Documented rule history
Retired — last confirmed January 25, 2026Is the Chase 48-month Sapphire rule still active? On our documented record it is retired, last confirmed January 25, 2026: Successor rule clarified as one lifetime bonus per Sapphire card version. We have 6 dated, sourced changes on record since 2017. Statuses reflect documented confirmations, not live issuer policy.
Every documented change — newest first
January 25, 2026
Successor rule clarified as one lifetime bonus per Sapphire card version
A memo to Chase bankers said that beginning January 25, 2026, disclosures would clarify that customers can earn a bonus on each Sapphire card version, one per card, even with another Sapphire open; Doctor of Credit noted this loosened the combined lifetime limit introduced a few months earlier.
August 18, 2025
Successor enforcement reported stricter than 48 months (possible lifetime limit)
Numerous reports indicated Chase was being strict with approvals even beyond 48 months, possibly limiting customers to one lifetime bonus on Sapphire Preferred or Reserve.
June 23, 2025
Rule retired in favor of proprietary bonus-eligibility determination
Effective June 23, 2025, bonus eligibility for the Sapphire cards became based on factors including previously earned bonuses and the number of cards opened and closed, initially only for the Sapphire Reserve and Preferred.
September 10, 2018
Referral links updated to 48-month terms
Referral links initially still showed 24-month language until Chase updated them on September 10; email referrals generated before that date retained the older terms for a period.
August 27, 2018
Extended from 24 to 48 months
Sapphire Preferred and Reserve terms moved from one bonus per 24 months to one per 48 months, with all Sapphire cards still counted as one family, while other Chase cards such as Freedom kept 24-month language. The timing coincided with early Reserve cardholders reaching the 24-month mark from the card's August 2016 launch.
August 27, 2017
Rule first documented as a 24-month Sapphire-family bonus restriction
The memo stated that a customer who closed an account would not be eligible for any Sapphire-branded card if they had earned a Sapphire cardmember bonus within the previous 24 months.
Questions
No — retired on our documented record, as last confirmed January 25, 2026: Successor rule clarified as one lifetime bonus per Sapphire card version. Always verify before applying — issuers change unwritten rules without notice.
August 27, 2017: Rule first documented as a 24-month Sapphire-family bonus restriction. Since then we have documented 6 changes, each dated and sourced on this page.
January 25, 2026 — Successor rule clarified as one lifetime bonus per Sapphire card version. A memo to Chase bankers said that beginning January 25, 2026, disclosures would clarify that customers can earn a bonus on each Sapphire card version, one per card, even with another Sapphire open; Doctor of Credit noted this loosened the combined lifetime limit introduced a few months earlier.
Application rules are unwritten issuer policy; they change and get enforced without notice, and exceptions exist. Statuses reflect our last documented confirmation, not live issuer policy. Not financial or legal advice.
Bonus Eagle. “Chase 48-month Sapphire rule — The Application Rules Record.” bonuseagle.com. https://www.bonuseagle.com/rules/chase/48-month-sapphire-rule
All Chase rules: the full issuer page.
