Nobody likes to wait. But waiting for a new credit card to arrive in the mail seems to be the inevitable second step after approval. After all, the bank needs to print a personalized card and mail it to you. But what if there was a quicker way, like a digital card for a digital wallet?
That technology is available, and Chase is using digital wallets so new cardholders can start spending on a new card right after opening it. Chase has dubbed this feature Spend Instantly.
Eligible Chase cardholders can start using a new Chase card immediately after approval by adding the new card to a digital wallet, such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. You’ll need to have an eligible Chase card and know the process to add it. Here’s how.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Up to 5x Reward Rate
Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on allRead More
Welcome Bonus
60,000 bonus points
Annual Fee
$95
Regular APR
21.49%-28.49% Variable
Credit Score
Excellent, Good (700 - 749)
Offering a rare mix of high rewards rates and redemption flexibility, this card is a dream for frequent spenders on travel & dining – while charging a modest annual fee.
- Earn high rewards on several areas of spending
- Transfer points to travel partners at 1:1 rate
- Many travel and shopping protections
- Annual fee
- No intro APR offer
- Best travel earning rates are only for bookings through Chase
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
How To Use Chase Spend Instantly
To use Chase Spend Instantly, you’ll need to start in the Chase Mobile app (Android, Apple). Log into your Chase account and select the card you want to add to a mobile wallet. Scroll down to Account Services and click the Digital Wallets link.
Choose which digital wallet you want to use. Chase will display a list of cards that are eligible to add to a digital wallet. Tap on the card you want to add. Finally, read and accept any terms and conditions to add the card to your digital wallet.
Currently, Chase cards can be added to three digital wallets:
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Samsung Pay
Read More: How To Use a Mobile Wallet
Which Chase Cards Let You Spend Instantly
Most Chase consumer cards can be used right after approval through Chase Spend Instantly. These include Forbes Advisor favorites such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and United℠ Explorer Card.
In fact, it’s easiest to just share which Chase cards aren’t eligible for Spend Instantly:
- Amazon: Amazon Visa Credit Card*, Prime Visa
- Disney: Disney® Visa® Card*, Disney® Premier Visa® Card*
- Business credit cards
- Mastercard: Chase Freedom Flex℠*, DoorDash Rewards Mastercard®*, Instacart Mastercard®*, Aeroplan® Credit Card*, IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card*, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card*
You can still add these ineligible cards to a digital wallet. However, you’ll need to wait until your physical card arrives in the mail before you can do so.
Read more: The Best Chase Credit Cards
Benefits of Chase Spend Instantly
Chase Spend Instantly solves a problem most credit cardholders are all too familiar with: waiting for a credit card to arrive in the mail.
Whether you’re excited to use new benefits or just want to start spending toward the welcome bonus, it can be frustrating to wait for up to two weeks for your new card to arrive. New Chase cardholders can request expedited processing, but it will still take a few days for your new Chase card to arrive in the mail.
While you’re waiting, the clock is ticking. Chase welcome bonuses typically award bonus points or miles after you spend a certain amount in a defined time period. And that time period starts the day you open your card—regardless of how long it takes for your card to arrive in the mail.
By adding your new Chase card to a digital wallet, you can start using that card the day you opened it. For example, new Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders can get approved for a card and then utilize the $300 Annual Travel Credit to book a trip that same day. And, by booking that trip through the Chase Travel℠ portal, you can earn up to 10 points per dollar spent—after the first $300 is wiped out by the travel credit. The card earns 5 points per dollar on flights and 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals when purchasing travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3 points per dollar on other travel and dining and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Best of all, purchases will help you work toward earning the 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The Best Chase Credit Cards Of 2024
Find the best Chase credit card for your needs.
Bottom Line
Chase has an option to “Spend Instantly” on newly approved cards. To set this up, you’ll need to add your new card to a digital wallet via the Chase Mobile app. Then you can start spending on the card right away to work toward earning the sign-up bonus.
Since only a few cards are ineligible for this option, the odds are good that your next Chase card is eligible.
