Kay_nyc

I would cancel both AA cards when the annual fee is due. If you want more AA miles, I'd get a biz AA card.

I think it's good advice to apply for the Marriott offer and wait for the SPG special offer. The other thing to think about with SPG is the minimum spend - which - IRC - is a bit higher than the Marriott.

I would add both the Barclays USAir Card and the Arrivals. Since you're new at this, and don't have a ton of inquiries, you're more likely to be approved.

Wellington

Thanks all, my results were as follows:

Club Carlson - Approved
CSP - Approved
MB Amex Plat - Approved
Citi AA Biz - Denied
US Air - Approved

I called recon for the AA card several times but they are not budging due to a combined Experian score they use to determine credit-worthiness. I asked what factor is bringing down the score and they said the typical too many inquiries.

Overall, I'm happy with what I got.

Kay_nyc

Would you mind sharing your credit score and number of inquiries? I'm planning on applying for the Biz card myself on my next churn, and don't want to waste an inquiry on a denial.

Wellington

According to Barclays I am at a 771 Fico score as of September. I did an AOR on 7/28 with 7 inquiries. That was my first ever AOR. I separately applied for a Citi AA personal card via the link on this forum on August 23rd and was accepted. The Citi AA Biz was the 4th card I applied for today. I opened a new google chrome incognito window with each app.

I am considering applying for a different Citi card later today and pushing my luck.

BTW I am also based out of NYC so Citi will be pulling experian on you.

jordandawg05

Hi all , I've really enjoyed learning about this hobby and point collecting as its been a challenge but worth it in the long term. i started this hobby a year ago actually and so far got my wife and I to Mexico and Thailand for nearly nothing !

anyways, our next trip we are thinking of Hawaii next July ..date range from 7/11 to 7/20 for 5 or 6 nights.

Cards/programs i currently have and point balance:
Amex Plat-0
SPG - 13k
Chase Ink-20800
Chase sapphire pref-13000
Marriott Reward pref card.-0
US air - 40k
chase freedom-0
IHG card - 40k ( might have to use them this month for two nights)
BA Avois points - 40k
United explorer - canceled in order to get Marriott cards earlier this year

What i would like to do is sign up for few cards to accomplish this goal and have my wife sign up too . My wife's credit is still fresh (730 or so) but not a lot of history as she moved to the US a year and half ago. she has BOA card and a discover IT.

Our home airport is IAH.
Since i probably won't have enough United miles it seems best to sign up for AA miles via citi. i just looked at some routes via LAX and if i get 100k AA miles i can get us to LAX and from there use some avois for one way and united/ul points for another one way back to LAX.

any recommendation for cards ( air or hotel) that would be great to help accomplish this goal. I would also have the option to have my wife sign up for an spg/hilton cards to help with hotel but i can take care of citi. my wife's score is 730 (can't remember which agency)and my score is 773 on equifax, 747 on experian and 772 on transunion. my credit history is 15+ but hers is very new 1.5 years.


thanks for your help in advance !

wcj

Check the Citi rules in the wiki, Im pretty sure that you destined for an auto denial with an app today.

KennyBSAT

One possibility for air: book from any West coast city to which ever Hawaiian airport you want to go to using 50K Avios total for 2 passengers, on AS or AA. Fly out of HOU to/from the W. Coast cities using WN points and a companion pass by having her get 2 WN Plus cards - Chase seems to be easier to get approval with WN cards since you pay the fee up front.

jgstecker

If you're okay with Waikiki, the Hilton Hawaiian Village is a good target. Its walking distance to everything and with Hilton Gold (free with the Surpass or Reserve Hilton cads) you'll very likely get an Ocean View room in the recently renovated Rainbow Tower and free continental breakfast.

The Virgin Atlantic MasterCard from Bank of America comes with 50k miles right now which can be transferred to 100k Hilton point - that's halfway to a 5 night stay. Tack on the Citi Hilton Reserve and you can add a couple of weekend nights for free to that. Other ways to add Citi points include the Amex Hilton and Hilton Surpass cards and the regular Citi Hilton card.

You can also transfer SPG/UR points to Virgin Atlantic to convert to Hilton, though that may not be the best use of those points.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

"if i get 100k AA miles i can get us to LAX and from there use some avois for one way"

I'm not sure I understand this strategy. If there are SAAver award seats on from IAH to LAX, and if there are SAAver award seats from LAX to Hawaii, why would you use Avios, instead of just paying more AAdvantage miles? Or is the problem that you want to have a stopover at LAX?

jordandawg05

if i can get 100k miles, i can fly from houston to LAX and back ...then since i have some avois and ur points i can use a one way each to cover from lax to HNL. i couldn't find availability with sAAver award seats directly from IAH ...plus i don't have any AA atm so if i sign up for two citi cards and have 100k points that would get me to tickets from iah to lax then use avois/ur points to and from lax.

sktnyc

I applied for Amex Business Gold Rewards card and Amex Personal Platinum card last year. I have already canceled the Gold card and I will be canceling the platinum card next month (before the AF hits). Can anyone please tell me if I am eligible for any other Membership Rewards card?

jordandawg05

Amex plat card have a promotion now and i got hilton gold out of that ...so i actually looked at the wakiki village hilton and i think we'll be OK with that, its an option...i could go for hilton because i am maxed with marriot , have some spg points, and some iah so that'll be a good option with lots of card to get quick points for the stay...

jordandawg05

I am sorry but am not up to par on the abbreviations, what is WN plus cards? is that the south west cards from chase?

that'll be nice if we can get two cards that will work what i currently have and be done with air.

healthnut

Another option is Hyatt/Hilton if you would like to stay in Maui. There are two options with this:

Andaz Maui (Hyatt) OR HR Maui at Kaanapali: both get Chase Hyatt and receive 2 nights each, totaling four nights. Transfer 22k from UR (Ink/CSP) to Hyatt for the fifth night. I prefer the Kaanapali beach to Wailea, but you cannot go wrong with either. I think it ideally comes down to the property.

Grand Wailea (Hilton) AND Andaz Maui: Both being in Wailea, they are easy to transfer to and from, and sometimes it's fun to transfer between hotels (we do this often to help with points). GW is 95k/night, so if you both signed up for VA CC, transferred to HHonors, you would get two nights. One of you sign up for a Chase Hyatt and get 2 free nights for 2 nights at Andaz Maui. Third night at Andaz Maui via 22k UR points (CSP/Ink).

Just options if you want to be on Maui>Waikiki.

KennyBSAT

Yes, WN is the code for Southwest. You can find details on how to get a companion pass with 2 cards on various blog posts or in the Southwest forum. The 50K WN offers were reported to end at the end of October, but they are still up.

You can click 'Glossary' at the bottom of every flyertalk page to look up abbreviations.