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Ever since it first launched, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees) has been a go-to choice for travelers — so much so that it’s the top card we recommend to beginners. But the appeal of this card goes far beyond travel newbies. With strong bonus categories, flexible rewards, and solid benefits for a modest annual fee, the Sapphire Preferred is a keeper for almost any traveler.
One of the biggest draws — especially right now — is the generous welcome bonus that often comes with the card. But what if you’ve had the card before? Or what if you’re currently an authorized user on someone else’s account? Can you still qualify for the bonus?
The short answer: It depends. There are a few important rules and exceptions to understand first. Here’s everything you need to know about qualifying for the Sapphire Preferred sign-up bonus — including how Chase’s 5/24 rule and 48-month rule come into play.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Page Contents
The Infamous Chase 5/24 Rule
The first thing to check before applying for the Sapphire Preferred — or any Chase card, really — is your 5/24 status.
Chase won't approve you for a new card if you've opened just five new consumer card accounts (from any bank) in a rolling 24-month period. Some people apply for cards just to earn the welcome bonus, and this kind of behavior isn’t profitable for Chase — hence the rule.
This means that if you've opened five or more credit cards in the last two years from any bank (based on what's showing on your credit report), Chase will most likely not approve you for a new card. These credit cards don't just have to be issued by Chase, however. Cards that you've opened with other financial institutions outside of Chase will also add to your 5/24 count.
Most business credit cards — including Chase business cards — don’t add to your 5/24 count. However, Chase may still deny your application for a business card if you’ve already surpassed the limit.
Related: How To Check Your Chase 5/24 Status for Free
Chase Sapphire Preferred Authorized Users
So, how does the 5/24 rule apply to Sapphire Preferred authorized users? It’s a little tricky. Chase checks your personal credit report to determine your 5/24 status — and that includes accounts where you’re just an authorized user. If that bumps you over the 5/24 limit, you could be denied.
But that’s not necessarily the end of the road. If you think your authorized user accounts caused a Chase application denial, you can call Chase's reconsideration line at 888-270-2127 for personal cards and 800-453-9719 for business cards to check.
If you explain your situation, Chase may approve you based on your actual 5/24 status. I’ve had more than one Chase application turned around thanks to this process.
Related: Does Being an Authorized User Affect Your Credit?
Chase Sapphire Approval Conditions
Chase has updated the application rules around Sapphire-branded cards several times over the years. Here's a breakdown of the big rules regarding Chase sign-up bonuses.
One Sapphire-branded card per customer
The first big change came in 2017 — about eight years after the Sapphire Preferred launched — following the debut of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees) in 2016. At this time, Chase added a rule preventing customers from holding more than one Sapphire card at a time.
Before that, it was possible to get the welcome bonus on both the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve. But after the change, if you already hold one Sapphire card, Chase won’t approve you for another.
Related: Which Should You Get: Sapphire Reserve vs Sapphire Preferred?
But if you're set on getting another Sapphire card, you’re not completely out of luck. You’ll need to downgrade your current Sapphire card to a non-Sapphire product (like a Chase Freedom-branded card) and wait a couple of weeks before applying again.
However, you’ll also need to meet the next requirement…
One new Sapphire account per 48 months
In 2018, Chase introduced another big restriction. Now, you’re ineligible for a new Sapphire card — and the sign-up bonus — if you’ve received a new card member bonus for any Sapphire product in the last 48 months.
Fortunately, this rule doesn’t apply to Sapphire Preferred authorized user accounts.
Remember that the 48-month clock starts when you receive the bonus — not when you apply. For example, if you applied for a Sapphire Preferred in February 2021 and earned the bonus on May 15, 2021, you won’t be eligible for a new Sapphire bonus until at least May 15, 2025 — even if you cancel or downgrade the card before that.
When you combine these two conditions, you get Chase's all-encompassing policy on Sapphire card applications:
“The product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 48 months.”
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred Full Review
Bottom Line
Timing is everything when applying for the Sapphire Preferred. Understanding the 5/24 rule and the 48-month rule can mean the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful application. But if you're just an authorized user on someone else’s account, you’re still eligible to apply — and with the current elevated welcome bonus, now could be the perfect time.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), and Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees)
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