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Old Jul 31, 2019 | 2:59 pm
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bbriscoe34
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Best 4 personal cards to stay under 5/24

I play the slow churn game - I try to always be earning a bonus but don't resort to (hardly any) MS. Apply, earn bonus, hold for 1 year generally, then cancel after a free night posts but before I have to pay the AF. I really like the various free/nearly free Chase Business cards, between the CIPr, CIC, and CIU that's 180K in bonuses every 2 years, with the option to recycle. Then United Explorer Business gives me another 50-75K miles per 2 years, then my wife does the same cards and we earn referral bonuses back and forth as well. Then I also load up on Business cards from other banks that don't count against 5/24 when I can - Citi Business AA, BOA Cash rewards, Vectra Bank, US Bank, etc.

So given that strategy, what are the best 4 or so "Personal" card offers (including business cards from CapOne that count as personal for 5/24) to keep in my 24 month rotation without exceeding 5/24 so I'm nearly always available to get the next Chase Business offer when I'm eligible or when they drop a new product?

Right now I have:
1. Citi Premier 60K points with 494 days remaining in 5/24. Due to citi's open/close language it would be most of an extra year before I can recycle this one. I've earned the pts but until I decide if I want to cash out or transfer to VS or something I have to hold onto the card and delay the 2 year cool off period.
2. Chase United Explorer personal card with 123 days remaining for 5/24 may well recycle in 4-5 months
So I'm at 2/24.

My Hyatt (old version) just rolled off 5/24 a month ago and I cancelled it last week but sent my wife and myself a referral offer to get the new version with the 50K bonus. How soon should I reapply after cancelling the old version? I want to get the 5/24 clock ticking ASAP if I'm going to do it. So Hyatt takes my 3rd spot.
I know Saphirre is a great option, but since they went 48 months since last bonus, I have 600 days before I can apply for either the Preferred or the Reserve again.
I have an offer for a Cap One Business card for 60K "miles". Not sure how easy to monetize or valuable those "miles" are but 60K seems like a nice big number. That would get me up to 4/24.

I already have 2x CF and my wife has CFU, plus the bonus isn't worth doing again so we just keep those cards open forever to get the 5x and 1.5x points as needed.

I've done many of the Amex one bonus for life cards already.

It might be worth one of us doing the SWA personal plus business card for 2020 to get the companion pass for domestic/Cancun travel but Both my wife and I don't need it. Would take up 1 slot. Alternatively one could do both their business cards now and not increment 5/24, but $300 in initial AF seems a bit steep out of pocket, even for the 140K total miles. Still I prefer United/AA miles for international J class travel over SWA.
Marriott's Bonvoy 75K offer doesnt seem that great, especially given the much superior value of the Hyatt points.Plus I already have 200K points on Bonvoy, mostly from tripling of my SPG bank.

So I have those two 5/24 slots open, then a 3rd when the United rolling off soon. Are there other "personal" card offers I should take advantage of, or just go for the new Hyatt and a CapOne card for now?
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