Am I eligible for the Chase Sapphire Reserve's 125,000-point bonus?
Editor's Note
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) is Chase's flagship personal card. It offers a plethora of benefits, including a flexible $300 travel credit and up to $300 annually for StubHub purchases (activation required).
One of its most compelling perks is its welcome bonus: Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
According to TPG's March 2026 valuations, that's worth $2,563, making it one of the most valuable welcome offers around.
Given how much you can get out of 125,000 Ultimate Rewards points, you don't want to miss out by accidentally not knowing one of Chase's application rules.
Here's what you need to know about eligibility for the welcome bonus on the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Am I eligible for the Chase Sapphire Reserve's welcome bonus?
The biggest and arguably most important rule to keep in mind with Chase is its 5/24 rule. To put it simply, this rule states that anyone who has opened five or more new credit cards in the past 24 months will more than likely be declined for a Chase card.
Chase typically doesn't include business cards in your 5/24 count, so keep that in mind.
In addition, there are a few Sapphire family-specific rules to be aware of:
- You can't currently have a Sapphire Reserve card open.
- If you previously earned a bonus on the Sapphire Reserve, you more than likely will not be eligible to earn another.
- If you previously had a Sapphire Reserve, you may not be eligible for this offer, even if you didn't earn a bonus on that Sapphire Reserve.
In short, if you've never held the Sapphire Reserve and are under 5/24, you should qualify for the welcome bonus.
Of course, Chase will always consider your full credit profile when determining your eligibility. Being under 5/24 and a new Sapphire Reserve customer won't matter if you have a poor credit score, low income or a poor relationship with Chase.
Can I hold both the Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Preferred at the same time?
One of the biggest frustrations with the Sapphire family of cards used to be that you couldn't hold both the Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) at the same time.
When Chase overhauled its Sapphire eligibility rules last year, it got rid of this pesky rule. Now, you can hold both the Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Preferred at the same time.
Whether you currently have or previously had the Sapphire Preferred won't affect your ability to earn a welcome bonus on the Sapphire Reserve.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review
Bottom line
The Sapphire Reserve's 125,000-point welcome bonus is one of the best currently available. If you transfer your points to one of Chase's 14 airline and hotel partners, you'll be able to get maximum value out of them.
Whether you're planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip or several small but fun excursions, it's important to know what Chase's eligibility rules are. That way, you won't miss out on a heap of helpful points.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Sapphire Reserve.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve