Originally Posted by
jcmitchell21
It drives me crazy when people don't make this association. You're going to buy gas, groceries, etc. anyway so why not do it on a rewards card.
OP, without CC bonuses or actually flying, it may take a couple of years to earn the miles needed for the flight. Unless something like "Pudding Guy" comes along again.
Agreed. He's not looking for lowest overall cost for a ticket, he's looking to EARN a free ticket.
Do the 75k AA card. If you get declined, so be it, it's not going to make a difference on your credit score. If you get it, you're on your way to india in a couple months. Otherwise, with a wally world income (or even once you get your career going), it'll take years to spend enough to get the miles the hard way.