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.
Advertiser disclosure
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.
Ethan's been a frequent flier for as long as he can remember, from studying abroad in Paris to moving to Shanghai after graduating college, where he served as TPG's eyes and ears for all things travel in the Asia-Pacific region. If you asked him where he wants to travel next he'd quote Anthony Bourdain and tell you "anytime I'm eating spicy noodles in a bowl, I'm happy."
Augusta Stone is a credit cards writer for TPG. She joined the TPG team in 2023 and is excited to take points and miles beginners with her on a journey toward maximizing rewards.
also contributed to this story
January 23, 2025 • 11 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Comments
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.
Related stories
Quick summary
The article examines when it may make sense to deviate from the commonly followed 5/24 rule, which restricts new card approvals after five personal cards in 24 months.
Key exceptions include receiving a highly valuable targeted offer, needing specific loyalty points for an upcoming trip, or pursuing a strong cash-back strategy.
It also discusses the benefits of coordinating with a partner or family member to maximize rewards without using all available card slots.
Caution is advised, as exceeding the 5/24 threshold can limit future options and may carry significant opportunity costs.
What to consider
Targeted offers are often time-sensitive and may disappear quickly, so careful evaluation is needed before applying.
Not all valuable travel redemptions are accessible with points from one issuer, making it important to align card choices with specific travel goals.
A clear, personalized card strategy is essential to avoid costly mistakes and ensure long-term rewards success.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed scenarios and nuanced advice on when breaking the 5/24 rule could be worthwhile for your travel or rewards goals.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Sometimes, there are things we accept as gospel without ever stopping to question them.
Perhaps the most well-known example in the points and miles world is Chase’s 5/24 rule. That rule means that Chase will reject you for nearly all of its credit cards if you’ve opened five or more cards across all banks in the previous 24 months, excluding most business cards.
If you’re new to the points and miles world and don’t fully understand 5/24 or its implications, start by reading our ultimate guide to Chase’s 5/24 rule.
If you decide to forgo a 5/24 slot and apply for a non-Chase credit card, it’s not a decision you should make lightly. Even in all the situations that I’ll mention below, you should spend a few days thinking it over instead of rushing to apply right away.
The logic derived from the 5/24 rule is that you should make sure that your first five credit card applications are with Chase and Chase only. Still, there are a few times when it might make sense to ignore the overarching 5/24 rule and focus on making the best decisions for you as an individual. Let's take a look at a few such cases.
There are some instances in which it makes sense to apply for a new card regardless of your 5/24 standing. Here are some of those.
You receive an incredible targeted offer
While most of the best card offers are publicly available for anyone to apply for, you might receive a targeted offer from time to time in the mail or online. Many of these offers aren’t worth wasting a 5/24 slot over, but there’s one that certainly can be.
GORICA POTURAK/GETTY IMAGES
I’m talking about the 100,000-point welcome bonus offer on The Platinum Card® from American Express. Some people receive mailers with a unique code inviting them to apply for this deal. At the same time, other lucky individuals may be targeted for an up to 125,000-point Amex Platinum welcome offer by going through the CardMatch tool.
TPG's January 2025 valuations peg American Express Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, making the mailer offer worth a sweet $2,000. And since Amex only allows you to earn a welcome offer on a credit card once per lifetime, many people wait to apply for the Platinum Card until they receive this 100,000-point offer (or higher).
The Amex Platinum’s current public offer allows new cardmembers to earn 80,000 points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
Targeted offers are only valid for a limited amount of time and subject to change at any time — with CardMatch, the offer might even disappear if you exit your browser and come back five minutes later. So, if you’re lucky enough to get this offer, it might be worth foregoing a 5/24 spot in order to apply.
If you’re lucky enough to be playing in “two-player mode,” meaning you have a spouse or another family member you can team up with to accumulate points faster, you might find that you don’t need all of your 5/24 slots.
Take the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) as an example. I consider this to be one of the best Chase credit cards, and it was actually the third card I ever applied for.
You’ll also earn 5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠, 3% back on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services) and 3% back on drugstore purchases.
The biggest downside to the Freedom Unlimited is that the welcome bonus is relatively weak.
MASKOT/GETTY IMAGES
New applicants can earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. That’s a solid enough offer to pick up the card, but most of the Freedom Unlimited’s value comes from its long-term return on everyday spending.
To put it another way, you probably don’t need two of these in your family. "Player one" can get a Freedom Unlimited and add "player two" as an authorized user so they can still maximize their combined spending.
I always say that the people who are most successful when it comes to award travel are the ones who have a plan.
Depending on your goals, Chase Ultimate Rewards points might not be the best option. A prime example isQatar Airways Qsuite, which is undeniably the world’s best business-class product and a great experience for couples traveling together.
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
If you have your eyes set on this double bed in the sky, your best bet is to book with American Airlines AAdvantage miles.
In fact, Chase points would be of no use here. Chase’s only Oneworld transfer partners are Iberia and British Airways, but the distance-based Avios award charts will make flights from U.S. airports to Doha's Hamad International Airport (DOH) unreasonably expensive.
The same is true for plenty of other luxury airlines, including Etihad Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. If you have your heart set on a certain aspirational premium cabin redemption, you might need to look outside the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem to find the miles you need.
Consider applying for business credit cards that still allow you to be under 5/24, such as the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees), to earn valuable points or miles.
While you can use the Chase Freedom Unlimited and the Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees) as cash-back cards (that’s actually how they're marketed), Chase doesn’t offer the most robust cash-back card portfolio.
MASKOT/GETTY IMAGES
When it comes to pure cash back, ideally, you want a card that earns a minimum of 2% on every purchase. Cash back generally offers a lower return than points to begin with, so you can’t afford to sacrifice another 0.5%.
Maybe you opt for the Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees), which offers 2% cash back: 1% at the time of your purchase and another 1% when you pay your bill.
Or, maybe you take a hybrid approach. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns at least 2 miles on all purchases. You have the option of transferring Capital One miles to 15-plus airline and hotel partners or redeeming them for fixed-value redemptions.
This hybrid approach gives you a higher baseline earning rate than most Chase cards and lets you switch between fixed-value and transferable rewards as you please.
While there’s a good chance that you’re eligible for a business credit card even if you don’t realize it, many people are either not eligible or not interested in dealing with the extra hassle of applying for business credit cards.
MASKOT/GETTY IMAGES
Looking only at personal credit cards, everyone should get either a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, a Freedom Unlimited and maybe a Chase Freedom Flex as well.
At this point, you’ve used up two or three of your five slots and covered all your bases in terms of core Ultimate Rewards-earning cards, so what’s next? The World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees)? A United Airlines card or maybe a Marriott card?
None of these are bad choices, but they aren’t necessarily a given either. The Hyatt or Marriott card is great unless you’re fiercely loyal to Hilton, in which case it does you no good. Maybe you fly American instead of United or don’t want to collect United MileagePlus miles after United’s switch to dynamic award pricing.
This will be a much more personal decision, but when it comes to using 5/24 slots on cobranded credit cards, it’s time to think for yourself instead of following the herd.
Like I said before, abandoning 5/24 is not something you should do lightly. Even if you feel tempted to, make sure you’re not falling into one of these traps.
You can’t imagine opening 5 credit cards
If you’re new to the world of points and miles, you might not have had five credit cards in your entire life up until now, and it can be hard to imagine opening that many in just two years.
PEKIC/GETTY IMAGES
I felt the exact same way when I started this journey in my sophomore year of college — I didn’t think I would ever be able to open cards that quickly.
Go figure. I ended up opening about 15 cards in my first year, and the one 5/24 slot I wasted on a non-Chase card still haunts me to this day.
You’re new to travel rewards and don’t fully understand 5/24
One common reason I hear for why people ignore the 5/24 rule is that they either don’t know that it exists or are so new to the points and miles world that they don’t really understand the implications of it.
FRESHSPLASH/GETTY IMAGES
If you’re rushing to apply for new credit cards, you’re more likely to make a costly mistake, both in terms of your point strategy and your long-term credit score. If you slow down and take your time, you’ll get better results overall.
You don’t have a clear card strategy in place
Last — but certainly not least — it’s easy to ignore 5/24 if you don’t have a clear credit card strategy in place.
While some elevated welcome offers, such as the targeted 100,000 points on the Amex Platinum, might be worth changing your plans over, you shouldn’t jump at every shiny welcome offer you see without having a clear plan in place.
Almost every card you want will still be around after you finish filling your 5/24 slots, so there’s no reason to jump the gun.
There are two different ways to look at the 5/24 rule. While it’s an unfortunate restriction, it also makes it easy in the beginning because your choices are relatively limited to just Chase cards.
It makes sense to apply for Chase cards first 99% of the time, but there are a number of times when you’ll come out ahead if you deviate from the 5/24 rule.
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.
