The Chase 5/24 rule limits new card sign-ups for consumers who have had five or more new credit cards within the last 24 months. This rule applies to credit cards from all issuers, and not just from Chase.
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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best credit card from Chase, due to its generous rewards rate, huge sign-up bonus and affordable annual fee.
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Sign-up bonus: 60,000 bonus points
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best Chase credit card for most people, since it lets you earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points without paying a high annual fee. And though this card doesn’t come with the same luxury perks as pricier travel cards, it does offer an annual hotel credit and generous travel insurance.
You can transfer the flexible rewards points to Chase partners, or use them to book travel directly through Chase.
Who’s this card best for?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great option if you want to earn travel rewards, but don’t want to be tied to a particular airline or hotel brand. Points can be redeemed for a variety of travel needs, including airfare, hotels, rental cars and more. It’s also a good pick if you want to earn high-value travel rewards and get travel perks without paying an exorbitant fee. Further, while the card does come with a $95 annual fee, that’s still a lot cheaper than many other travel cards.
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$300 annual travel credit
You’ll receive up to a $300 statement credit reimbursement for travel purchases each anniversary year
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with luxury travel benefits like a Priority Pass™ Select airport lounge membership, a fee credit for Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck and a $300 annual travel credit. You can transfer points to Chase airline and hotel partners or book travel through Chase, as you’ll earn up to 10x points on travel purchases and up to 3x points on dining out. Cardholders also get VIP access to special events.
This card also offers many other travel benefits, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance and purchase protection.
Who’s this card best for?
If you’re looking for a luxury travel card with a lucrative sign-up bonus, generous rewards rate and premium benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a great fit. The card gives you 50% more value from your rewards when you redeem them for airfare, hotels, car rentals or cruises via Chase’s travel portal.
And although there’s a hefty annual fee of $550, the annual travel credit offsets a large chunk of the cost. So if you’re planning on taking advantage of the many benefits that come with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the price of the card is well worth it.
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Sign-up bonus: 90,000 bonus points
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers an exceptional earning rate of 3X points on up to $150,000 in annual spending in popular business categories (then 1X points). This card also comes with a generous sign-up bonus that’s worth $1,125 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
Who’s this card best for?
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card could be a great fit for many small business owners, especially those who have a lot of business travel expenses. This card lets you earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases-with no limit to the amount you can earn.
The card also offers a variety of benefits to help you manage your business finances, including the ability to easily track expenses and maintain records for tax reporting and other business needs. You can also add employee cards at no additional cost.
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Earn 1.5% cash back on groceries
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the best Chase credit card for earning cash back, as it offers a generous flat rate of rewards on all purchases and bonus rewards in several different categories. In addition to earning 1.5% cash back on everything, cardholders earn 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases and 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase.
Who’s this card best for?
If you want to earn a solid cash back rate in popular spending categories like dining, drugstores and travel, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card could be a good fit. In addition, the card offers a higher cash back rate on general purchases than most other cash back credit cards.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is also ideal if you need to finance a large purchase and pay it off over time — the card comes with a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months; after that, a regular APR of 19.99% - 28.74% Variable applies.
Plus, it also has a 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months. After the intro period ends, the regular APR will be 19.99% - 28.74% Variable.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn 5% cash back on quarterly rotating categories
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers an exceptional earning rate of 5% cash back in rotating quarterly categories (on up to $1,500 in spending per quarter), plus bonus rewards on dining, drugstores and Chase travel purchases. There’s a $0 annual fee, and cardholders even get an intro APR offer that applies to purchases and balance transfers. Rewards are also flexible since you can redeem for travel through Chase, cash back, gift cards, merchandise and more.
Who’s this card best for?
If you don’t mind keeping track of bonus categories each quarter, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ provides a great opportunity to earn a large amount of cash back rewards. In addition to offering an accelerated cash back rate in ongoing categories like travel, dining and drugstore purchases, cardholders earn a generous cash back rate in categories that rotate quarterly, like grocery stores and select streaming services.
Just know that you’ll need to activate the bonus category each quarter to earn the 5% cash back rate on those purchases, and that rate will be capped at $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Start building credit while earning 1.5% cash back on all purchases
The Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card is a newer Chase credit card, one that’s geared to individuals who need to build credit for the first time. It’s easily one of the top credit-building cards on the market today: There’s no annual fee, and it earns a flat rate of 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Cardholders can even earn a $25 cash bonus for enrolling in automatic payments. Plus, it’s an unsecured card, so there’s no requirement for a security deposit as collateral.
Who’s this card best for?
Applicants have a better chance of being approved if they open a Chase bank account and deposit at least $250 before they apply. That makes the Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card best for consumers who already bank with Chase, or those who are willing to open and fund a checking or savings account to increase their approval odds.
Further, the Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card is a great option for credit newcomers who want to earn rewards on their spending while building credit for the future. With enough on-time payments on the card and responsible use of all other available credit, you can be upgraded to the Chase Freedom Unlimited® automatically.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro APR length: 18 months
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. Then, a 19.99% – 28.74% variable APR applies.
The Chase Slate Edge℠ is the Chase credit card with the longest intro offer for balance transfers — this means you’ll have more time to pay down debt at a lower interest rate. (That intro offer applies to purchases, too.) Cardholders also have the potential to qualify for a higher credit limit over time.
Who’s this card best for?
If you have a large amount of high-interest credit card debt, the Chase Slate Edge℠ may be ideal, since it offers a long 0% intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers, then 19.99% – 28.74% Variable APR on purchases and 19.99% – 28.74% Variable APR on balance transfers. It’s also a good choice if you want to finance a big purchase and pay it off over time.
But if you want to earn miles, points or cash back for the purchases you make, a rewards credit card may be a better fit.
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Sign-up bonus: 20,000 bonus miles
The United Gateway℠ Card is a good option for gas, since it offers 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, at gas stations and on local transit and commuting. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. This airline credit card is also one of the few that charges a $0 annual fee, and miles earned can be used to book flights with United and its Star Alliance partners.
Who’s this card best for?
The United Gateway℠ Card is a solid choice for somewhat infrequent flyers who want to begin racking up miles for award flights. This card charges a $0 annual fee, so it’s a good option if you don’t want to pay to earn travel rewards. Cardholders even get a 25% back as a statement credit on in-flight purchases with the card, and the United Gateway℠ Card has a $0 foreign transaction fee.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Receive one free night at any Category 1–4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card stands out due to its generous rewards rate and bonus offer that’s worth several free nights right off the bat. Cardholders get automatic Silver Elite status with the card, as well as the chance to work toward higher levels of elite status through credit card spending. And while the card does have a $95 annual fee, users get a free night award (up to 35,000 points) each year they renew their card.
Who’s this card best for?
Because the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card earns Marriott Bonvoy points that are redeemable for hotel stays around the world, this card is geared to people who stay in hotels often and enjoy vacationing with the Marriott brand. Regular travelers who want to have some elite status perks from day one can also benefit from this card, as well as individuals who spend a lot with Marriott and want to boost the number of points they earn when they do.
The card’s sign-up bonus also makes it ideal for consumers who want to earn a few free hotel nights during their first year of card membership.
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Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here. Apply Now
While a $525 annual fee applies, the United Club℠ Infinite Card does come with United Club membership — which is worth up to $650. Cardholders get the chance to earn generous rewards on United purchases, travel and dining, and they can even earn Premier qualifying points toward their elite status goals. The card also comes with a range of airline-specific benefits, including first and second checked bags free, 25% back on eligible in-flight purchases, a fee credit toward Global Entry, NEXUS or TSA PreCheck membership and more.
Who’s this card best for?
This card is best for individuals who fly with United and its Star Alliance partners often, especially those who want a United Club membership. The United Club℠ Infinite Card is also geared to individuals who want to have generous frequent flyer benefits and some help working toward elite status in the United MileagePlus program.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Welcome Offer | Annual Fee | Rewards Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
Overall
|
Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel℠ value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That's worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year. | $95 | 1X - 5X points
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
|
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
Luxury Travel
|
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $550 | 1X - 10X points
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
|
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
Business
|
Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $95 | 1x - 3x points
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
|
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
cash
|
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | $0 | 1.5% - 5% cash back
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
|
Chase Freedom Flex℠*
|
rotating
|
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $0 | 1% - 5% cash back
| |
|
Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card*
Learn More
on Chase's secure site |
card for beginners
|
Earn a $25 statement credit after signing up for automatic payments within the first three months of opening your account. With automatic payments, just pick a date and dollar amount to make sure your Credit Card gets paid on time. | $0 | 1.5% cash back
|
Learn More
on Chase's secure site |
|
Chase Slate Edge℠*
|
Balance transfer
|
N/A | $0 | N/A | |
|
United Gateway℠ Card
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
gas credit card
|
Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. | $0 | 1x - 2x miles
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
|
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card*
|
hotel credit card
|
Earn 125,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening. | $95 | 2X - 17X points
| |
|
United Club℠ Infinite Card
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
airline credit card
|
Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | $525 | 1x - 4x miles
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site |
Several Chase credit cards require a credit score of 660 or higher, which is just below where the “good” credit score range begins with FICO Scores. However, the best travel and rewards credit cards from Chase require a credit score of 720 or higher, which is considered “very good.”
If your credit score isn’t quite high enough to qualify for most Chase cards, see if you can qualify for the Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card, or see what other credit cards can help you build credit. You can improve your credit with responsible use with the goal of getting one of the top Chase cards in the future.
The following steps can help improve your credit or your approval odds for Chase cards:
The best Chase card for you depends on a range of factors. For example, you’ll need to take your credit score into account to figure out which Chase credit cards you can qualify for. You also need to decide on the type of rewards you want to earn, the Chase credit card benefits you want to have and whether you’re willing to pay an annual fee.
Find the right Chase credit card for your needs with the following tips:
DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF CREDIT CARD YOU WANT
Before you can decide on the best Chase credit card for your wallet, you’ll need to determine the type of card you want. This could be a cash back credit card if you want to earn basic rewards you can redeem for statement credits or gift cards, or an airline credit card or hotel credit card associated with your favorite brand. You could also opt for a general travel credit card with transferable points if you prefer flexibility.
Chase even offers balance transfer credit cards and credit-building cards for new credit users. The chart below gives some basic card recommendations for different types of users.
What type of card user are you?
| Type of user | Consider |
|---|---|
| You want to earn points that you can use with any hotel or airline. | General travel card (Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card) |
| You want the simplest, most flexible rewards possible. | Cash back credit card (Chase Freedom Unlimited®) |
| You're collecting miles with a particular airline, or could use perks like free checked bags and lounge access. | Airline credit card (United Club℠ Infinite Card) |
| You frequently stay at a hotel chain and could use perks like elite status and free hotel night certificates. | Hotel credit card (Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card) |
| You're trying to pay down a balance on another credit card. | Balance transfer credit card (Chase Slate Edge℠) |
| You want to finance a large purchase. | 0% APR credit card (Chase Slate Edge℠) |
| You need a card to make purchases for your small business. | Business credit card (Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card) |
FIND REWARDS THAT MATCH YOUR SPENDING PATTERNS
Make sure you pick a card that offers more rewards in categories you typically spend the most in, whether that includes groceries, gas, dining out, travel or another category. This will help you earn more rewards over time, which is the main point of signing up for a rewards credit card in the first place.
You can even pair together a few different Chase credit cards, so you can earn even more rewards on all your spending and bills. Just make sure to keep annual fees in mind (if they apply), and come up with a strategy for when you’ll use different cards and how you’ll keep track of your spending on each one.
| Popular bonus categories | Best cards |
|---|---|
| Dining | |
| Gas | |
| Groceries | |
| Travel |
DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO PAY AN ANNUAL FEE
Some Chase credit cards have a high annual fee, yet these fees can be worth it if you’re able to use the perks or earn more in rewards than the fee is worth. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a $550 annual fee, yet it also has a $300 annual travel credit, a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck, NEXUS or Global Entry membership and a Priority Pass™ Select membership worth $469. If you use all of these benefits, you’re getting $869 in value from the card without even taking the rewards you earn into account.
CONSIDER OTHER CARD BENEFITS
Chase credit cards are also known for their incredible benefits, which can include travel and purchase protections and other benefits that make travel more affordable and comfortable. Consider the following perks you can get with certain Chase credit cards.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards® program is one of the most flexible credit card programs out there, and that’s especially true if you have a Chase travel credit card. There are several reasons this is the case, including the fact that Chase credit cards let you pool all your points in a single account for better redemption options.
Chase travel credit cards let users transfer their points to a variety of airline and hotel partners, and users can also redeem their points for travel through the Chase portal, sometimes for up to 25% to 50% more value, depending on the card.
You don’t have to redeem for Chase Ultimate Rewards® points for travel if you don’t want to. These points can also be used for cash back, statement credits, gift cards or merchandise — this means you won’t be stuck with unusable rewards.
Ultimate Rewards points have a relatively high potential point value. Most options, including cash back, will net you 1 cent per point. You can get a 25% to 50% bonus on those points with some cards if you redeem through Chase TravelSM. You’ll get the most value (around 2 cents per point or possibly higher) by transferring them to hotel and airline loyalty program partners via a premium Chase travel card.
Value of 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points
You may already know that Chase’s travel cards earn points. However, it may be news to you that Chase’s cash back cards also earn Ultimate Rewards points that you can pool with your Chase travel cards.
All the cards below earn points that fall within the Chase Ultimate Rewards® program:
Chase offers a great lineup of hotel and airline programs that you can transfer points to at a 1:1 ratio. Note that the same transfer partners apply to all travel credit cards from Chase.
Applying for several Chase credit cards can be a good idea, provided you can keep track of balances and payments and avoid paying interest on your purchases. After all, having multiple Chase credit cards gives you the chance to maximize bonus rewards in each of the categories your selection of cards offer. From there, you can pool all your points in a single account to get better redemptions.
The Chase Trifecta is popular for this reason. With the three cards involved (the Chase Freedom Flex℠, Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card), cardholders can rotate cards to get the highest point value on every purchase.
For example, you could:
From there, you can move all your points to your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card account. This would let you get 25% more value for your rewards if you redeem them for travel through Chase. It also unlocks the option to transfer points to Chase airline and hotel partners.
| Comparison categories | Chase Freedom Unlimited alone | Chase Trifecta |
|---|---|---|
| Rewards earned on $3,000 in dining | 9,000 points | 9,000 points |
| Rewards earned on $1,300 in groceries (frequent quarterly category for Chase Freedom Flex℠) | 1,950 points | 6,500 points |
| Rewards earned on $500 in gas (frequent quarterly category for Chase Freedom Flex℠) | 750 points | 2,500 points |
| Rewards earned on $1,400 in travel not booked through Chase | 2,100 points | 2,800 points |
| Rewards earned on $13,800 in other spend | 20,700 points | 20,700 points |
| Total points | 34,500 | 41,500 |
| Target redemption option | Cash back ($0.01 per point) | Transfer points to Southwest airlines (average point value = $0.014) |
| Redemption value | $345 | $581 |
| Value minus annual fee | $345 | $486 |
| Other travel benefits |
|
|
It really depends on the credit card you want. If you’re looking for flexible travel rewards and excellent travel benefits, Chase travel cards are some of the best on the market. Chase also offers some of the best co-branded airline and hotel cards.
If you’re new to credit cards and building credit, but you still want to earn rewards, Chase has one of the best options out there. If you’re looking for a business card for regular business expenses, or you want a business travel card, Chase has some high-value options.
However, if you want to rebuild your credit, looking for a secured card or certain types of balance transfer cards, you may find better options elsewhere. Determine what you need from a card before making a final decision on the issuer.
Before you choose a Chase credit card, make sure you know about potential advantages and disadvantages. The following pros and cons apply to these cards.
The Chase 5/24 rule limits new card sign-ups for consumers who have had five or more new credit cards within the last 24 months. This rule applies to credit cards from all issuers, and not just from Chase.
You can activate your new Chase credit card by calling the number that’s listed on the sticker on the front of your card. You may also be able to activate your card online. Check to see if your card has a sticker with a secured website link (chase.com/activate, for example).
Some Chase credit cards charge foreign transaction fees — however, this mostly applies to cash back credit cards from the issuer, like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. Chase travel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card don’t charge foreign transaction fees.
Chase doesn’t offer a secured credit card, but many other card issuers do. If you need a secured credit card because you have a low credit score or no credit at all, you may want to check out our picks for the best secured credit cards and see if one is right for you.
Chase credit cards typically arrive in the mail within seven to 10 days after you’re approved.
You can use your Chase account for purchases before you get the physical card in the mail — you’ll just need to add your card to a digital wallet like Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay.
To select the best Chase credit card, our credit card experts compared the leading credit cards offered on Chase’s site and LendingTree.com, including cash back cards, business cards, travel cards and more. Although we primarily focused on Chase-branded cards, we also considered Chase co-branded credit cards.
Ultimately, we chose our top picks based on a variety of factors, including rewards value, the amount of the sign-up bonus, the annual fee and more. We also looked at the benefits offered by each card, such as purchase protection, travel insurance and complimentary lounge access.
The information related to the Chase Freedom Flex℠, Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card, Chase Slate Edge℠ and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
