Last year Chase added some new language to cards (chase pop up jail). Normally the language on these offers says something like ‘It looks like you’re not eligible for a bonus on <card name>. This can happen if you’ve already held or received a bonus for this card. Current holders of personal Chase Sapphire cards are also ineligible.’ Earlier this year we got some clarification on the rules for Sapphire cards stating ‘The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you currently have any other personal Sapphire cards open, previously held this card or received a new cardmember bonus for this card. We may also consider the number of cards you have opened and closed, as well as other factors in determining your bonus eligibility.’
American Express has similar language and they consider a lifetime to be 5-6 years. It wasn’t clear if Chase had a similar end date to lifetime language or it was a true once per lifetime deal. It does seem like it’s similar to American Express and you can get the bonus again even if you’ve had it before but we don’t know the specific timeframe yet. A few things to consider:
- Chase 5/24 rule still applies
- You cannot be a current cardholder
Data Points
TPG first shared some broad data points and their takeaways were that people that were eligible first applied in 2010-2012 when the Chase Sapphire Preferred first launched and canceled by 2016/2017 when the Chase Sapphire Reserve launched.
Did Work
- 7 years
- Last got the bonus 10 years ago in June 2016 and account was closed a year or so after. Currently have the CSR as well.
- Opened CSP in April 2016 and closed 4-5 years later, approved with bonus in July 2026
- Worked:
- Opened CSP got the SUB in 2014
- Product Changed CSP to Freedom Visa in 2016
- Opened CSR got that SUB 2016
- Product Changed CSR to second Freedom Visa in November 2025
- Waited 1 week, applied for CSP and qualified for SUB again
- Worked:
- CSR 1 Issued: 02/2017
Received Bonus: 05/2017
Product Changed to CFU: 03/2021 - CSP Issued: 07/2021
Bonus Received: 08/2021
Product Changed to CFU: 09/2023 - CSR 2 Issued : 06/2025
Received Bonus: 07/2025
Closed: 07/2026
- CSR 1 Issued: 02/2017
Didn’t Work
- 4 years
- Opened 2016, closed 2017
- Last bonus 2021
- 4+ years
- 2021
- Opened July 2020, closed June 2021
- Opened in 2019, closed October 2020
- Opened in November 2019, upgraded to CSR March 2022 and denied for bonus on July 25, 2026
- Opened in September 2016, closed in April 2022. Ineligible for new bonus in June 2026
- Opened October 2018 on CSR, popup on application June 2026
- P2 had CSP approved late 2016, closed late 2017, denied for CSP in June 2026
- First got CSR Nov 2016, downgraded to a Freedom card 2020. Popup for June 2026 application.
- Approved for CSR in Jan 17, downgraded to CFF a year later, still open. Pop up jail for a new CSR in June 26
- CSP opened 5/2016 with bonus. Downgraded to different card 1 year later
- Didn’t work
- Opened CSP September 2016, downgraded to CFU July 2017.
- Opened CSR January 2017, downgraded to CFF October 2017.
- Opened CSP November 2021, downgraded to CF September 2024.
- Attempted applications for CSR in January 2026 and April 2026. Popup jail.
- Attempted application for CSP in July 2026. Popup jail.
- Didn’t work:
- 2017 Got CSR w/ 100k bonus
- 2020 Downgrade to F (still have)
- 2026 Applied for CSP, ‘not eligible’
- Didn’t work:
- opened 8/2017, received bonus
- Upgraded to CSR 12/2019, received bonus
- Not eligible for new CSP, 9 years later
Sharing Your Data Points
If you’d like to share your data points then the following are most helpful:
- When you were approved for your second CSP (e.g we only want data points from people that have been approved since the new language was added and had a Chase Sapphire Preferred in the past)
- When you first applied for and were approved for first the card
- When you canceled your first card card
Our Verdict
As always please share your data points so we can get further clarity.
CLEARLY……..considering this whole thread is about 48 months not being the rule and trying to figure out if there is a new “lifetime” like Amex.
No. Once per lifetime for EACH card. Your P1 never had the CSP, so the rule didn’t apply to P1 for that CSP
If you can time travel from 3018, you shouldn’t be worrying about credit card sign up bonuses.
Open CSP in 11/2017, Product changed to CF in 12/2019. Opened CSR in 8/2022, Product changed it to CFU in 9/2024 Got hit with the pop-up jail in 7/2026 when applying for CSP.
Opened CSP 6/7/2021. closed 7/2/22. Not approved.
Still in CSP Pop Up Jail 7/2026 First opened CSP in 2020 Downgraded to CF in 2022, kept it as freedom since then, using it for quarter bonus spending. I thought I might had a chance to be out of the pop up jail since it had been close to 6 years but no luck.
Opened CSP 2013, closed 2016 Open CSR 2017, closed 2022 opened CSP 7/29/26 and was approved, bonus tracking in app.
Fall 2025
is there a a thread with INK data? does this all apply?
So you would have received the bonus by 9/2016. Maybe you won’t get the popup in September?
Wasn’t the whole Sapphire lineup changed to once a lifetime for all cards combined before P1’s CSP this month?
Same – Got the sapphire preferred 100k bonus on Dec 2021 and cancelled little more than year later after AF posted and paid. Just applied and was not eligible for bonus.
The way I see it the only lucky part is P2 qualifying for CSR bonus earlier this year after already doing so in May of 2019
But your last CSR was prior to Chase implementing the new rules, so not sure it’s a valid set for this purpose?
When did you close the CSR?
When did the lifetime rule go into effect? I got my third CSR in July last year, after they revamped their rewards program.
guess i’ll go eat worms
Your second CSR was opened before the lifetime rule went into effect.
Opened CSP in 2021 Downgrade CSP in 2023 Popup jail for CSP today.
Opened CSP in 2016 and CSR in 2017. Closed CSP (I think) in 3018. Approved for CSP today.
Csp – opened 8/2017, received bonus Upgraded to CSR 12/2019, received bonus Not eligible for new CSP, 9 years later
So it seems like the bonus date is likely the deciding factor instead of when you last held the card.
They probably take this into consideration. I was denied for the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business because of low spend on some Chase personal cards. Since it was listed as a denial reason, the reconsideration representative went through all my cards (both personal and business) and told me the monthly spend on each for the past 2 years lol
CSP opened May 2023 – bonus achieved June 2023 CSP downgraded to Freedom OG June 2025 prior to CSR refresh Applied for CSP July 2026 to test eligibility – not eligible
CSP Success Story Original CSP approved Novmber 2013 Downgraded to CFU December 2021 Approved for new CSP with sign up bonus on July 6th , 2026
P1 CSR Opened: 10/22 Bonus Received: 12/22 CSP Opened: 7/26 (eligible for bonus) Bonus Received: 9/26 (will earn it in 8/26) P2 CSR Opened: 3/19 Bonus Received: 5/19 (pc’d to freedom at some point before the CSP) CSP Opened: 5/23 Bonus Received: 8/23 CSR Opened: 2/26 Bonus Received: 5/26 I dont know why we seem to be having better luck than most others?
So is it fair to assume that if now people register or create a new business with Tax ID maybe INK approval is possible or more likely? Up to now I was applying with my sole prop business with no tax ID, but that does not work for Chase anymore.
Yes you can. They are treated separately now. You can hold both cards at the same time and earn the SUB’s for each, but only once.
Wonder how much they factor in spends on all chase cards after the bonus like Amex? That could make a big difference!
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