The Chase credit card is a popular option for Visa and MasterCard users. With a variety of cards to fit individual needs, Chase offers a card that has the rewards or options suitable for almost anyone.
Types of Chase Credit Cards
Chase has multiple types of credit cards in the following categories:
- Cash Rebate: The Chase Freedom cards offer cash-back bonuses of $50 to $200 after initially using the card, plus up to five percent cash back on regular purchases and 10 percent back on qualifying online purchases. There's no annual fee and rewards never expire. The interest rate varies between 9.99 and 22.99 percent. The Slate and Blueprint cards offer cash-back bonuses, plus give card members options for paying down balances quicker and saving interest by selecting charges to apply payments to.
- Travel: Some travel options include Southwest Airlines, British Airways, Continental Airlines or United Mileage Plus Card for flight miles; Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Hyatt for hotel rewards, and the Disney Rewards card for theme park discounts and special meet-greet-events with Disney characters. With the Sapphire card, you get a 25% boost in points when using your rewards for travel.
- Retail: Retail cards frequently offer special discounted offers at certain retailers, or points toward merchandise. Cards can be chosen for Shoprite, Orvis, and the Quicken Rewards Visa, among others. Interest rates range between 13.24 and 19.24 percent.
- College and University Alumni: More than 40 colleges and universities are affiliated with this Chase option. These cards, designed to help alumni donate to their alma mater, often give a percentage of money charged on the card back to schools, and some even offer a rewards card for cash back toward purchases, travel or gift certificates. Interest rates range between 13.24 and 19.24 percent. A few of the participating higher institutions include Yale, Southern Illinois, University of Chicago, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State and Cornell.
- Organizational: Chase offers cards to benefit several different organizations, depending on the consumer's choice. Examples of beneficiaries include Shriners, National Geographic, Onecause, American Paint Horse Association, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, and the American Kennel Club. Groups receive a varying percentage of purchases in donations and cardholders often reap other benefits to their goodwill, like discounts for membership fees or rewards gift certificates. Check with each individual card for details.
- Military: The Military Star cards offer cash-back or rewards points on purchases, including two percent back on commissary purchases. Points can be redeemed for statement credit or a check, gift cards or travel certificates. There are no foreign transaction or annual fees, plus all interest and fees are refunded when the cardholder is on deployment.
Because so many cards are offered within each category, be sure to review the rewards and options carefully in order to choose the correct Chase credit card. Chase also offers business cards that company owners may find helpful.
Chase Features
Chase offers several features for credit card holders.
The website has a lot of user-friendly options. A "Help Me Choose" card section answers questions for potential consumers and ranks the features they want, then Chase generates several card options to fit their specific needs. Cards can also be compared on the website. Account access is available, along with online bill payment.
Chase credit card users can sign up for free alerts via e-mail, phone, pager or PDA for things like available credit balance, payment due or check to see if a single transaction exceeds a certain amount. Additionally, automatic bill payments can be arranged for things like insurance, television bills and gym memberships. Most cards also have the option of getting a PIN for cash machines.
Preferred Services
Chase credit card holders can add preferred services to an account. Ten different services are offered, some through Chase and others through a separate company called Trilegiant Corporation. These services are in addition to the options offered by the different Chase cards and may incur a separate cost.
One of the preferred services is the Chase Payment Protector, which defers payments when life-altering events occur. Some of the qualifying events include losing a job, becoming disabled, incurring hospital charges or having a baby.
Another preferred service is ChaseSecure. It involves registering a Chase Visa credit or debit card so that purchases can be made online with added protection. This feature is free.
To learn more about preferred services and all the options reviewed in this article, visit the Chase credit card website.
Factors That Impact Accounts
Remember that with any credit card, the APR can vary based on the borrower's credit history, credit score and type of card chosen. Additionally, balance transfers and cash advances usually have a higher interest rate, sometimes accrued daily, that is different from the card's advertised APR.
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