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The Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve are two of the most popular travel rewards cards among travel hackers and frequent travelers.
They both offer generous sign-up bonuses, as well as a variety of other benefits. If you’re thinking about applying for one of these cards, there are some things you should know first.
First, Chase will not approve your application for a Chase Sapphire Card if you currently have another Sapphire card open.
Therefore, you can not apply for a Chase Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Preferred if you currently own an active Sapphire card.
But, don’t worry. This blog post will go over my recommended strategies for applying for a Chase Sapphire Card when you also have another Sapphire card open.
We will also go over Chase Sapphire application rules and eligibility requirements so that you can increase your chances of getting approved.
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What are the Sapphire Cards?
Chase Sapphire Preferred
| The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card |
|---|
| Annual Fee: $95 |
| Sign-Up Bonus (SUB): 60,000 – 80,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points |
| Minimum Spend Requirement (MSR): $4,000 in 3 months |
| Earn: 5X points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal |
| Earn: 3X points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Note this also excludes in-store grocery purchases. |
| Earn: 2X points on all other travel purchases outside of the Chase Travel Portal and 1X Ultimate Rewards points on all other spending. |
| Earn: 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. |
| Annual Bonus: 10% Ultimate Rewards point bonus annually based on your card spending, earned after you renew and pay your annual fee. |
| Hotel Credit: $50 hotel credit for reservations booked through the Chase travel portal each year |
| Foreign Transaction Fees: $0 |
Chase Sapphire Reserve
| The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Credit Card |
|---|
| Annual Fee: $550 |
| Sign-Up Bonus (SUB): 60,000 – 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points |
| Travel Credit: $300 each year |
| Earn: 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through the Chase travel portal |
| Earn: 10x total points on Chase Dining purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards when you make prepaid restaurant reservations, order takeout or join our virtual cooking events. |
| Earn: 5X total points on air travel when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. |
| Earn: 3x points on other travel worldwide, after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. |
| Earn: 3X points on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. |
| Earn: 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Chase Sapphire Eligibility Rules
According to Chase, Sapphire products are available to you if you currently do not have a Sapphire card and have not received a new card member bonus for any Sapphire card in the past 48 months.
Who is Eligible to Apply for Sapphire Cards?
Chase has strict application rules when it comes to their Sapphire cards.
Let us review the five most critical eligibility rules that can impact your application. If you meet all the application requirements, your chances of being approved are excellent!
- You are eligible if you have not received a Sapphire welcome bonus in the past 48 months.
- You are eligible if you currently do not have a Sapphire Card open.
- You are eligible if you are below 5/24, meaning you have not opened five or more personal credit cards from all banks within the past two years.
- You are eligible if you have never had a Sapphire card.
- You are eligible if you had a Sapphire card but never received a bonus, such as when you did not meet the minimum spending requirement.
In this blog post, I will go over the steps you need to take before applying for a Chase Sapphire card when you currently hold an active Sapphire.
Why Apply For Another Sapphire?
The Chase Sapphire bonus is given out every 48 months, so it’s in your best interest to take advantage of this offer when you are eligible to receive it.
We recommend that you read the steps we outlined in this post so that once you reach the 48-month anniversary of your last Sapphire bonus, you have an idea of what to do so that you can make the most of this opportunity to get another Sapphire bonus.
Pro-Tip: Your application will be rejected if you have received the Sapphire bonus in the past 48 months. If you are unsure when you last received your Sapphire bonus, please look at my recommended steps below.
Steps on How to Apply for a Sapphire Card When You Currently Have One Open
Step 1: Determine When You Received Your Last Sapphire Bonus Via Chase Secure Message
Before you even consider applying for another Sapphire, you need to determine if you are eligible to receive another Sapphire bonus.
My recommended strategy is to reach out to Chase via secure message using the following steps:
1. Log in to your Chase Profile using your computer.
2. Click the three horizontal lines on the upper left-hand corner of your profile. See the image below.
3. Navigate down to Secure Message
4. Tap “New Message”
5. Select “I have a question about one of my accounts.”
6. Select your Chase Sapphire Card account.
7. You can use the following script:
“Hello, I am wondering if you can help me figure out when I last received the bonus for my Sapphire card. Thank you very much.”
8. Chase will tell you a specific date. Calculate whether the bonus was received over 48 months ago.
If you earned the bonus over 48 months ago, you can apply and potentially earn the bonus again. Continue to Step 2.
If your bonus was earned less than four years ago, note when it will reach the 4-year mark and set an alert on your phone to apply again.
Read the rest of this post to learn more about the other eligibility requirements.
Step 2: Call Chase to Request a Product Change
Since you can not apply for a Chase Sapphire card if you currently have another Sapphire card open, we will need to perform a product change to temporarily remove your Sapphire from your account.
Pro-Tip: Do not cancel or close your existing Sapphire, as that account will stay active on your records for another 30 days after account closure.
Call the number on the back of your Chase Sapphire card or 1-800-493-3319. Once you are connected with an agent, read the script below.
Script: “Hello, I am calling because I wanted to do a product change. I want to change my Chase Sapphire Preferred / Chase Sapphire Reserve to a Chase Freedom Flex Card.”
The agent will then review your request and confirm that your Chase Sapphire card will be changed to Chase Freedom.
There Are Three Freedom Products, Which One Do I Product Change To?
There are three Chase Freedom products, two of which are available for new applications.
- Chase Freedom Flex – Mastercard (available for new applications and product changes)
- Chase Freedom Unlimited – Visa (available for new applications and product changes)
- Chase Freedom – Visa (available via product change only)
I recommend product changing to the Freedom Visa card. This card is no longer available to new applicants but is still accessible through product changes.
If you prefer a Mastercard, product change your Sapphire Card to a Chase Freedom Flex.
Step 3: Wait for the Conversion to be Completed
I recommend waiting a whole week for the product change to be fully completed before applying again for a Chase Sapphire product.
Pro-Tip: Check your Chase profile to see if the image of your Chase Sapphire card has been changed to a Chase Freedom before you apply for your new Chase Sapphire card.
Step 4: Apply for a Chase Sapphire Card
Once you have verified that your old Sapphire card has been converted into a Chase Freedom, apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve.
If given a choice between the two, I’d apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Step 5: Complete the Minimum Spend Requirement Within 90 Days
Remembering to meet your new credit card’s “Minimum Spending Requirement” (MSR) is crucial to get you closer to traveling on miles and points.
This is the amount of spend you need to put on your credit card before a specific due date in order to earn the sign-up bonus (SUB).
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a minimum spending requirement of $4,000 that needs to be completed within three months.
If, for some reason, you cannot meet this spend, you will forfeit your sign-up bonus.
Without a doubt, $4,000 is a substantial amount.
Therefore, an all-too-common dilemma is determining viable methods to meet this spending requirement as rapidly as possible without impacting your finances.
I certainly do not want you to go into debt. That will defeat the purpose of frugal travel using miles and points.
Here are some of my favorite ways to meet my minimum spending requirement:
- Prepay Utilities
- Health & Dental Bills
- Taxes (Federal, State, Property, etc.)
- Insurance (Health, Home, Auto, Rental, etc.)
- Organic Spending such as groceries, dining, and gas.
If you want to read more about other methods I have used throughout the years to help me meet my minimum spend, feel free to check out the related post below.
Step 6: Use the Chase Sapphire Points to Redeem Free Travel
I primarily use my Chase Ultimate Rewards Points for Hyatt hotels, but I also periodically transfer to airlines such as United or Air France/KLM when there is a transfer bonus.
Recommended Articles Before Applying For a Chase Card
What You Need To Know Before Applying For the Chase Sapphire Card
Guide on What To Say When Calling The Chase Reconsideration Line
How To Check Your Chase 5/24 Status
Final Thoughts
The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve have many perks and benefits, including travel and purchase protections, trip delay/cancellation insurance, and more.
If you’re a frequent traveler or just looking for a great all-around credit card, either of these cards could be a good fit.
If you’re considering applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, do your research first, as Chase has unique application rules for their Sapphire Cards.
Make sure you know the application rules and eligibility requirements to increase your chances of being approved.
Do you have any experience with the Chase Sapphire cards? Let us know in the comments below!
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE – Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. The content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Excellent summary and advice. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Steve!