Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is happening now! Follow us as Greg, Nick, and Stephen compete to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines before November 23rd. Who will complete the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
Through May 25th, Chase is offering enhanced bonuses for their Ink Cash and Ink Plus business credit cards. Both cards earn valuable Ultimate Rewards points. The Ink Plus has the added ability to transfer points to airline and hotel programs or to use for 1.25 cents per point value towards Ultimate Rewards Travel purchases. The Ink Cash points can gain these abilities too if you (or your significant other) also have a premium card such as the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Plus. The trick is to simply move your points from the Ink Cash account to the premium account before using the points.
The current offer details are as follows:
- Ink Plus: 60,000 bonus points after $5K spend within 3 months of account opening. With the online offer, the $95 annual fee is not waived the first year. In-branch, you may be able to get the fee waived first year.
- Ink Cash: 30,000 bonus points after $3K spend within 3 months of account opening. No annual fee.
You can find both offers and more details on my Best Offers Page. Information about how to sign up for these cards and whether you might be eligible can be found here: How to sign up for Chase Ink cards.
Signing up for more than one
I often get asked variations on the question “I already have an Ink card, can I sign up for another one?” There are two important aspects to this question, the first is whether or not Chase will allow a person to have multiple Ink cards. The second, is whether or not a person can get the signup bonus again.
Here are the rules, as I believe them to be, based on my own experience and input from readers. I have absolutely no inside information from Chase about any of this. Also note that when I say that a person can signup for one or more cards, I’m not suggesting that they would be approved for each card. That depends upon each person’s situation. So, without further ado, the rules as I believe them to be…
Get a new Ink card without cancelling old cards:
- A person can have, and get the signup bonus, for each variant of Ink: Ink Plus, Ink Cash, and previously available cards: Ink Bold and Ink Classic. So, for example, someone who already has the old Ink Bold and Ink Classic cards could signup now for the Ink Plus and Ink Cash.
- A person with multiple businesses can have, and get the signup bonus, for each business and each card type. For example, a person with two businesses could signup for two of each type of card: Ink Plus for business 1, Ink Plus for business 2, Ink Cash business 1, and Ink Cash business 2.
- A person can have, and get the signup bonus, for each generation of Ink. Ink cards used to be issued as MasterCards, but are now issued as Visa cards. So, a person with an Ink Plus MasterCard, for example, could now signup for the Ink Plus Visa.
For all of the above “rules”, it is not necessary to first cancel your existing Ink card. That said, it might help your chances of approval to either cancel first if you don’t need the card or be ready to cancel, if necessary, during a reconsideration phone call. Note that I said “might” — It’s really just a guess on my part.
Get a new Ink card after cancelling an old card:
- If you plan to sign up for the exact same type of card that you’ve had before, and assign it to the same business as before, then you need to make sure the old card has been cancelled and wait 24 months after having previously received a signup bonus for that card. This rule is listed here just for completeness. The truth is that if anyone earned a signup bonus 24 months ago from the time of this writing, then that would have been for the MasterCard version of the card anyway, so it should be safe to signup for the same card again since it is now issued as a Visa card (see rule 3, above).
Caution: The “rules” described above may or may not be correct (as I said, they are derived from personal experience and reader input, not from official word from Chase). More importantly and more likely: the rules could change at any time.
See also:
- How to sign up for Chase Ink cards
- Considering and Reconsidering Ink
- The Missing Ink
- A quick guide to transferable points programs
- Best credit card combos: Ultimate Rewards
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
Some of the comments from “business owners” here are humorous to those of us who actually have legitimate enterprises. Folks, if you don’t have 1099’s or some other document proving you have a small business (and the associated income), then be content with the personal cards and don’t complain about the “rude” questions asked of you by the CSRs. I know I’m the spoilsport here, but what we regard as a game or a hobby is an actual business for the folks at Chase.
Just being a realist here.
I must have had the same person as Valerie. This was my second churn and first time going for a Chase business card. I got a CSP in churn 1. I thought I would be fine as I have a legitimate side hustle doing lectures here and there at universities. Granted, I do it sparingly and not for much money, but I earned at least $1,000 in a year. I also had the impression that business and personal cards were two completely separate animals.
However, the rep I called immediately flagged that I had applied for Chase United and the Ink. Both were to be declined on account of opening too many accounts and too many inquiries (I was 3 for 3 in churn 1). I got her to approve the Chase United, but she wouldn’t budge on the Ink. Said the revenue was too low, and I got the impression that she may not have believed that I actually have the side hustle.
When I called rep 2, she simply read back rep 1’s note and said if I’m really interested I could submit tax info from my business.
Do you think it’s worth it for me to keep pushing? I don’t see any drawbacks. I suppose if I’m rejected I can just try again during churn 3 in 3 months or churn 4 in 6 months. I need 210,000 United miles/UR for next spring, and the wife and my United cards will only provide 120,000. I figure with the Ink we can get up to 180,000 and then 5x MS our way up to 210,000. Wife also got her CSP in churn 1, so we are running out heavy hitting UR options.
I don’t see any downside to trying again.
[…] Ink Rules: Options for getting additional 60K and 30K Ink Plus and Ink Cash bonuses – Everything you need to know about getting multiple Chase Ink cards and bonuses. […]
Ok, I have been reading all your blog postings about the Ink cards and have really been wanting to get one for the 5x spend options. I finally decided to jump on it when I read about the increased sign-up of 30,000 UR points until 5/25 on the Ink Cash, and the fact that there is no annual fee is a huge bonus! I filled out the app as you advised in your blog posting and got an application pending, of course. Called in 2 days later to check on it and was asked lots of questions. I stated my business is just starting up and I will be selling jewelry/potted plants via consignment shop and Etsy. Was told I’ve had too many recent inquiries and my business is too new/insufficient revenue. I was so disappointed! Decided to call back 2 days later and got a very rude woman who was reading back all of the notes from my previous call! It was pretty nerve-racking! I mentioned my long standing relationship with Chase (checking account for 7+ years), 2 car loans, credit cards all paid on time, etc and my credit score is 766. I am frustrated and disappointed and not sure if there is anything else I should do. I don’t want to miss out on the increased offer and really want to get my hands on this Ink card. I’ve read others have called back over and over and talked to other agents until finally they get someone nice and they get approved. I am nervous to do that after this 2nd call and the woman is reading over the notes on my account. Any advice would be much appreciated!!! Thanks.
Chase definitely seems to have made it harder to get Ink cards in the past year or so! In the past, some have had success in calling multiple times to ask for approval, but there’s obviously no guarantee that that will happen. It may be that you just need more time to develop your business before trying again.
Had a reasonably easy reconsideration call with them today getting an Ink Classic even though I currently have both Ink Plus and SW Biz Card. In reading the terms, however, I noticed the following wording in the “replying to this offer” section. “Chase cardmembers who currently have or have had a Chase credit card in any Rewards Program associated with this offer, may not be eligible for a second Chase credit card in the same Rewards Program”. Like I said, they approved me even though I have both an Ink Plus and Sapphire Preferred currently, but the wording scared me.
I’m pretty sure that is not enforced.
Yes, I had one of those longer conversations about my business when I recently applied for the Chase United business card. In the end I was denied (first time ever by Chase) because the rep said too many recent accounts open. I was surprised because I haven’t opened all that many cards in the last six months, they’ve never questioned anything before, and I even offered to close one of my two Ink accounts and just transfer the credit line. I felt like I had accidentally called Barclay 😉 Oh well, wait a few months and try again.
Chase denied me for a United card as well, even though I was responding to a targeted app. They probably had some internal issues with the airline at the time, and didn’t want to expand that product.
I’ve currently cot a MasterCard version of the Ink card and have met my full $50k spending at the 5x bonus category stores (I think mine resets in June). Seems like it might be a decent time for me to cancel that one and apply for new Ink card since it will be Visa?
Yes, that should work. You could even keep the old MasterCard if you want to AND apply for a new card.
I did that once. Was not a pleasant call. Got approved for the other Ink so it ended well. Being a different product was not the issue. What the rep wanted to know was why I needed two cards because my charges were not significant enough on the first one (after receiving the bonus). The generic explanation, wanting to separate expenses, etc didn’t fly too well. After 15 minutes of back and forth, I was exhausted mentally. She finally relented after I said, you know, I gave it my best shot. Apparently she like that. Looking back, don’t put yourself through an interrogation. Just call back if it becomes too heated. You might have success with another rep.
In my personal experience, Chase limits signup bonuses to one per person from each card, irrespective of how many businesses you may have. So I have not been able to get approved for the same Ink Plus (with signup bonus) for my Business 2, as I already it for Business 1. Several recon phone agents have confirmed this. Anyone have a different experience?
I was once approved for two Ink Plus cards in one day. I used an EIN for one business and my SSN for the other business. I received the signup bonus on each. It could be that if you use the same EIN or SSN then you would only get one bonus.
Thought you had to put your SSN on each application regardless, even if you put an EIN on one. Maybe I’m thinking of another issuer.
You do have to put in your SSN for each application, but you also have to put in a business tax identification number. This can be your SSN if you have a sole proprietorship or a business EIN.
So basically you can’t get multiple Ink cards for multiple businesses you own.
I have a half dozen businesses and would love to get the bonus over and over in a short span but it doesn’t sound like it is possible.
You should be able to get 1 Ink Plus and 1 Ink Cash for each business (assuming you can get approved for each)
If you’re going to apply for one of Chase’s business cards be prepared to answer questions about your business with a Chase agent. Sometimes they can be very stingy about approving you and at other times they are fine. Most do not get instant approvals and end up having to speak with an agent.
That’s true. With my wife’s accounts, I’ve had good luck applying and simply waiting for a letter to see if she was approved or not. Each time, she was approved without a lengthy conversation. With my own accounts, I always call and have those lengthy conversations.
I’ve noticed an increased “stinginess” over the past year – my experience is not unique.
After successfully applying for several ink cards, I tried to get another when the MC/Visa change occurred. I called back and spoke with 4 agents, and though one of them was curious why I already had 3 Ink cards, the only thing they all said was “your business revenue is too low” despite my listed revenue being higher than any previous application.