Chase Just Ended the 48-Month and “One Sapphire” Rules—Here’s What That Means

Big news for credit card enthusiasts: Chase has officially eliminated the 48-month rule and the “One Sapphire” rule for its popular Sapphire credit cards. This major update gives applicants more flexibility, but also introduces a new once-per-lifetime rule for bonuses.
 

Here’s a breakdown of what changed and how it affects you.

✅ The “One Sapphire” Rule Is Gone

In the past, Chase only allowed you to hold one Sapphire-branded card at a time—this was informally known as the One Sapphire Rule. If you had the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for example, you couldn’t also have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
 

That restriction has now been removed.
 

You can now hold:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
   

at the same time, as long as you’re approved.

🆕 What Replaces the 48-Month Rule?

Chase has also eliminated the 48-month bonus restriction, which previously required a 4-year wait between Sapphire card bonuses.
 

Instead, Chase has introduced a new once-per-lifetime welcome bonus rule per Sapphire product:

• You can now only earn the bonus for each Sapphire card once in your lifetime.
• If you’ve ever received a bonus on the Sapphire Preferred, you can’t get it again—even if it was years ago.
• The same applies for the Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business.

Who’s Eligible for a Bonus?

Let’s make this super clear with examples:
 

✅ You’re Eligible If:

• You don’t currently have any Sapphire cards, and
• You’ve never earned the bonus for the Sapphire product you’re applying for
   

➡️ Example: You had the Sapphire Preferred years ago, downgraded, and now want to apply for the Sapphire Reserve for the first time. You're eligible for the Reserve bonus.
 

❌ You’re Not Eligible If:

• You already have a Sapphire card and apply for another
• You’ve already earned the bonus on the card you're applying for
   

➡️ Example: You currently have the Sapphire Preferred and want to apply for the Reserve—you won’t get the bonus, even if approved.

🧠 What If I Downgrade or Cancel?

If you’re planning to switch Sapphire products and want the bonus, you’ll need to:

1. Downgrade or cancel your existing Sapphire card
2. Wait until Chase no longer recognizes you as a Sapphire cardholder (typically 7–14 days)
3. Apply for the Sapphire card you’ve never had before
    

If eligible, you’ll receive the welcome offer for that product—but only once.

💼 Business Cards Are Treated Separately

If you already have the Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, you can still apply for the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ and earn the bonus—this product is treated as a separate card.

Chase business cards also don’t count toward the 5/24 rule, making them a strategic move if you’re near your limit.

TL;DR – What’s Changed?

✅ You can now hold multiple Sapphire cards at once (One Sapphire rule = gone)

❌ You can only earn a bonus once per Sapphire card, ever

🔁 Downgrading/canceling resets your ability to apply, but not your bonus history

FAQs

Can I have both the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve?

• Yes. Chase no longer limits you to just one Sapphire product.

Can I get the sign-up bonus again if I had a Sapphire card before?

• No. You can only receive the welcome bonus once per product, even if you cancel and reapply later.

Does this affect the Sapphire Reserve for Business?

• Yes, but in a good way. It’s considered separate, so you can hold it with the personal Sapphire cards—and still earn its welcome offer if you qualify.
   

Final Thoughts

The removal of the 48-month rule and One Sapphire rule marks a major shift in Chase’s strategy, giving customers more flexibility to carry multiple Sapphire products.
 

But with the new lifetime bonus limitation, you’ll want to be strategic about when you apply. Make sure to choose the right Sapphire card for your goals, because you only get one shot at the intro bonus for each.