Since basically the last day of the recent 90,000 paint bonus offer on the new fee Ink cards, we have been seeing the bonus popups emerge on the entire line of Chase Ink business cards, including the Sapphire Reserve for Business. At first it was just the Chase Ink card’s bonus eligibility language, seemingly not being enforced yet.
Now, we are seeing those bonus popups pretty frequently, so let’s clarify what that language is, exactly.
- Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (i.e. the no annual fee Ink credit cards) – “The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card or any other Chase for Business card without an annual fee. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.”
- Chase Ink Business Preferred®, Chase Ink Business Premier® Credit Card Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ Credit Card (i.e. Chase Ink and Sapphire business cards with an annual fee) – “The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.”
Clearly, for both, they can choose to give you the bonus or deny you the bonus for multiple factors. However, the overriding one is simply (and very strict!).
If you want an Ink Unlimited or Ink Cash, you are *likely* to get the bonus popup saying that you can have the card but not the bonus offer if you have ever had an Ink Cash or Ink Unlimited. Ouch.
Meanwhile, for the 3 annual fee business cards, the bonus is “per product,” so you should be able to get the bonus on all three, but then just once per lifetime.
In short, following a major tightening of bonus eligibility on the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve, Chase has followed suit on the Chase Ink line of credit cards, making it harder than ever before to rack up points from signup bonuses.
I think it was inevitable that the rules would tighten up, though I do think that using “lifetime” rules is tough, since you may have had a card 5 years ago, things changed and you didn’t need it, and now it’s a fit, but no bonus may make you instead choose a different card with a signup bonus…
We’ll see how it goes, I suppose!
Thoughts?
Let me know below in the comments, on Twitter, or in the private MilesTalk Facebook group. And don't forget to follow me on Instagram for all sorts of tips on miles, points, credit cards, and travel.
If this post helped you, please consider sharing it!
You can find credit cards that best match your spending habits and bonus categories at Your Best Credit Cards.
New to all of this? My “introduction to miles and points” book, MilesTalk: Live Your Wildest Travel Dreams Using Miles and Points is available on Amazon and at major booksellers.
