medellinfein

Yes. I have EXP on ice so that they only pull EQ. But i also have to call in as no instant approvals, which sethb correctly pointed out is a cost.

starbuk

Well I was trying to agree with you in a way that doesn't polarize the other side of the argument to the point of not seeing common ground. Some people don't care about credit reviews, that is obvious because they are on here telling us that they don't care. And some people do care, like you and I. So I'm just stating facts, what's not to understand?

Brugge

Some people don't care if they have to take the time to call Recon, maybe get asked a bunch of questions that may cause their app to be denied, maybe even lead to a FR, worst case all their accounts being shut down?

@18 months ago, I called Chase Recon, and it was like being a suspect being grilled by the police. The call took over 20 minutes, and I had to tell him every address I'd lived at for the last 20 years, among other absurd matters. Finally my app was approved, but I was exhausted when it was over. Now every time I get an instant approval I do the famous "Happy Dance".

That doesn't make any sense to me. It's not a personal preference, like vanilla or chocolate ice cream, it's time, effort, and unnecessary risk. So no I really do not understand it. I have no problem with them feeling that way, it just makes no sense to me. Luckily I don't need to understand it.

RNE

Whereas I believe structuring credit limits may lead to a financial review and, worst case, all accounts being shut down. That's "unnecessary risk."

I have never experienced more than a 5 minute review, which has always ended in approval. If credit limits needed to be adjusted, it was done with the advise of the analyst, so Chase is onboard with it. Piece of cake.

PeaceandPost

Hi,

I applied for the United Explorer card and IHG Rewards card last night. United Explorer got instantly approved but the IHG went to "decision pending". I called about 12 hours after the approval of the United card to ask for them to expedite the shipment of the United card but the rep said that she couldn't see the account being created nor could she even see the application. and i called the automated application status number before calling the rep and the automated line said "your first application is being reviewed you will be notified in 7-10 business days of our decision. your second application is being reviewed and you will notified of our decision in approximately two weeks.

I understand the second one (IHG) "being reviewed" but the first one (the united explorer card) was instantly approved (it showed me the credit limit they gave me and APR as well).

Do I have anything to be worried about here? I intended to call recon tomorrow about the IHG app but now I don't what's going on. It doesn't seem like the reps even know what's going on.

Thanks.

beltway

Two apps in rapid succession is a big ol' yellow flag to Chase. It sounds as if you may have triggered a re-evaluation of the first app.

RNE

Only worry if you have a flagging FICO. If not, then simply be prepared to explain why your circumstances necessitate both cards. Common reasons:

• New or changing travel patterns
• Wanting to keep certain expenditures separate
• Card benefits that fulfill a need

PeaceandPost

No flagging FICO (it's in the mid 700's). Finally got through to an agent today who could help me and it turns out it just wasn't showing up in Chase's system at first glance. But he dug deeper than the previous reps and found it after a few minutes (it was indeed instantly approved and not pending any review). According to the agent, since the United Explorer is a co-branded card, Chase and United need to communicate to each other about the approval and the new card before anything could be done with the card (I tried to ask if they could expedite the shipment but he said to call back in a couple of business days).


Anyone had this experience with Chase co-branded cards before?

I'm wondering if I should wait a couple of business days before I even try to call in for recon for the pending IHG application since that's also a co-branded card.

Happy

Normal procedure on almost all Chase co-branded cards. It takes a day or two for the ping back from the partners. Until than Chase cannot open an account, i.e. NO CARD would be issued. Once you see the card shows up in your Chase online, you can then call to request expedite delivery and see if the rep would accommodate.

IHG is a different animal. It is not at all behaving like UA / BA / MR etc other co-branded cards Chase offers. Why wouldn't you talk to the same rep on the IHG app after clarifying the UA app? It is the same dept handles the recon.

snic

Could you clarify what you mean by this? Do you mean that in general there is something different about the way Chase and IHG handle applications vs Chase and these other partners? Or was this directed specifically to the OP?

PeaceandPost

So I just called recon about my wife's application for an IHG card from the other day. Did two apps at once, she got instantly approved for the United Explorer but IHG went to pending (I didn't have a chance to call recon till just now - and it turns out between the application and today IHG got denied). The rep asked for reference number but I didn't get the letter in the mail yet so I gave her my wife's social. She then quickly started to grill me on all of my wife's recently opened accounts (which I must admit there have been a lot across multiple issuers over the past 90 days). And then she said "I see she has multiple accounts where she is an AU" and asked who the AU was so I had to say it was me. She asked about why my wife needed so many cards and I tried to concisely describe the benefits my wife was looking for from each different card and why she applied for them but she didn't seem to really care. She was definitely hung up on there being too many recent inquiries.

After about 5 minutes she was firm that there was too many recently opened accounts and she said "your wife has enough cards". I even asked if a we could do a credit line shift from one of my wife's other Chase's cards but no go.

My question is should I wait till the letter comes in the mail with the reference number to try again? Would that help a bit to focus more specifically on the denied application at least for long enough for me to get some ground to stand on? Cuz it seemed like the instant I gave the rep my wife's social that opened a can of worms and I was on the defensive from the very beginning.

duranza

I presently have 4 Chase cards, and have had 5 in the past.
I staggered my applications a mos between each and made sure I was not an AU for my husband's 5 Chase cards at the time of my apps.
Each time I lowered the CL TO $5k so that when I applied I would have better chances for instant approval.
I am on my 2nd United, 2nd Marriott and 2nd IHG ( if you count the Priority card as the first )1st Freedom .
Husband is on his 2nd Chase SP and has 4 others, same deal.. stagger apps and lower CL.

Brugge

Trying to apply for 2 Chase personal cards at the same time is a tough row to hoe. I'm not at all surprise you didn't get 2 approvals. And lots of recent apps from various sources just makes things worse. I'd say in this case HUCA may be a wasted effort.

Wait a few months to reapply. Make sure your total CL with Chase is less than $30K max, lowering CLs on existing cards if necessary. Do regular spend on all currently open cards, even when the benefits of that spend aren't that great. I put monthly spend on my IHG card, not because that spend will ever get me a free room, which it won't, but because when I reapply for a CSP, if I don't get an instant approval, I want the CSR to see that it's worth if for Chase to give me more cards.

Citi will give you card after card, even if you only make the min spnd and then cancel. But with Chase, slow and steady, (with regular spend on all your cards), wins the race.

PeaceandPost

Thanks for the advice. I kinda got greedy cuz in January I put in two apps on the same day for CSP and Freedom and both were approved instantly. so I waited 92 days to apply for another Chase personal card and got instantly approved for United so right after the approval came up I thought hey why not see if I can two in the same day again. Oh well, there wasn't really any downside cuz it only showed up as one pull on Transunion.

What are your thoughts on the other issuers (i.e. AMEX and Barlcay) when it comes to having to demonstrate consistent spending to be approved?

Happy

This. It has always been this way since many years ago.

Note that while Chase went from offering both MC and Visa to an almost pure Visa shop but IHG went from being a Visa to a MC after Chase no longer offered MC on both its own cards and other co-branded cards.

In any case if you are in the game long enough, you would / should pick up the subtleties of many cards on how they behave.