Originally Posted by
DreamingOfPoints
oh really.....so I should apply for only amex cards? What if I get an amex and then cancel later (citi aa amex? Boa virgin America amex?). Maybe Hilton amex makes sense but I would much rather have miles than hotel points. Spg is so tempting right now (aka with a 30k offer) and maybe even Barclay, assuming it's a diff credit agency
Backdating only works with actual American Express cards, not amex network cards (Citi, BOA, etc.).
I would probably do Barclays (will pull transunion most likely), SPG (will pull experian), and both AA cards (credit pull depends on where you live). That will likely result in only 3 inquires for 4 cards but the backdating Amex will help offset your AAoA ding. You will also have your inquiries spread out across 2 or 3 agencies.