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Credit Score needed for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card card + odds of approval

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular travel credit cards in the market for many reasons, but one of the biggest draws is its huge sign-up bonus. 

The welcome offer is 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

That translates to $1,000 in free travel (when redeemed through the travel portal), which more than makes up for the $95 annual fee. It’s the kind of bonus you usually only see with a premium card that costs $500 or more a year.

The Sapphire Preferred card earns points in the popular Chase Ultimate Rewards program, and you can use the card to book travel through the bank’s portal at a value of 1.25 cents per point because this card offers a 25% bonus. 

You can also redeem the points for cash which means that 100,000 points is equal to $1,000 in cash back. Or you can get statement credits for purchases with the “Pay Yourself Back” feature and get a 25% bonus on select categories.

The points also transfer to airline and hotel programs for even better potential value. This is great if you want to get extra value from your points, especially when booking premium airline seats. 

It’s also good if you belong to a travel loyalty program and have some points or miles from flights, hotel stays or credit card sign-up bonuses, but don’t have enough miles or points to book a free hotel stay or award flight.

If you don’t already have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, this is the perfect time to sign up and take advantage of the elevated welcome bonus.

But before you hop right into their application process you should know what credit score is required along with general income recommendations and other factors that Chase considers.

To get a better understanding of these factors and requirements, continue reading our comprehensive guide below.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Credit Score Required

Remember, Chase considers a number of factors besides credit score.

If neither of the Chase rules preclude you from having a successful application, then this is a great mid-tier card, and this is the perfect time to apply for it because of the elevated bonus. You will still need to have a good or excellent credit score though to get approved. 

In most cases a credit score of 720 or more will get you approved for most travel credit cards. This one is no different. You can even be approved with a score of only 700 or even less in some cases, but keep in mind that banks look at a number of factors before making a decision on whether to approve an applicant or not.

Credit History

Chase will also look at your credit history to see if you’re a good candidate.

As a general rule [per consumer.gov] credit history aims to tell a story about how you use your money. Things like:

  • How many credit cards you have
  • How many loans you have
  • Do you pay your bills on time?

…are going to be some of the major factors playing into your overall credit history.

Besides checking to make sure you haven’t applied for more than five cards in the past four years as per the 5/24 rule, they will also check to make sure there are no late payments and that can go back a few years.

You will need to have some credit history to get approved, so if you are new to credit cards this is probably not the best card to start with. Although there are reports of first-timers getting approved, they are rare.

Before you hit the submit button on the application, check your credit score to see if it’s in the right range, and be sure to check your credit history to make sure there are no errors that might interfere with your application.

You can find your credit score for free at many online bank portals, or you can use a service like Credit Karma. You can also see your credit report on that site to make sure you don’t run afoul of the Chase 5/24 rule by counting the cards that you have been approved for in the past two years.

Keep in mind that any card, even retail credit cards, are included in that number. If you’ve applied for one of those in recent years to get a discount or a deal on financing, you might have forgotten about it by now.

Income Level Needed 

You will also need to meet income level requirements. They are not formally published, but it is recommended that you earn at least $30,000 a year before applying for the Chase Sapphire card. As is the case with all credit card applications, the more you make the better your chances are of getting approved for this card.

There are many variables that card issuers look at to check your creditworthiness beyond just your credit score, which is determined by looking at credit mix, utilization, payment history, credit history and new credit. The bank will also look at your current employment status and income, and how you’ve used your credit cards in the past in addition to other factors.

Who is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card For?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a great credit card for people that are new to collecting miles and points for free travel because of its flexible redemption options. People that are new to using credit cards for award travel may be confused by the plethora of credit cards available.

There are airline co-branded cards that offer big bonuses as well, but those cards are tied to a particular airline which means the miles can only be used with that airline or its partners. When you want to redeem miles, you need to find award space which can be difficult especially if you want to fly during peak travel times or book multiple seats 

Also, airline mileage programs get devalued on a regular basis, so if you’re saving points or miles for a big trip, Chase Ultimate Rewards are a safer bet. They also don’t expire like miles in an airline program can if you don’t fly on that airline or use a co-branded credit card to keep miles from expiring.

Chase Rules

The Sapphire Preferred is also popular with seasoned points collectors because of its big bonus, great earning potential and points value. It earns 2x points per dollar spent on dining and travel and one point on all other purchases so your Chase Ultimate Rewards balance can grow quickly.

But people that already have a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the premium card in the product line, cannot apply for the Preferred card. And you’re not eligible for the bonus if you have gotten one for signing up for either the Preferred or Reserve in the past 48 months.

There is also another Chase rule that may stop you from getting the card. You will not be successful applying for this card if you have gotten more than five personal credit cards in the past two years. And that’s not just Chase cards. It includes any credit card from any issuer, even if you were just added as an authorized user.

Odds of Approval

So what are the odds of getting approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

As our module indicates above, if you have an excellent credit score of 720 or more, your odds of approval are quite good if not excellent. If your income is more than $30k annually, then the odds get better and continue to increase with higher income levels. And if your credit history is clean on top of that then you should be a shoo-in.

If you’ve applied for too many credit cards in the past two years however, that will be a problem. Even though you can call the reconsideration line if your application gets rejected, Chase is not likely to approve you if the number of cards is more than five in the past 24 months.

If you don’t have much credit history, that will also count against you. And if you already have a Sapphire card, then the bank will not approve you. It has to be at least four years since you last held a card in the Sapphire family in order for you to be eligible for the 100,000 point sign-up bonus.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Some people that applied for the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve® when it premiered in August 2016 with a $450 annual fee and a 100,000 point bonus would be eligible for this current offer on the Preferred if they no longer hold the Reserve card. 

According to Chase, “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 applied for the Reserve card when it was first introduced and no longer have it, then you are eligible for the sign-up bonus on the Preferred. If you still have the card, you are not.

If you haven’t applied for the Chase Sapphire Reserve previously, this may not be the time to get that premium card because the sign-up bonus is only 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The annual fee is a steep $550. 

The Reserve does earn 3x on dining and travel purchases, which is one point more than he Sapphire Preferred. And if you hold the Reserve card, Ultimate Reward points are worth 1.5 cents each if you redeem them through the Chase portal. But the current sign-up bonus on the Reserve is still only worth $900 in travel through the portal, so the Sapphire Preferred is a much better deal..

Chase Sapphire Preferred Benefits

It’s important to look at the card benefits in addition to bonuses and earning potential when making your decision to apply for a card, but if you’re eligible for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and have been thinking about getting it, this is a great time to pull the trigger.

The sign-up bonus has never been this high before and you may not see it again as these promotions are usually for a limited time. It’s very rare for a card like the Preferred at the mid-tier level with such high-value points to offer this much of a bonus just for signing up and meeting minimum spend. 

We’ve already talked about the value of 100,000 points when used for up to $1,250 in travel including airfare, hotels and travel experiences like tours through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. You can even book local tours if you are taking a staycation. Cardholders also have exclusive access to events in entertainment, dining, music and sports including tickets to the Sundance Film Festival and the Chase Sapphire Private Dining Series.

We’ve also discussed the card’s ability to earn more points when you travel and dine out or order in as it offers double points on those purchases. It’s also important to note that Ultimate Rewards points never expire, especially after a pandemic that shut down travel and dining experiences over the past year.

Food deliveries also earn you 2x points when using the Chase Sapphire card and the card comes with a complimentary one-year DashPass, a subscription service from DoorDash that eliminates delivery fees and reduces service fees on food deliveries. You need to activate it by the end of 2021. 

To work off those calories, you also get a $60 rebate on a Peloton Digital or All-Access membership through the end of this year. It lets you take cardio, running, yoga and other classes using a tablet or TV, which is perfect for travelers as no equipment is needed, so no need to head to the hotel gym.

And for a limited time you can earn 5x points on Lyft rides. That’s three extra points over the 2x you would normally earn for travel. This promotion is in place until March 2022, but if you use rideshares often, these points will add up quickly.

Airline and Hotel Reward Program Transfer Partners

When it comes time to redeem that sign-up bonus and all the points you’ll earn on bonus categories and regular spending, one of your best bets to get the highest value is to transfer them to airline and/or hotel loyalty programs, especially if your goal includes booking a seat in business or first class.

This is also a good way to top off your balance if you want to redeem points or miles with an airline or hotel program, but you are short on the amount needed especially if you don’t stay at a particular hotel chain frequently or fly much on an airline but still have some rewards.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred transfers to airline frequent flyer programs on a 1:1 basis including:

  • Aer Lingus,
  • British Airways,
  • Emirates,
  • Air France/KLM,
  • Iberia,
  • JetBlue,
  • Singapore Airlines,
  • Southwest,
  • United and Virgin Atlantic

These airline partners give you access to all three of the major airline alliances:

  • Oneworld,
  • SkyTeam and
  • Star Alliance.

You can also transfer points to three hotel frequent stay programs including World of Hyatt, IHG Rewards Club and Marriott Bonvoy. Points also transfer on a 1:1 basis with these hotel partners.

Airline mileage programs can be difficult to navigate for people who are not familiar with the program rules or don’t have the time to search for award space, but if you are new to miles and points the Sapphire card is perfect as you can try to find space and book an airline award ticket with these points or simply use the Chase portal to book your next flight, hotel stay, cruise or car rental.

You can also use a combination of points and cash to book through Chase if you use the Sapphire Preferred so the travel possibilities are endless.

Other Travel Benefits

The Chase Sapphire Preferred also comes with a host of travel benefits including access to a Visa Signature Concierge service 24 hours a day, no foreign transaction fees, car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay and lost luggage reimbursement, travel accident insurance, emergency assistance and roadside dispatch.

The card offers car rental collision damage waiver (CDW) insurance, which can save you lots of money. Just use the card to book your auto rental and decline the CDW when picking up the car. Coverage is primary and will reimburse you for theft and collision damage on most rentals in the US and overseas.

If your trip is cancelled or interrupted by illness, bad weather or other covered situations, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses including airfare, hotel stays and tours.

If your baggage is delayed for over six hours, Chase will reimburse you up to $100 a day for five days. There’s also up to $3,000 in coverage on the card If your luggage or a family member’s checked or carry-on luggage is damaged or lost,

There’s also up to $500,000 coverage if you use your card to pay for air, bus, train or cruise transport and there is an accident that causes death or dismemberment.

[Related: Read our guide on how to choose the right travel credit card for you.]

Final Thoughts

This is one of the best opportunities to get a huge stash of Ultimate Rewards points since many Chase cards that have traditionally offered them as a sign-up bonus, like the Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards, are currently offering $200 cash sign-up bonuses.

While those cards are still great for earning Ultimate Rewards points because the Freedom card has rotating categories that offer 5x points each quarter, and the Unlimited version lets you earn 1.5x on all purchases, they don’t come near the value of the current 100,000-point bonus currently being offered for signing up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Chase Private Client – Are The Benefits Worth It in 2022

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The Chase Private Client Welcome Kit was designed by AlyssaStrand. Image courtesy of AlyssaStrand.com
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

[Update January 2022: The $2,000 welcome bonus is now available by invitation from Chase. A FlyerGeek subscriber received the offer in his (physical) mailbox on January 13, 2022. See the comment section below for more information.]

In 2022, banking is more sophisticated and nuanced than just putting money into an account for safe-keeping. And with so much at stake, you want to make sure that you’re partnering with the right bank to meet all of your financial goals and needs.

If you’re a Chase customer with considerable assets under your belt, you may be considering the Chase Private Client Program. This personalized membership offers countless member-exclusive benefits, including one-on-one time with various financial advisors, banking and lending perks, and discounts on loans and transactions.

Here is a detailed look at everything this elite club has to offer.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

What Is the Chase Private Client Program?

The Chase Private Client Program (CPCP) is an invite-only program that offers countless exclusive benefits and services to its members. According to the bank, Private Clients enjoy a “personalized relationship” with Chase through which they receive access to only the best banking features and services offered.

From customized ​J.P. Morgan investing guidance​ to exclusive lending programs, there’s almost no end to the special treatment you’ll get as a Private Client. Other benefits include but are not limited to:

☎️ Priority banking service (24/7 on-call access)
💳 Member-only credit cards
🏠 Loan discounts*
👵🏻 Extensive retirement and financial planning resources
💰 Lower fees on most transactions (including those made abroad) and higher withdrawal and credit limits
🤵 Access to dedicated lending advisors
  • Chase Home Lending offers $500 off of the processing fee for Chase Private Clients with combined assets of $150,000 – $499,999 in eligible Chase deposit accounts and waives the entire processing fee (up to $1,150 for most loans) completely for $500,000+ in such eligible accounts.
  • Receive a 0.25% discount on your standard auto loan when you’re a Chase Private Client customer.

Who Is Eligible for the Private Client Program?

Not just anyone can become a Private Client (PC) with Chase. This invitation is given only to Chase’s “best customers,” and you’ll either need to request a meeting with a Private Client banker to discuss your qualifications or wait around for a letter just to be invited. There are two ways to qualify for an upgrade to top-tier status with Chase:

Have a combined total of $250,000 or more between all of your Chase personal and business checking, savings, and investment accounts. This does not include online self-directed investment accounts with ​You Invest​ or retirement accounts.

Have a family member extend their Private Client membership to you. Though being a Private Client does not technically cost anything in membership fees, members not invited by a family member must maintain a daily average of $250,000 for continued status. Within 45 days of upgrading, Private Clients must disperse this sum across whichever qualifying accounts they choose.

For most, that’s quite a chunk of cash and not a lot of time. You’ll want to consider any opportunity loss you may incur from moving money out of another investment or savings vehicle to meet this $250,000 requirement. If you don’t have that kind of money lying around, you might find yourself selling shares of stock, pulling from a savings account that was accruing interest, and even missing out on countless investment opportunities you were considering pulling the trigger on – just to meet this target. You’ll have to decide for yourself if the program is worth the sacrifice.

The second way to hack your way into the CPCP is to become a joint account owner with another Chase Private Client that is an immediate family member. All adult members of a shared Private Client deposit account are awarded the privileges of a membership, whether each of them has $250,000 or not. This loophole is utilized by many Chase customers that would otherwise never qualify for elite status.

Benefits of the Chase Private Client Program

Several aspects of modern banking are changed for Chase members elevated to Private Client status—overall, the program has many strengths, but it also has many caveats. Chase works hard to keep its Private Clients, but be sure to read the fine print before you make any decisions.

$2,000 Sign-Up Bonus – Back January 2022!

$2000 Sign Up Bonus sent via mail January 13, 2022 to FlyerGeek subscriber JB.

Chase customers opting to upgrade to Private Client status are periodically provided a hefty reward.

Chase is offering existing clients upgrading to Chase Private Client a lucrative welcome bonus of 💰$2,000💰 after completing a few qualifying actions.

Qualifying actions include:

  1. Meet with a Private Client Banker to upgrade to Chase Private Client CheckingSM account and
  2. Within 45 calendar days, transfer a total of $250,000 or more in qualifying new money or securities to a combination of eligible accounts.

Eligible VS Ineligible Accounts:

–  Eligible Accounts: qualifying Chase personal checking accounts and savings accounts, as well as J.P. Morgan investment accounts. These must be opened in a Chase branch and serviced by a J.P. Morgan Private Client Advisor or Financial Advisor. 

–  Ineligible Accounts: Chase business checking and savings accounts, any You InvestSM accounts, any J.P. Morgan retirement accounts (such as Traditional and Roth IRAs, Keoghs, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs, and 401(k) plans); CDs; insurance products; fixed and variable annuities; J.P.Morgan Fund Accounts; 529 College Savings Plans; attorney trust accounts; client fund trust accounts; as well as Government or Non-Profit accounts.

Credit Cards and Rewards

Behold! These are Chase Bank’s most illustrious credit cards. Image courtesy of AlyssaStrand.com

The Private Client Program does not have any unique cards except for the debit card given to members; even the highest-rated Chase cards are available to all. Any Chase member can apply for the ​Chase Sapphire Reserve®, an elusive travel card that un​officially requires a credit score of 750 or higher​, and the ​Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which requires a 700 or higher.

Private Clients are more likely to have these cards, but their approval odds are only higher because they have more money and better credit to begin with. If a person is likely to qualify as a Private Client, they are also likely to qualify for the top cards. The CPCP does not guarantee credit card approval and card rewards and points are the same for everyone.

Unless you’re a long-time personal finance junkie, you’re probably not familiar with the Chase 5/24 rule. This quietly enforced “no more than 5 credit card accounts opened in the course of 24 months” rule includes ​all​ cards that contribute to a person’s credit (not just Chase), and it is firm for everyone. That means that PC’s aren’t likely to get around this stipulation even though they are Chase’s “favorites.”

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Convenient Banking

Members of the Chase Private Client Program never have to go long without getting help. Private Clients have access to a 24/7 exclusive Banking Services line ​(Domestic: 1-888-994-5626, International: 1-405-235-4847) to answer questions the moment they have them, no in-person appointment or hours on the hold required.

Members of this program also have a dedicated banker ready to help them navigate and make the most of their membership. There’s a lot to the private program, but clients don’t have to figure it out alone. ​In addition to these helplines, Private Clients are offered a number of banking benefits, including:

●  Higher daily ATM withdrawal limits (up to $2,000)

●  Higher daily purchase limits (up to $7,500 with Chase Private Client debit card)

●  Higher QuickDeposit and QuickPay limits ​($25,000 per day and $100,000 every 30 days and $5,000 per day and $40,000 every 30 days, respectively)

●  Rushed (free) card replacement

●  No Chase fees at non-Chase ATMs or on wire transfers

●  No monthly service fees on checking or savings accounts

Business Account Bonuses

Chase members with Private Client status that also use ​Chase for their business banking​ can count on a few special accommodations. Specialized business banking advisors are assigned to every Private Client business owner. These advisors can answer any of your questions and help you strategize your business spending so that you’re using your money as effectively as possible.

Private Clients do not pay any fees on electronic deposits to Platinum or Total Business Checking Accounts or service fees on these accounts. Even better, minimum balance requirements are lower for Private Client Platinum Business Checking accounts. If you’re wondering whether your business account funds can be used to qualify you to become a Private Client, the answer is yes.

Investment and Retirement Counseling

Rest easy with a dedicated investment advisor.

Members of the Chase Private Client Program get to partner up with dedicated J.P. Morgan investment advisors. Because J.P. Morgan is one of the biggest investment banking companies in the business, that means access to global expertise and vast market research. Clients meet with their advisors regularly to discuss immediate financial needs and market and economic trends as well as smart next moves.

Chase Private Client members also get help preparing for retirement​ in the form of a comprehensive 4-step plan. Through this plan, clients identify what they want to get out of retirement, evaluate their current financial situation, develop strategies for success, and assess their goal progression, all with the help of an investment professional.

However, there is a catch. Giving J.P. Morgan the reins to manage your investment portfolio and offer advice isn’t free, even for Private Clients. An annual fee of 1.25%, billed quarterly, is charged for portfolio management services from J.P. Morgan. Many professional portfolio advisors, through firms like Vanguard and Personal Capital, charge less than this (the average is more in the 1% range). If users choose to use You Invest, a self-directed free trading platform, instead, their investment opportunities will be severely limited and their returns much lower.

Mortgage and Loan Advice

The stressful process of taking out a home mortgage or auto loan is made less stressful for Private Clients because these Chase members receive discounted rates on lending and top-notch personal loan advice. Through the Chase Private Client Mortgage Rate Program, members work with home lending advisors and other team members such as underwriters and processors to plan their home loans with big picture financial goals in mind.

When it’s time to take out a loan, Private Clients can expect up to 1.25% off the standard variable rate for a home equity line of credit and a 0.25% rate discount off standard auto loan rates with an additional 0.25% off of that when refinancing.

Privileges for the Whole Family

Benefits the whole family can enjoy!

While Chase Private Clients can extend their benefits to other members of their immediate family with whom they share accounts, the family privileges of this membership don’t stop there.

Parents might like the fact that they can set withdrawal and spending limits on authorized debit cards for use by their kids through the Private Client Program, but young adults can learn more about responsible banking themselves through ​Chase’s Student Banking Program​. However, these features are not exclusive to the CPCP.

Additional Benefits

There are a few final hidden perks to the Chase Private Client Program that shouldn’t be overlooked for those that enjoy skipping lines and being treated like a VIP. Chase Private Clients have access to annual member-exclusive events, early ticket purchase on select entertainment, and can even utilize their membership to gain special entry into certain institutions through the Chase Private Client Arts & Culture Program​ (though use of this perk is limited).

Does It Pay to Be a Chase Private Client?

The CPCP likely isn’t for anyone still improving their credit, new to investing, paying off large loans (other than perhaps home loans and mortgages), or just beginning to plan for retirement.

The Chase Private Client Program is best-suited for larger asset-holding Chase customers that favor convenience and may want a little help with big financial decisions but have already made some progress towards long-term financial goals. It’s also worth noting that not all Chase banks participate in this program, so this is very much a case by case offer.

As with anything, there are pros and cons. There are discounted loan rates, waived service fees, and member-exclusive events, but there’s also that massive $250,000 ​minimum ​account balance requirement.

Do you have experience being a Chase Private Client? Please share in the comments.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Chase Reconsideration Line: Tips for approval + contact info

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Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

Did you get denied for a Chase credit card that you had your eye on?

Don’t worry, you might be able to change that.

Getting that rejection letter isn’t the end of the road. Some Chase credit cards are pretty hard to get and have a fairly high rejection rate but getting rejected once doesn’t mean you can’t get that card. You can actually call the Chase reconsideration line and ask for your application to be reviewed again. With a bit of persuasion, you have a good shot at changing their mind.

If you’ve never done this before, don’t just call the reconsideration line without preparing what you’re going to say. Here’s who to call and what to say when you get denied after submitting a credit card application.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Find Out Why You Were Denied

A credit card application can be denied for any number of reasons. Your credit score or income could be too low or your credit history too new. The reason could also be your age of accounts, with too many new accounts reflecting poorly on your creditworthiness. Excessive hard inquiries alone can lead to rejection, even if you haven’t actually opened many new accounts.

Negative marks on your credit such as delinquencies, collections accounts, and bankruptcies can also cause a lender to turn you away. A history of late or missed payments also makes your application less likely to be approved.

And if you have opened too many new credit accounts in the past six or twelve months, that’s another valid reason to be denied. For example, Chase may reject a new credit card application if you have opened two or more cards with them in the past year.

Like a lot of banks, Chase mostly follows the 5/24 rule. If you’ve opened five or more new credit card accounts in the past 24 months, you are not likely to be approved for another.

Generally, Chase will tell you why they’ve turned down your application. If they don’t, you can try to call and ask or otherwise review your credit report to try to find out for yourself.

You’ll need a good idea of why your application was rejected before going onto the next step.

Who to Call?

The first step is to find out if you should call Chase, because you might not need to. The process for initially reviewing Chase credit card applications is automated, so you may not get auto-approved even if you qualify and eventually get approval.

If you don’t get approved right away, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to call to make your case. There are a few different scenarios where you may apply and not hear back right away.

In the event that your application isn’t auto approved, you may receive a letter from Chase stating that it was neither approved nor denied. This message will also state that Chase will get back to you with a final decision within 30 days and ask you not to resubmit your application until you have received a follow-up message.

You can call the number 1-800-432-3117 to find out the status of your application while you wait, but this is an automated line that will just tell you how much time you have left to wait. If it tells you two weeks, this is a good sign that you’re in the process of being approved. If it tells you between seven and 10 days, this is a good sign that you’re in the process of being denied (but these are not hard and fast rules).

If you do receive official notice that your application has been denied, it will be accompanied with a reason why. This is the point where you can think about calling for reconsideration.

Chase has a designated phone line you can call with questions about your personal credit card application and that phone number is 1-888-270-2127. Call this number between 8 am and 10 pm Monday through Friday or between 8 am and 8 pm Saturday and Sunday to reach a live representative.

There is a separate line for business credit cards and that number is 1-800-453-9719. This number is open from 1 pm through 10 pm Monday through Friday only.

When you call these numbers, an agent will manually review your application and reconsider as if you had just applied. They may tell you that you don’t qualify now but you will soon or that you don’t qualify and what you can work on to improve your application.

How to Prepare

You’re almost ready to call for reconsideration. Before you reach out, there are a few things you can do to make your application more solid and give yourself a better chance of success with a reconsideration agent.

Spend Responsibly

The first is to use your other credit cards wisely. If you are carrying high balances on all of your existing cards and close to the top of your limit, this may not look good when you ask for reconsideration because it shows that you already have a lot of debt, and they might assume you’re struggling to repay it.

Start paying off your cards and make sure you are making at least your minimum payments on time. This can decrease your credit utilization to make your debt-to-income ratio more favorable. And be sure to pay all of your other bills on time as well.

Lower Your Credit Limits

Maybe you feel that your combined credit limit is as high as it can reasonably be given your age and income. You may be at the top of what you qualify for, and that could be part of the reason your latest application was denied even if you don’t ever borrow at the top of your limit. If this is the case, you can call your other credit issuers and request to have your other limits lowered. Many are more than willing to grant this request.

Doing this with credit cards you don’t use often can be a good strategy in some cases. It is not recommended to close cards you’re not using because this can give you shorter overall credit history. Just be aware that lowering your limit can negatively impact your credit score by increasing your credit utilization ratio, which you generally want to keep down.

With that said, if doing so means you get approved for this new Chase card, your limit will go back up (maybe not quite to what it was before, but up) and your credit utilization ratio should decrease again, so the negative impacts should be temporary or minimal.

Look for Errors in Your Report

Another thing you can do to potentially help your chances is to study your credit report yourself. If you spot any inaccuracies or errors, report them right away to the three major credit bureaus.

These could be negatively impacting your credit score, and getting errors resolved can help with your application. This is a good habit to get into anyway. A credit dispute usually takes about a month to be resolved, so hold off on calling Chase until this is handled.

Improve Your Credit

If your credit is really poor or you have very little history, you might want to work on that for a while before you call the Chase reconsideration line. You can ask somebody to add you as an authorized user to an existing credit card or open a secured credit card to build credit and improve your score, but this can take time.

Call for Reconsideration

You can call for reconsideration after taking the above steps to clean up your application and/or credit. Generally, you should call within 30 days of submitting your initial application to have it reconsidered.

Having your application reconsidered does not require another hard credit pull, but reapplying does. It also does not cost you anything to call.

What to Say

What to say when you call the Chase reconsideration phone line depends on why you were denied. Certain reasons may make you more or less likely to be successful when asking for reconsideration.

Bankruptcies and charge-offs, for example, are taken seriously and may disqualify you regardless of negotiation. But if the issue is that your income is too low or your credit history is too limited, you may be able to talk your way into approval.

Sometimes, having your application reconsidered means negotiating the terms. You may have to compromise on a few things. Here are a few example scenarios where you might be approved after asking for reconsideration:

  1. They may approve you for a lower credit limit than you hoped for.
  2. They may approve you for this new card if you agree to move some or all of your credit from another Chase credit card (or cards) to this new account.
  3. They may approve you if you agree to cosign for the new credit card with another creditworthy individual who will be responsible for paying the bill if you are not able.

Alternatively, the representative may analyze your application and find that it’s not been completed properly. If this is the case, they’ll just ask you to fill out any responses left blank and can probably tell you after this if you will be approved.

Remember that these are humans handling reconsideration cases. Be prepared for back and forth and to explain yourself as many times as needed, potentially to multiple people if another representative or manager gets involved. This process can take a while, depending on how complicated your case is. Being kind and patient will go a long way and could mean the difference between approval and denial after reconsideration.

You should be prepared with details about:

  1. when you applied and
  2. when you were denied.

This will help the person assisting you to find your account. By the end of the phone call, you should know if your application has been approved or denied. If denied, the agent may give you suggestions for building a stronger application, if you ask nicely.

What to Do If You Are Denied After Reconsideration

If you apply for reconsideration and are denied again, wait at least six months before reapplying. You don’t want to add another hard inquiry to your account too soon and risk rejection for no reason.

But while you wait, you can certainly call back and try for reconsideration again. The second representative you speak to could be more willing to approve your application, or they could tell you that the answer is the same.

There is no limit to how many times you can call, but keep in mind that your past responses will be recorded, and your reconsideration case will eventually be closed. Start working on your credit as early as possible in this process.

Or you may just decide that it’s not worth calling again for reconsideration. If Chase rejects you for this card with a resounding “no,” it’s time to think about your other options. Maybe you don’t need a new credit card just yet or you feel confident you can get one with another bank.

And if you ever have to request reconsideration again, you’ll be better prepared for it.

Final Thoughts

Going through the process of applying for a new credit card just to get rejected is disappointing, to say the least, but it doesn’t mean that you’ve been denied for good. If you have the time and it’s worth it to you to get this card, you can always call Chase to request reconsideration.

This will entail a live representative going over your application and discussing it with you. This is your chance to persuade them why you qualify for the card. Before calling, get ready to make your case and be prepared to defend your spending and borrowing habits, if needed. It may be worth calling for reconsideration if you feel that you were wrongly denied.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners

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image credit: chase.com
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If you’re a savvy traveler, you’re probably always looking for new ways to earn points. And if you’re a Chase cardholder, you’re in luck. The Chase Ultimate Rewards program allows you to cash in your points with airline and hotel partners at full value. 

You’d do well to familiarize yourself with this program and how to stretch your points as far as possible as a Chase customer. Here’s how to transfer points to other rewards programs through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

About the Chase Ultimate Rewards Program

The Chase Ultimate Rewards program is an exclusive points-earning program for select Chase cardholders. You are automatically enrolled in the program when you sign up for an eligible card. You can redeem your points in a variety of ways including to purchase travel (Chase travel is powered by Expedia, so prices and offerings are comparable to what’s available on this site).

But though this program seems to be geared toward those who use their cards to pay for flight tickets, hotel stays, and other travel-related expenses, there are so many ways to redeem your points. 

If you just want to keep things simple and convert points to dollars, you can redeem your points for cash and have your earnings deposited right into your Chase account or converted to a credit on your whole statement. Generally, you can redeem points for $0.01 per point (unless a promotional rate is available). 

Or, you can “pay yourself back” and have your points applied to certain transactions, which you can pick and choose to maximize points values. If you go this route, you will be able to see all of your recent transactions and select which ones you’d like to apply points to and be reimbursed for. You can see prices in points on the right. Chase rotates which categories are discounted. For example, dining will sometimes be eligible for up to 10% more points value.

You can also use your points to make purchases. Each point is worth $0.008 when you Shop With Points, on average, but Chase runs promotions that make your points worth more at select stores. You can shop through over 500 different retailers and earn up to 5x bonus points on your purchases. Participating stores include Nike, Home Depot, and Dell.

Points can also be redeemed for gift cards, with some being discounted and requiring up to 10% fewer points than full price.

You can use points to pay for Amazon or Apple purchases as well. Just link your card with these sites and use it at checkout, then decide how many points you’d like to deduct to help pay for your purchase.

When you sign in to your Chase account and go into the Ultimate Rewards page, you will be able to see your total points in the upper lefthand corner of the screen. Click on this and a menu will drop down with all of your redemption options.

How to Earn Points

The easiest way to boost your Ultimate Rewards account with points is to use your credit card as often as possible. Using your card for everyday purchases including grocery shopping, dining, gas, and more earns points; be sure to activate your 5% categories to get even more on select spending categories. You can also earn between 1 and 15 points for every dollar you spend when you Shop through Chase at more than 450 stores online and in-person. 

Purchasing your travel with your Chase card is another quick and easy way to pad your account. Purchases available include:

  • Flight tickets
  • Hotel bookings
  • Car rentals
  • Timeshare rentals
  • Cruise trips
  • Train tickets
  • Transportation such as buses, taxis, and ferries
  • Road tolls
  • Travel agency fees

How much you’ll earn on travel depends on which credit card you’re using, with certain cards such as the Sapphire Reserve having higher point values when redeemed.

Be sure to compare your options to see where your points are worth the most when it’s time for you to use them, and don’t think that they have to stay in your Chase account. Transfer some or all of your points to Chase’s transfer partners to save money on flights and hotel bookings.

Transfer Hotels

Chase has partnered with three hotel brands and their rewards programs. These are:

  1. IHG Rewards Club,
  2. Marriott Bonvoy Rewards Program, and
  3. World of Hyatt Loyalty Program.

These are some of the largest loyalty programs in the country and each one allows you to redeem loyalty points for reward nights, room discounts, and complimentary perks and upgrades. Transfer points from your Chase Ultimate Rewards account to qualify for higher tiers and unlock more earnings potential.

If you’re an IHG Rewards Club member, you can transfer your Chase points over as elite qualifying points. The highest membership tier, Spire Elite, requires either 75 qualified nights in IHG hotels or 75,000 points. These members are eligible for more perks and earn more points on their stays. Each point is worth about 0.5 to 0.6 cents, on average.

The Marriott Bonvoy rewards program is a good one for people who travel a lot, as this hotel brand has incredible geographical coverage. You can purchase an award night for as little as 5,000 points. There are six rewards statuses with Ambassador Elite being the most premium. This membership tier requires more than 100 qualifying nights a year and at least $14,000 total in annual qualifying purchases and bookings. Points are worth about 0.7 cents apiece.

Finally, there’s the World of Hyatt Loyalty program. Often called one of the best, this program tends to have the highest points values by a wide margin at an estimated 1.9 cents per point. To qualify for elite status, Globalist status, you need to have at least 50,000 points in your account or 30 or more tier-qualifying nights under your belt.

You can’t transfer points from a hotel loyalty account back to Chase, so be sure to find out where you can get the highest point value before making the transfer. Although points transfer at a 1:1 ratio, some hotel stays have relatively low points values compared to what you could get if you were to redeem your points through Chase or another partner. It is probably wise to favor the rewards programs through which you have the most elite status. 

Speaking of, find out if your favorite airlines are also Chase transfer partners.

Transfer Airlines

Chase partners with 11 different airlines that allow you to transfer Ultimate Rewards points to their loyalty programs. These are:

  • United MileagePlus
  • JetBlue TrueBlue
  • Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • Aer Lingus AerClub
  • Air France Flying Blue
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Iberia Plus
  • Emirates Skywards

Of course, you need to be a member of these rewards programs too in order to transfer your points. Generally, airline loyalty status can get you award flights, complimentary seat upgrades, and perks such as priority baggage check or check in. Airlines tend to run promotions that temporarily increase points values, so always be on the lookout for these.

Remember that you can’t transfer points back and forth between your Chase account and your airline loyalty accounts.

Which Transfer Partners Give You the Most Value

Of Chase’s transfer airline partners, here are the three we feel are most rewarding overall based on point value, reward availability, and how easy it is to reach elite status. 

United MileagePlus

image credit: united.com

United MileagePlus is often considered to be one of the best airline loyalty programs in the world. MileagePlus miles never expire (whether your account stays active or not) and this loyalty program boasts the most award destinations and economy award flights of any airline.

The highest membership tier, Premier 1K, requires either 36 Premier Qualifying Flights and 13,500 Premier Qualifying Points or just 15,000 Premier Qualifying Points. Points are valued at about 1 cent each and award flights start at about 12,500 points (for economy class).

JetBlue TrueBlue

trueblue.jetblue.com

The JetBlue loyalty program, TrueBlue, consists of just two membership tiers: basic and Mosaic. Everyone who joins TrueBlue becomes a basic member and can work their way up to elite status by booking flights. To qualify for Mosaic status, you need to earn 12,000 qualifying points and fly at least 30 times through JetBlue in a year or earn 15,000 qualifying points. Points don’t expire.

These points are valued at between 1.3 and 1.5 cents each. Award prices are proportional to cash prices, so the points you need to purchase an award ticket depends on the travel season and ticket availability.

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards

image credit: southwest.com

The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards loyalty program is another great one. These points don’t expire and reward seats are not limited as they often aren’t. To achieve elite status, called A-List status, you need to fly a minimum of 25 qualifying flight segments or earn 35,000 qualifying points.

These points are valued at about 1.3 cents apiece and award flights start at roughly 6,600 points for the lowest flight classes.

How to Transfer Rewards

To transfer rewards points from Chase to a transfer partner rewards program, log in to your Ultimate Rewards account and select the credit card you’ve been earning points with. Then choose “Transfer to Travel Partners” from the menu and find the travel partner you’re transferring to in the Hotels or Airlines section. 

You will need to provide information for the rewards account that the points are going into to verify your membership, so have your other account pulled up or your reward card ready. You can only transfer Ultimate Rewards points you’ve earned to loyalty accounts under your name or an authorized user’s name. Typically, transfers are instant. Be sure to confirm through both Chase and your chosen loyalty account that a transfer has been processed successfully.

Chase Travel Credit Cards That Earn Points

Not all Chase credit cards earn travel points, and a few Chase travel cards that do earn points do not permit you to transfer points to other loyalty programs.

Here are the three credit cards that earn points and allow rewards transfers:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

This card has long been one of our favorites. You can earn 5x points on all travel purchases made through Ultimate Rewards except for hotel bookings that are eligible for the $50 Anniversary Hotel Credit. All other travel purchases earn 2x points and everyday purchases on dining, fuel, and grocery earn 3x points. New cardmembers are eligible to earn up to 80,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. The annual fee for this card is $95 but you can usually get the first year free.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

A step above the Preferred card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card gives you 5x points on all flight tickets and 10x points on car rentals and hotel bookings purchased through the Ultimate Rewards platform. All other travel purchases earn 3x points. New cardmembers are eligible to earn up to 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. This card comes with a hefty annual fee of $550 (plus $75 for each authorized user), but it does give you a $300 annual travel credit.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

This business credit card lets you earn 3x points on the first $150,000 you spend on shipping, advertising, internet and phone services, and travel and 1 point for every dollar spent after this maximum and on everything else. New cardmembers are eligible to earn up to 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months. The annual fee for this card is $95.

When purchasing travel, be sure to go through the Ultimate Rewards platform to earn as many points as possible.

Final Thoughts

With so many great ways to earn and redeem points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards programs and its partner hotels and airlines, there’s no excuse for not getting in on this saving opportunity. Get the most out of your Chase travel points by transferring them to partner hotel and airline loyalty programs.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below: