Churning Hiatus
Sep 16, 2017, 4:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7
Churning Hiatus
First time poster, so hope this is the right forum! Please advise if it is not.
I am recently back to churning after a successful run of it from 2009-2013. After I got most card bonuses and started to realize there weren't many bonuses left that I felt I could qualify for, I closed all my accounts and stopped getting new cards.
My last approved card was a Chase Sapphire at the end of 2013 (I think closed start of 14?). I had personal and business amex gold for 50k points, different AA/citi cards etc.
My question is, given how long it has been since I've gotten any bonuses, am I past any sort of necessary wait time by the finance companies? I know of the 5/24 rule and I hear that Amex can disqualify for more than once in a lifetime for specific cards, but I wasn't sure what anyone's experience has been after a 3-4 years refresh of churning.
I honestly don't remember all the cards I had either, so afraid to start applying and find out I won't get points (SPG, Delta gold, etc.).
Any input is greatly appreciated as I have a honeymoon coming up and could use some points!
I am recently back to churning after a successful run of it from 2009-2013. After I got most card bonuses and started to realize there weren't many bonuses left that I felt I could qualify for, I closed all my accounts and stopped getting new cards.
My last approved card was a Chase Sapphire at the end of 2013 (I think closed start of 14?). I had personal and business amex gold for 50k points, different AA/citi cards etc.
My question is, given how long it has been since I've gotten any bonuses, am I past any sort of necessary wait time by the finance companies? I know of the 5/24 rule and I hear that Amex can disqualify for more than once in a lifetime for specific cards, but I wasn't sure what anyone's experience has been after a 3-4 years refresh of churning.
I honestly don't remember all the cards I had either, so afraid to start applying and find out I won't get points (SPG, Delta gold, etc.).
Any input is greatly appreciated as I have a honeymoon coming up and could use some points!
Sep 16, 2017, 7:38 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
Welcome to FlyerTalk, ezpzgg.
Unfortunately, the answer differs based on all sorts of things, including the specific cards you got from specific banks as well as your credit history and credit status.
If you last opened a card in 2013, you're able to get up to 5 Chase cards (if you get not others first), because you're at 0/24. But Amex's "once in a lifetime" is actually about 7 years, so I suggest you try to see if you can figure out what cards you had when. For starters get a free credit report from either www.annualcreditreport.com or Credit Karma, if you haven't already, and there you'll be able to see which banks you've had accounts with when. Now, you won't be able to tell an SPG card apart from a Delta card on a credit report, but at least you'll be able to tell an Amex (the bank) card apart from a Chase card, etc.
Start keeping better records now. If you don't keep track of which cards you get when, who else will?
Well,, in theory you can all Amex and ask them which cards you've had in the past and when they were closed. Write down and keep their answers.
With Chase, nothing older than 3 years counts, so you're "wiped clean" at Chase. Same with Citi, their maximum count back with closed cards is about 2 years (but if you have any cards from Citi still open, learn the effects of closing them on 24-month clocks before you close them!).
If you're sure you never applied for business cards before (most of those won't show up on credit reports, so you can't check that way), then that's the solution to "repeating" Amex cards: Get the business version that you never had of any Amex cards you only had the person version of before. And be aware that you don't have to have a business to apply for a business card, just don't "make up" anything: answer 0 years in business, no employees other than yourself, $0 business income, your name as the business name, your address as the business address, your phone as the business phone, and sole proprietorship as the business type. (If you make up fake business names or business income, some banks may ask you to prove it!
So that's why the answers above are the safest.)
Unfortunately, the answer differs based on all sorts of things, including the specific cards you got from specific banks as well as your credit history and credit status.
If you last opened a card in 2013, you're able to get up to 5 Chase cards (if you get not others first), because you're at 0/24. But Amex's "once in a lifetime" is actually about 7 years, so I suggest you try to see if you can figure out what cards you had when. For starters get a free credit report from either www.annualcreditreport.com or Credit Karma, if you haven't already, and there you'll be able to see which banks you've had accounts with when. Now, you won't be able to tell an SPG card apart from a Delta card on a credit report, but at least you'll be able to tell an Amex (the bank) card apart from a Chase card, etc.
Start keeping better records now. If you don't keep track of which cards you get when, who else will?
Well,, in theory you can all Amex and ask them which cards you've had in the past and when they were closed. Write down and keep their answers.
With Chase, nothing older than 3 years counts, so you're "wiped clean" at Chase. Same with Citi, their maximum count back with closed cards is about 2 years (but if you have any cards from Citi still open, learn the effects of closing them on 24-month clocks before you close them!).
If you're sure you never applied for business cards before (most of those won't show up on credit reports, so you can't check that way), then that's the solution to "repeating" Amex cards: Get the business version that you never had of any Amex cards you only had the person version of before. And be aware that you don't have to have a business to apply for a business card, just don't "make up" anything: answer 0 years in business, no employees other than yourself, $0 business income, your name as the business name, your address as the business address, your phone as the business phone, and sole proprietorship as the business type. (If you make up fake business names or business income, some banks may ask you to prove it!
So that's why the answers above are the safest.)