Chase just upped the ante on two of its top travel rewards credit cards: The *chase sapphire preferred* and the *chase sapphire reserve*. And while these big, 75,000-point bonus offers are definitely sweet … some travelers might be left with a sour taste in their mouths.
If you recently applied for either card's standard 60,000-point bonus, it's understandable to feel a little let down by the new offers. But if that's you, we've got good news: Chase has been matching some new card members to the bigger, limited-time bonus. This isn't being done automatically, though – you'll have to ask!
Getting a new credit card is all about timing: Apply when the bonus is at its absolute highest and you'll ensure you're not leaving any extra points on the table. But sometimes life has other plans for us and you simply can't wait for a bigger offer … or maybe it seems like one will never return. Thankfully, in this case, it seems Chase is willing to help some travelers who just missed out on the new, limited-time offers.
Here's everything you need to know about requesting an offer match for yourself.
Related reading: Which Sapphire Credit Card is Right For You?
What We're Seeing
With the new 75,000-point bonus offers just dropping last week, some recent applicants are feeling a bit miffed at just missing out on the bigger bonus. Rightfully so.
Several such travelers have taken to Reddit to share their success (or lack thereof) stories about getting matched to the bigger bonus. From what we can gather it seems your best chance at getting matched is to have opened your card in the past month.
I've seen one report of someone opening a *chase sapphire preferred* as far back as early February and getting matched to the new bonus, but that seems like a real outlier. Other confirmed reports on Reddit and private points and miles Facebook groups seem to suggest that approvals as far back as April are where Chase is drawing the line.
Additionally, there has been some speculation about a cardholder's banking relationship with Chase – meaning whether or not you have a checking or savings account – being taken into consideration when deciding to match, though this is unconfirmed. Regardless, having a bank account with Chase certainly won't hurt your odds … especially if you applied before April 1.
How to Request a Bonus Match
If you've been approved for a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve Card in the past month (or further back) and just missed out on the bigger bonus, it's worth testing your luck to see if Chase will match you to the new offer. You can go about this one of two ways: By phone or online.
If you're like me and avoid picking up the phone to talk to a real human at all costs, you're going to want to log in to your Chase account on the desktop site or mobile app. Once logged in you can click on the main menu button in the upper lefthand corner and scroll down to the section titled, “Connect With Chase” where you can select “Secure messages” as the communication type.
From here you'll want to select “New message” and give Chase a little bit more info before being able to begin chatting. You'll need to select the reason for your inquiry by choosing “I have a question about one of my accounts.” Then you'll select the account in question – your new Sapphire Preferred or Reserve Card – and choose “Rewards inquiry” as the topic.
This will allow you to type out a message to a Chase representative. Don't worry about giving the bank a sob story about how you barely missed out on the bonus or feel the need to beg and plead. Just explain that you recently applied for the card and while you're happy with your decision, you're disappointed to see that there's now a new, bigger bonus being offered to new applicants.
After stating your case, you can send your message off to Chase and wait for a response – but don't expect to hear back instantly. Chase's secure message feature does not work the same way as it does with Amex where you're in a live conversation. You can reasonably expect to hear back in as little as hours or as much as a day or two. In my experience using this message system, the response time varies.
If you can't (or don't want to) wait for Chase to get back to you via secure message, you can do what our forefathers did and pick up the phone and call the bank instead. In this case, you can dial up the number on the back of your card … or as some travelers have reported, you can call Chase's reconsideration line instead at 1-888-270-2127.
This number is normally reserved for anyone denied for a new Chase card that wants the bank to give their application a second look, but I suppose since it concerns the bonus offer on a recent approval, it will work here, too.
Bottom Line
Chase is out with new bigger, 75,000-point bonuses on both the *chase sapphire preferred* and the *chase sapphire reserve*. While these new offers are great news for most travelers, those who recently applied under the standard offer are understandably upset to have missed out.
If that's you: Don't write it off as a loss just yet. Some travelers have reported success getting Chase to match them to the new, bigger offer.