back is a valuable tool in any travel rewards enthusiast’s arsenal. By understanding the program’s intricacies and evaluating your own needs and goals, you can maximize the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points.