Booking through the Chase Travel portal is generally "worth it" if you are looking to maximize the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points or earn extra points on cash bookings. For owners of the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve cards, points are worth 25% to 50% more (1.25 to 1.5 cents each) when redeemed directly for travel through the portal. Additionally, cash bookings for hotels and car rentals through the portal often earn a massive 10x points for Sapphire Reserve holders. However, there are significant downsides to consider. Since the portal is a third-party agency (powered by Expedia/cxLoyalty), you likely will not earn hotel loyalty points or elite night credits for your stay, and your status benefits (like free breakfast) may not be honored. Furthermore, if your flight is delayed or cancelled, you must deal with Chase customer service rather than the airline directly, which can lead to complications. For simple flights where you want to use points at a fixed rate, it’s a great deal; for complex itineraries or high-end hotel stays where status matters, booking direct is usually better.