Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
May 2, 2024: Today, Chase launched new limited-time welcome bonuses on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® and Chase Sapphire Reserve® online. This means that all of the personal credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards® have some form of increased new cardmember welcome bonus available.
Current Ultimate Rewards® credit card welcome bonuses
Here are the best available Ultimate Rewards® credit card welcome bonus. All of these cards earn Ultimate Rewards, even though some are marketed as cash back.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 75,000 points after $4,000 of spending within 3 months.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred®: 75,000 points after $4,000 of spending within 3 months.
- In-branch exclusive offer: Earn an additional 10,000 points after spending a total of $6,000 within 6 months.
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: bonus_miles_full
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: bonus_miles_full
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: bonus_miles_full
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers 3 different welcome bonuses, any of which may be the best for you, depending on your situation.
- In-branch exclusive offer: Earn up to $800 cash back: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus earn 5% cash back on combined gas station and grocery store purchases (not including Target® and Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. (That’s $600 cash back.)
- Online referral offer: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Online affiliate offer: bonus_miles_full
- Chase Freedom Flex: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- In-branch exclusive offer: Earn up to $800 cash back: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus earn 5% cash back on combined gas station and grocery store purchases (not including Target® and Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year. (That’s $600 cash back.)
Best Chase Ultimate Rewards® bonuses
Here’s a bit more on each of the Chase Ultimate Rewards® new cardmember welcome bonuses, including our take on each of the bonuses.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Limited-time $75k offer
On May 2, 2024, Chase launched an online offer to match the better in-branch offer on the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. You can now get 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 within 3 months with a new Sapphire Reserve.
Chase hasn’t had a limited-time welcome bonus offer on the Sapphire Reserve since 2022, so this is probably the best offer this card is going to see for a while. Here are the details:
Chase Sapphire Reserve® offer: 75,000 bonus points after $4,000 of spending in 3 months. (Annual fee: $550)
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. (Get this welcome bonus.)
Limited time offer. This welcome offer was recently increased from 60k. Rewards are earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points
Best-in-class travel insurance. Point transfers to partners. 50% more value for redemptions through Chase Travel℠.
This is a direct bank link. All information about the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Online 75k welcome bonus. In-branch offer up to 85k points.
On May, 2, 2024, Chase increased its online Chase Sapphire Preferred® new cardmember welcome bonus to match the base offer in branch. Currently you can get 75k points after $4,000 of spending within 3 months through a limited-time offer that is available both online and in-branch. If you apply in a branch, however, you can get an additional 10,000 points after spending a total of $6,000 within the first 6 months.
The in-branch offer is better if you plan on spending the extra $2,000 within the first 6 months you have the card. See a Chase banker in a branch or read our coverage of the Chase Sapphire Preferred new cardmember bonuses for details on the in-branch offer. Here are the details of the online offer:
Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Online 75k offer
Here are the details on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® new cardmember bonus that is available online. Keep in mind that you can earn an extra 10k points through the in-branch offer.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card® offer: 75,000 bonus points after $4,000 of spending in 3 months. (Annual fee: $95)
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. (Get this welcome bonus.)
Limited time offer. This welcome offer was recently increased from 60k. Rewards are earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points
Premium travel insurance. Point transfers to partner. 25% more value for redemptions through Chase Travel℠. (More in our card review.)
This is a direct bank link. All information about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Largest 100k point offer ever
The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers the largest amount of Ultimate Rewards® points you can get from a single welcome bonus. You get 100,000 Ultimate Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Here are the details on the welcome bonus available on the Ink Business Preferred:
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offer: 100,000 bonus points after $8,000 of spending in 3 months. (Annual fee: $95)
bonus_miles_full (Get this welcome bonus.)
Largest welcome offer available on an Ultimate Rewards® card. Rewards are earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points
Travel insurance for employees. Point transfers to partners. 25% more value for redemptions through Chase Travel℠.
This is an affiliate link.
Chase Ink Business Cash®: Up to 75k online offer
The Chase Ink Business Cash® recently made its welcome offer easier to earn. You now earn $350 after spending $3,000 on purchases within 3 months and an additional $400 after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months you have the card. You can also get a 10% business relationship bonus if you have a Chase Business Checking Account. Here are the details:
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offer: Get up to $750 in new cardmember rewards. (Annual fee: $0)
bonus_miles_full (Get this welcome bonus.)
Chase recently made this bonus easier to earn. Best no-annual-fee Ink card welcome bonus. Rewards are earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points
Bonus rewards in business-related categories, at gas stations, and at restaurants. (More in our card review.)
This is an affiliate link.
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card welcome bonus: $750 cash back
The Chase Ink Business Unlimited® offers $750 cash back after you spend $6,000 on the card within 3 months. The Ink Business Unlimited is a great card to have for flat-rate cash back, but the Ink Business Cash offers a bonus that is easier to earn and is potentially much more valuable thanks to a 10% relationship bonus, which the Ink Business Unlimited lacks.
Here are the details of the Ink Business Unlimited welcome bonus:
card_name welcome bonus:
bonus_miles_full
Click here to learn more and apply.
This card occasionally offers a higher welcome offer, so you might consider waiting for a better offer to come around. The current offer is the card’s business-as-usual offer. The Ink Business Unlimited is marketed as a cash back card, but earns Ultimate Rewards®.
The link above is our affiliate link. We always show you the best offer, and this is the best offer we know about on this card.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® at a glance:
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 1.5% on every purchase. 5% on Lyft rides through March 2025.
Benefits: Extended warranty. Purchase protection. Primary auto rental collision damage waiver insurance when renting for business.
Chase Freedom Flex℠ welcome bonus: $200 after $500 spent, plus 5% gas and grocery offer available in-branch.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ currently offers an in-branch exclusive welcome bonus in addition to its standard welcome bonus of $200 after $500 spent within 3 months. If you apply in-branch, you’ll get this standard welcome bonus, plus a 5% gas and grocery offer where you can earn 5% on your first $12,000 of gas and grocery purchases in the first year you have the card. This 5% bonus stacks with the card’s rotating categories making it possible to get 9% cash back on gas and groceries when gas or groceries is a quarterly cash back bonus category.
Chase Freedom Flex℠ online welcome bonus: $200 after $500 in spending
Only apply for this welcome bonus online if you cannot easily get to a Chase branch. The current in-branch exclusive offer on the Chase Freedom Flex is much better.
Chase Freedom Flex℠ welcome bonus:
Before you apply through the link below, be sure to see our coverage of the best welcome bonus on this card. There may be a better offer in-branch.
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Click here to learn more and apply for the Chase Freedom Flex℠.
Our take on the welcome bonus: $200 after $500 is the standard welcome bonus on this card.
The link above is a referral link. Someone on our team may earn points if you apply and are approved to the link above. We always show you the best offer, and this is the best offer we know about on this card.
Chase Freedom Flex℠ at a glance:
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 5% in rotating categories (up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter). 5% travel through Chase. 3% dining. 3% drugstores. 1% other purchases.
Benefits: Extended warranty. Purchase protection. Cell phone protection.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Three welcome bonuses to choose from.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® currently offers three welcome bonus to choose from. And depending on how you plan to use the card and your proximity to a Chase branch, any one of these bonuses could be the best for you:
- An in-branch exclusive offer: Earn up to $800 cash back: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus earn 5% cash back on combined gas station and grocery store purchases (not including Target® and Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- Online referral offer: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Online affiliate offer: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back.
In our view, the in-branch exclusive offer is by far the best bonus of the three. You can find more details on the in-branch offer of the Chase Freedom Unlimited in our coverage of the welcome bonuses on the Freedom Unlimited.
If you’re applying online, the referral offer will offer you the best return on the first $500 of your spending, but you can earn more cash back overall with the affiliate offer. Here are the details of the online offers:
Chase Freedom Unlimited affiliate offer: 1.5% extra cash back on your first $20,000 of spending in a year
Chase Freedom Unlimited® offer: Extra 1.5% cash back on $20,000 spent in the first year. (Annual fee: $0)
bonus_miles_full (Get this welcome bonus.)
Better than the $200 after $500 bonus once you spend $13,334 in your first year. Rewards are earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points
5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3% at drugstores and on dining. 1.5% on other purchases. (More in our card review.)
This is an affiliate link.
Chase Freedom Unlimited referral offer: $200 back after spending $500
Chase Freedom Unlimited® friend referral offer: Earn $200 after spending $500 in 3 months. (Annual fee: $0)
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. (Get this welcome bonus.)
More efficient than the current affiliate bonus for rewards on spending. Rewards are earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points
5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3% at drugstores and on dining. 1.5% on other purchases. (More in our card review.)
This is a referral link. All information about the Chase Freedom Unlimited® has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
Additional pointers on Chase Ultimate Rewards® credit cards
Redeeming Ultimate Rewards®
The Ultimate Rewards® points you earn with your card can be transferred between your cards. If you hold multiple cards that earn Ultimate Rewards®, you can earn points on one card and use the enhanced redemption options of another card.
Here are the best Ultimate Rewards® redemption options by card:
| Cards with no annual fee | Premium cards | High-tier premium cards | |
|---|---|---|---|
    |   |  | |
| Chase Freedom Flex Chase Freedom Unlimited® Ink Business Cash® Ink Business Unlimited® | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Ink Business Preferred® | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | |
| Cash back 1 cent per point | |||
| Travel through Chase Travel℠ | 100% of cash value | 125% of cash value | $150 of cash value |
| Transfers to travel partners See list of transfer partners below. | – | ||
| Gift cards 1 cent per point, with occasional sales on select brands |
The Ink Business Premier® Credit Card is marketed as an Ultimate Rewards® card, but it doesn’t allow you to transfer points to other cards, so it is not included in this table.
Ultimate Rewards Transfer partners
Point transfers to Ultimate Rewards® transfer partners are widely believed to be the best way to get the most value from your Chase points. When you transfer points to a partner, your Ultimate Rewards® become point in that partner’s loyalty program. You can then redeem your points for awards offered by a partner loyalty program. Point transfers cannot be reversed, so be sure you know what you’re going to use your points for before transferring them.
Here are the airlines and hotels you can transfer to if you hold a premium Ultimate Rewards® credit card:
| Transfer partner | Program highlights | |
|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Easy-to-use Star Alliance awards, with the option to spend extra miles to make flights cancelable. | |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | Great for monthly Flying Blue promo awards. | |
| Avios Aer Lingus AerClub British Airways Executive Club Iberia Plus | Distance-based programs with good value on shorter flights like USA-Ireland (AerClub) and short-haul flights on Oneworld partners (Executive Club). | |
| Emirates Skywards | One of the few ways to book Emirates first class with points. | |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | Reward prices tied to cash prices of tickets, usually around 1.3 cents per point. | |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | One of the few ways to book Singapore first class tickets with points. | |
| United MileagePlus | Good value off-peak international economy awards. Generous award change/cancel policies. | |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Some opportunities to book good-value premium cabin awards with partners. | |
| IHG One Rewards | Offers a fourth night free on point redemptions if you hold an IHG-branded credit card, but generally not a good use of Ultimate Rewards® points. | |
| Marriott Bonvoy | May be a reasonable use if you need just a few points to top off an award, but generally not a good use of Ultimate Rewards® points. | |
| World of Hyatt | Offers excellent redemption value at some properties due to its award chart. |
Redemptions options you shouldn’t use
The table above shows you the best Ultimate Rewards® redemption options. But there are some ways to redeem points that provide less value. Here are the redemption options you should avoid:
- Most gift card redemptions only offer 1 cent per point. You’re not getting any additional value and you’re giving up the flexibility of cash when you redeem for gift cards. Only redeem for gift cards when select brands are on sale.
- Pay with points usually offers less value than 1 cent per point. You can get more value from your points through a cash back redemption.
- Shop with Apple only offers 1 cent per point. If you use your points for cash back and charge your Apple purchases to your card, you can earn rewards for your purchases.
- Chase Dining only offers 1 cent per point. Use your points for cash back instead and get rewards on your dining purchases.
A few notes on applying for Chase cards
- 5/24 rule. Chase generally won’t approve you if your credit report is showing 5 or more new credit card accounts opened in the last 24 months. This rule is knows as the 5/24 rule. If you’re unsure if you are “under 5/24” you should check your 5/24 status before applying for a Chase card. Note that recently this rule seems to have softened, especially for Ink cards. See our coverage about Chase 5/24 for more.
- Only one Sapphire-branded card. You can only hold one Chase Sapphire-branded card at a time. This means you can have either a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, but not both.
- You can get a welcome bonus on a Chase card, even if you’ve had the card previously. How often you can earn a welcome bonus on a Chase card varies by card family.
- Most cards allow you to earn a welcome bonus if it has been at least 24 months since your last received a welcome bonus on the same card.
- Chase Sapphire-branded cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can only earn a welcome bonus once every 48 months. (We published a separate article to help you determine if you can get a Sapphire welcome bonus.)
- Marriott cards have their own special rules.
- Chase will match an increased bonus. If you apply for a Chase card and the bank offers a higher bonus within 90 days, you can send Chase a secure message or call them to have your welcome offer matched.
- In-branch offers are sometimes better. Chase sometimes has better credit card welcome offers in-branch than it will publish on its own website or through affiliate networks. Check all channels to make sure you’re getting the best bonus.
- Chase business cards do not report to personal credit reports and do not impact your 5/24 status as long as they are current.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for both the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?
No. Chase only allows you to have one Chase Sapphire card at a time. Even if you could have both cards, there would be little benefit to having both.
Can I apply for the higher Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card card welcome bonus and then product change to the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?
Chase requires you to stick with the same card for a year before requesting a product change. After a year, you can change your Chase Sapphire Preferred card to either a Chase Sapphire Reserve or a Chase Freedom Flex card.
How do I get the no-annual-fee Chase Sapphire card?
The Chase Sapphire card with no annual fee is available only as a product-change option for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders. To get this card, you must hold one of these other cards for a year or more and request a product change. The Chase Sapphire (no-annual-fee) is not available to new cardmembers.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
