babycakes01

Be sure you confirm the bonus before you apply and then hope for the best. Wife and applied for this same AMEX offer this fall and after completing the minimum spend, AMEX refused to honor the 20k bonus offer. I spoke with several reps and I was told that since we already had an AMEX card (Blue Cash), we were not going to get any bonus points, We have since cancelled the Starwood cards and will likely not look to AMEX for any new cards. Too bad as I was looking to open a business account but will now use Chase.

Good luck!

TOMFORD

No. Not even for a job that required a credit pull because the company had to issue a CC for travel. I had ~20 inquiries across the three bureaus from the past year and opened about 8 or 9 CCs. The employer did not say a word.

worldiswide

Credit data is used as a proxy for stability and willingness in many areas. Definitely used in insurance premium calculations and good credit yields a larger discount than anything else including g multiple lines etc. Credit data is also used in healthcare, for instance a score has been built predicting propensity to take medications that have been prescribed. Télécom and mobile phone providers use credit data to determine the need for and amount of a deposit.

combiblock

thats nice. recently my 18months old got targeted for 50k PRG :/, i dont mind that either... tho

FlightNurse

Not really if you go to Chase's web site, you wont find the Airtran card. Not too sure where you found this link, I wish I had gotten the old offer, for 2 rt ticket and 2 upgrade cert to biz...

healthnut

We also had this issue when I was applying for my parents in August. They didn't use any benefits with the delta platinum (and I wanted to switch them to UR and AA points) so I decided to cancel that card and then apply for the gold card for the sign up bonus (would've given them enough for two RT to Europe by topping off their points). Plus no annual fee the first year, so they will close it next year and be done with Delta.

BEFORE I signed up for the card, I went and chatted online with them about making sure we would receive the bonus. They said yes and I PDF'd the conversation.

Fought with AMEX hands and fists about how we signed up under the terms with the sign up bonus, etc etc. Finally some CSR gave me the idea to take it up with their marketing department, so I did and messaged them copies of the app terms and conversation. Points posted within a month! Didn't expect them too but what happily surprised when my mom let me know.

luggagebin

That's crazy! How could they do that? If you had SPG already and wanted another SPG bonus, that would make sense. But BCP is completely different than SPG.

Healthnut's example is a bit more understandable, since they were both Delta bonuses, but still very shady on AmEx's part. Good job documenting ToC and correspondence.

nmp0

UPDATE:

I ended up applying for 7 cards. I'm 5/7 and waiting on the last two.

1) Club Carlson Personal - Only ARS froze, other didn't. Approved with generous CL. Pulled EQ which had 8 pulls in 12 mos, got lucky I guess.

2) British Airways 100k - Not instant, called 1 hour later, verified identity and approved for 3x CL of existing Chase cards. Pulled EX & EQ.

3) SPG Business - Instant Approval. Asked lots of questions about business when I activated and started with low CL but said will raise in 3 months if I show need. Pulled EX.

4) Citi AA Personal - Website glitched during app but called in and was approved with generous CL. Pulled EX.

5) Ink Plus - Not instant approval. Called in and answer lots of questions about business. Approved with decent CL. Pulled EX & EQ (don't know if personal pulled one and business pulled other)

6) TD Bank (5% for 6mos) - Not instant approval. I'll probably wait and see what comes in the mail. Pulled EX.

7) Amex Hilton (no fee) - Not instant approval. Called and they said I had to wait 5 days since I applied for 2 cards in the same day. Will call back 12/30. Only 1 Pull from AMEX so far, hopefully they don't do a second pull.

I'm pleased and will have plenty to keep me busy for 6 months till the next AOR.

Jetsfan

I might be coming into this conversation late, but I noticed that you skipped the Barclay's cards in your AOR that were in your original list. How come? Was it a concern that they would not be approved because of all of the other applications? Planning some applications of my own in January.

LoneTree

Especially since Barclay pulls Transunion exclusively.

mnscout

Just where all good things are found--elsewhere. The offer is working, although there are no upgrades anymore. However, AF is waived for the first year, the old offer didn't waive AF.

mnscout

You can transfer Chase UR points to some airlines at 1:1, like United, Southwest, Korean, British Airways.

MDtR-Chicago

They pull Experian for me. Dangerous to overgeneralize.

LoneTree

Strange. Other threads I've read say Barclays reliably pulls only Transunion except for reconsiderations.

Fortunately it was Transunion for me too.

FlightNurse

You will ONLY be approved instantly with AMEX on one card the other card will have to wait, usually 5 days. you were sent a e-mail that allows you to check to see the status of the app. I had to wait 6 days but was approved..