Can Chase Sapphire Preferred Card be downgraded? Full analysis of the detailed process 💳📉
If you also hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred (CSP), you may be facing these problems:
💸 The annual fee is $95, which seems unworthy
✈️ I don’t travel much recently, so I can’t use the benefits
💳 I want a more flexible card structure, but I don’t want to affect my credit score by closing the card
Then, “downgrading” Sapphire Preferred may be the solution you need.
But wait, can I keep my points after downgrading? Will it affect my credit score? Which card is more cost-effective to downgrade to? What is the safest way to do it?
Don’t worry, this article will answer them one by one👇
🧠 What is a credit card “downgrade”? Why do people choose to do this?
Credit card “downgrade” (Product Change or Downgrade) means switching your card to a low annual fee or no annual fee version of the same bank, rather than closing the account.
For example:
Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95 annual fee)
Can be downgraded to ⬇️
Chase Freedom Unlimited ($0 annual fee)
Chase Freedom Flex ($0 annual fee)
✅ Benefits of downgrading:
Continue to keep the account age, which is good for credit score📈
Avoid losing credit limit due to card closure, affecting credit utilization💳
Still retain some cash back functions, suitable for non-travel period💰
No need for hard pull, zero impact on credit score🛡️
🔍 5 key questions you need to consider before downgrading
1. Do you already hold the Freedom series?
Chase stipulates: You can only hold one Freedom Flex and one Freedom Unlimited at most.
If you already have them, you can no longer downgrade to the same card❌
🔄Solution: Choose the one you don’t hold, or change to the old version of Freedom (need to confirm by phone).
2. Will your UR points expire?
If you downgrade from a “travel card” to a “cash back card”, the UR points in your account may no longer be used to transfer airline and hotel points or the “Pay Yourself Back” function.
Recommendation: Transfer or use the UR points before downgrading!
✅ You can transfer to your spouse’s CSP/CSSR account
✅ You can redeem for cash
✅ You can apply for another UR card (such as Chase Ink series) for transfer
3. Have you just received a new user sign-up bonus from CSP?
Chase stipulates that you cannot receive a sign-up bonus for the same series of cards again within 24 months.
If you just received a 60k points sign-up bonus from CSP, it is recommended to keep it for a year before downgrading to avoid violating the terms.
⚠️ Chase has a “5/24 rule”: if you apply for more than 5 credit cards within 24 months, your new card application will be rejected.
4. Are you still enjoying travel benefits?
You will lose these benefits if you use CSP:
Primary car rental insurance🚗
Trip Delay & Cancellation Insurance🧳
Increased points redemption value (UR 1.25x)💥
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck reimbursement (Reserve version only)🛫
After downgrading, you will lose all of these. If you have travel plans in the future, you might as well wait until you have used them before downgrading.
5. Can you still apply for other Sapphire cards after downgrading?
If you plan to apply for Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR) in the future, you must not hold any Sapphire cards and have not received a sign-up bonus in the past 48 months.
Therefore, downgrading to the Freedom series will help you apply for CSR in the future ➕ get a sign-up bonus💰
🛠️ Chase Sapphire Preferred downgrade process analysis
Okay, have you decided? Then let’s start the downgrade process!
👇 Step 1: Confirm that the account has been in use for 12 months
US law stipulates that if you have held a card for less than 12 months, you cannot be forced to downgrade by the bank (CARD Act). If you have held a CSP for less than a year, Chase generally will not allow you to downgrade voluntarily.
🕐 Recommended time for downgrade: After holding the card for 12 months, the best time is 1 month before the annual fee date.
👇 Step 2: Call Chase customer service ☎️
Tel: 1-800-432-3117 (Chase personal credit card customer service)
Select in the automated voice: “Account services → Product change”
You can also directly say: “I’d like to downgrade my Sapphire Preferred card to a no annual fee product.”
👇 Step 3: Select the target card for downgrade
The customer service will tell you the cards you can choose:
Downgrade options Annual fee Cashback structure Recommended groups
Freedom Unlimited $0 1.5% cashback (UR points) on all purchases Want simple returns
Freedom Flex $0 5% quarterly categories, 3% restaurants, pharmacies, 1% others Want to play quarterly high returns
Old version of Freedom (discontinued) $0 Similar to Flex, no Mastercard function Reserved for special circumstances
📌 After downgrading, you will keep the same account number, credit record, and account age
👇 Step 4: Confirm the points and payment status
Customer service will inform:
Current UR points will be retained (but the use will be restricted after the downgrade)
The new card will be mailed within 7-10 working days after the downgrade takes effect
If the annual fee has just been deducted, there is a chance to refund it on a monthly basis
🧠 Additional suggestions:
You can request to take effect immediately or “wait until the bill cycle ends”
If you have just paid the annual fee, it is recommended that you call to apply for a refund first, and then downgrade
👇 Step 5: Receive the new card and activate it to start a new journey🎉
After activating the new card, you now officially have a cashback card with no annual fee and can still earn UR points!
Don’t forget to update your automatic bill payment to ensure that it is not affected when the card number has not changed📲
💡 Downgrading does not mean failure, but a smart credit card strategy!
Many people think that “downgrading” means giving up, but it is actually the opposite:
Downgrading is a way for smart people to flexibly adjust according to financial changes! It can help you:
✅ Keep your credit history
✅ Avoid annual fee pressure
✅ Continue to accumulate UR points
✅ Prepare for future CSR or other card applications
👀 FAQs
Q: Can I upgrade back after downgrading?
Yes! You can “upgrade” (product upgrade) back to Sapphire Preferred or Reserve in the future. But please note: there will be no sign-up bonus unless you reapply for a new card.
Q: Do I need to check my credit score for downgrading?
No, product change is a soft pull and will not affect my credit score.
Q: Can points be transferred to my spouse after downgrading?
As long as you have the same address, UR points can be transferred to your spouse, regardless of which UR card you hold.
Q: Can I still enjoy the point transfer function?
After downgrading, you will lose the ability to transfer points to airlines/hotels. Only CSP or CSR holders can use this function.
🧾 Summary: When should you downgrade your CSP card?
Situation Downgrade suggestions
Can’t use the travel benefits ✅ Downgrade
Think the annual fee is not worth it ✅ Downgrade
Want to reduce the total annual fee ✅ Downgrade
It’s almost 1 year since you opened the card but don’t want to renew ✅ Check the refund situation before downgrading
Still want to use UR points to transfer to airlines/hotels ❌ Hold off on downgrading
Plan to apply for CSR in the future to get the sign-up bonus ✅ Downgrade first, then apply for a new card
🗣️ Last words: Don’t be scared by the word “downgrade”!
In the world of playing with credit cards, flexible adjustment and smart choices are the king!
Chase allows downgrades, which means leaving you a “way out” – allowing you to freely switch card combinations at different stages according to your spending habits and financial needs.
You are not giving up your travel card, but giving yourself more possibilities! 💪
Have you also considered downgrading your CSP? Do you prefer Freedom Flex or Unlimited? Welcome to leave a message to discuss👇
Don’t forget to like + collect + share with friends who are also using CSP! 📲
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