Feb 12, 2016, 8:56 am
Last edit by: beltway
This is the general 2016-2019 thread for weighing the relative merits
of keeping, downgrading, or canceling Chase-issued credit cards.
Post-2019 discussion continues in this thread.
of keeping, downgrading, or canceling Chase-issued credit cards.
Post-2019 discussion continues in this thread.
What's the main reason people product change (PC)?
The benefits offered by a particular card, might suit you better than the card you are holding. Many people, unable to qualify for a new Chase Sapphire Reserve application, upgraded from the Sapphire Preferred to the Sapphire Reserve, because the benefits of the CSR's cash reimbursements made the annual fee a nominal difference the first year. And vice versa- the onerous $450 yearly fee of the CSR makes an appealing case to downgrade to the Sapphire Preferred, and eventually to the no-fee Sapphire or a Freedom card.
Many people product change to avoid the annual fees on the premium versions of the card. Keeping the card open, via a product change, keeps the account open. This allows you to retain the seasoned account, and the banking relationship that the older card has established with Chase.
Why not just cancel the card and be done with it?
This may be the right choice for you, but others want some of the card benefits without having to reapply. Also, Chase has become very restrictive for new card applicants. For Chase cards, you must wait 24- 48 months since the last time you received a bonus before reapplying. Please see the threads on the individual cards for updated overlay rules.
An additional (and more stringent) overlay is the infamous 5/24 rule, which Chase instituted in May 2016 as a counter-measure against churning, or, as they refer to it, "Serial Starters." The 5/24 rule is that you won't be eligible for most Chase card products if you've opened more than 5 credit cards in 24 months. For more on this and other application-related issues, see the current "Applying for Chase Credit Cards " Master thread.
Finally, canceling certain cards--those earning Chase Ultimate Rewards--may deprive you of the ability to exchange UR for miles/points in air & hotel programs. See Ultimate Rewards transfer partners, times & rules.
Is there any way I can keep a card without paying the annual fee?
See Chase Retention Bonuses: June 2015-Present
Are there any restrictions on product changes?
Product changes are only allowed within the same card "family," and are not permitted between business and personal cards. Also, Chase cites the federal CARD Act to deny product changes on any account less that one year old.
Will a product change count as a new card?
No, you will keep your same card number, "opened on" date, credit line, automatic payment arrangements, etc. A product change does not count against Chase's 5/24 limitations on new cards.
Will I get a signup bonus when I change?
No, product changes do not result in point bonuses. Signup bonuses are reserved for new applicants only. For the complete list of public sign up offers, check the Chase sitemap here: https://creditcards.chase.com/sitemap
Is there a place I can look to compare cards?
Go here: https://creditcards.chase.com/credit...D=177087865887
Click: All cards
Place a checkmark in the Compare box for up to three cards.
Click: Compare cards...and you should see a side-by-side display.
I've figured out what I want to switch to. How do I product change my card?
Call the number on the back of your card.
Product changes for the Ultimate Reward Business and Personal Card Family
The UR family of cards includes the Chase Ink business cards, the Freedom Unlimited, the Freedom Card, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Reserve and Sapphire.
The Slate (personal) card is also available to downgrade to. It has no annual fee and does not earn any type of reward points. It offers a low fee (currently 0% for the first 60 days) balance transfers and APR.
Personal Cards
- Freedom: 5X points in rotating quarterly categories up to $1500 spend per quarter. If you max out the $1500 every quarter, it totals 7500 UR per quarter, or 30,000 UR per year.
- Freedom Unlimited: 1.5X for all spending, no bonus categories. $20,000 in spend would net 30,000 UR per year.
- Sapphire Reserve: $450 annual fee, $300 annual travel credit, 3X points for travel and dining. Books travel through the UR portal for 1.5 per dollar. Lounge access and other goodies. See the thread here for details.
- Sapphire Preferred: $95 annual fee, 2X points for travel & dining
- For discussion specific to the Sapphire Preferred Card, see Chase Sapphire Preferred - Keep, Downgrade, or Cancel?
- Sapphire: Not available to new applicants. Available as a product downgrade/change only, must tier down from the Sapphire Reserve to Sapphire Preferred to Sapphire or Freedom cards. No annual fee. Some Customer Service Reps are citing that the original product (i.e., the CSR), must be held for one year before downgrading. Please provide data points in the thread if this happens to you.
Business Cards
- Ink Plus: $95 annual fee, 5X office supplies, 5X cellular/landline/cable; 2X gas and hotels
- Ink Preferred: 3x on travel, shipping, internet/phone/cable, & some online advertising.
- Ink Cash: No annual fee, 5X office supplies, 5X cellular/landline/cable; 2X gas and restaurants
If you still have a legacy Ink Classic or Ink Bold business card, neither of which is available for new signups, you can product change to one of the other Ink cards.
Considerations for downgrading/upgrading:
Can I combine my UR points?
Yes, UR can be combined freely across the cardholder's own personal and business accounts.
What about transfering my UR to another person's Chase UR account? To their air/hotel partner account?
With restrictions, UR from a personal card can be transferred to a person living at the same address. Business cards allow transfer to owners of the company listed as authorized users.
However, be warned that there are transfer restrictions. Unauthorized transfers have resulted in shut-downs. Review the Chase T&C for details before planning a transfer. For discussion, see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase...-accounts.html.
The Freedom cards, no-fee Ink Cash, and no-fee Sapphire cards do not allow UR transfer to airline/hotel partners. If you are downgrading from a premium UR card and will only have no-fee cards left, it may be prudent to transfer your points to the partner of your choice beforehand.
I know I can use UR to pay for travel directly (as opposed to transfering points into a travel partner program). Do the Chase UR cards differ on this?
Only the Sapphire Reserve books travel on the UR portal for 1.5. So you can stack your card bonus opportunities when your UR points are combined into your CSR account and used for booking travel. If, for instance, you earned 5x on your Ink Plus on your phone bill, and combine those 5x Ink earned points into your CSR's UR account, you'll now get an additional .5 in value when you redeem them on the travel portal.
Product Changes for United Airlines Cards
There are options to downgrade or upgrade UA cards.
- United Mileage Plus Card- no annual fee, 1 UA mile per $2 in spend
- United Mileage Plus Explorer Card- $95 annual fee, 1 mile per dollar earning, additional award inventory on UA, free checked bag, 25% bonus on the shopping portal.
- United Plus Club Card- $450 annual fee, 1.5 miles per $1, many additional premium card benefits
- Business Cards for the Mileage Plus and Club Card give you a choice to upgrade or downgrade between those two.
Southwest Airlines Cards
The difference here is a nominal $30/3000 points per year.
Personal cards
- Plus Card- $69 annual fee, 3000 bonus points upon renewal
- Premiere Card- $99 annual fee, 6000 bonus points upon renewal
Chase Product Change/Card Conversion: Downgrade, Upgrade, Keep or Cancel? (2016-2019)
Sep 3, 2018, 12:19 pm
#856
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,955
In November you might be able to apply for a new Sapphire Reserve to earn a 50,000 point bonus provided you can find a referral offer that still stipulates "24 months" since the last bonus.
Chase has change the terms of public offers from 24 months to 48 months:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chas...st-2018-a.html
Look for referral offers here:
Credit card referral offers (post only in this thread, read Wikipost first)
If you do not want to wait until November (or if the 24 month referral offers expire sooner), you can just contact Chase and ask about upgrading a Freedom to Sapphire Reserve. There won't be a bonus.
If they will not upgrade Freedom to Reserve, see if they will let you change from Freedom to Sapphire (free), which you might be able to subsequently upgrade to Reserve.
If none of these approaches work, look at Citi Premier or American Express Platinum.
Chase has change the terms of public offers from 24 months to 48 months:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chas...st-2018-a.html
Look for referral offers here:
Credit card referral offers (post only in this thread, read Wikipost first)
If you do not want to wait until November (or if the 24 month referral offers expire sooner), you can just contact Chase and ask about upgrading a Freedom to Sapphire Reserve. There won't be a bonus.
If they will not upgrade Freedom to Reserve, see if they will let you change from Freedom to Sapphire (free), which you might be able to subsequently upgrade to Reserve.
If none of these approaches work, look at Citi Premier or American Express Platinum.
Sep 3, 2018, 2:17 pm
#857
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 2
CSR Downgrade
my annual fee was posted on aug 1. Would like to product change to CFU and with simple google search, PointsYak link mentioned that product change within 40 days will issue a full refund. Can anyone confirm if it is 60 or 40 days for product changes for receiving full AF refund?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Sep 4, 2018, 3:56 am
#858
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: C1, C1.5 C2
Programs: aa ua dl jb starwood marriott hyatt
Posts: 442
Just finishing first year with bonus for Chase Ink Business Preferred. Annual fee comes Nov 1. Have never had a Chase Sapphire and looking to get one with $95 annual fee and sign up bonus. I also don't want to lose the points I've already accumulated. Should I downgrade Chase Ink to free card or cancel. Will I get Chase Sapphire points if I have never had it before. Earn categories are better for me with Chase Sapphire. Any advice?
Sep 12, 2018, 7:42 am
#859
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,135
Reserve prorated annual fee refund
folks - my annual fee is up this month - what's the max amount of time can one get a pro-rated refund if you cancel?
Also is there another no-fee card one can downgrade to and maintain the points
Thx
Also is there another no-fee card one can downgrade to and maintain the points
Thx
Sep 12, 2018, 9:38 am
#860
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,213
Chase Freedom and Freedom Unlimited > but that just maintains the points as it is not a CSR/CSP you won't be able to transfer them to Hotel/Airline programs
Sep 12, 2018, 5:42 pm
#861
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,135
so i can downgrade to those cards without going through a separate new application process?
I'm guessing I can also upgrade to the reserve in the future when I need those points to transfer to airlines?
Thx
I'm guessing I can also upgrade to the reserve in the future when I need those points to transfer to airlines?
Thx
Sep 13, 2018, 5:22 am
#862
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,213
i did CSP> Freedom Unlimited > CSR
you only need one premium card to transfer to airlines etc. so if you get a premium business card from case you can move the UR to that card and transfer them out
Sep 13, 2018, 5:33 am
#863
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,135
last question - what's the max amount of time can one get a pro-rated refund if you cancel?
Sep 13, 2018, 6:02 am
#865
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,135
my mom is overseas and she's using the add-on card and only meeting her next month to hand her a new card
Sep 13, 2018, 7:13 am
#866
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,857
Alternatively, you can product change to a different card any time during the year. In this case, the refund would be a pro-rated amount.
Sep 16, 2018, 10:22 am
#867
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2
Chase Sapphire Reserve AF After PC?
I am not complaining or anything, but I recently had an old chase freedom PCed to a Chase Sapphire Reserve, and have set aside money to covert AF, however no AF has been charged, and 3rd statement is currently being prepared. Have any of you had something similar from PCing? Will I not have a fee this year(I am fine with that!)?
Just for the record in case anyone asked, I collected the SUB with a a Sapphire Preferred and wanted Reserve within same year, so they downgraded that card and PCed old freedom to CSR.
Just for the record in case anyone asked, I collected the SUB with a a Sapphire Preferred and wanted Reserve within same year, so they downgraded that card and PCed old freedom to CSR.
Sep 16, 2018, 2:26 pm
#868
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,213
I am not complaining or anything, but I recently had an old chase freedom PCed to a Chase Sapphire Reserve, and have set aside money to covert AF, however no AF has been charged, and 3rd statement is currently being prepared. Have any of you had something similar from PCing? Will I not have a fee this year(I am fine with that!)?
Just for the record in case anyone asked, I collected the SUB with a a Sapphire Preferred and wanted Reserve within same year, so they downgraded that card and PCed old freedom to CSR.
Just for the record in case anyone asked, I collected the SUB with a a Sapphire Preferred and wanted Reserve within same year, so they downgraded that card and PCed old freedom to CSR.
Sep 16, 2018, 4:49 pm
#869
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
I am not complaining or anything, but I recently had an old chase freedom PCed to a Chase Sapphire Reserve, and have set aside money to covert AF, however no AF has been charged, and 3rd statement is currently being prepared. Have any of you had something similar from PCing?
RNE, keeping my fingers crossed.
Sep 19, 2018, 2:18 pm
#870
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: LAXatives
Programs: Delta Cubic Zirconia, Marriott Diplomat, Hertz Chairman's Square, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 390
Any new data points with the deprecated Marriott Visa and if you can PC to a Ritz card?