[judge2020]

Note that it's better if you don't apply rewards points at checkout - instead, get a payout to your bank account via the Chase reward redemption portal in the app. If you have $100 in rewards points, and use them in checkout, that $100 doesn't hit your card and you don't get the 5% cashback on that $100.

[paulmd]

Technically you don't even need to loop through the bank account, you can also do statement credit. It doesn't count against your minimum payment, but it does count as a credit/payment towards the statement balance.

But yes, always charge the full amount and then handle rewards at a lower layer, never "pay with points".

[eutropia]

Isn't this optimizing for 5% of 5%? e.g. 1/400?

[judge2020]

Sure, to get $100 in rewards you'd need to have spent $2,000. It's not life-changing but $5 is still something, and I imagine Chase/Amazon save >1 million a year from people not doing this.