If you were thinking about downgrading a Chase Sapphire Reserve, a Chase Sapphire Preferred, or a Chase Freedom Unlimited to a Freedom Flex card when it launches on September 14th, you need to know three things and then act fast.
- Chase has told Frequent Miler that you will ONLY be able to convert (product change) to a Freedom Flex card from a Chase Freedom (of course, you can apply for the card – but only if you are under 5/24)
- You won’t be able to convert any cards to the Chase Freedom after September 13th.
- You can only have one Freedom Flex card.
Connecting the dots, let’s say you currently have a Chase Sapphire Reserve and you want to downgrade it soon. Let’s also say that you already have a Chase Freedom Unlimited. The natural move would be (today) to downgrade to the Chase Freedom and complete the Chase Trifecta. But if you wait until September 15th, you wouldn’t be able to convert that Reserve to the Freedom Flex (because only the Freedom can be converted) and you wouldn’t be able to convert to the Freedom since it will no longer be offered.
In this article
If You Want a Freedom Flex by Product Change and Don’t Have a Freedom…
Now is the time to convert your Sapphire card to a Freedom. Then, after the Freedom Flex launches on September 14th, you can convert to the Flex (I don’t know how long you’ll have to wait in between. I don’t think it would require a year hold of the Freedom, but even if it did, the only other option is not converting it.)
Someone with a Freedom Unlimited and a Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred may want to consider downgrading the Sapphire to the Freedom now and then applying for a new Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred later (and getting a new bonus), if it’s been more than 48 months since your lat Sapphire bonus and you are under 5/24.
Also keep in mind that while you can have more than one Freedom card, you’ll only be allowed one Flex. If you max out your quarterly rotating 5X categories, you could still keep a Freedom along with your new Freedom Flex.
Note: if you do apply fresh, the bonus offer is set to match the existing Freedom Unlimited offer of $200 (as 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points) when you spend $500 in 3 months.
HT: DoC
How Are You Approaching This?
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You can find credit cards that best match your spending habits and bonus categories at Your Best Credit Cards.
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