Chase Reconsideration Line: How It Works

When you apply for a new Chase credit card and get rejected, the first thing many people want to do is find out why they were denied the credit card and see if there is anything that can be done to change the credit card issuer’s mind. While not every issuer allows you to make this kind of phone call, Chase does. You can use it for both personal credit cards and business credit cards, though the phone numbers are different.

What is the Chase Reconsideration Line?

Simply put, the reconsideration line is a path to specialized agents that can check your application status for a new card, see if and/or why you were rejected, and recommend to underwriting that they reconsider your application, if they feel it is warranted.

There’s no guarantee that calling a reconsideration line phone number will get you approved, but you don’t know if you don’t try. Many credit card companies offer a reconsideration line. In fact, most do (although, strangely, not Capital One).

When you Google or ask someone just about anything related to this topic, you’ll be told “Call the reconsideration line.”

Is My Chase Application Pending or Denied?

When you submitted the Chase credit card application, you likely saw one of four messages.

The first is an approval.

The second is that they “received your application” with no other detail.

The third is that they will review your application in 7-10 days.

The fourth is that they will notify you within 30 days.

Generally, in my experience, a review in “7-10 days” is the worst message and tends to correlate to a denial. If you called reconsideration, even right away, they should already see the denial.

All of the other messages that aren’t instant approval means that the application needs some sort of manual review.

Why Was my Chase Credit Card Application Denied?

• The most common reasons that Chase will deny your application is if you have run afoul of their 5/24 rule. This refers to having opened 5 or more personal credit cards within the last 24 months. Any Capital One or Discover business cards will also count. This denial cannot be overturned by the reconsideration line.
• Exception to the above: If you are an Authorized User on someone else’s card, Chase’s computers will see that as an account. You can call the Chase reconsideration line and have them manually discount that (or, you can remove yourself as an AU before you apply).
• If you applied for a business Chase card and have opened another business card with Chase within the last 30 days, you’ll be denied and this cannot be overturned. You can technically have two personal cards within a month, but I advise spacing all Chase applications at least 32 days apart to be safe.

Why Was My Application Not Instantly Approved?

The three most common reasons that your application will “go pending” (they’ll let you know later…) are:

• Too much credit already extended by Chase. You might have 2 existing Chase cards or you might have 7, but what matters is the total credit they have extended and what their algorithm says you can have. I call this “Hitting the Chase wall.” Often times, what a reconsideration agent can do here is reallocate your credit from an existing card to the new card. As an example, if you have a credit line of $20,000 on a Chase Sapphire Reserve and you are trying to open a new Freedom Flex card, they can take $5,000 or $10,000 from your Reserve credit line and add that to your new Freedom Flex card. In this case, you’d need to already have more than $10,000 on your Reserve since Chase has set that as the minimum credit line on that card. If you don’t have any extra credit above the minimums on your other Chase cards, you’ll be out of luck. It’s always worth asking the agent about this if they say that Chase has extended you all the credit they are going to.
• A problem identifying you. You would be surprised how often the system can’t, for whatever reason, 100% confirm you are you. They may have an address mismatch (you wrote Apt 1001 and they expected Unit 1001), a phone number mismatch, or something similar along those lines. You can give the representative anything they need to verify you on the spot, allowing them to have the application pushed through.
• You are applying for a Small Business card. Small business credit cards from Chase are rarely approved instantly these days. While instant approvals are possible, they often go pending. A reconsideration rep can help let you know if they need any additional information.If you are a sole proprietor applying using your SSN, you MUST be sure to follow our guidelines on applying for a small business card without a EIN business type to a T. Note: If you didn’t follow those guidelines and, for instance, made up a business name that you don’t have an EIN for, you will be asked for documentation. You cannot edit your application with a recon agent. 

Wait or Call Chase Reconsideration?

Generally, I’m a fan of calling the reconsideration line. You’ll find out what the issue is right away and have a chance to help the representative go to bat for you by answering any questions they may have. They may ask why you want a particular card when you have another similar one. Be armed with why you want it. Just never say that your reason is the bonus. Find another reason.

That said, if there is any reason at all that you don’t want eyes delving deep into your existing accounts, then obviously you probably don’t want to call.

What to Say During a Reconsideration Phone Call

First, remember that you want the representative to be on your side. Be super polite.

Explain that you applied for XYZ card and see that you weren’t instantly approved. Ask if they can see why and if there is any additional information that you can provide. They will take over from there. Just remember that they have all the discretion in the world.

I’ve had a situation where a particularly grumpy recon agent just refused to help me. I eventually ended the call and called again a couple of days later. A much nicer agent was more than happy to take another look and was able to approve the card for me. No matter what, don’t get combative – even if they don’t tell you what you want to hear. And it won’t hurt you to do as I did and try again another day if you don’t have luck. That said, if you get denied a second time, it’s time to lick your wounds and see what you can do to have more luck the next time. The MilesTalk Facebook group is a great place to ask for that help.

How Can I Check My Chase Application Status Before Calling?

Call 1-800-436-7927. Press 3. It’s an automated line.

Chase Reconsideration Phone Numbers

For personal Chase cards, call 1-888-270-2127. You can call during general working hours 7 days a week.

For Business Chase cards, call 1-800-453-9719. Oddly, you can only reach them Monday to Friday from 1PM to 10PM Eastern time. More oddly, I’ve called outside of these hours and reached them. But if you can’t, that’s why!

• Also see: Everything you need to know about Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Any other questions?

Let me know below in the comments, on Twitter, or in the private MilesTalk Facebook group.

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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.