Advertiser Disclosure
Credit Card Insider is an independent, advertising supported website. Credit Card Insider receives compensation from some credit card issuers as advertisers. Advertiser relationships do not affect card ratings or our Editor’s Best Card Picks. Credit Card Insider has not reviewed all available credit card offers in the marketplace. Content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuers. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information, though all credit card information is presented without warranty. When you click on any ‘Apply Now’ button, the most up-to-date terms and conditions, rates, and fee information will be presented by the issuer. Credit Card Insider has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Credit Card Insider and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. A list of these issuers can be found on our Editorial Guidelines.
Chase Credit Cards
4 min read
Chase is a prominent credit card issuer that’s perhaps most known for its travel-focused Sapphire cards and Freedom cash back cards.
Credit Card Insider receives compensation from advertisers whose products may be mentioned on this page. Advertiser relationships do not affect card evaluations. Advertising partners do not edit or endorse our editorial content. Content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when it's published. Learn more in our Editorial Guidelines.
There’s a wide variety of Chase credit cards, mostly designed for people with great credit history and credit scores.
Chase also offers several business credit cards for small business owners under the Chase Ink Business brand.
For Travel Rewards
These cards do not have foreign transaction fees, which should be expected on travel credit cards with an annual fee. They’re part of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program. Ultimate Rewards points are most valuable when you redeem for travel purchases through the Ultimate Rewards portal or a point transfer to a partner travel program, like a hotel loyalty program.
Each card has an opportunity to earn bonus points for spending a certain amount within the first few months of account opening. These credit cards even offer primary car rental insurance, a valuable perk that could help keep your insurance payments low.
This popular metal travel card earns 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on restaurant and travel purchases. You’ll also get a few solid benefits, primarily travel and shopping protections.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the best Chase credit cards, offering cardholders perks like an annual travel credit, a fee credit towards a Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ application, and many other benefits. Cardmembers will also enjoy a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership.
For Cash Back Rewards
Chase offers two rewards credit cards that earn cash back with no annual fee. Each of these Chase cards also comes with an intro APR for the first year, which can be used for balance transfers or to pay off purchases over time. After that you’ll get a regular variable APR.
The Chase Freedom Flex card offers 5% back for eligible card purchases on bonus categories that rotate every quarter. Recent bonus categories have included grocery stores, gas stations, department stores, and wholesale clubs.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 5% cash back on Lyft rides and travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. You’ll get 3% cash back at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% back for all other purchases.
For Students
Chase only has one student card. It’s pretty simple but not a bad offering overall, with some cash back rewards and the opportunity to easily increase your credit limit.
Chase Freedom Student
Details
- 5% cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2022)
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
- $50 bonus after first purchase within 3 months of account opening
- Must be a student to apply
- Automatic credit limit increase after 5 on-time payments within 10 months of account opening
- Points do not expire
- No annual fee
Co-Branded Hotel & Airline Cards
Chase offers several airline and hotel rewards cards with partner brands to help cardmembers earn travel rewards on purchases like airfare and hotel stays.
British Airways / Aer Lingus / Iberia
Hyatt
Marriott
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Details
- Earn Companion Pass® through 2/28/2022 plus 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- With Companion Pass®, every time you fly, your friend can too.
- 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary each year.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases.
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
- Your points never expire, a benefit of the Rapid Rewards® program.
United Airlines
What Are the Best Chase Credit Cards?
That depends — how do you spend your money, and what are you looking for in a credit card? If you’d like to earn travel rewards, try the Chase Sapphire cards. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Review) delivers strong rewards and point transfer opportunities for a reasonable annual fee, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Review) adds a premium tilt with better rewards and top-tier benefits at a higher price tag.
If you’re not huge on travel, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ (Review) and Chase Freedom Unlimited® (Review) are worth a look. They’re both strong cash back credit cards with no annual fee, but the Flex focuses on quarterly rotating categories, while the Unlimited offers a few permanent categories and 1.5% cash back on everything else.
Last, but certainly not least, Chase issues a plethora of co-branded airline and hotel cards. If you’re a frequent traveler who doesn’t mind brand loyalty, they might be worth a look — particularly top picks like the United℠ Explorer Card (Review) and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Review).
What Benefits Do Chase Credit Cards Provide?
Chase offers a set of features that come standard with their credit cards, including:
- Chase Credit Journey: Chase offers free credit scores to help you keep tabs on your credit. View your VantageScore 3.0, based on your TransUnion credit report, and see data from that report.
- Referral Bonuses: Some cards offer bonus rewards for referring friends who successfully apply for Chase cards.
- Zero Liability Protection: You won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges.
- Fraud Alerts: Sign up to get notified of any possibly fraudulent card activity.
- Fraud Protection: Real-time fraud monitoring software to help protect your account.
What Credit Scores Do You Need to Get a Chase Credit Card?
Most Chase credit cards are intended for those with good credit scores. That’s a FICO score of at least 670.
There are a few exceptions.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Review) targets individuals with excellent credit. FICO scores above 740 or so should do the trick.
Then there’s the Chase Freedom Student. Like most student-focused credit cards, it’s tailored for those with limited or no credit.
Keep in mind that your credit alone may not be enough for approval. You’ll generally also have to make enough money and have a low enough debt load that the issuer isn’t worried you’ll be unable to make payments.
Are There Chase Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees?
Yes! Unsurprisingly, most are designed for frequent travelers.
Options include:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Review)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Review)
- British Airways Visa Signature® Card (Review)
- Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card
- Iberia Visa Signature® Card
- World of Hyatt Credit Card (Review)
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card (Review)
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Review)
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card (Review)
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (Review)
- United℠ Explorer Card (Review)
- United Club℠ Infinite Card (Review)
What’s the Chase 5/24 Rule?
The Chase 5/24 rule is an unspoken — and therefore unconfirmed — rule that reportedly applies to the Chase card application process (more general information on the credit card application process here).
The rule goes like this: If you’ve opened five or more credit cards that appear on your personal credit reports in the past 24 months, Chase will deny your application. Pretty simple. The rule was likely designed to mitigate lending risk on Chase’s part while curbing singup bonus abuse.
Because the rule is unconfirmed, there are reports that it doesn’t always hold true. So, if you really want a Chase card but you’ve already opened five accounts in the last two years, you could still give the application a shot (you may need to call the reconsideration line after applying). Just make sure you’re using your credit cards responsibly.
John Ganotis
John is committed to helping people understand how credit works and use it to their advantage. Since 2007, when he first worked in the finance industry, he’s been building his credit knowledge. It’s his mission to communicate this knowledge clearly to everyone who’s willing to learn, constantly improving the guides and reviews on Credit Card Insider since 2012. He knows firsthand how easy it is to accumulate credit card debt, the challenge of paying it off completely, and the satisfaction of using credit to his advantage. John is devoted to making Credit Card Insider the best resource for those looking to understand credit and use credit cards as a powerful tool rather than fear them.
Do you have a correction, tip, or suggestion for a new post? Contact us here.
The responses below are not provided or commissioned by bank advertisers. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by bank advertisers. It is not the bank advertisers' responsibility to ensure all posts are accurate and/or questions are answered.
