Good news for Chase Ultimate Rewards fans: Chase has updated the bonus eligibility rules (again) for its Sapphire card. This time, more cardholders may be eligible for another lucrative bonus than before.
Starting January 22nd, you can earn a bonus once with each Sapphire card as long as you’ve never earned a bonus with that card before – regardless of whether you currently have a Sapphire card in your wallet. So if you currently hold Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See Rates and Fees) and with the bonus, you can now add Chase Sapphire Reserve® (See Rates & Fees) and earn bonuses – as long as you haven’t earned bonuses in Sapphire Reserve before.
Here’s what you need to know.
Chase eases Sapphire bonus limits
Back in June 2025, Chase announced it would limit bonus eligibility to once in a lifetime per Sapphire card. But it also limits your ability to earn bonuses on a Sapphire card for the first time if you hold another Sapphire card.
As a Sapphire Priority cardholder, this means I can apply for the Premium Sapphire Reserve and enjoy its benefits. But after spending $6,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening, I won’t be able to earn the reliable 125,000-point welcome bonus.
With the changes announced this week, I can now add Sapphire reserves to my wallet and earn bonuses even if I hold Sapphire Priority. This wouldn’t be the case if I had received a Sapphire Reserve bonus at any point in my life before, but since I didn’t, the option is now on the table.
Of course, I can’t go back and get a new bonus through Sapphire Priority since I already got one.
Overall, this is a positive change for current Sapphire cardholders who want to add another Sapphire card (and its bonuses) to their wallet.
It’s worth noting that these eligibility rules are still less relaxed than they were before June 2025. At the time, you could wait 48 months to get a new bonus on the same Sapphire card, but that option is long gone now.
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Changes since the Sapphire Reserve refresh
Last summer’s initial Sapphire bonus eligibility changes coincided with Sapphire Reserve Refresh. The June 2025 overhaul adds more statement points and a higher annual fee while making existing cardholders wait until October 2025 to access the new benefits, causing understandable frustration for some cardholders.
Since then, Chase appears to have made several moves to maintain loyalty and generate interest in the new-look cards. In addition to this week’s bonus eligibility update, which is certainly positive news for current Sapphire cardholders, Chase also:
Overall, these are positive changes that should help alleviate some of the friction surrounding the initial Sapphire Reserve announcement. Adjustments to bonus eligibility rules follow this trend.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve: Which Is Better for You?
bottom line
If you were disappointed by last summer’s restrictions on Sapphire bonus eligibility, this is certainly a positive update.
While you won’t have the flexibility to earn new Sapphire bonuses every 48 months as you did before June 2025, current Sapphire cardholders can now add another Sapphire card to their wallet and earn bonuses – as long as they have never earned bonuses on that card before.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
