Chase 5/24 Rule Explained 2026: What it is, how it works, and how to plan around it

Chase's 5/24 rule has been the single most important credit card application rule for points travelers since approximately 2015. The mechanic is simple: if you have opened 5 or more credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months, Chase will deny most of its credit card applications regardless of your credit score. Here is the 2026 picture, including what counts, which Chase cards are affected, and the practical application strategy.

What 5/24 actually counts

Chase counts any credit card account that has been reported to your credit bureau within the past 24 months, regardless of issuer:

• Personal credit cards from any bank (Amex, Capital One, Citi, Bank of America, US Bank, etc.)
• Personal credit cards from credit unions if they report to bureaus
• Store credit cards (Target, Best Buy, Macy's, etc.) if they report — and most do
• Authorized user accounts on someone else's card (this is variable; sometimes counted, sometimes not)
• Apple Card, business cards from Capital One that report to personal credit, etc.

What 5/24 does NOT count

• Most business credit cards from Chase, Amex, US Bank, Capital One Business — these typically don't report to personal credit bureaus
• Capital One business cards that report to personal credit (most do — verify each)
• Charge cards (Amex Platinum, Gold) — but Amex now reports the date of charge card opening to bureaus, so they DO count toward 5/24
• Closed accounts no longer on your report

Which Chase cards are affected by 5/24

The 5/24 application strategy

The classic strategy:

Amex Platinum — 100,000-point welcome bonus

Centurion Lounge access, Fine Hotels & Resorts, 5x on flights.

Apply →

Chase Sapphire Reserve — 75,000-point welcome bonus

$300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass, 3x dining/travel.

Apply →

Chase Sapphire Preferred — 60,000-point welcome bonus

Spend $4k/3mo. Transfer 1:1 to United, Hyatt, Virgin Atlantic.

Apply →

1. Apply for Chase cards first if you're at 0/24, 1/24, 2/24, etc.
2. Save Chase Ink Business cards for when you're under 5/24 — they apply 5/24 but don't ADD to it (most don't report to personal credit). Open these to earn business-card sign-up bonuses without affecting your 5/24 count.
3. Get all the Sapphire-family + Hyatt + Southwest + United co-brand cards FIRST, then move to non-Chase issuers (Amex, Capital One, Citi, etc.).
4. Wait 24 months after your 5th card to drop back under 5/24 if you've already exceeded.
5. Use authorized-user removal if AU accounts are pushing you over — call the primary cardholder's bank to remove yourself, and the closed AU account will eventually drop off your credit report.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred 48-month rule

Separate from 5/24, Chase enforces a 48-month bonus restriction on Sapphire-family cards: you cannot earn the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve sign-up bonus if you have received either bonus in the past 48 months. This means churners who got the Sapphire Reserve in 2023 cannot get the Preferred bonus until 2027. Plan accordingly.

The 1/30, 2/30, 2/90 family of rules

Chase also enforces velocity limits beyond 5/24:

• 1/30: No more than 1 Chase personal card approval in any 30-day window.
• 2/30: No more than 2 Chase business card approvals in any 30-day window.
• 2/90: No more than 2 Chase business card approvals in any 90-day window.

How to count your own 5/24

Pull your free Experian or Equifax report. Count every credit card line opened in the past 24 calendar months. Authorized-user accounts count if they're on your report. Use Pointify's points-stack tracker on the dashboard to log your card open dates and project when you'll drop back under 5/24.

Bottom line

Chase 5/24 is the most consequential application rule in points travel. The strategy is straightforward: apply for Chase cards while you're under 5/24, then move to other issuers. Plan card opens 24 months in advance to ensure you can hit Chase when targeting their best products (Sapphire Reserve, Hyatt, United Club Infinite, Southwest Companion Pass-eligible cards). Chase Ink Business cards are the unsung weapon — they apply 5/24 but don't add to it, so once you're under 5/24 they extend your bonus-earning runway dramatically.

How does Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer to partners?

Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers 1:1 to 11 airline partners (United, Aeroplan, BA Avios, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Singapore KrisFlyer, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates Skywards, Aer Lingus AerClub, Iberia Plus, Southwest Rapid Rewards) plus 3 hotel partners (World of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy). Hyatt is uniquely Chase-accessible at 1:1 among major flexible-points programs. Chase runs transfer bonuses rarely (1-3 per year, typically targeting Hyatt or specific airlines).

What counts toward Chase 5/24?

Chase 5/24 counts every credit card account opened on your personal credit report in the past 24 months — regardless of issuer. This includes personal cards from Amex, Capital One, Citi, store cards (Target, Best Buy), and authorized user accounts on someone else's card (variable). Most business credit cards from Chase, Amex, US Bank, and Capital One Business don't report to personal credit and don't add to your 5/24 count — though they do apply 5/24 on application (must be under to be approved). Apple Card counts. Disney cards generally don't.

Plan your card application strategy on Pointify →

Last verified by the Pointify research team on May 1, 2026, against current Chase application rules and reporting practices. Application rules change without notice; verify the current state by reviewing Chase's terms or calling reconsideration before applying.

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