Documented rule history
Active — last confirmed July 14, 2023Is the Chase 5/24 rule still active? On our documented record it is active, last confirmed July 14, 2023: Documented exceptions for elevated Ink Preferred offers. We have 10 dated, sourced changes on record since 2015. Statuses reflect documented confirmations, not live issuer policy.
Every documented change — newest first
July 14, 2023
Documented exceptions for elevated Ink Preferred offers
Doctor of Credit noted that easier approvals seemed to align with the start or end of best-ever offers, and relayed MEAB's reported exceptions such as online Ink Preferred applications at 90,000+ points bypassing 5/24 for applicants with a good Chase relationship who were not above 8/24.
December 26, 2022
Reported temporary suspension on Ink business cards through year-end (YMMV)
Date approximate. Doctor of Credit relayed an insider report that 5/24 was suspended on Ink cards through December 31, 2022, with some data points supporting it; Miles to Memories reported widespread denials and disputed that any freeze existed.
December 7, 2021
Reported approvals over 5/24 on the Amazon card, with some on Southwest personal and United Explorer
Date approximate. Doctor of Credit collected data points of applicants approved for the Chase Amazon card despite being over 5/24 during an increased $200 offer, and later saw similar approvals on Southwest personal and United Explorer cards.
May 24, 2019
Business cards confirmed excluded from the count; Private Client bypass documented as ended
Date approximate; reflects the consolidated guide's publication date, not the underlying finding. The guide struck its earlier assumption that Chase business cards would be counted internally, noting instead that they appear not to be counted, and marked the Chase Private Client bypass as no longer working.
November 13, 2018
Extended to remaining co-branded cards (Hyatt, IHG, British Airways, etc.)
Doctor of Credit concluded on November 19, 2018 that the rule had almost certainly been expanded to most if not all co-branded cards, with no reliable approvals over 5/24 seen for applications after November 13, 2018.
June 28, 2018
Chase co-brand executive signals rule will eventually apply to all cards
At the World of Hyatt card launch, Chase's president of co-brand cards indicated the rule would not apply immediately but should be expected to cover all Chase cards in the future, with no timeframe given.
September 1, 2016
Rule text briefly published on the Sapphire Reserve application page, then removed
The fine print stated applicants would not be approved if they had opened five or more bank cards in the past 24 months; when the application link came back the language had been removed. NerdWallet dates the removal to September 1, 2016.
August 23, 2016
Confirmed to apply to the newly launched Sapphire Reserve
In-branch approvals on launch day briefly suggested the card might be exempt, but data points quickly showed the rule did apply.
May 23, 2016
Extended to most co-branded cards
The rule was extended to most co-branded cards such as United and Marriott on May 23, 2016.
June 1, 2015
Rule first documented
Date approximate (month only). Doctor of Credit records that the rule was originally implemented on Chase-branded cards such as Freedom and Sapphire Preferred in June 2015.
Questions
Yes — active on our documented record, as last confirmed July 14, 2023: Documented exceptions for elevated Ink Preferred offers. Always verify before applying — issuers change unwritten rules without notice.
June 1, 2015: Rule first documented. Since then we have documented 10 changes, each dated and sourced on this page.
July 14, 2023 — Documented exceptions for elevated Ink Preferred offers. Doctor of Credit noted that easier approvals seemed to align with the start or end of best-ever offers, and relayed MEAB's reported exceptions such as online Ink Preferred applications at 90,000+ points bypassing 5/24 for applicants with a good Chase relationship who were not above 8/24.
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 5/24 rule — The Application Rules Record.” bonuseagle.com. https://www.bonuseagle.com/rules/chase/5-24-rule
All Chase rules: the full issuer page.
