Boy, oh boy, Chase has sure been occupying a lot of space in the ‘ole blogosphere lately, due to the launch of the new Sapphire Reserve for Business card, a refresh of the already existing Sapphire Reserve, and the corresponding welcome offers for both.
As part of the launch/refresh, Chase modified the eligibility rules for Sapphire cards, as well as tinkering with the application process itself:
- Chase is moving to a more Amex-like “lifetime” restriction for individual cards, in this case for the Sapphire Reserve. If you’ve ever had the card in the past, you’re probably not eligible for a welcome offer again. Previously, being within 48 months of receiving a welcome offer for any Sapphire card would make you ineligible for a bonus on ANY Sapphire card. Now, that 48-month rule is irrelevant.
- However, even if you aren’t eligible for the welcome offer, Chase is going to show you a (again, very Amex-like) pop-up letting you know that, and asking you if you want to proceed with the application anyway. The bright side is that it sounds like it would now be possible to get approved for a card without the welcome offer if you wanted to do so.
- Cardholders are now able to have a Sapphire Preferred and a Sapphire Reserve card at the same time. Being a Sapphire Preferred cardholder would no longer keep you from getting a Reserve, although it may keep you from being eligible for the welcome offer.
Based on all this, we thought that a couple of things would be true:
- You could apply for a Sapphire Reserve worry-free, because a pop-up would tell you that you aren’t eligible for a welcome offer before you submit the application (and have your credit pulled).
- You could be approved for Sapphire Reserve while holding a Sapphire Preferred, and if you weren’t eligible for the welcome offer, you’d be told before you submitted your application.
Thus far, that hasn’t been what’s happened.
First off, there have been a whole slew of people who were auto-declined immediately after applying for the Reserve without getting a pop-up. The reason: they currently have a Sapphire Preferred card (or had one in the past). I haven’t seen any positive data points of folks who are current Preferred cardholders being able to get a new Reserve (although they probably exist). What I have seen is a lot of negative ones.
We’ve also heard from many people who applied for the Reserve, got the pop-up, withdrew their application, but still got a hard pull. Based on what we’re hearing, it seems that, if the reason that you’re not eligible for a welcome offer is that you have received a Sapphire bonus, then you don’t get a credit check if you withdraw your application. However, if the reason is that you’re over 5/24 (have 5+ new personal credit cards from any issuer within the past 24 months), Chase is still doing hard credit checks despite the applicant saying, “No thanks,” and withdrawing their application.
Lastly, there was a spate of folks who withdrew their application after getting the pop-up, but were still approved for the Sapphire Reserve…they got the card even though they didn’t want it. Chase seems to be aware of this issue, is contacting those affected, and has said that anyone who “accidentally” got a card will be able to get the welcome offer. Still, it’s another sign that things aren’t working the way that they should.
Quick Thoughts
We don’t have much additional clarity around the new rules, outside of saying that Chase’s version of the pop-up isn’t very popular.
The new application process obviously has a ton of kinks to work out, and there’s more confusion than there’s ever been about how you know if you’re eligible for a new Sapphire card.
What we can say is:
- If you’ve ever had the Sapphire Reserve, it’s very, very unlikely that you’re going to qualify for the current welcome offer.
- If you currently hold the Sapphire Preferred, the best practice would be to downgrade it to a Freedom Flex or Freedom Unlimited before applying for the Sapphire Reserve.
- None of these eligibility restrictions (outside of 5/24 status) apply to the Sapphire for Business.
It’s disappointing that Chase hasn’t provided clearer guidance around eligibility and application qualifications, especially since many folks seem to be experiencing issues that are the exact opposite of what the bank seemed to say beforehand. Hopefully, both execution and communication improve quickly.
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Chase is doing a great job chasing people away from their Sapphire products!
I have another scenario to add to the list of problems. I sent my wife a CSR referral link on 6/24. It showed the new terms, new bonus, etc. She applied and was approved. However, she got the old card, old signup bonus (60k), and a message saying the new benefits won’t be available until 10/26. I have a screenshot showing all the new terms and the referral link.
Sent Chase a few Secure Messages, and so far I’ve only gotten the run-around.
This is what happens when you use ChatGPT to write code
Do we have data points on whether “ever had a Sapphire Reserve” means had one as a primary cardholder or does it mean even authorized users?
Honestly, Chase deserves to get dragged for this. I wasn’t affected by any of this nonsense because I’m not interest in the crappy refreshed reserve but between the broken pop up, the comically bad couponing, and the lousy welcome offers, it’s enough for me to want to cancel all of my other Chase cards.
Do it.
I’ve seen 2 data points in Facebook groups of people getting the personal CSR while still holding a CSP.
P2 has the CSP with the bonus received about 8 years ago. Got the pop-up on new CSR application so messaged Chase to downgrade the CSP to Freedom Flex and got a message that that wasn’t an option. I had just downgraded my CSP a couple weeks ago to Freedom Flex and then was approved for the 100K offer. Very strange.
Freedom flex is a master card, you need to downgrade to the OG discontinued freedom w/ UR. Its the same rotating category card like the flex but a visa.
Try calling. Others have been able to downgrade and then apply in about 5 days.
I have a CSP (has been open for 3 years) and was approved for a CSR biz card on Monday with the 200k sign up bonus!
The personal and business cards are separate. Having either in no way excludes you from getting the other, the CSP hypothetically prevents you from getting a welcome offer on a personal CSR
Yeah, No pop up and declined because I have a preferred
Can we go back to discussing the Edit because I was beginning to understand that.
LOL!
Here’s a very strange DP!
P2 got the bonus on a Sapphire July 19, 2021 and closed it September 2023. She was approved for the IHG Biz late April, and the United Biz June 20th (less than a week ago). She was also approved for the Aspire that same day, but it hadn’t reported to the Credit Bureaus. This meant P2 was just under 5/24. I knew the Aspire would report soon, so I decided to apply for the CSR on the first day- June 23rd.
The application went pending. I called Recon multiple times, but could never get to anybody with the authority to move credit around to get the CSR approved. I was told multiple times that Recon would call me, but they never did.
I finally got a Notice titled “We did not approve your credit application” and the reason was “Too many recent requests for credit or reviews of your consumer credit”. That made sense since P2 was just approved for 2 Chase cards. I actually got that same notice twice.
But now it’s today (Thrusday), and I thought what the heck- I’ll apply one more time. No pop-up. Went to pending. About an hour later I received an email saying P2 was approved!
I called just to make sure the SUB was on P2’s account, and it is! I activated Apple TV+, and added it to my digital wallet.
Can’t explain what happened, but had a happy ending.
if at 1st you don’t succeed try again with chase. lol
P2 has a CSP and got approved for CSR biz
Nice. With the welcome offer?
yep 200k
Ah, that’s the business card, not the personal. None of those restrictions apply to the business card.
There seem to be lots of data points on reddit of people who have previously had the CSR getting approved for the new one.
Approved with the welcome offer or without?
According to the thread, there are several instant approvals without the pop up. I guess we can’t be sure they will all get the bonus for a month or so.
Yeah, totally. I think there’s probably also some folks who get confused between the Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business. That said, there could certainly be people with the CSR getting approved for the welcome offer. After all, it wouldn’t be the only thing that’s not working as intended. 🙂
Also similar datapoints in DOC comments. It looks as though having a CSR in the past is ok, at least for some, and there is softening on the 48 month rule at least for CSP. Most important factors seem to be no open sapphire product and under 5/24.
I pc’d my CSP on Tuesday and plan to apply for CSR next week. I have previously held a CSR and received a CSP bonus in 11/21. I am under 5/24. So I should be a good datapoint.
P2 had CSR in the past and got approved. Messaged Chase and they indicated that it has the welcome offer
Nice! Two questions:
1) you’re talking about the 100K personal offer and not the 200K business, correct?
2) how long ago did your P2 get the CSR welcome bonus and how long ago did they cancel?
CSR was launched in August 2016, just a little shy of 9 full years. I don’t understand how could you received CSR welcome bonus 10+ years ago.
I don’t have records. It’s a guess. I could message Chase to find out.
nice photo of Greg.
Have CSP – and after reading DOC and here? thought maybe I should apply for CSR anyway – never had CSR bonus (had card as AU).
Read further on DOC, and figure there was a good risk I would just get denied w/o the popup
Then I thought, Yeah, the 100k + $500 points would be nice, but no need for it right now ; waiting to apply for Hyatt and other cards anyway. Got sufficient stash of Hyatt and UR points right now.
I want to cancel csr and get csp. Am I eligible for csp bonus if I haven’t received one in over 48 months?
yes, you should be.cancel the CSR, wait a month? (Maybe only need a few days…but I’d err on side of caution personally)
Yes,I’d just downgrade it to a chase unlimited or flex and get the prorated fee back. Then wait 5 days.
Or is the photo of Greg reviewing which Marriott properties actually offer the elite breakfast benefit.