Contents [Hide]
About Chase credit cards
I often get questions from beginners asking: I don't have a Chase credit card yet, which one should I apply for? That question is actually hard to answer, because it depends on your credit history, spending patterns, whether you need to earn award tickets, and so on. So in this post, I'll give beginners a broad overview of the various Chase cards. Once you have the big picture, you can match a card to your own situation.
Chase is probably the credit card issuer I trust and respect the most. Almost every card is designed just right—there are not a ton of extra perks, but they are stable and easy to manage. I strongly recommend that everyone hold at least one Chase card, or even several. They're really great. I personally hold 7 Chase cards, and my partner holds 8. We've been at it for almost ten years now, so we've seen Chase's development over the past decade.
Chase-issued cards
Chase currently has five of its own cards available to apply for directly. They range from no-annual-fee cards to mid-tier cards to premium cards. The no-annual-fee cards are geared toward everyday spending, while the annual-fee cards are geared toward travel, with clear divisions of labor.
No annual fee
Among the no-annual-fee cards, Chase Freedom Flex is all about the rotating 5x cash back each quarter, and the bonus categories are very aligned with everyday spending. Combined with the ongoing 3x on dining and drugstores, coverage is pretty broad. Chase Freedom Unlimited, on the other hand, takes the more hands-off route with 1.5x on everything, plus the same 3x on dining and drugstores. Both cards are very suitable for long-term everyday use. If you're a beginner, you can choose one based on your spending habits. In addition, these two cards can also be obtained by downgrading an annual-fee Sapphire card via product change. If you have some credit history, you may want to apply for an annual-fee card with a bigger welcome bonus first, then downgrade to one of these two.
Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card
Quarterly 5x rewards, great for everyday spending; no annual fee!
- Welcome bonus: 20,000 Ultimate Rewards (UR) (Spend $500 in 3 months)
- Rewards: 5x through the Chase Travel Portal; 3x at restaurants and drugstores; an additional 5x in rotating quarterly categories each quarter (such as groceries, dining, Amazon, gas, PayPal, etc.)
- Redemption: Redeem for cash back at 100 UR = $1; if you also hold a premium card, points can be transferred 1:1 to airline miles or hotel points, or redeemed toward travel at 1:1.25; estimated value 1.6 cent/point
- Annual fee: $0
- Apply now>>
Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card
Extra 1.5x on all purchases in the first year; no annual fee!
- Welcome bonus: 25,000 Ultimate Rewards (UR) (spend $500 in 3 months)
- Rewards: 5x on travel booked through Chase; 3x at restaurants and drugstores; 1.5x on all other purchases, with no limit
- Redemption: Redeem for cash back at 100 UR = $1; if you also hold a premium card, points can be transferred 1:1 to airline miles or hotel points, or redeemed toward travel at 1:1.25; value 1.6 cent/points
- Annual fee: $0
- Apply now>>
I’m calling this one out separately because, aside from the welcome bonus, it doesn’t have much long-term value. If you need some breathing room with cash flow, you can consider this card, since it has no annual fee and no interest. It's pretty nice.
Chase Freedom Rise Credit Card
A card for beginners with no credit history!
- Welcome bonus: $25 (set up auto payment within 3 months) + 6% dining for first 6 months (up to $6,000 spend)
- Rewards: 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Redemption: Redeem directly for cash
- Annual fee: $0
- Apply now>>
Annual-fee cards
Beyond the upgraded perks, these two annual-fee cards also shift spending toward travel. They come with travel credits and airport lounge benefits, which improve your overall travel experience. In addition, they make Chase points much more useful, since you can transfer points to hotel points or airline miles for greater value. If you're new to credit cards, it's best to wait until you have about a year of credit history before applying. Once you have some history, choose one based on how much annual fee you're willing to tolerate and which benefits you want.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
Chase mid-tier travel credit card; includes a $50 annual hotel credit and free rental car insurance!
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 points (spend $5,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 5x on select travel; 3x on dining and streaming; 2x on other travel; 1x on all other purchases; 10% annual bonus
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for cash back; 1:1 transfers to airline and hotel loyalty programs; redeem at 1:1.25 toward travel purchases; value 1.6 cent/points
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card
Premium perks included! Up to $2,300 in annual statement credits!
- Welcome bonus: 100,000 points (spend $6,000 in the first 3 months)
- Rewards: 8x on flights, hotels, car rentals, and activities booked through Chase Travel; 4x on flights and hotels booked directly; 1x on other purchases
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for cash back; can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel partners; up to 1:2 redemption for premium hotels and flights; value 1.6 cents/point
- Annual fee: $795
- Apply now>>
Airline co-branded cards
Chase also has co-branded cards with quite a few airlines, especially UA and Southwest, which each have multiple cards. If you fly those airlines often, perks like priority boarding and free checked bags are pretty good. For the other cards, they are basically just cards to grab the welcome bonus and move on.
UA
The UA cards also range from entry-level to premium, so there is something for everyone. UA Explorer and Quest are the cards that suit most people and often come with solid welcome bonuses. But if you don't fly UA much, you may want to get the welcome bonus and then close the card, or downgrade to the no-annual-fee TravelBank version.
Chase United Gateway Credit Card
No annual fee UA card!
- Welcome bonus: 30,000 UA miles ($1,000 spend in three months) + 10,000 (add one additional card within three months)
- Rewards: 2X on local transit, dining, gas, and tickets purchased on the UA official website; 1X on all other purchases
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for domestic and international flights on UA and Star Alliance partners, with a value of 1.6 cent/points
- Annual fee: $0
- Apply now>>
Chase United Explorer Credit Card
Annual Club Passes; free checked bags; plus plenty of statement credits!
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 UA miles (spend $3,000 in the first 3 months) + 10,000 (add a supplementary card within 3 months)
- Rewards: 5x on hotels booked through UA channels; 2x on airfare booked on the UA website, dining, and hotel purchases; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable for domestic and international flights on UA and Star Alliance members, valued at 1.6 cents/point
- Annual fee: $150（Annual fee waived for the first year）
- Apply now>>
Chase United Quest Credit Card
Get $200 in annual flight credits, plus lots of reimbursements and perks~
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 UA miles + 500 PQP (spend $4,000 in 3 months) + 10,000 (add one authorized user within 3 months)
- Rewards: 3X on UA purchases; 2x on dining, streaming, and travel purchases (hotels, car rentals, airlines, cruises, etc.); 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable for domestic and international flights on UA and Star Alliance partners, with a value of 1.6 cent/point
- Annual fee: $350
- Apply now>>
Chase United Club Infinite United Airlines Credit Card
Free United Club access; 2 free checked bags! Tons of credits every year!
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 UA miles (spend $5,000 in the first 3 months) + 10,000 (add one supplementary card within 3 months)
- Rewards: 4X on UA purchases; 2x on dining and travel; 1x on everything else
- Redemption: Can be redeemed for domestic and international flights on UA and Star Alliance partners, with a value of 1.6 cent/point
- Annual fee: $695
- Apply now>>
Southwest
These Southwest cards are extremely good value for people who fly Southwest a lot. Once you factor in the credits and bonus miles, they are basically like no-annual-fee cards. I suggest applying when you have a Companion Pass, or when you can get one quickly. Whether you're booking award tickets or cash tickets, a buy-one-get-one deal is still very powerful. These three cards, from lowest to highest, don't really differ all that much in benefits. Which one you choose depends on whether you can actually use the miles and credits. If you can, then go for the top-tier one.
Chase Southwest Plus Credit Card
Earn 3,000 points every year!
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 Southwest miles (spend $1,000 in the first 3 months)
- Rewards: 2x on Southwest purchases, hotel and car rental purchases through Southwest; 2x at gas stations and restaurants on up to $5k per year; 1x on all other purchases,
- Redemption: Redeem for Southwest flights, with points worth about 1.5 cpp
- Annual fee: $99
- Apply now>>
Chase Southwest Premier Credit Card
6,000 bonus points every year!
- Welcome bonus: 55,000 Southwest miles (spend $1,500 in first 3 months)
- Rewards: 2x on Southwest flights purchased on the Southwest website; 2x at restaurants and gas stations (on the first $8k each year); 1x on all other purchases,
- Redemption: Redeemable for Southwest flights, with points worth about 1.5 cpp
- Annual fee: $149
- Apply now>>
Chase Southwest Priority Credit Card
Southwest Airlines premium card, with 7,500 bonus points every year!
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 Southwest miles (spend $2,000 in the first 3 months)
- Rewards: 2x on Southwest purchases on the official website, hotel stays, car rentals, gas, and dining; 1x on all other purchases,
- Redemption: Points can be redeemed for Southwest flights, with an approximate value of 1.5 cpp
- Annual fee: $229
- Apply now>>
Air Canada
After the refresh, this card lets you use AC miles to offset travel purchases, which is a great way to cash them out. The rest of the benefits are mainly the welcome bonus, which is the most attractive part.
Chase Aeroplan Air Canada Co-Branded Credit Card
3x on groceries, dining, and airfare!
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 miles (spend $3,000 in 3 months)
- Rewards: 3x on groceries, dining, and Air Canada website ticket purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be redeemed for domestic and international flights on Air Canada and other Star Alliance member airlines, with a value of 1.6 cent/point
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Other
For other Chase airline co-branded cards, I would only recommend them if you want to grab the welcome bonus and move on. They are not really ideal for long-term holding in North America. The three Avios cards below are still pretty good, and if you can use British Airways miles, they're worth a look:
Hotel co-branded cards
Chase's hotel co-branded cards are all very solid, and the annual free-night certificates alone can more than make up for the annual fee, which is why my partner and I both hold several of them. These three cards have good welcome bonuses and give out a free night every year, so they're easy keepers.
Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card
Free night award every year; 4x at Hyatt hotels!
- Welcome bonus: 45,000 Hyatt points (spend $5,000 within 3 months) + 2x bonus points (within 6 months, up to $15,000 in spending)
- Rewards: 4x at Hyatt hotels; 2x on airfare, car rentals, dining, transit, and fitness clubs; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for stays at Hyatt hotels, valued at 1.6 cents/point
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Annual free night certificate + $50 flight credit!
- Welcome bonus: 140,000 IHG points (spend $3,000 in 3 months)
- Rewards: 10x on IHG purchases; 5x on travel, gas, and dining; 3x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem at IHG hotels, worth 0.6 cpp
- Annual fee: $99
- Apply now>>
I should especially mention that if you want to aim higher with Marriott, you can upgrade this card to the Ritz-Carlton version to get a more premium free-night certificate and better perks.
Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Marriott Credit Card
Comes with 1 free night certificate every year; a standout card
- Welcome bonus: 4 Marriott free night awards at the 50,000-point tier (spend $3,000 in the first 3 months) + $100 airline credit
- Rewards: 6x at Marriott hotels; 3x on gas, groceries, and dining; 2x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Can be redeemed at Marriott/Ritz-Carlton properties, or transferred to airline miles at up to a 3:1.25 ratio
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
Other co-branded cards
Chase also has store co-branded cards with other merchants, but there aren't many that are worth applying for. Chase Amazon is about the only one I'd still consider. If you spend a lot on Amazon or Whole Foods, it may be worth a look.
Chase Amazon Rewards Credit Card
5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods; no annual fee!
- Welcome bonus: Prime sign-up bonus: $150 gift card (issued upon card opening)
- Rewards: 5% at Amazon, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel; 2% at restaurants, public transit, and rideshare, 2% on gas; 1% on all other purchases
- Redemption: Cash back
- Annual fee: $0
- Apply now>>
The more niche Disney card is really only for fans.
Chase Disney Premier Credit Card
Earn a $300 welcome bonus; choose your card design and get Disney discounts!
- Welcome bonus: $200 Disney eGift Card (upon approval) + $200 (spend $500 in three months)
- Rewards: 2% on supermarkets, gas, restaurants, and Disney purchases; 1% Disney Dollars on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for Disney tickets, in-park purchases, movies, online shopping, cruises, and flights to Disney destinations
- Annual fee: $49
- Apply now>>
Business credit cards
Chase-issued cards
Chase's own INK series of business credit cards is also excellent. Each card has its own role, and the welcome bonuses are all very good.
Chase Ink Cash Business Credit Card
5x at office supply stores, internet, cell phone, landline, and cable TV; no annual fee!
- Welcome bonus: 100,000 Ultimate Rewards (UR) (spend $8,000 in 4 months)
- Rewards: 5x at office supply stores and on internet, cell phone, landline, and cable TV bills (on up to the first $25k in purchases); 2x at gas stations and restaurants (on up to the first $25k in purchases); 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for cash back at 100 UR = $1; if you also hold a premium card, points can be transferred 1:1 to airline miles or hotel points, or redeemed toward travel at 1:1.25/1.5; point value: 1.6 cent/point
- Annual fee: $0
- Apply now>>
Chase Ink Unlimited Business Credit Card
1.5x points on all business purchases; no annual fee!
- Welcome bonus: 100,000 Ultimate Rewards (UR) (spend $8,000 in four months)
- Rewards: 1.5x on all purchases, unlimited
- Redemption: Redeem for cash back at 100 UR = $1; if you also hold a premium card, points can be transferred 1:1 to airline miles or hotel points, or redeemed for travel at 1:1.25/1.5; point value: 1.6 cents/point
- Annual fee: $0
- Apply now>>
Chase Ink Preferred Business Credit Card
A strong choice for people with heavy spending in specific categories, Chase business card
- Welcome bonus: 90,000 Ultimate Rewards (Spend $8,000 in the first 3 months after opening)
- Rewards: 3x on travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone services, and advertising (Travel, Shipping purchases, Internet, Cable and Phone services, Advertising), on up to the first $150k; all other purchases 1x
- Redemption: Redeem for cash at 100 UR = $1; can transfer 1:1 to airline miles or hotel points; can redeem at 1:1.25 toward travel purchases; value 1.6 cent/points
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
The welcome bonus on Ink Premier is cash back and cannot be combined with Chase points, so keep that in mind.
Chase Ink Premier Business Credit Card
2.5% cash back on large purchases
- Welcome bonus: $1000 (Spend $10,000 in the first three months after card activation)
- Rewards: 5% on Chase Travel purchases; 2.5% on purchases of $5,000 or more; 2% on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for cash back directly
- Annual fee: $195
- Apply now>>
Co-branded cards
The more worthwhile co-branded cards include:
It comes with a free night certificate, so it's an easy keeper.
Chase IHG Business Credit Card
One free night certificate every year + $50 in United TravelBank cash!
- Welcome bonus: 140,000 IHG points (spend $4,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 10x on IHG purchases; 5x on travel, gas stations, dining, and business purchases (office supplies, advertising); 3x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeem for IHG hotels, worth about 0.6 cpp
- Annual fee: $99
- Apply now>>
Mainly for helping you qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass.
Chase Southwest Performance Business Credit Card
Southwest business premium card with 9,000 bonus points every year!
- Welcome bonus: 80,000 Southwest miles (spend $5,000 in the first 3 months)
- Rewards: 3x on Southwest purchases; 2x on advertising purchases, internet, cable TV, phone services, gas, and dining; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Redeemable for Southwest flights, with points worth about 1.5 cents each
- Annual fee: $299
- Apply now>>
Chase Southwest Premier Business Credit Card
Southwest business card with 6,000 bonus points every year!
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 Southwest miles (spend $3,000 in the first three months)
- Rewards: 2x on Southwest flights, hotel stays, and rental cars booked through Southwest; 2x at restaurants and gas stations (on the first $8k each year); 1x on all other purchases,
- Redemption: Redeem for Southwest flights, with points worth about 1.5¢/point
- Annual fee: $149
- Apply now>>
Applying
A quick note on applying for Chase credit cards: I recommend starting with no-annual-fee cards after about six months of credit history, applying for mid- to high-end annual-fee cards after about a year, and waiting until you have some income before applying for the top-tier Sapphire Reserve. Chase also has the 5/24 rule for applications, so you may want to prioritize getting Chase cards first before applying for other cards.
- An explanation of Chase credit card applications and the 5/24 rule (co-branded cards and INK cards seem to be unrestricted now)
- 21 things you should know about Chase credit cards