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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.
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The 100,000-point Chase Sapphire Preferred offer is ending soon — 8 mistakes to avoid before you apply
Summer Hull has been covering (and using) travel tips, rewards credit cards and loyalty programs for over a decade. She has flown close to a million miles, often on points and miles and with her family in tow.
Stephanie Stevens is an associate writer with TPG's credit cards team. She focuses on creating timely credit cards content for TPG readers.
also contributed to this story
July 20, 2026 • 8 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.
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Quick summary
A major travel rewards card is offering a welcome bonus that matches its highest-ever public offer, but the promotion is ending soon.
Applicants must submit a new application and meet eligibility rules to qualify for the bonus; product changes do not count.
Being an authorized user on someone else's account does not typically prevent you from earning the bonus yourself, if otherwise eligible.
Common mistakes include missing the spending requirement, not unfreezing your credit report and misunderstanding eligibility restrictions.
What to consider
You must spend a specific amount in eligible purchases within three months to earn the bonus; taxes and fees do not count toward this threshold.
Eligibility is affected by previous receipt of a welcome bonus for the same product and by the number of recently opened credit accounts across all banks.
A strong credit history is important for approval, and freezing your credit report can delay or prevent your application.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed checklist of eight common mistakes to avoid when applying for a large travel rewards card bonus.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) is currently matching its highest-ever public offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
If you've been considering the card, you may want to apply soon before the offer ends. However, a few simple missteps — from misunderstanding eligibility rules to missing the spending requirement — could cost you the bonus.
Here are eight common mistakes to avoid before you apply.
Thinking that a product change qualifies you for the bonus
One of the most common misunderstandings we see is assuming that switching an existing Chase card into a Sapphire Preferred will make you eligible for the Sapphire Preferred's welcome bonus.
Unfortunately, that's not how it works.
JUSTIN PAGET/GETTY IMAGES
If you product change an existing Chase card — whether that's a Sapphire product or another eligible Chase card — into a Sapphire Preferred, you won't receive the welcome offer.
To earn a new cardholder bonus, you must submit a new application, be approved and satisfy the spending requirements associated with the offer.
In most cases, that's not true. Being an authorized user on a Sapphire account generally does not prevent you from applying for your own Sapphire Preferred and earning the welcome bonus if you're otherwise eligible.
If you're considering applying, remember that Chase's Sapphire bonus restrictions typically apply to primary cardholders who have received a Sapphire welcome bonus in the past, not simply to authorized users on someone else's account.
Forgetting you've already earned a Sapphire Preferred welcome bonus before
Before applying, make sure you haven't already earned the welcome bonus on the specific Sapphire card you're considering.
Under Chase's updated rules, you can generally earn the welcome bonus on each Sapphire card only once per lifetime.
That means someone who has previously earned the Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus will likely still be eligible for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®'s (see rates and fees) bonus, and vice versa.
However, if you've already received the welcome offer on the same Sapphire product in the past, you likely won't be eligible to earn it again. That means those who previously received a welcome offer on the Sapphire Preferred will more than likely not receive this current offer.
FG TRADE/GETTY IMAGES
That's why it's important to review your account history before applying. If you're unsure whether you've previously earned a Sapphire Preferred bonus, check old account records, statements or approval emails.
Chase has an unwritten but very real rule that you can’t have opened more than five credit accounts across all banks within the last 24 months and get a sixth new account from them. Some accounts — such as those opened by your small business — may not count against this total, but otherwise, this is a pretty hard and fast rule.
If you're denied for too many recent new accounts and think you are under 5/24, you can call Chase and see if they’ll flip the no to a yes, especially if you have some accounts where you’ve been added as an authorized user versus the primary account holder.
If you can't remember the exact date you opened an account, check your e-mail for the account approval notice or your credit report.
While a credit score in the 700s is believed necessary to get approved for the Sapphire Preferred, your score alone doesn’t make opening the card a slam-dunk.
LORHENRIVOTON/GETTY IMAGES
We have heard from a number of TPG readers who were not approved for previous bonus offers despite stating they have “high credit scores.” What this can sometimes mean is that the applicant doesn’t have a demonstrated history on their own credit report of managing a mix of accounts or a certain number of revolving card accounts.
Whether it's because you're young and starting out, or have just had accounts primarily in another's name while you’ve been an authorized user, this can be a hurdle to getting some really good rewards cards. There’s no overnight fix for a denial for this reason, but we recommend building up your credit with a card or two in your name so you’ll be ready in the future.
To earn the 100,000 bonus points, you need to spend $5,000 on the card in eligible purchases in the first three months. Given how valuable those 100,000 points are, you do not want to mess this one up.
It's important to note that the $95 annual fee does not count toward that spending.
You can monitor your progress by going to the spending tracker in the “benefits and travel” section of your Chase online account, selecting rewards, selecting Chase Sapphire Preferred and scrolling down.
JUSTIN PAGET/GETTY IMAGES
In the Chase app, you should be able to select Chase Sapphire Preferred and then scroll down.
Note that it may take a few days for the tracker to appear, so don't panic if you don't see it right away.
We also recommend against waiting until the very end of the three months to cross that threshold, as purchases must post to the account during those three months to count.
So if you ordered something online with only a day or two to go, but then it didn’t charge your card until the order shipped four or five days later, you’d be left without the 100,000 bonus points if you needed that purchase to get you over the $5,000 threshold.
When you apply, Chase will pull your credit report before deciding whether to open a new account for you. So, if you often freeze your credit report, you will want to make sure it's unlocked so Chase can access it.
Some anecdotal reports suggest Chase often uses the credit bureau Experian, though this may vary. Regardless, while there may be solutions if you forget to unlock your credit report before applying, it’s much easier to remember to do that step.
Missing out on one of the best offers we've seen
Last but not least, don't make the mistake of overlooking this offer. At 100,000 points, it matches the highest welcome bonus we've seen on the Sapphire Preferred in recent years.
Don’t let 100,000 points you can use for an epic trip disappear. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Historically, elevated offers like this don't stick around forever. Once they're gone, there's no guarantee they'll return anytime soon — or at all.
For those who are eligible and confident they can meet the spending requirement, it may make sense to apply while the offer is available rather than risk missing out on one of the best bonuses the card has offered.
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Preferred's 100,000-point offer matches the largest welcome bonuses we've seen on the card — and this limited-time offer is ending soon.
If you've been considering applying, now is a good time to check that you're eligible for the bonus, confirm you're under Chase's 5/24 rule, unfreeze your credit report and make sure you have a plan to meet the $5,000 spending requirement within three months.
It's also worth verifying whether you've previously earned a Sapphire Preferred welcome bonus, as Chase's restrictions could affect your eligibility.
By doing a little homework before you apply, you can avoid common mistakes that could cost you the chance to earn this valuable welcome bonus.
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.
