If you decide to play the frequent flyer game with any regularity, there will inevitably come a time when you will be denied a credit card.

Even if you have a perfect credit score, low utilization rate, years of history with the card issuer and great standing, eventually you’ll end up with a denial letter or email.

You may be tempted to hang your head and rue a missed opportunity to earn even more miles.

But don’t give up!

As any seasoned veteran will tell you, you haven’t earned your stripes until you’ve made the reconsideration phone call. This is especially true of Chase, who have notoriously strict rules about how many of their credit cards you can have and apply for.

You may be nervous or timid about making the reconsideration phone call, and that’s understandable. But don’t worry. It gets easier each time, and I can happily say that after many of these calls, I’m still batting 100%.

Just like everything else in life, it’s all about confidence; you feeling confident in your answers and reasoning, which in turn makes the credit card companies feel confident in you as a customer.

So follow the rules below, crush the reconsideration phone call, and watch your miles balance go up.

Note: While we’ve used the steps below most frequently for calling the Chase reconsideration line, they also work for other credit card issuers.

1. Chat Up the Credit Card Reps

It seems simple, but these folks put up with a ton of crap each and every day. Just being kind and pleasant already puts you ahead of the curve. And if you treat them like a real human with an actual personality, you’re in the top 10%.

When I call in, it always somehow comes up that I’m location independent. Usually, the reps find this interesting and enjoy asking me further questions about it (how long have you been doing that, do you enjoy it, where do you live now, etc.).

If you’ve read any of this blog, you know I love to talk. So I happily oblige them with some friendly chatter. This makes the call more enjoyable for both of us (especially the rep).

Is this the main reason that my reconsideration calls are successful? Probably not, but the reps are empowered to make decisions, so coming off as friendly and good-natured certainly doesn’t hurt!

2. Have a Plan

If you have a few cards with a company, oftentimes they won’t mind approving you for a new card. But they might not want to give you more total credit.

To remedy this, they might ask you to move some of your credit from an old card to the new card that you are applying for. Or, they might ask you to close an old card and use that credit line for the new card.

Know ahead of time which card(s) you would prefer to move some credit from or which card you’d be willing to close. Don’t offer to do this right away, but also don’t go in blind.

Knowing how you plan to answer these basic questions should they arise will make the rep that much more inclined to approve your request. If you seem confused and flustered, however, you’re not going to inspire any confidence.

3. Know the Key Benefits of Your Existing Cards

If you’re like me and don’t wish to close out any accounts, know the key benefits of each card.

That way, instead of simply saying “I like having all these pretty cards in my wallet” you can say “I really enjoy using all my Chase cards because X card gives me _________, Y card is great for __________, and Z I use for ___________.”

Here’s a real-life example using my Chase cards:

I love my Chase Sapphire Preferred because it has no foreign transaction fees, so I always use it when I travel abroad. I always use my Chase Ink Business Preferred for all my Facebook ads since I get a 3x bonus for online advertising, and the Chase United Explorer is my go-to card when I’m buying tickets on United since I get 2x for every $1 spent. And since I live in New York, a United hub, I’m always flying with them!

4. Never Mention the Signup Bonus

Sure, the real reason you might want the new card is because of the signup bonus (especially considering the hefty sign-up bonuses Chase regularly offers), but never tell the rep that. Credit card companies don’t want people who are in for the quick “wham, bam, thank you credit card man.” They want loyal customers who will spend on their cards.

This is what makes rule #3 so important. Give the representative a reason or two that you need the new card (other than the signup bonus), and you’ll move a lot closer to a successful reconsideration call.

5. Don’t Give Up a Credit Line (Unless You Have To)

In rule #2, I told you to be prepared to move credit or close a different card, but this doesn’t mean you have to bring it up. Oftentimes, a rep will politely steer you towards closing an account (“Are there any accounts that you have with us that you may not use as much or may not need?”).

Instead of getting flustered or panicky and giving up an account right away, hit them with the reasons you outlined in rule #3 and tell the rep why you like each card.

Sometimes, just this little bit of knowledge and confidence will be enough for the rep to grant you the new card without shifting any credit or closing an account. If that happens, great! You’ve really scored on your reconsideration call.

Other times, they may say that they just can’t give you any more total credit. If that’s the case, always try to move some credit from one of your other cards to the new card but keep them both open.

If that doesn’t work, only then agree to close one of your accounts to get the new card.

6. If You Get an Unhelpful Rep, Hang Up and Try Again

One of the biggest mistakes people make is panicking and thinking that they have to make a decision instantly. You don’t!

Sometimes, a reconsideration call won’t go the way you want it to. Often, this is because the representative is refusing to listen to you, seems unwilling to give you the card, or simply doesn’t understand your situation. If this happens, just tell them thank you, hang up, and try again.

There are thousands of customer service representatives out there, so it’s not worth your time or aggravation to deal with one that isn’t working for you. Don’t feel compelled to agree to anything at that moment.

Hang up, collect yourself, and call back. I’ve done this multiple times, and every time, I’ve been glad I have.

Go Crush Your Chase Reconsideration Phone Call

Ok, so what are you waiting for? You’ve read the rules, so now it’s time to put them into action. Make your plan, crush your reconsideration phone call, and get the Chase cards you want.

To make things easier, here are the reconsideration phone numbers for all the credit cards we recommend (including Chase and other issuers):

Chase Credit Card Reconsideration

  • 1-888-270-2127 (personal cards)
  • 1-800-453-9719 (business cards)

American Express Credit Card Reconsideration

  • 1-877-399-3083 (new customers)
  • 1-866-314-0237 (existing customers)

Capital One Credit Card Reconsideration

Capital One doesn’t have a dedicated reconsideration line. So you’ll need to call either the customer service or credit card application phone number:

  • 1-800-227-4825 (existing customers)
  • 1-800-695-5500 (application phone number, best for new customers)

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