If you have a substantial amount of high-interest credit card debt, a balance transfer card can serve as a useful tool to help you pay down your balance quickly, while also saving a significant amount on interest charges.
Chase offers a handful of balance transfer cards with interest-free periods of more than a year — allowing your payments to be applied directly to the principal of your balance, rather than your principal plus interest charges.
We’ll walk you through how to transfer your existing debt to a Chase credit card — including what you need to get started, what steps to take to complete the transfer and which Chase cards provide balance transfer offers.
To begin a balance transfer with Chase, you’ll need the following:
In order to qualify for a new Chase balance transfer card’s introductory APR offer, you must make your balance transfer request within 120 days of opening your account.
In addition, we recommend creating a plan to pay off your transferred balance within the promotional period before initiating the balance transfer — this means calculating the amount you’ll need to pay each month in order to pay the balance in full before the interest-free period ends.
For example, if you are transferring $5,000 to a card offering a 20-month introductory interest-free period with a 3% balance transfer fee, you’ll need to pay around $258 a month ($5,000 x 3% = $5,150/20 = $257.50) to be debt-free. If you don’t pay the entire balance off by the time the intro period ends, any balance remaining will be subject to the card’s ongoing APR.
After researching the balance transfer offers available from Chase, apply for the balance transfer card that best suits your needs.
When applying online, you’ll be asked to to enter personal information like your name, date of birth, Social Security number, home address, type of residence, total gross income and more. You’ll also see the following option to request a balance transfer:
“Would you like to transfer a balance?”
After clicking the “Yes” box, you’ll be prompted to enter the account number and amount of the balance you want to transfer. You can enter up to three accounts, and the balance transfer requests will be evaluated based on the order they’re listed.
Note that if your request exceeds the amount you are approved to transfer, Chase will either decline the request or send less than the full amount requested to your designated payee.
If you have an existing Chase credit card, you can see if your card is eligible by logging in to your account, and following these steps:
If you have a “card to card transfer” offer, you’ll see the amount available to transfer to your Chase card under “Your available transfer types.”
Note that when requesting a balance transfer offer from an existing card, you may not be eligible for an intro 0% APR promotion, but just a lower balance transfer APR.
In addition, know that you won’t be able to transfer more than $15,000 within a 30-day period. Plus, 5% of your available credit will be set aside to cover potential fees and interest.
From there, you can view the details of your available offers, including the length of the promotional APR period, balance transfer fee and ongoing interest rate after the promotional period ends.
If your card isn’t eligible for a balance transfer, you can check back periodically to see if you become eligible in the future.
With Chase, most balance transfers are processed within one week of requesting the transfer; however, it may take up to 21 days. This is dependent upon the length of time it takes the creditor to process the transferred amount from Chase.
To avoid racking up late charges and/or delinquencies on your existing accounts, be sure to continue making payments until the transferred amount has posted and the balance has been paid in full.
If approved, you can use your Chase balance transfer card to pay off the balances on credit cards you have with other banks or retail stores. Or, if you receive balance transfer checks from Chase, you can use those to pay off debts or even for cash.
However, you can’t transfer balances from one Chase credit card to another card issued by Chase (or any Chase affiliates).
Based on our research of cards available through LendingTree, as well as additional cards offered through Chase, we rounded up a few cards with 0% intro APRs on balance transfers. Although these cards charge balance transfer fees, they can still potentially help you save hundreds of dollars, since they provide interest-free periods for more than a year.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro Balance Transfer APR: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months.
Followed by 19.99% – 28.74% variable APR for balance transfers.
The Chase Slate Edge℠, for example, offers the longest interest-free period on balance transfers of any Chase credit card. Cardholders receive a 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months.. (Then a 19.99% – 28.74% variable APR applies.)
The card charges a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days. After, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The Chase Slate Edge℠ also offers a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 18 months.. (Then a 19.99% – 28.74% variable APR applies.)
The Chase Slate Edge℠ provides a unique opportunity to lower your interest rate by 2% each year when you pay on time and spend $1,000 on your card by your next account anniversary — until your APR reaches the Prime Rate plus 9.74%. Note that your final APR reduction could be less than 2%, depending on the APR you receive with your card.
Who’s this card best for?
If you want to transfer your credit card debt to a card that offers an interest-free period for a year and a half, the Chase Slate Edge℠ could be a good fit. Along with a lengthy intro APR on balance transfers and purchases, the card charges a $0 annual fee.
In addition, when you pay your bill on time and spend $500 in the first 6 months of having the card in the first year, Chase will automatically review your account to see if you’re eligible for a higher credit limit.
Just know that the Chase Slate Edge℠ does not offer a rewards program — but when transferring a balance, it’s best to focus on paying off your debt in full before the promotional period ends rather than earning rewards.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro Balance Transfer APR: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months
Followed by 19.99% - 28.74% variable APR for balance transfers.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a solid 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months — after that, an APR of 19.99% - 28.74% variable applies.
There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The $0 annual fee card also offers a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months, then a 19.99% - 28.74% variable APR.
Who’s this card best for?
If you’re interested in a balance transfer card with a generous cash back rate in popular spending categories, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® may be ideal.
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
In addition, you’ll earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Along with gift cards and travel, cash back rewards can be redeemed for statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. You can also use your rewards to pay for all or part of purchases at participating Chase Pay merchants.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro Balance Transfer APR: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
Followed by 19.74% - 28.49% variable APR for balance transfers.
Similar to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers a promotional 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months. After the intro period ends, the regular APR will be 19.74% - 28.49% variable.
The balance transfer fee is intro fee: $5 or 3%. After 60 days: $5 or 5%.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ also comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months. After that, a regular APR of 19.74% - 28.49% variable applies.
This card charges a $0 annual fee.
Who’s this card best for?
If you want to earn a generous cash back rate and don’t mind keeping track of bonus categories each quarter, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ could be a good fit.
Cardholders earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter. Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases. In addition, earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..
Just know that you’ll need to activate the bonus category each quarter to earn the 5% cash back rate on those purchases. Plus, the rate is capped at $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter.
| Credit card | Balance transfer offer | Rewards rate |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Slate Edge℠ | 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. | N/A |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months, then 19.99% - 28.74% variable APR | Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases. |
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ | 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, then 19.74% - 28.49% variable APR | 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter. Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases. |
The amount of your balance transfer request (including fees and interest charges) cannot exceed your available credit or $15,000, whichever is lower.
No, you cannot use your Chase balance transfer to pay other credit cards or loans issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. or any Chase affiliates.
If you wish to cancel or modify your balance transfer, you can do so within 10 days of receiving your credit card by calling the number on the back of your card or 888-338-9464.
No. Because Chase utilizes your credit card’s existing credit limit, there are no loan applications or credit bureau inquiries.
The information related to the Chase Slate Edge℠, Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
