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Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives. She wholly believe most problems can be solved with the right research -- and a good spreadsheet -- and she specializes in translating complex financial topics into actionable advice to help educate and empower readers.
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Chase has a lot of great cards, so it isn't always easy to choose the right one. If you picked one Chase credit card and later realized you made the wrong choice, you may want to upgrade -- or downgrade -- your card for a better fit.
You can request a product change from Chase by calling the customer service number on the back of your Chase card, or the general Chase credit card customer service line: 1-800-432-3117. Depending on wait times, it should take around 15 minutes.
Upgrading is one way to get a better Chase card, but it isn't without downsides. Let's look at all the important considerations before you upgrade.
What to know about upgrading a Chase card
A credit card upgrade is a type of product change. You'll change from one Chase credit card product to another Chase credit card product.
Upgrading your Chase card won't require a new application or a hard credit inquiry. However, you typically need to have had your account for at least one year, and you still need to meet the basic qualifications for the new card.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening!
$200 bonus
Welcome Offer:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 bonus points
Welcome Offer:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 bonus points
Rewards Program:
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
5% cash back offer
Rewards Program:
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases
Rewards Program:
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠.
Intro APR:
0% Intro APR on Purchases
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Intro APR:
N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR:
19.74% - 28.49% Variable
Regular APR:
20.74% - 27.74% Variable
Regular APR:
21.74% - 28.74% Variable
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$95
Annual Fee:
$550
Highlights:
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74%-28.49%.
No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card
Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Upgrading a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to a Chase Sapphire Reserve®
You can only have one Chase Sapphire card at a time. So, if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card but want a Chase Sapphire Reserve® instead, you need to cancel or upgrade to make the switch.
Canceling your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and applying for a new Chase Sapphire Reserve® is better if you're eligible for the welcome bonus. You typically won't get a welcome bonus for upgrading.
Either path you choose, you still need to meet the qualifications for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® to get approved for a new card or upgrade. It has higher credit and income requirements, so an upgrade isn't guaranteed.
Upgrading a Chase Freedom to a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
There are three cards in the Chase Freedom family, but only two of them are open to new cardholders (the regular Chase Freedom card is no longer available):
You can upgrade any Freedom card to a Sapphire card, provided you meet the qualifications of the new card. The annual fee of the new card will be due on your first statement after upgrading.
You can also product change between Freedom cards if you decide one is a better fit than another (not technically an upgrade or downgrade since they all have no annual fee). Note that the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and classic Chase Freedom cards are both Visa cards, while the Chase Freedom Flex® is a Mastercard.
Reasons to upgrade a Chase card
Credit card upgrades aren't always the best path to getting the best credit card for you. That said, there are times when it may make sense to upgrade your Chase card.
To get a new Sapphire card
You can't be the primary cardholder on more than one Sapphire credit card. If you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card but want a Chase Sapphire Reserve® for the improved benefits and perks, your options are limited:
You can upgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
You can cancel it and apply for a Chase Sapphire Reserve® as a new cardholder.
Canceling and applying is the better option if you're after a welcome bonus. But you're only eligible for a welcome bonus on a new Sapphire card if it's been at least 48 months since your last welcome bonus from a Sapphire card.
If you're under that time limit, you won't be eligible for a welcome bonus anyway, so upgrading your existing card may be the better option. Upgrading should keep your account age and credit line in tact, and it also won't have a hard credit inquiry (unlike a new application).
To avoid 5/24 restrictions
Chase restricts who can get approved for a new card based on recent application activity. Specifically, Chase has the 5/24 rule, which means you won't be approved for a new Chase card if you've opened five or more new credit card accounts in the last 24 months.
The 5/24 rule applies to all Chase credit cards, as well as many of its cobranded cards. If you're over the 5/24 limit, you won't be approved for an additional Chase card, so upgrading an existing card may be your best bet for getting a different Chase card.
To avoid credit limit caps
Even if you're below the 5/24 limit, Chase may not approve your application if you already have too many Chase credit cards -- or, more specifically, too much credit with Chase. Banks often cap how much total credit they're willing to give you. If you're already at your max credit with Chase, you can either reallocate some of your credit lines from other cards or upgrade an existing card.
Reasons not to upgrade a Chase card
You've chosen a new card and are ready for a change. But while upgrading can be useful, there's a lot to consider before making the decision.
You'll likely miss out on the welcome bonus
The main downside to upgrading a Chase card instead of applying as a new cardholder is that you'll miss out on the welcome bonus. Product changes aren't usually eligible for new cardholder offers of any kind.
Rarely, you may get a targeted upgrade offer from Chase that includes an upgrade bonus or other intro offer. There is no way to predict these offers, however, and I know of no way to force them to occur.
You'll pay a higher annual fee
Whether you're upgrading from a Freedom card to a Sapphire card or from one Sapphire card to another, your fee is going up. That new fee will likely show up on your first statement after upgrading, so be prepared to pay it in full right away.
The Freedom family cards have no annual fee. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a $95 annual fee. And the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a massive $550 annual fee.
Why was my Chase upgrade request denied?
When you call up Chase to request an upgrade, that's exactly what you're doing: making a request. It's up to Chase to decide whether or not to approve that request. There is no guarantee that you'll be granted an upgrade when you ask.
Here are a couple reasons you may not be approved for a card upgrade:
You don't meet the credit requirements for the new card. The more premium Chase cards tend to have higher credit requirements than the no annual fee options. If your credit score or history isn't strong enough for the more restrictive card, Chase won't approve the upgrade. You'll want to improve your credit before trying again.
You don't have enough existing credit with Chase. Each Chase card has a minimum credit limit. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a minimum $10,000 credit limit. If your existing credit lines aren't large enough, Chase may deny the upgrade. In this case, you could potentially ask for a credit limit increase (this may require a hard credit pull) and then upgrade your card if the increase is approved.
If your upgrade request was denied, consider waiting at least six months before making another upgrade request. You can use this time to build your qualifications.
Keep browsing Chase credit cards
See our full list of the best Chase credit cards and determine which is right for you.
If you find you're tired of paying a high annual fee on your Sapphire card, you can downgrade it to a no annual fee option. However, as with upgrades, you'll likely miss out on a welcome bonus or intro APR offer that may come with the card when you apply as a new cardholder.
Before downgrading your card, consider the potential impacts to your overall card collection. For instance, if you currently have a Chase trifecta -- perhaps a Sapphire card paired with a Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex® -- downgrading your Sapphire card to a Freedom card will end your ability to transfer your points.
How to downgrade a Chase credit card
The process of downgrading a Chase card is the same as upgrading. You can call the number on the back of your card and request a downgrade from customer service.
You'll lose your previous card benefits as soon as the downgrade is complete. If you downgrade from a Chase Sapphire Reserve® to a Preferred, you'll lose access to your Priority Pass membership and points bonus.
And, as mentioned, you'll lose the option to transfer points if you downgrade from a Sapphire card to a Freedom card. Be sure to use up any statement credits and transfer any rewards before requesting a downgrade.
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
1% - 5% Cashback
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Intro:
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular:18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending
$200 cash rewards
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
2% cash rewards
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Intro:
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases
25,000 points
25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
1.5 points per dollar
Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
Intro:
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
Yes, you can typically upgrade a Chase Freedom card to another card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. However, you must still be approved for the card to which you want to upgrade. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has higher credit score and income requirements. An upgrade approval is not guaranteed.
No, most Chase product upgrades are not eligible for a welcome bonus. The only exception is if you receive a specific upgrade offer from Chase that includes an upgrade bonus.
A product change is when you transform one type of Chase credit card account to another card account. For example, you could product change a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to a Chase Sapphire Reserve®. A product change is a full transformation. Once you product change a card, the new card loses all the rewards and benefits of the old card type and gains all of the rewards and benefits of the new card type.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Brittney Myers has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase, Mastercard, Target, and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2025 $370 calls on Mastercard and short January 2025 $380 calls on Mastercard. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Visa.
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