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Old Jan 19, 2017, 8:44 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: StartinSanDiego
Please read this Wiki before posting questions in the thread.

Do not post offers or requests for referral links in this thread! The proper thread for referral offers is here.
All Chase issued cards are here: https://creditcards.chase.com/sitemap

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

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Old Mar 8, 2017, 9:19 pm
  #361  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 79
Originally Posted by porphyra
Does anyone know if chase goes exactly by open dates to determine 5/24? I have tried reading blogs/posts and am not clear. Some suggest the entire month counts.

I was 5/24 but my oldest of the 5 was on March-02-2015. That should mean that I am 4/24 as of today. There are only a few days left until the CSR bonus runs out.

Does anyone know if Chase will see this as 4/24 or will that only happen in April?
Both my wife and I got approved in the last two weeks the day after we dropped to 4/24.
David Simon is offline  
Old Mar 8, 2017, 10:05 pm
  #362  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Originally Posted by mary mary
Just to give an update. I waited 48 hours as someone suggested. No card or notice in Chase.c"om. Called automated status line and got "pending 30 day" response. Then called the recon line. Was told that the problem was too much credit with Chase so I moved 15K from another card and was instantly approved.

Next time I'll remember to reduce credit limits before applying for cards.
That's something I forgot to do. The CL they gave me on the new CSR is OK, but will occasionally be a bit tight. I already had a Marriott card with a much higher limit -- waaaaay more than I'd ever use even if I weren't about to cancel (AF is due early Apr). So now I need to request a CL rebalance between the two.
SpammersAreScum is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2017, 12:07 pm
  #363  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 189
Data point:

3/7: Applied for Marriott Biz while sitting at 14/24 (11 personal, 3 biz). Still holding Ink Plus**. Used SSN as Sole Proprietor - 1 year in business, $300 in biz inc. Received "we need to review your request... let you know by mail... up to 30 days".

3/8: Called automated status line. I was approved.

3/9: Logged into Chase and saw new Marriott biz w/ $8k limit. (About half what I'm usually offered for a personal card.)


**Applied in-branch last year for Ink Plus. Branch rep grilled me, and apologized while doing so, in person and twice more over the phone due to all the underwriter requests. Eventually I was given a card w/ a $5k limit, but needed to spend $5k for the intro bonus.
8tracks is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2017, 4:13 pm
  #364  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 12
I signed up for the sapphire last month and got the sign up bonus. I want my husband to sign up for the sapphire too, but I added him as an authorized user to my sapphire already (dang it!!). Does that mean he can't get the card/points under his own name?
kbaum91 is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2017, 5:12 pm
  #365  
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: United
Posts: 83
How frequently can you open new chase business cards?

Currently at 4/24 and want to apply for another non-chase card so I need to complete my chase cards before applying. I want to apply for the Marriott business 80k offer but was approved for business ink preffered on 12/2016. Will chase let me open another business card after only 3 months?

other info of note is I got the CSR 1 month ago
svirfnebli is offline  
Old Mar 9, 2017, 8:07 pm
  #366  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 65
Originally Posted by kbaum91
I signed up for the sapphire last month and got the sign up bonus. I want my husband to sign up for the sapphire too, but I added him as an authorized user to my sapphire already (dang it!!). Does that mean he can't get the card/points under his own name?
He can get the card under his own name.
If you have not yet paid the Authorized User Fee, you may be able to remove him and avoid the charge. If you have already been charged, it may be harder to remove the charge, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I added my wife as an AU, then decided to get her her own card. After she was instantly approved, I was able to get her taken off as an AU on my card without paying the fee.
Appleman is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2017, 11:02 am
  #367  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 9
Originally Posted by Uga_fan
So I applied for the Southwest Business card last night and got a "Decision Pending" when I submitted the app. I used my social as my business ID and a Sole Proprietor as business type. Never had a card not be immediately approved. Should I call the reconsideration line or wait for them to contact me? Full disclosure, I did get the Sapphire Reserve card in Jan and the Southwest Plus card two weeks ago. No other Chase applications over the past 24 months. No other Chase accounts open.
Called the 'Application Status' line. It references an application from 2/8 (Southwest Plus) as approved and says that I will receive something in the mail in 7-10 business days regarding the application from 3/7. Would they say approved or denied on the Status line?
Uga_fan is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2017, 5:57 pm
  #368  
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 96
Applied for CSR in-branch. No instant approval. Automatic status phone call says decision in 2 weeks. Currently have 3 Chase cards (Freedom x 2 + CSP) with credit lines at 17k, 19k, and 35k.

I have just called in to reduce the credit lines to $15k, $15k, and $15k. Is this the right move?
SilverGGA is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2017, 6:13 pm
  #369  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hilton Plastic, Delta Silver Emeritus
Posts: 1,037
Originally Posted by SilverGGA
Applied for CSR in-branch. No instant approval. Automatic status phone call says decision in 2 weeks. Currently have 3 Chase cards (Freedom x 2 + CSP) with credit lines at 17k, 19k, and 35k.

I have just called in to reduce the credit lines to $15k, $15k, and $15k. Is this the right move?
Nope, it's too late if you don't get autoapproved. It's probably OK though as you have more to reallocate if they ask for that.
highops is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2017, 6:15 pm
  #370  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
Programs: Milege+, SkyMiles, AAdvantage, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,685
Originally Posted by SilverGGA
I have just called in to reduce the credit lines to $15k, $15k, and $15k. Is this the right move?
I got approved and was told I can reallocate my Chase CLs anytime. If having too much CL was the reason for not being instantly approved, you did the right thing.
eajusa is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2017, 9:29 pm
  #371  
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 96
If I reduce my credit today, and apply in-branch tomorrow, will it help?
SilverGGA is offline  
Old Mar 10, 2017, 9:47 pm
  #372  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Traveling some where hopefully
Programs: AS, AA Gold, and Hilton
Posts: 1,954
Originally Posted by SilverGGA
Applied for CSR in-branch. No instant approval. Automatic status phone call says decision in 2 weeks. Currently have 3 Chase cards (Freedom x 2 + CSP) with credit lines at 17k, 19k, and 35k.

I have just called in to reduce the credit lines to $15k, $15k, and $15k. Is this the right move?
Originally Posted by SilverGGA
If I reduce my credit today, and apply in-branch tomorrow, will it help?
It would probably show up as a duplicate. Since you applied today and then again tomorrow?
jjmiller69 is offline  
Old Mar 11, 2017, 3:27 am
  #373  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 8
So I'm pretty new to the points game. Got instant approved for the Sapphire Preferred a few months ago. Just applied for an Ink Preferred a few days ago. Got a "need to call this #" and called the number. The Rep asked about the business, etc. and was told that it needed to go to a higher level and I'll find out in 1-2 weeks. Also received a "30 day" email. I also signed up for a Freedom a little bit after. This probably messed my chances up because I also got a "30 day" email from the Freedom app. I'm currently 4/24 from my estimates.


Also got me an SPG Business Amex, instant approval.
lima.beans is offline  
Old Mar 11, 2017, 4:09 pm
  #374  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Starwood Platinum, AA, SW, Delta
Posts: 885
Doesn't the marriot business have $99 annual fee why not apply for the marriot personal premier. I believe the premier is not 5/24
Originally Posted by 8tracks
Data point:

3/7: Applied for Marriott Biz while sitting at 14/24 (11 personal, 3 biz). Still holding Ink Plus**. Used SSN as Sole Proprietor - 1 year in business, $300 in biz inc. Received "we need to review your request... let you know by mail... up to 30 days".

3/8: Called automated status line. I was approved.

3/9: Logged into Chase and saw new Marriott biz w/ $8k limit. (About half what I'm usually offered for a personal card.)


**Applied in-branch last year for Ink Plus. Branch rep grilled me, and apologized while doing so, in person and twice more over the phone due to all the underwriter requests. Eventually I was given a card w/ a $5k limit, but needed to spend $5k for the intro bonus.
happyvoid is offline  
Old Mar 11, 2017, 5:46 pm
  #375  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: STL
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 504
Originally Posted by Furby
My 30 days are not up until Feb 20th! I will post after I apply, if you do the same we can help the community with more data points.
Applied for Ink Business Preferred in January and was rejected for too many application within 30 days, what everyone calls the 2/30 rule i think. (I had successfully applied for CSR a week or so beforehand). Tried again for Ink Business after about 6 weeks and rejected due to 5/24 rule. The rep specifically stated that they DO count Business Cards in the 5/24 total. I asked him what cards they counted and amongst the personal cards that I have he also read out the Chase Business card that I already had, which put me over the top. He did not mention the business card that I had from Citi. The Reserve card was my 5th within 2 years, was hoping that the existing Chase business card would not be counted, but it was. Will try again as soon as one of the cards rolls of in a few months!

Last edited by Furby; Mar 11, 2017 at 5:49 pm Reason: Clarification
Furby is offline  


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