Old Jan 16, 2017, 9:36 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: philemer
Before applying, please note
B of A's restrictions (2-3-4 rule, UPDATED: as of Sept 28,2019 possibly 3/12 for new customers and 7/12 for existing customers. See thread for ongoing discussion) on approving applications:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cred...24-months.html

Nestled in the terms and conditions of all of the personal Alaska Airlines credit card offers:
"This card will not be available to you if you currently have or have had the card in the preceding 24 month period. This does not apply to the business credit card product."

More info on the COMPANION FARE cert can be found here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alas...-fare-faq.html

This thread is a continuation from THIS discussion (2012-2016)
Concurrent discussion here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alas...017-later.html


As additional resources for these cards, see the following threads in the Alaska Airlines forum
Please do not delete non working offers because sometimes they start working again. Instead move them to the prior offers section.

PERSONAL CARDS

Current offers:
All offers below are DEAD
72K offer
: 72K offer
70K offer: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/cr...B&gclsrc=aw.ds
70K + $100 statement credit: click on the direct link to offer in the DoC article...https://www.doctorofcredit.com/bank-...0-miles-offer/

Prior offers:
50k miles + companion fare, $75 AF, $2k spend (Live Jan 2021 to May 2021)
40k miles + $100 + companion fare, $75 AF, $2k spend

As of December 2018, Bank of America no longer gives you a lower bonus if you're approved for Platinum instead of Signature.

Make sure to opt-in to "Partner Offers" within your Mileage Plan account if you wish to be targeted for single-use application links with increases bonuses.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Check Personal Card application status online here:
https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit...status-form.go

Personal card Recon Lines:
1-800-354-0401 (8am-7pm ET Mon-Fri) direct, referring agent from another BofA line called it their "credit department"
or 888-230-6262


================================================== =======================



BUSINESS CARDS

Current offers:
Now 50k $95 AF $100 Stmt credit $4k spending https://www.alaskaair.com/content/cr...-business-card

Prior offers:
40K>70K



Read post 844 for tips on being approved for the business card.
It may be easier to get approved for a new business with 0 years and $0 gross income.


Also see the Applying for Business Credit Cards [Consolidated] thread (not-BofA-specific) for general tips on applying for business cards.


Business card Recon Line:
866-695-6598 (8-7pm EST M-F)
Biz card status line: 888 663 6262 (not working)
Biz Card credit analyst line: 888-782-7717
Biz card expedited shipping: wait 24 hours after approval for a card number to generate then call 800-901-9830 and a person will answer. If 1st Rep says "no" ask him/her to ck. with a supervisor. This worked for me.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Credit Inquiries
Credit Inquiries for Personal cards come from BofA. Inquiries for business cards come from FIA.
Credit bureaus usually merge inquiries from the same requester made on the same day.
Inquiries from BofA and FIA will not be merged.

Does one have to call BoA to lower a card's credit limit?
Yes, there is no longer any way to contact BOA online. Phone is the only method currently.

When do the initial bonus miles post? You will get the miles after the statement closes for the cycle in which you meet your minimum spend. Usually AS points show up the Sunday evening after your statement closes, but sometimes it takes an additional week.

If there's a statement credit, when does it post?
It seems to be batch-processed. It will post automatically. Can be on the same statement or the next statement. It does not appear to be based on the statement close date.

Can you send a secure message through your account online?
No. BOA has removed the secure message functionality, even for Preferred members. The only way to contact BOA now is to call them.

Can I apply for another personal Alaska card if I have one open already?
Some people still can, but these days many people get denied. If you don't want to risk getting denied, it's probably better if you close any existing personal Alaska cards before applying for another one. But be sure to lower credit limit as low as possible at least a few business days before you close the card (though the earlier you can do it the better), because credit limit that's left on the card when you close it stays unavailable to new card applications for a year or more (while credit limit that's lowered as a separate step becomes available to new card applications much sooner)!

.................................................. .................

Use or earn Mileage Plan miles with Alaska's Global Partners
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...tners-overview














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Bank of America Alaska Airlines card

Old May 2, 2017, 3:51 pm
  #301  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: NY
Posts: 29
Welp, got hit with my first AS denial today--account history is below for DP purposes:

07/15: Opened AS 1 (still open)
03/16: Opened AS 2 and Biz AS 1
10/16: Closed AS 2 (premature, I know)
10/16: Opened AS 3 and Biz AS 2
03/17: Closed Biz AS 1 and lowered CLs on AS 3 + Biz AS 2
05/17: Applied for AS 4, denied outright and over recon line. Reason given: sufficient accounts open

I'm a bit surprised because I figured 6 months between new accounts was a steady enough pace that I would slip under the radar, but it seems sdsearch's advice above would indicate there are even more stringent requirements now.

For what it's worth, the Credit Analyst answered my offer to proactively close an account as "inadvisable" since BoA was interested in my account opening/closure activity over the last *two* years. Sounds a bit like they've adopted something similar to 5/24 to me...
JFKjolly is offline  
Old May 2, 2017, 3:59 pm
  #302  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 371
I just saw the difference between reducing CL and close the card.

Could I reduce my AS Personal card CL from $10k to $200, and close it IMMEDIATELY with the same call?

Will BOA release the $9800 CL in one month or one year? I known they will only reduce the $200 in one year, but not sure about the $9800 reduced and closed same day.

Thank you!
milaohu is offline  
Old May 2, 2017, 4:10 pm
  #303  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,166
Originally Posted by milaohu
I just saw the difference between reducing CL and close the card.

Could I reduce my AS Personal card CL from $10k to $200, and close it IMMEDIATELY with the same call?

Will BOA release the $9800 CL in one month or one year? I known they will only reduce the $200 in one year, but not sure about the $9800 reduced and closed same day.

Thank you!
I don't think anyone has the answer to that, but if it were me I'd lower to $200 now and then wait a week or so before closing the card.
Superorb is offline  
Old May 2, 2017, 4:29 pm
  #304  
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,927
Originally Posted by milaohu
I just saw the difference between reducing CL and close the card.

Could I reduce my AS Personal card CL from $10k to $200, and close it IMMEDIATELY with the same call?

Will BOA release the $9800 CL in one month or one year? I known they will only reduce the $200 in one year, but not sure about the $9800 reduced and closed same day.
Why risk it? Since the reduced credit limit may not show on BofA's website for a day or two, I wouldn't count on it therefore being reduced before closing if both reducing and clsoing happen on the same call. Since I don't think you can see your credit limit after closing anyway, for all you know if you ask for both on the same call the agent may just cancel the credit lowering since you're closing the card anyway, and not tell you! (No one who's not about to reapply would know the difference, and of course you don't want to let on to an agent that the reason you want to do something is so you can turn around and re-apply !)

I would recommend waiting several work days after lowering the credit limit before closing the card, to make very sure the two events are distinct from each other. At the very least, make sure the website shows the credit limit lowered (which typically takes a day or two) before you close the card.

Meanwhile, if you had been reading this thread, you would have realized it may take several calls to reduce your credit limit from $10k to $200 in the first place. Many agents seem to say that you cannot reduce below $5k, so you have to seek out an agent who will try it and then it's likely to work. But that may not at all be the first agent you talk to.

So if your goal was to limit the number of calls you have to make to BofA, you're in the wrong game.

Last edited by sdsearch; May 3, 2017 at 1:40 pm Reason: type
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Old May 2, 2017, 5:41 pm
  #305  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 371
Originally Posted by sdsearch
Why risk it? Since the reduced credit limit may not show on BofA's website for a day or two, I wouldn't count on it therefore being reduced before closing if both reducing and clsoing happen on the same call. Since I don't think you can see your credit limit after closing anyway, for all you know if you ask for both on the same call the agent may just cancel the credit lowering since you're closing the card anyway, and not tell you! (No one who's not about to reapply would know the difference, and of course you don't want to let on to an agent that the reason you want to do something is so you can turn around and re-apply !)

I would recommend waiting several work days after lowering the credit limit before closing the card, to make very sure the two events are distinct from each other. At the very least, make sure the website shows the credit limit lowered (which typically takes a day or two) before you close the card.

Meanwhile, if you had been reading this thread, you would have realized it may take several calls to reduce your credit limit from $10k to $200 in the first place. Many agents seem to say that you cannot reduce belong $5k, so you have to seek out an agent who will try it and then it's likely to work. But that may not at all be the first agent you talk to.

So if your goal was to limit the number of calls you have to make to BofA, you're in the wrong game.
Thank you. My initial goal was to limit the number of calls (for me and my family members). But it seems I need to adjust the goal and expectations.
milaohu is offline  
Old May 2, 2017, 6:41 pm
  #306  
Original Member
 
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 2,505
30k mile offer with $100 credit and fee for the companion ticket waived the first year[/COLOR], $75 AF, $1k spend: https://secure.bankofamerica.com/app...aignid=4020594
pgary is offline  
Old May 2, 2017, 8:53 pm
  #307  
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: Previously top-tier everything, now a happy free agent
Posts: 1,001
I don't think this has been discussed in this thread yet... But if it has, please let me know

How would you guys compare this offer (30k + free companion fare + $100 statement credit, $75 AF) against the 50k offer that was around for a short while last time?

I've been thinking about getting this (not a churner) and this offer seems pretty decent, but wanted to hear thoughts for or against the comparison (fully keeping in mind a 50k offer may not turn up again).
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Old May 3, 2017, 3:09 am
  #308  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: Lotz
Posts: 1,534
Originally Posted by JFKjolly
Welp, got hit with my first AS denial today--account history is below for DP purposes:

07/15: Opened AS 1 (still open)
03/16: Opened AS 2 and Biz AS 1
10/16: Closed AS 2 (premature, I know)
10/16: Opened AS 3 and Biz AS 2
03/17: Closed Biz AS 1 and lowered CLs on AS 3 + Biz AS 2
05/17: Applied for AS 4, denied outright and over recon line. Reason given: sufficient accounts open

I'm a bit surprised because I figured 6 months between new accounts was a steady enough pace that I would slip under the radar, but it seems sdsearch's advice above would indicate there are even more stringent requirements now.

For what it's worth, the Credit Analyst answered my offer to proactively close an account as "inadvisable" since BoA was interested in my account opening/closure activity over the last *two* years. Sounds a bit like they've adopted something similar to 5/24 to me...
"Word is" limit of 4 open cards generally.
tassojunior is offline  
Old May 3, 2017, 3:16 am
  #309  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: Lotz
Posts: 1,534
Originally Posted by sdsearch
Since you provided no details, it's hard to come to a specific conclusion about what your issue is. But in case you're not aware of the "new" reality, here it is:

Do not even attempt to apply for an Alaska personal card if you still have one open, or if you closed it "too recently" (like in the last couple days). BofA no longer lets most people apply for another Alaska personal card if they already have one (or more) Alaska personal cards open (or very recently closed).

Do not close any BofA card if you haven't already lowered the credit limit to as low as possible as long ago as possible. Credit limit that is still on a BofA card when it's closed is "locked up" (and not available to new applications) for over a year. Credit limit that you explicitly reduce becomes available within months (but we can't be more specific than that). So reduce credit limit as possible after getting the card, rather the only when you're about to cancel it.

We don't know if you also have to close your previous Alaska business card before applying for the next one, because most people are doing that "proactively" ("just in case"), and because we don't get that many datapoints on Alaska business card churning.


So the "gravy train" has definitely slowed down, since the above limitations mean some people who used to apply for many cars a year are now forced to only apply for 2 or 3 cards a year "in the right order". But it's not over for those who slow down and keep up with the changing rules (by reading this thread regularly, not just when they run into a problem).
That's a very good summary and would be great in the Wiki. In threads with hundreds of posts it's hard to find such vital info.

Since there are exceptions I wonder if there's a hard pull for present-card rejections. I guess I should immediately lower my two then in a week then close them and a week later and then another week later re-apply. My two are six months old and I keep a huge amount in BofA checking. Do your companion certs stay with you?

One problem with closing both would be that I would lose the free checked bag/priority boarding privileges.

Last edited by tassojunior; May 3, 2017 at 8:27 am
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Old May 3, 2017, 7:55 am
  #310  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: NY
Posts: 29
Originally Posted by tassojunior
"Word is" limit of 4 open cards generally.
I tried probing the recon Credit Analyst about this by proactively offering to close an account in order to open a new AS, but that's when he stated somewhat explicitly that it wouldn't help since they were looking for how accounts were opened and closed over the last 2 years.

I might try closing one anyway and re-applying in the next two months or so to test the theory out.
JFKjolly is offline  
Old May 3, 2017, 1:46 pm
  #311  
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,927
Originally Posted by tassojunior
One problem with closing both would be that I would lose the free checked bag/priority boarding privileges.
Does the business card have these same privileges? (I wouldn't know, I get priority boarding due my partner elite status at AA, and I never check bags.) If so, the way to always have them would be to alternate personal and business cards (so that one is open at any time), or else keep one always open and only churn the other one. (Having a business card open does not prevent you from applying for one personal card, and having a personal card open does not prevent you from applying for one business card.)

The other question (which I have no idea of the answer) is how long after you cancel your "last" AS card do you lose those benefits? Ie, does BofA notify AS that you've cancelled the "last" card, or do they only update them once a year that you still have the card? If it's the latter, as long as you time your cancellations and new applications right (relative to the time of your that BofA updates AS), then it might not matter, even if you're only churning personal and never get the business card (or vice versa).

Btw, there are two nice benefits to the business card and at least one drawback:
  • There is no Plat version (with "crippled" bonus) of the business card; you get either get approved for 30k bonus, or denied, no in between.
  • BofA business cards don't report to credit bureaus, so you can spend more than 30% (all the way up to 99.99%) of your credit limit and not have it affect your credit score. Plus it doesn't count toward Chase's 5/24 for the same reason.
  • OTOH, the business card offer never has the $100 statement credit aspect.

Last edited by sdsearch; May 3, 2017 at 1:51 pm
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Old May 3, 2017, 2:42 pm
  #312  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: Lotz
Posts: 1,534
Success by a present holder of 2 AS cards:

update: I went ahead and applied for two new AS cards even though I presently have two 6-month-old cards. I got "under consideration " and phoned. I'm Preferred and got a Preferred analyst. He approved the first application after reviewing it and then revived the second one. However, he came back and said the second one was automatically rejected because I already have the same card, ie:the one that was just approved. Nothing was ever mentioned to me about the two 6-month-old AS cards I already have, although I may have mentioned them.

So at least for Preferred customers with even multiple open AS cards at least 6 months old, getting one new one is possible. But applications for second cards are impossible.

I immediately applied for a travel rewards card to make good use of the credit pull. However...... It was declined even though I only have 3 cards open now because I have applied and gotten 8 cards with BofA in the past 24 months.

So they automatically are rejected either for the number of cards you presently have (4?), duplicate cards gotten very recently (2 in one day for me), or how many cards you have opened with BofA in the past 2 years (8 for me).

Both analysts indicated this was a automatic computer-driven rejection they could not override.

Last edited by tassojunior; May 4, 2017 at 8:43 am
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Old May 4, 2017, 9:37 am
  #313  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
Originally Posted by tassojunior
Success by a present holder of 2 AS cards:

update: I went ahead and applied for two new AS cards even though I presently have two 6-month-old cards. I got "under consideration " and phoned. I'm Preferred and got a Preferred analyst. He approved the first application after reviewing it and then revived the second one. However, he came back and said the second one was automatically rejected because I already have the same card, ie:the one that was just approved. Nothing was ever mentioned to me about the two 6-month-old AS cards I already have, although I may have mentioned them.

So at least for Preferred customers with even multiple open AS cards at least 6 months old, getting one new one is possible. But applications for second cards are impossible.

I immediately applied for a travel rewards card to make good use of the credit pull. However...... It was declined even though I only have 3 cards open now because I have applied and gotten 8 cards with BofA in the past 24 months.

So they automatically are rejected either for the number of cards you presently have (4?), duplicate cards gotten very recently (2 in one day for me), or how many cards you have opened with BofA in the past 2 years (8 for me).

Both analysts indicated this was a automatic computer-driven rejection they could not override.
So it seems the rule, at least for a Preferred, is:
How many B/A cards you have opened in 24 months (not like Chase where it is how many cards with any bank)
7 cards is ok, since the 8th was approved, but anything after 8 cards will be denied.
RobertHanson is offline  
Old May 4, 2017, 10:55 am
  #314  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: N/A
Posts: 685
I applied and was approved for 2 personal cards about 1 year ago and would like to have another round.

I lowered my credit lines to 5k each, however was told I could lower them down to $1,000.

Should i lower them to $1k before cancelling?

Lastly, how long should i wait to cancel and reapply?

Thanks!
JBG89 is offline  
Old May 4, 2017, 2:59 pm
  #315  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
I applied for and was instant approved for a personal alaska airlines card today. This is my first BoA card. Can I apply for a business card today as well and have it all count as one pull or do they require a certain amount of time between card apps even if one is business and one is personal?
Red259 is offline  

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