There’s a million reasons why you may need to call Chase customer service for your Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve but there are a few important issues that many people run into.

And as good as the customer service reps are for Chase, sometimes they only have a basic understanding of some of these topics and benefits, so it’s a good idea to get as well-versed as you can before contacting them.

In this review article, I’ll give you some tips for contacting Chase customer service so that you’ll be as informed as possible and won’t get tripped up in the process. 

Interested in finding out the top travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out! 

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Contacting Chase customer service

There are several methods for contacting Chase customer service for Sapphire cardholders.

Chase Sapphire customer service phone number

The Chase Sapphire Reserve customer service phone number is: 1-800-436-7970.

You can also call the number on the back of your card.

You should be able to quickly reach a live representative and not have to wait very long, which is one reason why I’m such a huge fan of the Sapphire customer service line — it saves me time. However, if you’re calling from a phone number not associated with your account, you’ll probably have to input your credit card details.

I usually call this line even when I have inquiries about my other Chase cards since it often expedites the process.

If you have more general questions for Chase you can call: the Chase Customer Service phone number at: 1-800-935-9935.

Secured message (no email or chat)

Chase doesn’t have a public email or chat service available to its customers to utilize for customer service related issues but you can still send them a secured message by logging into your account. If you want to do this, then log-in and go to the “Contact Us”  and click on “Send us a message” using the Secure Message Center.

It will usually take about a full day to get a response with a secured message though it depends on the content and requests within the message.

You might also try to hit them up on Twitter if you think it’s something suitable for the public eye.

In-branch visit

If you need to visit a branch in person to speak to someone face to face then you might want to locate a Chase branch. Generally, you can just walk in but if you have something special you want to discuss like Chase Private Client or something business related then you’ll want to make an appointment.

Mailing address

If you’re more into old-fashioned communication you can also mail Chase at:

Card Services
PO Box 15298
Wilmington, DE 19850

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Upgrading/downgrading or product-changing a card

Sometimes you’ll want to upgrade or product change your Sapphire card but you will usually have to wait one year from the time of opening up your card in order for you to do so.

Also, keep in mind that they won’t allow you to product change your credit card to co-branded credit cards. This means that you can’t product change a Sapphire Preferred to a co-branded credit card like the Chase Southwest card or the chase Hyatt card, for example.

You can read more about upgrading/downgrading or product-changing your Chase Sapphire cards here. 

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Getting matched to higher offers

Chase is pretty good about matching your sign-up bonus to a higher offer if you call in and request the match within 90 days of being approved for the card with the lower sign-up bonus. You can do this over the phone or you can also send in a secured message and request it that way.

Simply tell the agent that you discovered a new, higher offer within the last 90 days since your approval and they should match to the higher offer so long as the higher offer is available to the public.

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Chase Sapphire retention offers

A retention offer is a special offer that banks offer to you in order to prevent you from closing your card. Typically, if you’ve used your card a lot over the course of the past year, you can expect a retention offer. Chase is known for being pretty stingy when it comes to retention offers for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve so I wouldn’t be expecting much, though you never know what could happen.

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Credit limit increase

Chase will allow you to request credit limit increases via phone or online. Generally, ti’s a pretty straight forward process but there are some things you can do to improve your odds of getting approved for a credit limit increase. For example, it helps to have a genuine and legitimate need for the credit limit increase and to ask for a reasonable amount (ask for something in the range of a 25% increase). 

You should also note that Chase will perform a hard pull unless you’re able to get Chase to do an automatic credit limit increase on your card. You can read more about tips for a credit limit increase here. 

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Priority Pass lounge questions

Sapphire Reserve cardmembers get Priority Pass access, which is a membership into over 1,000 airport lounges around the globe (Sapphire Preferred members don’t get this).

Once you have your Sapphire Reserve online account setup, log-in and go to Ultimate Rewards. From there, click on “Card Benefits” and then the “Activate Now” button. That will activate the benefit for you and any authorized users you have added to your account. Your membership will remain active until you close the card.

If you add your authorized user after activating the card for yourself, just call in to Chase and let them know what you’re trying to do. You can read more about Sapphire Reserve lounge access here. 

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Shifting credit

Chase will allow you to shift credit around between different credit cards but there are some restrictions you should be aware of.

For one, you cannot transfer credit between personal and business cards (Chase allowed this in the past but not any longer). Second, some of your cards are going to require different minimum credit limits to remain open. So you might have to leave $500 or $1,000 on a credit card. You can read more about shifting credit to another card here. 

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Travel credit questions

The Sapphire Reserve comes with a $300 travel credit which can be used on just about anything travel related (so long as it codes as a proper travel purchase). The credit works pretty straightforward and you can read more about how the credit works here. 

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Travel notifications

You can call into Chase and request your travel notifications over the phone if you’d like. It’s a smart idea to do that so that your credit card will work when traveling aboard but note that sometimes you don’t even need to set a travel notification (especially if you’ve done extensive traveling in the past.

You can read more about setting traveling notices here. 

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Chase reconsideration line

If you’ve applied for another card and you were not instantly approved or outright rejected you may want to call up Chase and see if you can still get approved for a credit card. For this request, you don’t want to call the phone number on the back of your credit card. Instead, you cant to call the Chase reconsideration line.

The Chase reconsideration line phone number is 1-888-270-2127.

The Chase reconsideration line hours of operation are usually:

• 7am to 10pm EST Monday through Friday
• 8am to 1 pm EST Saturday
• 9am to 9pm EST on Sunday

Be sure to read my tips on handling a Chase reconsideration phone call here. 

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Application status

If you’ve applied for another credit card and you want to check on the status of that application there are a number of ways that you can do so.

The automated phone number to check your Chase credit card application status is: 1-888-338-2586.

If that doesn’t work, older numbers might work:

1-800-432-3117 and 1–800-436-7927 for personal cards and 1-800-453-9719 for Chase business cards. 

You can also check your status online since you’re already a Chase customer as a Sapphire cardholder. You can read more about these methods here. 

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Chase 5/24 questions

Chase has some pretty infamous credit card application rules, one of which is the 5/24 rule which might be the most well known credit card rule. It means that you won’t get approved for certain Chase cards if you’ve opened five or more accounts over the past 24 months but here are a few exceptions to the rule and it doesn’t apply to every Chase credit card out there.

If you call into Chase and inquire about this rule there’s a good chance you might not get a thorough explanation on how this rule really works. However, I’ve put together an article that will tell you everything you need to know about the 5/24 rule and you can read about it here. 

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Banking questions

If you have questions more related to banking issues you can call the number on the back of your card and start your inquiry there but they will likely transfer you to another department. You can check out my articles for questions on making a Chase wire transfer and for ordering checks for common questions on those.

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Chase roadside assistance

If you have questions about the Sapphire Reserve roadside assistance, they are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by calling this phone number: 1-866-860-7978.  I’ve also put together an article outlining how this program works and all of the benefits that it provides which you can read about here.

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Chase Rental car insurance

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer primary rental car coverage which means that you usually won’t have to file a claim with your insurance provider. The policies for these cards are slightly different and I’ve written article on the Chase Sapphire Preferred rental car insurance and on the rental car coverage policy for the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

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Sapphire Reserve rental car benefits

The Sapphire Reserve comes with rental car benefits that you might want to find out additional details for. I suggest reading my guide on rental car benefits here for more information.

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Sapphire Reserve travel insurance

The Sapphire Reserve offers some very solid travel insurance with some of the best coverage in the industry. If you want to find out the details for what type of things are covered you can click here.

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Purchase protection

Chase Sapphire Reserve purchase protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year. The Chase Sapphire Preferred only gets coverage up to a maximum of $500 per claim and up to $50,000 per account. You can read more about these policies here.

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Final word

These are a lot common inquiries that Chase Sapphire cardholders have. As good as the customer service can be for Chase Sapphire cardholders, sometimes the agents only have a surface-level understanding of some of the key benefits of the card. So it helps to dig deep into the details of your questions before you talk to them so that you can have an informed discussion on the topic.

The infamous Chase 5/24 rule is one of the most important rules to know about when it comes to applying for new credit cards. But what exactly is the Chase 5/24 rule and which cards are subject to this rule?

This article will explain everything you need to know about the Chase 5/24 rule including all of its many exceptions and how certain things are affected like business credit cards and authorized user accounts.

I’ll show you a few ways how to get around the rule and also give you some strategy pointers on how to go about dealing with 5/24.

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What is the Chase 5/24 rule?

The Chase 5/24 rule means that if you have opened up five or more credit accounts (i.e, credit cards) in the past 24 months you will be denied for all Chase cards.

This includes accounts opened up across all banks so you count all of your Chase cards opened up plus all of the accounts opened up with other credit card issuers, such as American Express, Citi, Barclays, etc.

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When was the Chase 5/24 rule implemented?

The Chase 5/24 rule was originally put into place in June of 2015.

I have a special memory of the Chase 5/24 rule because it was when I was first getting really deep into credit cards, and I remember wondering why so many people were talking about this obscure rule.

The rule was not welcomed but it really shook things up in May of 2016 when it was extended to many co-branded credit cards, such as the Southwest, British Airways, and United cards. And then things really got shaken up in 2018 when the rule was extended to all credit cards issued by Chase!

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Does Chase officially recognize the 5/24 rule?

Chase does not officially recognize the 5/24 rule but they “leaked” it out in their terms for a short while in 2016.

Their terms once stated:

“You will not be approved for this card if you have opened 5 or more bank cards in the past 24 months.”

But the language was removed from the page very shortly after it appeared.

I don’t think anyone doubts that it’s an official Chase policy, though. The data points are simply too convincing.

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Why does the 5/24 rule matter?

The Chase 5/24 rule is a big deal because Chase has some of the best credit cards available and they are subject to the 5/24 restriction.

So if you go out and open up five or more cards in a short amount of time, you won’t be able to get approved for some of the top travel rewards credit cards for quite some time. That’s a major bummer for many people.

You’ll also get hit with an unnecessary hard inquiry on your credit report if you apply and are above 5/24 so knowing about it is a good way of preserving your credit score.

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What Chase cards are subject to the Chase 5/24 rule?

Every Chase card is now affected by the rule and here is a list of popular cards you can expect to be impacted by the rule.

• AARP Credit Card From Chase
• Aer Lingus Visa Signature Credit Card
• Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Freedom
• Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Chase Slate
• Chase Ink Business Preferred
• Chase Ink Business Cash
• Chase Ink Business Unlimited
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
• Marriott Bonvoy Premier Plus Business Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card 
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
• Southwest Priority Card
• United MileagePlus Club Card
• United MileagePlus Club Business Card
• United MileagePlus Explorer Card
• United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card
• Starbucks Rewards Visa Card 
• British Airways Visa Signature Card
• Disney Premier Visa Card
• Disney Visa Card
• The Hyatt Credit Card
• The World of Hyatt card
• Iberia Visa Signature Credit Card
• IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
• IHG Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card

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“Count towards” vs “being subject to”

There is a lot of confusion about what it means for cards to count towards the 5/24 rule vs being subject to the Chase 5/24 rule.

If a card counts toward the 5/24 rule that means that you will include that card when counting all of your opened accounts and determining your 5/24 status.

If a card is subject to the 5/24 rule that means that in order to be approved for that credit card, you’ll need to have under 5 cards opened in the past 24 months.

This is a key distinction and many people get confused by it so make sure that you got it down.

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What counts towards 5/24? (FAQ)

Do credit cards count towards 5/24?

Credit cards are the primary accounts that count towards your 5/24 status and Chase counts credit cards from all banks. This means that your credit cards from other banks like American Express, Citibank, etc. will count towards your 5/24 status.

Do small business credit cards count towards 5/24?

Most business credit cards from major issuers will not count towards your 5/24 status, such as those from American Express and Citibank. However, business cards opened with banks like Capital One will report to your personal report.

Here are some of the issuers that are known for their business cards NOT counting towards your 5/24 status:

• American Express
• Barclays
• Citibank
• US Bank
• Wells Fargo

Here are some issuers that are known for their business cards counting towards your 5/24 status:

• Capital One

But you also need to remember that inquiries from your small business credit card applications will still show up on your credit report.

Sometimes Chase can deny you for too many recent inquiries so even though some business cards won’t report to your personal credit report, you should still space out your credit card applications.

Giving yourself 90 days between apps is generally a good way to start, although some like to provide an even larger buffer.

Do authorized user accounts count towards 5/24?

Yes, but as discussed below there are exceptions.

Do charge cards count towards 5/24?

Yes, charge cards count against your 5/24 status.

Do store cards count towards 5/24?

It can get a little tricky when it comes to store credit cards. If your store credit card is on the Visa or Mastercard payment network (if it has the logos on the card), then that card will likely count towards your 5/24 status.

On the other hand, if your card can only be used at a store then there’s a chance it might not count toward your 5/24 status.

Do pre-paid cards count towards 5/24?

No, pre-paid accounts like Serve do not count towards your 5/24 status.

Do home loans/mortgages count towards 5/24?

Generally, no, home loans should not count towards your 5/24 status because they are installment loans.

Do auto loans count towards 5/24?

Generally, no, auto loans should not count towards your 5/24 status because they are installment loans.

Do student loans count towards 5/24?

Generally, no, student loans should not count towards your 5/24 status because they are installment loans. I have heard reports of student loans counting but in my personal experience, my student loans did not count.

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How to calculate your 5/24 status

Figuring out your 5/24 status is not very difficult at all. The easiest way to do it will be to sign up for WalletFlo when it is launched and it will be automatically calculated for you.

But until then, here’s how you can do it:

Step 1: Pull up your credit report

Check your credit report using Credit Karma or FreeCreditReport.com to check when you opened your accounts.

Chase will often pull from Experian and one other credit bureau but it’s often difficult to predict so it’s best to just review all of your credit reports.

Step 2: Add up accounts based on the above criteria

Considering the information above, review your account history and see when the opening dates were for your last five accounts that count towards 5/24.

Now find the fifth most recent account and that will be the key account to focus on. 

Tip: Many credit reports will allow you to sort your accounts by date.

Step 3: Determine the exact date

Next, you need to determine the date that Chase will use to calculate your 5/24 status. 

There are many reports out there of Chase calculating 5/24 eligibility differently. Here are the different methods that I have seen:

Exact date

In some cases, your 5/24 status could be calculated based on the exact date that you opened the account. For example, if your account was opened on August 9, 2019, your 5/24 status would reset on August 9, 2021. 

Beginning of anniversary month

In some cases, your 5/24 status could be calculated based on the beginning of the anniversary month that you opened the account. For example, if your account was opened on August 9, 2019, your 5/24 status would reset on August 1, 2021. 

1st of the month after anniversary month

In some cases, your 5/24 status could be calculated based on the 1st of the month after the anniversary month that you opened the account. For example, if your account was opened on August 9, 2019, your 5/24 status would reset on September 1, 2021. 

The timeframe for this calculation could depend on a couple of factors.

First, it is possible that depending on the credit bureau that Chase pulls, the calculation date could be the first of the month or the exact anniversary date. This could be because Experian reports your accounts as opening on the first day of the month in which they were opened.

Sometimes this could possibly come down to the agent’s discretion. In that case, you want to leave no doubt whatsoever about your compliance with this rule.

So to be on the safe side, I recommend to simply add 31 days from the day that you opened up your account. For example, if your account was opened on August 9, 2019, your 5/24 status would reset on September 9, 2021. 

That seems to be the safest bet.

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Exceptions to 5/24

There are a few exceptions to the Chase 5/24 rule.

Unfortunately, Chase has closed many of the loopholes and exceptions to the 5/24 rule over the past couple of years so there are not as many. Something else to consider is that these exceptions seem to be always changing. These things are very YMMV, so you don’t always know what to expect.

Authorized user accounts

If you have been added as an authorized user, that account will count towards your 5/24 status in many cases. 

However, you can call into Chase reconsideration and explain to them that you are merely an authorized user and they will often disregard your authorized user status.

But note that this is usually only the case for one single authorized user account.

If you have multiple authorized user accounts then it is probably a better idea to just remove those authorized user accounts from your credit report. You can do that by requesting the primary user to remove you or by contacting the bank yourself.

You can also file disputes on your credit report but note that sometimes it can take a little bit of time for these cards to be removed.

Chase business cards

Chase usually does not count its own business credit cards when determining your 5/24 status. So if you open up a Chase Ink Business Preferred or Chase Ink Business Cash that won’t affect your status. 

Chase business manager

For business cards, applying with a “business relationship manager” (BRM) might be able to allow you to get around the 5/24 rule.

You may have to send in a paper or fax application through the BRM but you might also be able to apply for an even higher offer. These account managers are generally reserved for those bringing in substantial revenue via their business but not always. If you run a business, then it probably would not hurt to inquire with your bank about applying with a paper or fax application.

Pre-approvals

You can get pre-approved in branch for certain cards and circumvent 5/24. (Sometimes these in-branch pre-approvals even result in higher targeted offers, too.)

You can check for pre-approvals for the following credit cards:

• Chase Freedom
• Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• United Explorer
• United Club
• Chase Ink Business Preferred
• Chase Ink Business Cash
• United Explorer

“Selected Offers for You”

“Selected Offers for You” are special offers you can find when you log into Chase that sometimes allow you to get around the 5/24 rule.

You can check your “Selected Offers for You” when logging into your Chase account for offers that might allow you to get around 5/24.

Sometimes there is a little green checkmark you can find that indicates a special offer. If you are looking at your business cards, the special offer might have a black star.

Other special offers

It is possible that you could come across other types of special offers like the ones we recently found in the United app.

Personal invites/mailers

In the past personal invitations and mailers from Chase with application codes allowed some people to get around 5/24. However, there are data points now of people getting denied based on too many accounts even with these invitations.

So I would proceed with caution if relying on this method. 

Randomly approved

It’s possible to randomly get around 5/24.

Nobody knows how or why this happens but some people apparently just get very lucky and they are not denied even though are above 5/24.

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Exceptions that no longer work

There are a few exceptions that used to allow you to circumvent 5/24 but not any longer.

Chase Private Client

Chase Private Client used to allow you to get around the 5/24 rule but that’s no longer the case now.

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What if I’m at 4/24?

Some people find out that they are 4/24 and decide that they want to try to double-dip and apply for two Chase cards at the same with the hopes that 5/24 won’t instantly kick in. This worked in the past but has caused issues for a lot of applicants recently so I don’t recommend it unless you really know what you’re doing.

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Are there other Chase application rules?

The Chase 5/24 rules is unfortunately not the only rule that you need to be aware of when applying.

2/30 rule

The other major rule is the Chase 2/30 rule.

This is a rule that prohibits you from being approved for more than two credit cards within a rolling 30 day period. Some people have gotten around this rule in the past but I would never recommend applying for three Chase cards at once or even within a 30 day window.

Chase has become increasingly aggressive with shutting down and flagging accounts where customers have applied for many of their cards, so it’s best to play it conservatively.

Also note, that many people are not allowed more than one card in a 30 day period. This is especially true for business credit cards.

Current cardholder?

Chase states that cards are available to you only if you do not have the card you are applying for.

So for example if you already hold the Sapphire Preferred, you’d have to cancel that card before applying for it again.

The Chase 24 month rule

Chase will only allow you to receive a sign-up bonus for a given product every 24 months.

They state in their terms and conditions:

“This product is available to you if you do not have this card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for this card in the past 24 months”

Limiting sign-up bonuses

Chase has also been on a crusade to limit sign-up bonuses for cards within the same family.

The Southwest credit cards are a good example. It is no longer possible to receive the sign-up bonus for two personal Southwest credit cards at the same time. Now you must wait 24 months although you can still get one from the business version at the same time as the personal card.

There is also special rule that won’t allow you to receive two Sapphire bonuses within 48 months.

That rule states:

This product is available to you if you do not have any Sapphire card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for any Sapphire card in the past 48 months. If you are an existing Sapphire customer and would like this product, please call the number on the back of your card to see if you are eligible for a product change. You will not receive the new cardmember bonus if you change products.

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Does 5/24 affect Chase reconsideration?

Chase reconsideration allows you to plead your case with bank reps with the hopes of convincing them to approve your credit card application.

If you are over 5/24 then,  you probably still won’t be able to overturn a denial in a Chase reconsideration call (though it doesn’t hurt to try).

The exception is if you end up falling down to 4/24 after you apply for a credit card. If that’s the case, then you can call up Chase reconsideration and try to give it a shot. You can read more about Chase reconsideration tips here.  

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Do other banks have rules like 5/24?

More and more banks are clamping down on people who heavily pursue their credit cards and so some issuers have developed rules similar to the Chase 5/24 rule.

Amex

For example, Amex has a number of rules including the 2/90 rule which limits you to two Amex credit cards within a 90 day period.

You can read more about those here.

Bank of America

Bank of America has the 2/3/4 Rule which means that you can have:

• No more than 2 Bank of American cards in 2 months
• No more than 3 Bank of American cards i in 12 months
• No more than 4 Bank of American cards i in 24 months

It also has the “7/12 and 3/12” rule which states:

• Applicants with a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened seven or more credit cards in the past 12 months.
• Applicants without a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened three or more credit cards  in the past 12 months

Citibank

Citibank has some very specific rules for getting approved for their credit cards, including the 8/65 Rule which means that you cannot apply for more than one Citi credit card in 8 days and not more than two credit cards in 65 days.

Capital One

Capital One has the 1/6 rule, which means that you can only apply for one credit card every 6 month. Any 2nd application within 6 month will be auto rejected and won’t lead in a hard pull.

Discover

Discover only allows you to  hold a maximum of 2 credit cards (only 1 student card) and you cam only get 1 card every 12 months.

Other banks have rules to so always do your research before applying for credit cards.

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Chase 5/24 Strategy

There are a few strategies you can incorporate to help you navigate the Chase 5/24 rule.

Go after 5/24 cards first

This is obvious but it’s worth mentioning.

You should put together a plan of what cards you value the most before you ever apply for a rewards card. I’m always amazed at people who apply for cards on such a whim with no plan (and sometimes no real desire) to earn rewards points.

If you develop a plan first, then you’ll be able to prioritize cards like the Southwest cards or the Sapphire cards and get them before you go over 5/24.

Use the 4/24 trick

Utilize the two application trick (discussed above) when you’re at 4/24.

Apply for small business credit cards

This is probably the best strategy to use. If you apply for small business credit cards like those from Amex, they will not report to your credit report.

This will allow you to continue to open up new accounts without ever affecting your 5/24 status.

At the same time, if you know that certain store cards won’t report to your credit report, you can also go that route.

Check on in-branch pre-approvals

As already mentioned, in-branch pre-approvals can allow you to get approved for certain Chase cards even when you are above 5/24.

I would periodically (every 2 to 3 months) pop in to a Chase branch and inquire about pre-approval offers if I were trying to get on board with Chase and I was over 5/24.

Utilize upgrades and product changes

Let’s say you really wanted the Sapphire Reserve.

If you’re already over 5/24 but you already hold a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred then you can just upgrade to the Reserve without having to apply for a new credit card.

Chase won’t let you product change across brands though.

So for example if you have a Chase Southwest card you can’t product change that to a Chase Freedom or Chase Marriott card.

Amex takes a while to report cards

If for some reason you are in a crunch and you need to apply for Amex cards know that they usually take up two months to report to your credit report.

So it’s often possible to remain under 5/24 even after you’ve been approved for Amex cards for close to 60 days. That could provide you with the time needed to capitalize on special Amex offers (like the Amex Platinum 100K offer) if you needed to.

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Final word

The Chase 5/24 rule makes life difficult when it comes to maximizing rewards with Chase for a lot of people.

But if you go in with a plan, it’s not actually that limiting and you can still obtain some of the best rewards cards if you play it smart.

It’s a good idea to get familiar with all of the exceptions and understand how the rule works with business credit cards and authorized users to ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the rule.

Chase offers arguably the best batch of credit cards and travel rewards but you might not get approved for their cards if you don’t know about special Chase application rules and insider tips.

So if you’re getting ready to apply for Chase credit cards, please take a moment to read the information in this article. I’ll give you specific tips for how to avoid getting your application denied and get approved by explaining all the Chase credit card application rules.

I’ll also show you which cards you should be pursuing first to maximize the value of your rewards.

Chase current cardholder rule

Standard rule

Chase states that cards are available to you only if you do not have the card you are applying for. The terms will usually state something like “this product is not available to […] current cardmembers of this credit card”. So, for example, if you already hold the British Airways Visa, you’d have to cancel that card before applying for it again.

Family rule

In some cases, Chase will not allow you to get a product if you have another card currently open that is a member of that card’s family. For example, if you have a Sapphire Reserve, you cannot get approved for a Sapphire Preferred because they both belong to the Sapphire family.

Here is what the terms look like for the family rule: “The product is not available to […] current cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card.” Notice the word “any” which means that you cannot have ANY Sapphire card open if you want to get approved.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

24 month and 48 month rule

For most credit cards, Chase will only allow you to receive a new cardmember bonus for a given product every 24 months. This means that you need to wait two years from the date that you received the cardmember bonus.

Since cardmember bonuses must be received within a maximum of 115 days from the date you opened up your account, you can always calculate this role by measuring out two years +115 days from your account opening date.

If you did not receive a cardmember bonus when you opened the card, then this rule will not apply to you.

Chase has gotten more strict with their premium Sapphire cards and now there is a special rule that won’t allow you to receive two Sapphire bonuses within 48 months.

The Chase 2/30 day rule

You can only be approved for two Chase cards within a rolling 30 day period. There are some exceptions but it’s very rare to get approved for three cards within 30 days. Also, some people are limited to one card in a 30 day period so I would typically just apply for one card in any 30 day period.

The Chase 1/30 day rule

If you are applying for a business Chase card then the 1/30 rule will likely apply to you. This just means that you can only get one business Chase card in a 30 day period. When it comes to Chase business cards, I think it is even more important to play things conservatively.

So I would wait a few months in between Chase business card applications (3 to 6+ months would be a good waiting period).

Combing inquiries?

Chase used to allow customers to apply for two cards at one time and combine their inquiries. This is now very difficult or impossible to accomplish and often leads to one account being closed by Chase. Therefore, I do not recommend you to apply for more than one credit card at a time with Chase.

The Chase 5/24 rule

The most popular rule by Chase is probably the 5/24 rule. It states that if you have opened up five or more revolving credit accounts (e.g., credit cards, trade lines, etc.) in the past 24 months you will be denied for Chase cards.

This rule looks at cards you have opened up with any credit card issuer. For example, if you have opened up a card with American Express that will count toward your 5/24 status. (Check your credit report using Credit Karma or FreeCreditReport.com to check when you opened your accounts.)

However, there are certain types of accounts that should not count. These include the installment accounts (e.g., car loans, home loans, etc.) and pre-paid accounts.

Exceptions to 5/24

Even though 5/24 is a very strict rule, there are a number of ways that you can get around this rule.

Authorized user accounts

One authorized user account may not count towards 5/24 (subject to Chase’s discretion). If you are currently sitting at 5/24 and one of your accounts is an authorized user account, you can bring that to Chase’s attention and they might be willing to bypass 5/24 for you.

Business credit cards

Many business credit cards will not count towards your 5/24 status, such as those from American Express and Citibank. However, business cards opened with banks like Capital One and Discover will report to your personal report.

Chase business cards

Chase business cards don’t count towards 5/24. Don’t get confused here.

If you are trying to calculate your 5/24 status, Chase business cards do not report to your personal credit report and do not count as opened accounts.

However, Chase business cards are subject to the Chase 5/24 rule, Which means that if you have opened up five or more accounts you cannot get approved for Chase business cards.

Store cards 

It can get a little tricky when it comes to store credit cards. If your store credit card is on the Visa or Mastercard payment network (if it has the logos on the card), then that card will likely count towards your 5/24 status.

On the other hand, if your card can only be used at a store then there’s a chance it might not count toward your 5/24 status.

“Selected Offers for You”

“Selected Offers for You” are special offers you can find when you log into Chase that sometimes allow you to get around the 5/24 rule.

You can check your “Selected Offers for You” when logging into your Chase account for offers that might allow you to get around 5/24.

Sometimes there is a little green checkmark you can find that indicates a special offer. If you are looking at your business cards, the special offer might have a black star.

Targeted Offers

Some people are lucky enough to receive special invitations in the mail for offers that circumvent 5/24. These offers usually need to have an invitation code. However, there are data points now of people getting denied based on too many accounts even with these invitations.

Business relationship manager method

For business cards, applying with a “business relationship manager” might be able to allow you to get around the 5/24 rule.

You may have to send in a paper or fax application through the BRM but you might also be able to apply for an even higher offer. Typically, you need to have a business with some serious revenue to qualify for a business relationship manager but not always.

In-branch pre-approved offers

You can get pre-approved in branch for certain cards and circumvent 5/24. (Sometimes these in-branch pre-approvals even result in higher targeted offers, too.) You can check for pre-approvals for the following credit cards:

• Chase Freedom
• Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• United Explorer
• United Club
• Chase Ink Preferred
• Chase Ink Cash
• United Explorer (all of them)

Chase Private Client?

Chase Private Client used to allow you to get around the 5/24 rule but that’s no longer the case now.

You can read more about the Chase 5/24 rule and all of its exceptions here.

Messages: 30 day, 2 weeks, 7 to 10 days, etc.

When you’re not instantly approved for a Chase credit card application, you’ll receive certain messages from Chase that can reveal whether or not you will be approved. Click here to read about what those messages mean.

Once you’ve got the rules out of the way, it’s time for the exciting part: applying for a Chase credit card! 

Tips for applying for a Chase credit card

Below are some helpful tips that you want to think about before applying for a Chase credit card.

Credit history?

Chase really likes you to have established credit history when you apply for their cards. This is especially true for its premium cards. If your credit history is paper thin you might struggle to get approved. If you’re in doubt, it’s probably best to start off with a Chase Freedom card and build up a good 6-12 months of history with Chase before trying other cards.

Chase reconsideration line

When you are not automatically approved for a Chase credit card chances are that you might need to call in to the Chase reconsideration line. This is a phone line where you can talk to a credit analyst and try to provide them with information on why you should be approved for your credit card.

In some instances you want to call, while in others you may want to hold off. You also need to know what to say (and what not to say). You can find out more about everything you need to know about Chase reconsideration here.

Cash back vs travel?

Chase has superb cash back and travel rewards credit cards.

I’ll discuss the travel credit cards first because those are the best, IMO. The Chase travel cards come in two forms: co-branded and Chase Ultimate Rewards earning cards.

Chase Co-branded credit cards

The co-branded credit cards are those super-popular cards like the Southwest cards, Hyatt card, etc. These are cards associated with an airline or hotel loyalty program and they will only earn you points that you can use on those programs (and their partners).

Chase Ultimate Rewards earning cards

Chase Ultimate Rewards earning cards on the other hand will earn you Ultimate Rewards. These can be used to book travel through the Chase travel portal or transferred to a number of very solid airline partners and to some of the very best hotel partners like Hyatt.

Ultimate Rewards earning cards have a major advantage over the co-branded cards because they offer you flexibility and more opportunities to maximize your value.

Also, Ultimate Rewards can be transferred to other people in your household so it’s really easy to start earning rewards as a couple or even a family since the points can flow freely between household members.

Which type of travel card is for you?

If you know you want to travel but have no idea of how, when, etc., then it’s probably better to go with Chase Ultimate Rewards earning cards. If you have a specific loyalty brand you like, such as Southwest, then it could make sense to go for a co-branded card.

Formulate a strategy

Always, always consider how getting a Chase card (or a card from any issuer) will affect your 5/24 status.

You may not think that you will be interested in a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve but when you learn about its benefits you might change your mind later. But if you already applied for other credit cards without thinking about your strategy for Chase cards, you may have ruined your chances to apply for Chase credit cards with the best bonuses and perks.

The general advice is to apply for Chase credit cards subject to 5/24 first. After that, you can pursue cards that aren’t restricted by 5/24.  

Don’t forget about referrals

After you’re approved for certain Chase cards, you can utilize Chase referrals to earn additional points! Click here to read more about the Chase refer a friend program.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Earning Travel Cards

Some offers no longer available

Chase has two of the top travel credit cards on the market. Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Sapphire Preferred are cards you want consider if you want to apply for Chase credit cards.

These two cards earn valuable Ultimate Rewards. They also both give you access to the Chase Shopping portal where you can further maximize your earnings. Read more about that portal here.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

• $300 travel credit
• 3X on dining and travel
• Priority Pass access
• Great purchase and travel protections

Arguably the best travel credit card from any bank

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is arguably the best travel rewards credit card.

It comes with a great 50,000 point sign-up bonus, earns 3X on dining and travel, allows you to redeem points for travel at 1.5 cents per point, gives you primary rental car coverage (along with other great purchase and travel protections), and comes with a $300 travel credit that can be used on just about anything travel related.

The Reserve also gives you (and your traveling companions) lounge access at over 1,000 lounges around the world with the Priority Pass benefit. All of these perks make it very easy to make up for the $550 annual fee of this card. Because this card so valuable and it’s subject to 5/24, it’s usually one of the first credit cards I recommend for people with established credit profiles.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

• 2X on dining and travel
• Great purchase and travel protections
• Low annual fee ($95)

A great travel card with a lower annual fee

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the little brother of the Reserve but it still packs a hard punch. It offers 2X on dining and travel, allows you to redeem points for travel at 1.25 cents per point, gives you primary rental car coverage, and only comes with a $95 annual fee that you don’t even have to pay the first year.

For some people, coughing up $550 for a credit card is just too much to ask. If you’re not feeling the $550 annual fee of the Reserve then the Sapphire Preferred can be one of the best credit cards.

Chase Co-Branded Airlines Credit Cards

United MileagePlus Explorer

• High sign-up bonus (varies over time)
• Annual United Club lounge pass for two people
• Free checked bag and priority boarding
• Increased award inventory
• Great purchase and travel protections

One of the best airline credit cards

Chase is known for its airline credit cards which often offer superb sign-up bonuses. The Explorer Card stands out because it often comes with a very high sign-up bonus — sometimes as high as 70,000 miles! 70,000 miles could you get you domestic roundtrip in first class to anywhere in the mainland USA.

The Explorer Card also comes with a day pass to a United Club lounge (worth $100) and perks like free checked bags and priority boarding (also worth $100). And you get access to more award seats than the public which can a huge benefit at times.

You get all these perks for a card that only comes with a $95 that’s sometimes even waived.

United MileagePlus Club

• Access to all United Club locations and participating Star Alliance^™ affiliated lounges worldwide
• Priority check-in, security screening (where available), boarding and baggage handling privileges
• The primary Cardmember and one companion traveling on the same reservation will each receive their first and second standard checked bags free
• Hertz President’s Circle® Elite Status

Good card for United Club access

The United Club Card never used to come with a sign-up bonus. So now that you can get it with 50,000 miles —  that’s huge. This is a premium card that is designed for those who will frequent United Club lounges. It will give you access to all United Club locations and participating Star Alliance affiliated lounges worldwide.

It’s bonus categories of 2X on United purchases and 1.5X everywhere else are so-so considering that Ultimate Rewards transfer to United and you could earn these rates or better if you decided to apply for Chase credit cards like the Freedom Unlimited or Sapphire Reserve.

Still, this card is loaded with perks like Hertz President’s Circle Elite Status, priority check-in, security screening (where available), two free checked bags, and a few others. If you really dig United Airlines and their lounges (or other Star Alliance lounges), this might be a decent option for you. You can read my full review on this credit card here.

Chase Southwest credit cards

Southwest credit cards offer different types of bonuses all of the time — we’ve seen offers range from 25,000 points to 60,000 points for these cards! Try to seek out the best offers for the business Southwest credit card and for the personal cards like the Southwest Premier and Southwest Plus.

While you are limited to one personal card, it is possible to get a personal card and a business card but I would wait 30 days in-between applications.

British Airways Visa Signature Card

• Earn a “Travel Together Ticket” after spending $30,000 within the first year of account opening.
• Earn 3 Avios for every $1 spent on British Airways, Iberia and OpenSkies purchases.
• Earn 1 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases
• $95 Annual fee (not waived)

Perfect card for flying American Airlines

The British Airways Visa sometimes comes with a sign-up bonus that allows you to earn up to 100,000 British Airways Avios, plus an opportunity for a unique “Travel Together Ticket” benefit.

If you’re a fan of American Airlines (AA) and/or live near an AA hub, this credit card can be great for you. That’s because you can use Avios to book AA flights for ridiculously cheap prices like 7,500 Avios one-way. These rates cannot be beat by any other program in many cases so you’re able to get bargains left and right. You can learn more about some of the Avios sweet spots here.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Chase Hotel Credit Cards

Chase stands out above the competition when it comes to its hotel partners. And so it’s no surprise to see that Chase offers some of the most lucrative hotel rewards credit cards.

I’ve kept some of the expired cards in the article since many people were grandfathered in to the cards and might need a refresher for the perks their card offers.

IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

The IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card comes with the following features:

• Annual free night certificate at an “eligible hotel”
• 10X for spend at IHG
• 2X at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants
• Automatic Platinum Elite Status
• 20% discount on purchases of IHG points
• 4th night free on award stays
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit of up to $100 every 4 years
• No foreign transaction fees
• $89 annual fee

While Chase did devalue the free night certificate, this is still a strong contender of a card due to the great bonus earning rate at IHG properties, the discount on purchases points, and the 4th night free on award stays.

The World of Hyatt Card

• Bonus earning: 
  • 4X spent with your card at Hyatt hotels, including participating restaurants and spas
  • 2X on local transit and commuting, including taxis, mass transit, tolls and ride-share services
  • 2X at restaurants, cafes and coffee shops
  • 2X on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline
  • 2X spent on fitness club and gym memberships
• Free nights: 
  • Receive one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary
  • Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort if you spend $15,000 during your cardmember anniversary year
• Elite status:
  • Receive 5 qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year
  • Earn 2 additional qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
• $95 Annual Fee 

The World of Hyatt Card is a solid hotel credit card with a great sign-up bonus along with some strong bonus-earning categories. The free night every year is okay and you can use it at some great properties but it’s great that it comes with an extra free night with only $15,000 in spend.

But this card is really great for high spenders who can spend their way into elite status with the card. Being able to to earn 2 elite qualifying nights every time you spend $5,000 is great and the 5 credits toward status gives you a head start towards elite status. Read the full review here.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Visa Signature Credit Card

• 1 Free Night Stay every year after account anniversary (valued up to 35,00 points)
• 6 points for every $1 spent at participating Marriott hotels
• 2 points for every $1 you spend on all other purchases
• Coming in 2019, Receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year
• Automatic Marriott Silver status
• Marriott Gold status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year

Lots of flexibility offered with points

You get one free night stay every year after your account anniversary. The free night is limited to properties going for 35,000 per night but you can find some good properties in that range.

Transferring your Ultimate Rewards over to your Marriott account is generally not a great way to maximize value of your Ultimate Rewards, so this card can be one of the best ways to build up a points balance with Marriott.

Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card

No longer available to new applicants. 

• Two complimentary nights at any participating Tier 1-4 Ritz-Carlton hotel, after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
• 5 points per $1 spent at participating Ritz-Carlton Rewards and SPG hotels.
• Earn 2 points per $1 spent on airline tickets, car rentals, and restaurants
• $300 annual travel credit
• Upgrade to The Ritz-Carlton Club Level 3 times annually on paid stays of up to 7 nights
• Marriott Gold status for one year (need to spend $10,000 each year to retain)
• Saves you $100 on the total cost of between 2 and 5 qualifying round-trip, domestic coach airline tickets purchase

A luxury card with potential to save you on flights

The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card is premium card with a $450 annual fee. But this card comes with a lot of solids perks that quickly neutralize its high annual fee. The $300 travel credit knocks down the annual fee pretty quickly but there’s also a $100 discount on domestic roundtrips which is great. The Club Level upgrades can be very valuable to since some Ritz-Carltons have fantastic lounges.

This card has offered three free nights as a sign-up bonus in the past, so if you’re on the fence about this card it could be worth it to wait around and see if that higher bonus returns.

Chase Cash Back Credit Cards

Chase Freedom

• $150 (15K Ultimate Rewards) after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter
• 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers

A high-earning cash back card

The Freedom comes with a solid bonus for a no annual fee card (though others are lucky enough to receive higher targeted offers). But this card is known for all of the points that you can earn with its 5% back on rotating quarterly bonus categories.

These categories change each year but in the past we have seen bonus categories such as:

• Supermarkets
• Department stores (including WalMart)
• Gas stations
• Dining
• Local commuter transportation
• Movie theaters
• Amazon.com
• Starbucks
• Pharmacies
• Theme parks

Since the Freedom is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule and is such a great cash back credit card/intro to the world of Chase credit cards, this is also one of my most recommended credit cards.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

• $150 (15K Ultimate Rewards) after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase
• 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers

One of the best credit cards for everyday expenses

The Freedom Unlimited is identical to the Freedom except that it offers a completely different bonus earning structure. The Freedom Unlimited offers 1.5% back in rewards on every single purchase. 1.5% back is pretty good but there are cashback cards that earn 2% back that you might want to compare this card to.

The reason the Freedom Unlimited still stands out with an earning rate of 1.5% is that it earns Ultimate Rewards. If you have other Chase cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, then you could redeem the points earned on the Freedom Unlimited at a rate of 1.5 cents per point or higher. That means that at a minimum, the Freedom Unlimited would be earning you 2.25% back. 

Depending on your spending habits, one Freedom might be better than the other — click here to find out which Freedom is right for you.

Chase AARP Card

Great card for cash back on dining and gas

• 3% back at restaurants and gas stations
• No annual fee

A lot of people who want to apply for Chase credit cards don’t know about the AARP card offered by Chase. Even though it’s not the most heavily marketed credit card, it offers solid cash back rates with 3% back on fuel and 3% back at restaurants. It also comes with a pretty decent sign-up bonus of $200. For a credit card without an annual fee, this is actually a pretty compelling package. That’s why I included it in my list of top gas rewards credit cards.

Chase Small Business Credit Cards

Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

• 80,000 Ultimate Rewards sign-up bonus after you spend $5,000 within 3 months of opening your account.
• 3X the points on every dollar spent up to $150,000 on the following categories:
  • Travel
  • Advertising with social media and search engines
  • Shipping
  • Cable, internet, and phone services
• $600 in protection against any covered damage or theft of your cell phone when your bill with the Ink, up to three claims per year.
• $95 annual fee

Arguably the best business credit card

With it’s super-high sign-up bonus of 80,000 points, the Ink Business Preferred is a contender for best business credit card. 80K Ultimate Rewards could be worth over $1,500 depending on how you value Ultimate Rewards. This card also is perfect for any type of content creator or entrepreneur who will be spending money on online advertising. The cell phone protection up to $600 is also a very valuable perk.

The Ink can be a bit of wildcard to get approved for though and your application will often end up in reconsideration. I highly suggest you read my tips for dealing with a Chase business reconsideration phone call before you apply for this card.

Ink Business Cash Credit Card

• 50,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers
• Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
• Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
• No annual fee

A solid no annual fee business credit card

The bonus earning structure for the Ink Cash is similar to the Chase Ink Plus which is no longer available. 5X at office supply stores, internet, cable and phone services, can add up quickly. Also, the 2% back on gas and dining isn’t horrible for a non annual fee credit card.

You will need a premium card like the Ink Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve/Preferred to transfer the Ultimate Rewards from this card to travel partners however. Read the full review of this card here.

Feel ready to apply for Chase credit cards?

Applying for Chase cards is not as daunting a task as you might think. But you absolutely need to pay attention to the applications rules. Not only so you avoid an unnecessary credit card application rejection but so you can maximize your earnings with these cards.