No More Waiting: Chase Kills the 48-Month Sapphire Bonus Rule
Goodbye, 48‑Month Rule — Hello, Pop‑Up Jail.
As of **June 23, 2025**, Chase is officially retiring its familiar “48‑month rule” for Sapphire bonuses. Historically, you had to wait four years before re‑earning a signup bonus within the same card family. Now? Chase is ushering in a new, private algorithm that evaluates each applicant individually.
Behind the scenes, Chase is essentially saying: “We’re calling the shots.” Rather than a fixed wait, the question of whether you’ll earn that bonus becomes fluid—dependent on things like your history with Chase, profitability, and even subtle internal metrics.
Enter the Pop‑Up Jail
Not keen on pre-planning? Think again. During the application process, a popup might warn you that you're *not* eligible for a bonus—even before you're approved for the card. You’re then given the familiar choice: move forward or walk away without affecting your credit score .
Essentially, the age-old “AmEx pop-up jail” joke is now a Chase reality, so brace for the same digital gatekeeper warnings that American Express users have long experienced.
Traveling Through a Newlands of Approval
Why the shift? Chase wants more flexibility—and more control. While this could allow you to re‑earn bonuses earlier than before, the blunt bottom line is that Chase ultimately decides who’s “worthy” based on internal data.
Putting it bluntly: it’s *not* a return to bonus freedom. Instead, it’s a variable, opaque system where Chase acts as the gatekeeper—even if you're technically outside the old 48‑month window.
What to Expect (and When)
* **Effective date**: June 23, 2025
* **Currently applied to**: Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Preferred cards
* **Future scope**: Likely to roll out to more Chase products, though grab your bonus now before the rules tighten further.
What This Means for You
* If you’re a travel‑churning pro: Budget even more buffer time—Chase’s approval won’t be automatic after four years anymore.
* If you’re new to bonus travel cards: Welcome to a world where “pre‑approval pop‑ups” could happen before you ever finalize your application.
* If you’re thinking: “Is this the end of Chase 5/24?” – Not yet. The bank hasn’t signaled any changes to the long-standing 5/24 rule, just the bonus‑eligibility process.
Chase’s shift from blanket rules to a proprietary model signals a move to more personalized—but less predictable—bonus eligibility. The “pop-up jail” preview window is your first checkpoint. For now, savvy travelers and cardholders may dip in before June 23—and then learn to navigate the new checkpoints.
Think of it this way: the landscape will still reward careful navigators, so keep your map close and stay alert—not just for gate changes, but for surprise “pop-up” detours along the way.
