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Due to Chase’s restrictions on credit card applications<\/a>, the smartest move for building your credit card strategy<\/a> is opening credit cards from Chase before moving on to cards issued by other banks.<\/p>\n One such restriction you may encounter is Chase’s 5\/24 rule. This Chase rule (that isn’t published externally but is still very real) says you’ll be automatically rejected for a new card if you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the last 24 months. This includes cards from other banks outside of Chase.<\/p>\n If you’re not familiar with the 5\/24 rule, I strongly suggest starting with this guide<\/a> to see which cards are counted and which cards it affects.<\/p>\n This rule’s consequence (coupled with the fact that Chase issues some of the best travel credit cards) is that people who are new to travel rewards should start with Chase cards before applying for cards from other issuers.<\/p>\n Today, we’ll look at the best ways to use your five slots with Chase.<\/p>\n The first thing you want to consider when building a multicard strategy<\/a> is which card will serve as your anchor. This is the one card you would keep if you had to discard the rest. It needs to be a card that offers strong bonus categories, transferable points, and a decent selection of perks and benefits.<\/p>\n Chase offers two of the best anchor cards on the market, although you’re only allowed to hold one of them at a time: the Chase Sapphire Reserve\u00ae<\/a> (see rates and fees<\/a>) and Chase Sapphire Preferred\u00ae Card<\/a> (see rates and fees<\/a>).<\/p>\n If you’re starting from scratch, in 99% of cases we recommend the Sapphire Preferred or a Sapphire Reserve as your first card. You can check out this guide<\/a> to help you pick between the more entry-level Sapphire Preferred and the premium Sapphire Reserve, but here’s a concise overview:<\/p>\nWhich Sapphire card is right for you?<\/h2>\n
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\n Card<\/strong><\/th>\n Chase Sapphire Preferred Card<\/strong><\/th>\n Chase Sapphire Reserve<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n Annual fee<\/strong><\/td>\n $95<\/td>\n $550<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Earning rates<\/strong><\/td>\n \n \n
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\n Welcome offer<\/strong><\/td>\n Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.<\/span><\/td>\n Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Point value for Chase Travel redemptions<\/strong><\/td>\n 1.25 cents<\/td>\n 1.5 cents<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Credits<\/strong><\/td>\n \n Lounge access<\/strong><\/td>\n N\/A<\/td>\n Access to Sapphire Lounges by the Club<\/a> and a Priority Pass Select<\/a> membership<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Other benefits<\/strong><\/td>\n Complimentary membership and spending credits with DoorDash<\/a> (activate by Dec. 31, 2027)<\/td>\n \n