Old Jan 19, 2017, 8:44 pm
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This thread--a continuation of previous discussions through May 2015 and December 2016--focuses on general Chase policies & practices for new applications. For information on specific Chase cards and their bonuses/terms/benefits, see the following threads and their associated wikis: Table of Contents
  1. Does Chase have a limit on the number or frequency of applications like Citi's 8/65 rule?

  2. What's this I hear about Chase denying applications to people who have recently opened a lot of credit cards?

  3. Does the 5/24 rule apply to applications for all Chase cards?

  4. How does Chase calculate the number of an applicant's new cards for purposes of the 5/24 rule?

  5. How does Chase calculate the relevant 24-month period? By calendar months? By exact days?

  6. Can I get around the 5/24 policy by closing cards I've opened in the past 24 months?

  7. Is there any way around the 5/24 policy (targeted mailers, pre-approvals, Chase Private Client status)?

  8. Can I apply for a specific Chase card and earn the bonus again after doing so previously?

  9. I'm an authorized user for a card issued to my spouse/parent. Does that prevent me from signing up for the same card and earning a bonus?

  10. I already have several Chase cards with a substantial aggregate line of credit. Will it improve my odds if I close an existing account (or lower its credit line) before applying for another?

  11. I wasn't auto-approved. Should I call in?

  12. How can I determine the deadline for meeting the spend requirement to earn the signup bonus?

  13. Once I meet the card's spend requirement, how soon will I receive my signup bonus points?

  14. Should I downgrade or cancel my existing cards before applying?

  15. Useful Chase telephone numbers

Does Chase have a limit on the number or frequency of applications like Citi's 8/65 rule?
Chase does not have a known limit. However, several reports (for example) indicate that Chase is highly sensitive to multiple applications within a short time period, and that the second (or subsequent) applications run a substantial risk of being denied. In many cases, this is likely related to Chase's practice of allocating a large credit line (up to an applicant's personal maximum) when approving a new card such as the first application in a series. (See also the discussion below concerning aggregate Chase credit lines.)

What's this I hear about Chase denying applications to people who have recently opened a lot of credit cards?
Starting in May 2015, Chase began denying applications for its own personal cards (e.g., Sapphire Preferred, Freedom, Slate & Freedom Unlimited) if the applicant's credit report shows that she or he opened 5 or more credit cards with any card issuer in the prior 24 months ("the 5/24 rule").

For a few days in early September 2016, Chase included explicit language ("You will not be approved for this card if you have opened 5 or more bank cards in the past 24 months") on the application page for the Sapphire Reserve card--and then promptly removed it. The absence of this language on landing/application pages for the CSR or any other Chase card is not a reliable indicator of whether the 5/24 policy applies.

See the next section for co-branded cards exempt from the 5/24 policy, and the later section discussing potential ways around 5/24.

Does the 5/24 rule apply to applications for all Chase cards?
Previously the rule did not apply to applications for the Ink Plus business card or to co-branded cards such as United, Hyatt, IHG, etc. However, on May 22, 2016 Chase extended its 5/24 rule to cover Ink business cards and some co-branded cards. (Note that there were premature reports that Chase Ink Plus would be made subject to the rule in March 2016 (which did not happen), and that all co-branded cards would follow in April 2016 (also did not happen).)

Although we had numerous reports of applications prior to May 22 being denied for a United/Hyatt/IHG/WN card by a CSR citing the 5/24 rule, the available evidence strongly suggested that those applicants had other serious issues--multiple Chase applications in a short period; large existing Chase credit line--and that overzealous CSRs gratuitously (and erroneously) invoked the 5/24 rule in the past as an additional supposed justification for the denial. Thus, it is difficult to separate such false positives from any change in Chase policy.

Instead, the most useful data points are those where an applicant is approved for a Chase card despite being over 5/24. Since May 22, 2016, we have such reports for these co-branded cards (in order from oldest to newest for each card):
For a longer list of cards apparently not subject to 5/24, check this link:
In November 2018, Chase seems to have possibly expanded 5/24 to more cards, possibly including some mentioned above. See this link:
Please follow discussion in the thread for current updates.

How does Chase calculate the number of an applicant's new cards for purposes of the 5/24 rule?
The 24-month count includes personal cards opened at other banks, and even cards on which the applicant is only an authorized user and not the primary cardholder. Chase has been extremely inflexible with this policy, with agents stating that there is nothing they can do to circumvent this restriction. However, in some cases Chase may reconsider a denial if the applicant has <5 new cards excluding cards on which s/he is an authorized user. You may need to escalate to the next level of customer service agent, as many front-line agents seem to be unable or unwilling to remove the authorized user accounts from the count.

Note:

How does Chase calculate the relevant 24-month period? By calendar months? By exact days?
In February 2017, a FTer reported a successful application a day or two after dropping from 5/24 to 4/24. However, because Chase sometimes approves applicants who are at 5/24 exactly (see above), this data point does not conclusively prove that Chase drops cards from its calculation on the exact 24-month anniversary of the previous bonus.

Can I get around the 5/24 policy by closing cards I've opened in the past 24 months?
No. Chase uses the information from your credit report, and closing an account doesn't make it disappear.

Is there any way around the 5/24 policy (targeted mailers, pre-approvals, Chase Private Client status)?
As to targeted mailers, we have insufficient anecdotal evidence to reach any reliable conclusions. (Reports suggesting no exemption from 5/24 here and here.)

There have been reports of people with more than 5 cards opened in the last 24 months being successful if they are already pre-approved for the card in question. To find out if you are pre-approved, you can call or go into a branch to ask. Success stories appear to be connected to Chase Private Client (CPC) status and the rollout of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. In-branch pre-approvals (showing a green screen on the banker's computer) result in automatic approvals. Some (but not all) CPC clients had success in recon calls[[I]citation needed].

Can I apply for a specific Chase card and earn the bonus again after doing so previously?
It depends. A Chase card may be "churned" when an entirely new version becomes available. For example, business cards are distinct from personal/consumer cards. Note that simple variations among bonus offers do not amount to new versions/products for purposes of this rule.

Beginning in 2014, Chase began including explicit language in most of its offers, such as the following:
This new cardmember bonus offer is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of this consumer credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of this consumer credit card who received a new cardmember bonus for this consumer credit card within the last 24 months.
Effective August 2018, Chase imposed stringent additional restrictions on receiving the signup bonus for any version of the Sapphire card. See Sapphire (CSR & CSP) 48 months between bonuses, August 2018 and the master threads for each card (listed above) for details and discussion.

There are four key considerations in determining whether you can churn a given card:
  • The 5/24 policy discussed in detail above.
  • The 24-month bonus waiting period--in the case of Sapphire cards, the collective 48-month period--is measured not from the date of your previous application (or approval date, if different), but instead from the date you received the signup-related bonus on the previous card, which may be 3-4 months later than the approval date. The same rule applies regardless of the type of signup bonus received (points, miles, or free-night certs); anniversary benefits unrelated to spending requirements, such as annual IHG & Marriott certs, do not count as signup bonuses.
  • If you still have your old card of the same type, you're ineligible.
  • Chase's policy does not indicate whether there is also a minimum waiting period between cancellation and reapplication, and there is not yet sufficient anecdotal evidence from FTers to draw firm conclusions. At a minimum, a prudent churner will wait at least a week or two after cancellation before reapplying so that all of Chase's systems fully reflect that closure. (See first bullet point above.) At least one FTer has reported re-applying successfully 14 days after canceling the previous card.
Finally, note that if you reapply too soon, Chase may still issue you the new card. (This differs from some other card issuers, which may deny such applications outright.) In this case, Chase typically notifies you by letter within a month or two after approval that, as a previous cardholder, you will not receive the bonus a second time.

I'm an authorized user for a card issued to my spouse/parent. Does that prevent me from signing up for the same card and earning a bonus?
No. Being an additional user on someone else's account poses no bar to applying for that same card & bonus, except insofar as such cards may count toward the 5/24 rule (as discussed above).

I already have several Chase cards with a substantial aggregate line of credit. Will it improve my odds if I close an existing account (or lower its credit line) before applying for another?
Yes.

In the past, the conventional wisdom among FTers was that you were more likely to hurt your chances by closing an account or reducing CL unilaterally. However, substantial evidence from 2014 onward strongly indicates that Chase is increasingly likely to reject applications (or at least not auto-approve them) where an applicant has an existing total credit line that is high compared to his/her income & spending patterns. (For many members, the threshold appears to be in the $45K-60K range, but that is highly speculative.)

Recent reports suggest that closing accounts and/or voluntarily reducing credit lines increases the odds of auto-approval or in-branch pre-approval. (You can do either by calling or simply sending a secure message through your Chase online account. You do not need to provide a reason for the request.) For best results, keep at least $5K-10K in excess credit; if your application is not approved, you can always contact the reconsideration department and offer to reallocate that portion of your existing credit line. Note: despite allowing credit line to be moved between personal and business accounts in the past, Chase is no longer permitting such reallocation in either direction.

With respect to timing, it is better to reduce any CL as soon as you can conveniently do so, e.g., after meeting the bonus spend on a card you do not plan to use regularly thereafter. (Do not reduce CL on a given card if it would increase your "credit utiilization"--that is, the ratio of outstanding balance to CL--above ~30%. A high credit utilization number is a red flag for banks and can adversely affect your credit score.) Waiting until one's next application to lower a CL is less than optimal, as the reduced CL is not immediately recognized by all of Chase's systems.

There is no known minimum wait between lowering a CL and having the freed-up amount become available for purposes of a new application. A prudent applicant will, as recommended above, plan well in advance; failing that, an applicant would be wise to wait at least 24 hours between lowering a CL and applying for a new card.

I wasn't auto-approved. Should I call in?
It may be better to avoid calling Chase unless your application is denied. Many recent calls on pending applications led to denials, and many people report having success letting applications work their way through the system. Be patient. Time is on your side; increasingly, Chase CSRs are not.

If you do call, expect extensive and possibly hostile questioning. Be prepared to answer questions regarding the need for more credit, past credit apps for both Chase and other banks, income, business finances, etc. Know your CLs with Chase before you call so you know which card/s you are willing to decrease the CLs on. If the app is for a significant other who dislikes such calls, they can authorize you to speak on their behalf and hand the phone over to you.

How can I determine the deadline for meeting the spend requirement to earn the signup bonus?
Just send Chase a secure message (SM) through your online account. Although the deadline should in theory be N months from the date of approval (not the date of application or card activation)--where N is the number of months specified in the offer--Chase typically pads this period to account for the time required to fabricate and deliver physical cards. For example, a recent "3-month" deadline was in fact 114 days, as confirmed by Chase's SM confirmation.

Once I meet the card's spend requirement, how soon will I receive my signup bonus points?
Bonus points typically accrue at the close of the billing period in which you incur the corresponding charges. Points should appear in your hotel/airline account within a few days thereafter.

NOTE: If you complete your required spending in the last 7-10 days of the statement period, the bonus may not post until the following month's statement, even if the regular per-dollar points post on the first statement. This is normal behavior for Chase and is not worth a phone call.

Should I downgrade or cancel my existing cards before applying?
Useful Chase telephone numbers
(800) 432-3117 General Application Status Line, automated
(800) 436-7927 Alternative General Application Status Line, automated
(888) 609-7805 Alternative Personal Reconsideration line with live rep
(888) 269-8690 - Business Credit Card Application Status Line, automated
(800) 453-9719 Business Credit Card Reconsideration Line with live rep
(800) 955-9900 General Card Services and Application status, automated
(888) 298-5623 Credit Reallocation Office (Personal cards)
(800) 453-9719 Credit Reallocation Office (Business cards)
(888) 622-7547 Executive Offices
(877) 470-9042 Personal Application Verification line with live rep
Twitter: @ChaseSupport
Note: In the past, automated telephone status reports stating that Chase would notify you in 2 weeks often resulted in an approval, whereas the "7-10 days" telephone recording often indicated imminent denial. In 2016, this pattern became increasingly unpredictable, with many applicants receiving approval despite an earlier "7-10 days" automated telephone message. As a result, automated telephone responses should not be regarded as reliable indicators of an application's likely outcome.
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Applying for Chase Credit Cards, 2017-2019

Old Jan 17, 2017, 9:17 am
  #121  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Originally Posted by planetmans
So is it possible to recon if you have exactly 5 cards in the last 24 months? Debating if I want to apply or not.
If your 5 include any AU or store cc, then yes it is possible (some successes, some failures). If your 5 are primary personal Visa/MC/AX cards, then I'd say not very possible.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 9:57 am
  #122  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,634
Originally Posted by Stgermainparis
If your 5 include any AU or store cc, then yes it is possible (some successes, some failures). If your 5 are primary personal Visa/MC/AX cards, then I'd say not very possible.
There are countless data points posted here that indicate it's possible to be approved if you're at or above 5/24. I'll be at 5 until April - I'm probably going to give it a shot in branch in March and see what happens. Denied, I'll probably just wait until later in the year and take the 50k points instead.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 10:31 am
  #123  
 
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Originally Posted by ucdtim17
There are countless data points posted here that indicate it's possible to be approved if you're at or above 5/24. I'll be at 5 until April - I'm probably going to give it a shot in branch in March and see what happens. Denied, I'll probably just wait until later in the year and take the 50k points instead.
As a caution, please read the Wiki carefully before applying for a new Chase Card (subject to 5/24) due to this particular post. Successful and reliable data points for over 5/24 success have been from those who applied in branch and not online. Success online at 5/24 exactly is YMMV and is a result of your credit score, utilization, history with Chase, AU cards and other factors.

ucdtim17 - apply in late March and if you are denied for exactly 5, perhaps you can wait until the 5th card rolls off in April to call Reconsideration. Good luck!
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 12:08 pm
  #124  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Originally Posted by aglasgow
Success online at 5/24 exactly is YMMV and is a result of your credit score, utilization, history with Chase....and other factors.
^ A fair number of DPs of people at exactly 5/24 of personal cards still getting approved. And also of people getting denied. It does seem to totally be controlled by how Chase regards your credit history in general, history with Chase in particular, FICO and income, etc.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 12:39 pm
  #125  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
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Looking for some guidance. My current Chase exposure (with opening dates) and current status:

CSP - opened 1/14/15 (open)
CF - opened 1/11/11 (open)
Hyatt - opened 10/15/15 (open)
IHG - opened 3/11/15 (open)
Marriott - opened 3/14/15 (open)

I also got in on the 100k Amex Plat deal with an open date 5/10/16 (open)

I'm now at 4/24 (well, will be as of 2/1, per the new rules). I plan on doing the in-branch CSR app on that date, then downgrading my CSP to an FU. Come 4/1, I'll be at 3/24. Just curious as to what everyone's thoughts are for what card I should pursue at that point. My initial thoughts are just an Ink Preferred (later potentially downgrade to Ink Cash, after analyzing my spending on it) and staying at 4/24 to allow for WN card applications to get a CP in early 2018, after the Hyatt falls off in October.

However, if an Amex Biz 100k (or higher) bonus with reasonable spend is floated, I may jump on that, instead, which means I'd want to put another Chase card in my portfolio just prior to doing that. Probably just re-apply for the Marriott card, and then after 5/24 is met, cancel/reapply for IHG and Hyatt to earn those bonuses ASAP. Thoughts on pitfalls with this plan?
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 12:44 pm
  #126  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
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How To Tell If You Are Preapproved?

I've read that you can get a Chase 5/24 card approved, while being way over 5/24, if your are preapproved, both in branch and now even online.

When signed in, my Chase webpage has "offers for you", including "recommended cards". It lists several cards I have never had open, like the new Freedom card, and others I have had before whose bonuses I got over 2 years ago, like the CSP. It doesn't list any card I currently have open, nor any card whose bonus I got within the last 2 years.

So in that way it does seem personalized to me. Does this mean I'm good to apply for these "recommened" cards, or does it have to literally say "pre-approved" for that to be true?
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 1:33 pm
  #127  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 63
I applied for the CSR on 1/10. I have gotten the "30 day notification" message when I call since then. I am at 2/24 or 3/24 max. I am not in too much of a hurry to get the card since I applied only to beat the drop in bonus. Is there any problem in waiting out the notification? I am mixed on whether I should call or not.

Last edited by angiez628; Jan 22, 2017 at 10:56 am
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 3:34 pm
  #128  
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Originally Posted by RobertHanson
^ A fair number of DPs of people at exactly 5/24 of personal cards still getting approved. And also of people getting denied. It does seem to totally be controlled by how Chase regards your credit history in general, history with Chase in particular, FICO and income, etc.
Are all the people getting approved at exactly 5/24 getting "instant approval"? Are all the people getting denied (for 5/24 reasons) at exactly 5/24 getting "manual denial"?

Ie, I wonder if the computers that do "instant approval" deny (for 5/24 reasons) only for above 5/24, but the humans who do all other approvals/denials deny (for 5/24 reasons) for exactly 5/24 and above?

Comparatively few datapoints spell out whether or not it was an "instant approval", so I'm not sure whether we have the data to prove or disprove my speculation above. And not all 'exactly 5/24" datapoints are trustable as such, since not everyone know how to count exactly what Chase counts and explains in the datapoint how they counted.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 7:13 pm
  #129  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 4
Advice needed

I reviewed my credit reports and I should be at 3/24. Applied for Southwest Business Card last week, used EIN number if that matters, got denial letter today. Letter says "too many requests for credit or opened accounts with us". I did open a regular Southwest card in mid december 2016, I have three other chase credit cards from a few years ago (hyatt, ihg, disney). Total credit line from chase of $30,000. Credit score is above 800. Should I call for recon, any strategy recommendations?

Last edited by blueye583; Jan 18, 2017 at 5:52 am
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 9:30 am
  #130  
 
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Originally Posted by blueye583
I reviewed my credit reports and I should be at 3/24. Applied for Southwest Business Card last week, used EIN number if that matters, got denial letter today. Letter says "too many requests for credit or opened accounts with us". I did open a regular Southwest card in mid december 2016, I have three other chase credit cards from a few years ago (hyatt, ihg, disney). Total credit line from chase of $30,000. Credit score is above 800. Should I call for recon, any strategy recommendations?
Sounds like you hit 2/30.
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 10:10 am
  #131  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Originally Posted by blueye583
I reviewed my credit reports and I should be at 3/24. Applied for Southwest Business Card last week, used EIN number if that matters, got denial letter today. Letter says "too many requests for credit or opened accounts with us". I did open a regular Southwest card in mid december 2016, I have three other chase credit cards from a few years ago (hyatt, ihg, disney). Total credit line from chase of $30,000. Credit score is above 800. Should I call for recon, any strategy recommendations?
From what you posted I don't get why you were denied.

Why would you not call? The worst thing that could happen is to not get approved, which is where you are already. There is the possibility of the CSR being somewhat unpleasant, but it won't be that bad.

Call several times and see if you can get someone to approve your app. If you have more credit on your current cards than you need, you might want to reduce your total Chase cl, and then wait a couple of days, before you call. I'd say only keep the cl you are likely to actually use in a billing period, plus $5K extra on only one card in case you need to move some cl to get approved. Although needing to move cl isn't as common as it used to be.
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 10:41 am
  #132  
 
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Originally Posted by RobertHanson
From what you posted I don't get why you were denied.

Why would you not call? The worst thing that could happen is to not get approved, which is where you are already. There is the possibility of the CSR being somewhat unpleasant, but it won't be that bad.

Call several times and see if you can get someone to approve your app. If you have more credit on your current cards than you need, you might want to reduce your total Chase cl, and then wait a couple of days, before you call. I'd say only keep the cl you are likely to actually use in a billing period, plus $5K extra on only one card in case you need to move some cl to get approved. Although needing to move cl isn't as common as it used to be.
The message wasn't the 5/24 message, but the 2/30 message for too many applications in too short a timeframe. Is the OP sure that the SW card is the only recent Chase app? 2/30 is the only thing that makes sense, based on the response from Chase.
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 11:48 am
  #133  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by roundtree
The message wasn't the 5/24 message, but the 2/30 message for too many applications in too short a timeframe. Is the OP sure that the SW card is the only recent Chase app? 2/30 is the only thing that makes sense, based on the response from Chase.
I am sure the SW card is the only recent Chase app. I only saw the 2/30 mentioned one time, but I also saw people reporting getting two SW cards on the same day or in close proximity. Is the 2/30 a new rule?
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 1:02 pm
  #134  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 50
Income

Does anyone have any data points regarding minimum income for Chase cards? My nephew has an Amex, a MasterCard and a store card and is an AU on several cards. He is a college senior who is under 5/24 with a fako score around 775. I think his income is around $20k. I was think of a SW or a CFU. Is his income too low? Is one card easier to get than the other? Thanks for all your help.
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 1:07 pm
  #135  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
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Originally Posted by blueye583
I am sure the SW card is the only recent Chase app. I only saw the 2/30 mentioned one time, but I also saw people reporting getting two SW cards on the same day or in close proximity. Is the 2/30 a new rule?
This is when I learned about it:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27135718-post1535.html

No idea how long it's been around, but I got the exact same message that you got.
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