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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Ryan is a former TPG credit cards writer who has been around points and miles for several years and has published content at Miles to Memories, AwardWallet and The Points Guy. His wife joins him on many of his trips, and they enjoy snowboarding, diving, and seeing animals in the wild. When not traveling, Ryan is probably answering questions from his family about how he travels so much and whether this points & miles stuff is illegal.
Compliance manager Stanley Sanford has years of compliance experience in the credit card industry dating back to 2017. He's reviewed content for several reputable sites, including CreditCards.com, Bankrate, CNET. and even thepointsguy.com before leading the compliance team for The Points Guy full time in early 2022.
May 24, 2025 • 10 min read
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Quick summary
A major card issuer enforces a rule limiting approvals if you've opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months, affecting your application strategy.
This rule applies to both personal and business cards from various issuers, so planning your card applications is essential.
Starting with cards from this issuer is recommended due to strong travel rewards and valuable perks, especially for those new to points and miles.
A balanced approach includes selecting a versatile primary card, adding everyday spending cards, and considering business, airline or hotel cards based on your travel needs.
What to consider
Some offers mentioned in the article are no longer available.
Business cards from this issuer do not count toward the five-card limit, but you must be under the threshold to be approved.
Documentation may be required to qualify for business cards, even for side businesses or freelance work.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed guide to optimizing your five-card limit and choosing the best mix of travel, business, airline and hotel cards for your goals.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
One such restriction you may encounter is Chase’s 5/24 rule. This Chase rule (that isn’t published externally but is still very real) says you’ll be automatically rejected for a new card if you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the last 24 months. This includes cards from other banks outside of Chase.
If you’re not familiar with the 5/24 rule, I strongly suggest starting with this guide to see which cards are counted and which cards it affects.
This rule's consequence (coupled with the fact that Chase issues some of the best travel credit cards) is that people who are new to travel rewards should start with Chase cards before applying for cards from other issuers.
Today, we’ll look at the best ways to use your five slots with Chase.
Which Sapphire card is right for you?
The first thing you want to consider when building a multicard strategy is which card will serve as your anchor. This is the one card you would keep if you had to discard the rest. It needs to be a card that offers strong bonus categories, transferable points, and a decent selection of perks and benefits.
Chase offers two of the best anchor cards on the market, although you’re only allowed to hold one of them at a time: the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees).
If you’re starting from scratch, in 99% of cases we recommend the Sapphire Preferred or a Sapphire Reserve as your first card. You can check out this guide to help you pick between the more entry-level Sapphire Preferred and the premium Sapphire Reserve, but here’s a concise overview:
Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Annual fee
$95
$550
Earning rates
5 points per dollar spent on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases (through Dec. 31, 2027) of $150 or more, with a maximum of 25,000 points
5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding purchases that qualify for the $50 hotel credit)
5 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides through Sept. 30, 2027
3 points per dollar spent on dining
3 points per dollar spent on select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
2 points per dollar spent on other travel purchases
1 point per dollar spent on other purchases
10 points per dollar spent on hotel and car rentals booked through Chase Travel℠ (excluding purchases that qualify for the $300 travel credit)
10 points per dollar spent on Chase Dining purchases
10 points per dollar spent on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases (through Dec. 31, 2027) of $150 or more, with a maximum of 50,000 points
5 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides through Sept. 30, 2027
5 points per dollar spent on flights booked in Chase Travel (excluding purchases that qualify for the $300 travel credit)
3 points per dollar spent on travel (excluding purchases that qualify for the $300 travel credit)
3 points per dollar spent on dining, including takeout and delivery services
1 point per dollar spent on other purchases
Welcome offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Welcome offers come and go, so you’ll need a card that gives you strong bonuses in functional everyday categories to keep those points rolling in for years to come. Chase offers two great cards in this category.
For the long term, the Freedom Unlimited offers 1.5% cash back on everyday spending, with no caps to worry about. The Freedom Flex offers 5% back on your first $1,500 spent in rotating quarterly bonus categories (activation required).
The Freedom Flex categories rotate each quarter but have historically included retailers such as gas stations; internet, cable and phone services; select streaming services; grocery stores; department stores; and restaurants.
You need to register your card every quarter for the rotating bonus earnings, but Chase (and TPG) will send you plenty of reminders. Additionally, both the Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited offer 5% back on travel purchases in Chase Travel, 3% on dining, 3% at drugstores and 1% on other purchases.
Between everyday spending on the Freedom Unlimited and the 5% bonus categories on the Freedom Flex, most people can fit one or both of these cards into their rewards plan.
Many people in the early stages of building a credit card strategy with Chase assume they won’t be eligible for a small-business card. Chase business cards don't count toward your 5/24 total, but you must be under 5/24 to be approved.
Although Chase has been known to ask for documentation of your business activity (including, but not limited to, proof of an Employee Identification Number or bills demonstrating business activity), you might be surprised to learn that you qualify for a business credit card if you have a part-time tutoring or child care job, sell products on eBay or Etsy, or a host of other side-hustle activities.
The Ink Business Preferred has a $95 annual fee and offers up to 1.75 cents per point, depending on the specific redemption, bonus when redeeming points through Chase Travel (see your rewards program agreement for full details).
Cardholders can earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent each account year across the following categories: travel, shipping purchases, internet services, cable services, phone services, and advertising purchases with social media and search engines. Other purchases will yield 1 point per dollar.
For a complete breakdown of all the different Ink Business credit cards, make sure to check out this guide.
While your first priority with your 5/24 slots should likely be Ultimate Rewards points-earning cards, Chase also offers a number of great cobranded airline and hotel cards to choose from. If you’ve secured a Sapphire card, a Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex, and an Ink card or two, you should still have two or three spots remaining before passing 5/24. You should look at Chase's lineup of airline and hotel credit cards next.
RGSTUDIO/GETTY IMAGES
With airline credit cards, your first thought may be the airlines you fly most often. Credit card bonuses could help you earn the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass, after all.
However, airline miles aren't necessarily related to the airline you want to fly on for your next vacation. While a credit card can help you get free checked bags on your next flight, it's also possible to use United Airlines miles for a flight on Lufthansa, for example.
Which hotel card should you get?
You also should consider adding a hotel credit card to your wallet. While these cards typically aren't strong earners for everyday spending, they can offer valuable benefits on your next hotel stay. That includes benefits like elite status, free night awards and late checkout.
HISPANOLISTIC/GETTY IMAGES
Many travelers are partial to one hotel chain over another. If you're starting from scratch, however, it's worthwhile to read our guides to these hotel programs to decide which one might be best for you:
Consider where you plan to travel and which hotels are available there. Also, consider how these programs (and their associated credit cards) will reward you with bonus points, free night awards and elite status benefits based on your travel and spending habits.
The Chase 5/24 rule can sometimes feel like a punitive restriction, but it can help you narrow the field of cards to pick from first as you round out your ideal wallet. You can mix and match the bonus categories as you see fit, but remember that most people only get one shot at applying for Chase cards.
Thus, you should pick long-term keepers and not waste valuable wallet slots on frivolous applications.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
