A good source indicates that Chase has imminent plans of changing the 5x category on the Chase INK line cards to earn just 3x.
This change will not affect existing cardholders. Only new card applicants.Â
The new 3x category has been in the planning stages for quite some time, and will probably go into effect sometime within the next few months.
The news is not all bad, though. According to the source, all 5x and 2x categories will become 3x. So gas and hotels, currently earning 2x, will be bumped up to 3x, while office/cell/cable will be bumped down to 3x.
There was also mention of a couple of other categories being added to the bonus 3x category (possibly things like advertising and shipping).
The annual cap will be $100,000 in spend from all categories combined. This setup is similar to the current system where gas/hotel gets $50,000 and office/cell/cable gets another $50,000.
I’m pegging this as a rumor. I’ve gotten good info from this source in the past so I’d suggest jumping on INK now if you can. It sounds like existing INK cardholders will remain with the 5x categories indefinitely.
Of course, most of us are excluded due to the 5/24 rule. You might have more success applying in-branch with a pre-approval.
I’m thinking about applying for an Ink card at a Chase branch on Friday, Oct. 28. Do you think the 5X will still be available then, or should I apply this week in order to be safe? There are no Chase branches in my city of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but I’m headed to Houston next week where there are Chase branches.
Refresh my memory.. Ink Cash shouldn’t be subject to 5/24 because of it being a business card, correct?
Wouldn’t it be hard to code 5x points for a purchase made by one customer and 3x points for the same purchase made by another customer (new) when both use the same exact card product? Seems like the new 3x would lend support to an entirely new product like ‘Ink Unlimited’ or something.
Not at all, because on their system they would just have different product ID numbers.
Makes sense that Chase is coming out with a completely different card product rather than changing the features of a single card depending on when it was acquired.
so the whole ink line, including ink cash, will get the 2x categories bumped to 3x for new customers? That means restaurants at 3x points… will miss the 5x office, but will gladly take the 3x restaurant bonus :).
Restaurants isn’t a bonus category on INK so it will remain 1x. But you can get 3x UR on restaurants with CSR.
Restaurant is 2x on Ink Cash.
Ahh, good point. I’m not sure how it will work for INK Cash. It might become 3x for restaurants. There’s also a chance that they’ll change the INK Cash benefits to be more in-line with INK Plus. Not really sure.
So, will we have some time to PC once this is officially announced? Or should we just go now? I applied for Ink+ back in April (70K WITH AF) so I feel like I should hang onto it. Or maybe since I’m inside 180 days, downgrade and get partial refund? I don’t like doing that to Chase because they’ve been good to me pointswise, but this is a special circumstance.
Not sure if we’ll have notice or not.
Hi Doc,
I currently have the Ink+ but no Ink cash. Was going to apply for a new Ink cash to get the signup bonus. What are the odds that I will be able to successfully PC my Ink+ to another Ink cash card?
I got an Ink Cash & Ink Plus in 2015 one month apart right before they started the 5/24.
I PC’d the Plus to a Cash this year, now having two Ink Cash.
Yeah I got my wife an ink plus and an ink cash about 3 months apart in 2014. My thoughts for me were that it would be more likely to be approved for a new ink cash before product changing to one. Once I have a new ink cash account then chase would be “forced” to product change my ink + into a Second Ink Cash. Any thoughts?
Should be possible. Probably easier to have two ink+ rather than two ink cash though.
Banker said didn’t see me being pre-approved for ink card. What else can I do?
if you are below 5/24 then you can just apply online. but if you are above 5/24 then i’m afraid there’s nothing you can do. just keep checking very week.
I think the future of ink will be like ‘freedom.’ They will still offer the old ink, and the other one will be ‘ink unlimited’ with 3X on multiple categories.
As Amex just gave up SImplyCash+, I do not think Chase will remove their ink+ until Amex quit.
“Amex just gave up SimplyCash+” can you elaborate on that? Are they going to discontinue SimplyCash+?
Hey Doc,
My parents have an offer code for the chase ink they received via mail. It doesn’t address them directly as it just says “Business Owner”. Is it possible for me to use this code for my own business at another address?
A
Pretty sure you’ll be fine, but not positive.
Hello A,
Can you tell me if your parents have had a business checking account so far so that they are targeted?
They no longer have a business checking actually. But they used to have a business before. Does this make a difference?
They’ll be creating a new Ink card.