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Chase has a been leader in travel credit cards, rewards, and bank offers, so there is always a lot of buzz and excitement surrounding the Chase credit card portfolio. Understandably so as Chase Bank offers a wide variety of cash back and travel benefit products. So, should you get a Chase credit card? Here is a look at the advantages and disadvantages.

get chase credit card
View of Barcelona from our room (with a zoom). Credit: Johnny Jet

Is It Really A Good Idea To Get A Chase Credit Card?

Yes, as long as your credit is in good standing then applying for a Chase can be a great idea to compliment your travel and everyday spending. Let’s start out by looking at the positive aspects of having a Chase credit card in your wallet. Here are the upsides of getting a Chase credit card.

If eligible, it’s a good idea to get these top Chase cards:

New! Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel value! New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases in their first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, they can get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within their first year.

Can Earn Ultimate Rewards

There are several personal and business Chase credit cards. One of the best perks of these products is the ability to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are some of the most valuable credit card rewards for travel, cash back, and gift cards.

Namely, the flagship Chase Sapphire cards offer a travel redemption bonus making each point worth up to 50% more. So, each point can be worth up to 1.5 cents when booking award trips through the Chase Travelportal versus 1 cent for similar credit card travel portals.

The Chase Freedom card family also earns points but doesn’t have transfer partners since they don’t charge an annual fee.

In addition, credit cards with an annual fee offer 1:1 point transfers to participating airlines and hotels. The list of transfer partners is a balanced mix of domestic and international airlines, including Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Aeroplan, Aer Lingus, and World of Hyatt.

Get a Chase Credit Card That Is Co-Branded With a Top Travel Brand

There are many co-branded airline and hotel travel credit cards through well-traveled loyalty programs. For example, the author has two Chase-issued credit cards including one co-brand product.

The various travel brand partnerships include:

For instance, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines are two of the busiest airlines for domestic flights. The hotel partnerships with IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt also provide additional rewards for mid-tier and luxury hotels worldwide.

While most Chase co-brand credit cards unlock travel rewards, there are also products for Amazon, DoorDash, and Instacart.

Related: The Best Chase Credit Cards

Several Business Credit Cards

If you want to get a Chase credit card for your business, the bank offers four Ink Business credit cards that earn p,oints along with several co-brand travel credit cards.

There are two Ink Business cards without an annual fee:

If you prefer business cash rewards, the Ink Business Premier® Credit Card earns 2.5% back on purchases above $5,000 on 2% back on everything else. The annual fee is $195.

Business travelers may also like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, which earns up to 3x points on purchases, sports a 25% travel redemption bonus, and 1:1 transfer partners. This card has a $95 annual fee but no foreign transaction fee. Find out how to get the Ink Business Preferred.

If you often travel for business, the co-brand cards can help you enjoy elite travel benefits and other complimentary perks that make business trips more pleasant:

Related: Best Chase Business Credit Cards

Student Credit Cards

The Chase Freedom® Student credit card helps college students start building credit in early adulthood and earn rewards. Students can earn 1% back on purchases and be eligible for a credit limit increase after making five on-time monthly payments within the first 10 months.

Additionally, on each account anniversary, cardholders receive $20 in Good Standing Rewards for up to five years. Plus, college students can enjoy free banking access with the Chase College Checking Account, which is offering a $100 bonus cash signup bonus. New Chase customers can get $100 when they open a Chase College Checking℠ account and complete 10 qualifying transactions within 60 days of coupon enrollment. The $0 Monthly Service Fee for students 17 to 24 years old at account opening, enrolled in college or a vocational, technical, or trade school up to the graduation date provided at account opening (five years maximum), or they will need to pay the $12 Monthly Service Fee.

While Chase Bank isn’t known for offering starter credit cards or credit-building products, this opportunity can make it easier to qualify for its travel or its cash back cards later on.

Related: The Chase Freedom Student Credit Card: $50 Bonus Offer

When to Not Get a Chase Credit Card

There are several instances when you may decide to avoid Chase credit cards.

Requires Good or Excellent Credit

You will need a good or excellent credit score of at least 670 to qualify for most products. Other banks have similar credit requirements for competing products. However, it’s worth pointing out that Chase isn’t the best option for applicants with little or imperfect credit.

Related: 9 Best Credit Cards For Excellent Credit 

Strict Application Rules

You may need to pause on applying for Chase credit cards if you’re subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. This unspoken policy automatically declines applications when five or more new credit cards have been added to your personal credit report in a rolling 24-hour period.

Additionally, you may be restricted to one signup bonus per card family within a set amount of time. For example, you must wait at least 24 months before receiving a follow-up Southwest Rapid Rewards bonus offer.

The Chase Sapphire application guidelines require waiting  48 months between bonus offers. This is one of the longest waiting periods for credit card bonus offers.

Cash Back Credit Cards Have Foreign Transaction Fees

The Chase Freedom Flex® earns up to 5% back on purchases, including rotating bonus categories. In addition, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns 1.5% back.

These cash-back rates are competitive, and you won’t pay an annual fee. However, both products incur a 3% foreign transaction fee, which doesn’t make them a good candidate for international travel.

There are other cashback credit cards with similar rewards programs that have no foreign transaction fee.

Related: The Best Cash Back Credit Card Offers

Most Cards Have an Annual Fee

Most Chase travel credit cards have an annual fee from $95 to $250. These fees are competitive with similar products. However, you must decide if you will travel enough to use the card benefits and offset the fee.

It’s common for credit card benefits to go unused with many banks. A no-annual-fee card can be better when you want to concentrate on earning points and building a credit history without worrying about spending money in the process.

Summary

There are many reasons to get a Chase credit card, especially when you want to earn points or frequently travel with one of its airline or hotel co-brand partners. However, it’s worth comparing your desired Chase products to the best travel credit cards to find the perfect match.

If eligible, it’s a good idea to get these top Chase cards:

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