Also, keep in mind that the points need to POST to your statement and be reflected in it in order to qualify in time. So just making charges by the close date doesn't necessarily mean you met the requirements.

In my case, my first statement actually closed about a week after I got the card, and I only managed to put about $800 on it. I thought I would have had more time. By the next close date, I had over $1000 (cummulatively) and received the bonus points (plus my normal point earnings) the next day.