Chase's 5/24 Rule, Explained
The unofficial Chase policy that controls who gets approved — and how to sequence your applications so you actually get the cards you want.
5/24 isn't a published Chase policy — but it's been the single biggest gatekeeping rule in US credit cards for almost a decade. If you've opened 5 or more credit cards across any issuer in the last 24 months, Chase will auto-deny almost every personal card application. No appeal, no manual review on most products.
This guide explains what counts, what doesn't, and how to sequence your applications so 5/24 works for you instead of locking you out of the best transfer-partner ecosystem in the US.
What is 5/24?
The rule, in one sentence: Chase will deny you for most consumer credit cards if you have 5 or more new accounts open in the last 24 months from any issuer.
"24 months" is rolling — the system looks at the date of your application and counts back 24 months. If you opened your 5th card on June 10, 2024, you don't fall back to 4/24 until June 11, 2026.
Chase has never published the rule. Every detail below comes from years of data points from /r/churning, /r/CreditCards, and approval/denial reconsideration calls.
Which cards count toward 5/24
Counts:
- Any personal credit card from any issuer (Amex, Citi, Capital One, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Bilt, Apple, Discover, etc.)
- Charge cards (Amex Gold, Amex Platinum, Amex Green — they show on your report as "open")
- Most retail store cards (Target, Best Buy, Apple Card)
Does NOT count:
- Chase business cards (Ink family, World of Hyatt Business, Southwest Performance Business)
- Amex business cards
- Capital One Spark business cards
- US Bank business cards
- Citi business cards
- Bank of America business cards
- Wells Fargo business cards
- Most credit union business cards
- Authorized user accounts you were added to (but they sometimes get manually counted on reconsideration — close them before applying if you have many)
- Mortgages, auto loans, student loans, personal loans
Important nuance: Capital One and Discover business cards do report to your personal credit report, but Chase still doesn't count them. The 5/24 system looks at card category, not just credit report listings.
Which Chase cards are subject to 5/24?
All major Chase consumer cards: Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Freedom Unlimited, Freedom Flex, World of Hyatt, United Explorer, Southwest Plus/Premier/Priority, IHG One Premier, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless/Bountiful, Aeroplan, British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus.
Chase business cards are also subject to 5/24 — but business cards don't count toward the count. That's the loophole. You can be at 4/24 personal and approved for Ink Preferred, and now you're still at 4/24 personal (the new business card doesn't increase the count).
How to count your 5/24
Pull your credit report (free at annualcreditreport.com). Look at every credit card account opened in the last 24 months. Count them — including the ones you've since closed. Closed accounts still count until they fall off the 24-month window.
If you're at 3/24 today and you opened a card 25 months ago, you're at 3/24 — that older card already aged out. The simplest mental model: write down every credit card open date, sort by date, and count anything from less than 24 months ago.
You can also check your status indirectly by pre-qualifying on chase.com. If you don't see any offers under "See if you're prequalified," you're likely over 5/24. If you see offers for Sapphire/Freedom/etc., you're under.
Sequencing strategy — three approaches
Strategy 1: Chase first, then everything else
If you're at 0–1/24 right now, front-load Chase. Get the cards you want from Chase before you cross the threshold:
- Sapphire Preferred (most flexible UR card, lowest fee)
- Freedom Unlimited (pair with Sapphire to earn 1.5× on everything)
- World of Hyatt (best hotel award chart in the US)
- Ink Preferred (business — doesn't count toward 5/24, just against it)
Wait until your spend habits stabilize, then collect the Chase cards. After you're saturated on Chase, move to Amex/Capital One/Citi where 5/24 doesn't matter.
Strategy 2: Mix issuers but never cross 5/24
If you only want a few cards but care about Chase access:
- Open 1–2 cards per year max
- Always keep at least one Chase slot in reserve
- Use product-change instead of new applications when downgrading
This is the conservative approach. It costs you welcome bonuses but maximizes long-term flexibility.
Strategy 3: Go over 5/24, focus on Amex/Citi/Cap One
If you've already opened many cards and you're at 6+/24, don't waste applications on Chase consumer products — even reconsideration calls rarely override 5/24. Focus on:
- Amex (no 5/24 equivalent, but watch the once-per-lifetime welcome bonus per card)
- Capital One (looser, especially for Venture X)
- Citi (8/65 rule — only one card per 8 days and 2 per 65 days, otherwise loose)
- US Bank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America (mostly loose)
Then wait for the calendar to drop you back under 5/24. Cards opened on 2024-06-10 fall off on 2026-06-11.
Reconsideration calls — when 5/24 bites
If you applied to a Chase card while over 5/24, you'll get a denial letter citing "too many recently opened accounts." Reconsideration calls rarely overturn 5/24 denials for consumer cards.
Exceptions where reconsideration can work:
- Chase business cards — the rep can sometimes look past 5/24 if your business profile is strong
- Mid-tier cards (Slate Edge, no longer offered) — occasionally manual overrides
When NOT to call recon:
- Sapphire Preferred or Reserve denials at 5/24 — it's automated, the rep can't override
- If you have <12 months of US credit history — fix that first
The biggest mistake people make
Opening a Bilt or Apple Card "just to have it" before they've gotten a Chase card. Both Bilt (Wells Fargo) and Apple Card (Goldman) count toward 5/24. If you wanted a Sapphire Preferred later, you've just used a slot.
If you're building a points strategy from scratch, the order matters more than the cards. Sequence Chase first.
Quick reference
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does Amex Gold count toward 5/24? | Yes — even though it's a charge card, it counts |
| Does the Apple Card count? | Yes |
| Does a Chase business card count? | No (but it's still subject to 5/24) |
| If a card closed 12 months ago, does it count? | Yes — closed cards count until they fall off the 24-month window |
| Can I be approved for Sapphire Preferred at 5/24? | No, denial is automated |
| Can I be approved for Ink Business Preferred at 5/24? | No, same automated check |
| What about 6/24, 7/24? | Same — denial is binary at 5+ |
| Authorized user accounts? | Usually not counted by the system; sometimes counted manually on recon |
5/24 is the most expensive lesson in US credit cards. Plan your applications before you open them, not after.
Cards mentioned in this guide
Frequently asked questions
What is Chase's 5/24 rule?
Chase will auto-deny most consumer card applications if you've opened 5 or more new credit cards in the last 24 months from any issuer. The rule applies to all major Chase personal cards including Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Freedom, and the Hyatt/United/Southwest co-brands.
Does the Amex Gold Card count toward 5/24?
Yes. Even though Amex Gold is technically a charge card (no preset limit), it shows on your credit report as an open revolving account and counts toward 5/24. Same for Amex Platinum and Amex Green.
Do business credit cards count toward 5/24?
Business cards from Chase, Amex, Capital One, US Bank, Citi, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo do NOT count toward 5/24 because they don't report to your personal credit report. Discover and Capital One Spark are the exception — they report to personal — but Chase's system still doesn't count them.
How do I check my 5/24 status?
Pull your free credit report at annualcreditreport.com and list every credit card account opened in the past 24 months, including closed ones. Or check chase.com "See if you're prequalified" — if you see no offers for Sapphire/Freedom, you're likely over 5/24.
Can I get around 5/24 with a reconsideration call?
Rarely. 5/24 denials are automated. For Chase consumer cards (Sapphire, Freedom, etc.), recon calls almost never overturn the denial. Chase business card recon occasionally succeeds if you have a strong business profile.
When does a card stop counting toward 5/24?
Exactly 24 months after the account opening date. If you opened the card on June 10, 2024, it drops off your 5/24 count on June 11, 2026 — regardless of whether the account is still open or you've since closed it.