FlightNurse

IF people would stop trying to get every CC within a year then they wouldn't have to worry about being "high risk" this game is a marathon...

farwest101

Meh. Go look at how few inquiries gets you into the "high risk" category. Even marathon types would be deemed high risk.

And why is this a marathon? I can assure you there are many sprinters around here - world class sprinters...and they've been in the game a long time.

LoneTree

Back in the day of rapid churning for Citi AA bonuses I would get at least four inquiries a month without a problem.

Luthe

Do you have an excellent credit score or an legitimate business? Is it not difficult to get multiple business cards from AMEX like that within a month? Especially without ever having to call a recon line...

AsiaTraveler

I am looking at the next application(s) to make for myself & my husband.

I would like to either get some more miles usable on Delta flights- but am limited by the fact that DH & I both currently have Delta AMEX cards- or a general "travel cash back" card. AA & DL are the only airlines that fly out of our small town market, and we have plenty of AA miles right now.

So far, I've looked at the possibilities of:
-Alaska Airlines cards (a decent 40K bonus, but fee is not waived for the first yera)
-Barclay Arrival Card (bonus good for $400 worth of travel with $1K spend)
-Chase Sapphire Preferred/Ink/Bold (one of them)- I would be using this as cash back rather than miles transfer- came across a bonus of 50,000 points/$625 to spend on travel for a $3k spend

There's three of us right now, so if I'm accruing an "alternate" currency to use for Delta flights, I would hope to get at least three saver flights out of it (i.e. if I went the Alaska route I would apply for both the personal & business card).

Are there other cards I should look at?

StartinSanDiego

Hi ArmyFlyer... welcome to FT and thanks for serving! My suggestions are to make sure that your new cards are focused in a direction. When I help people get started, my first question is "where do you want to go?" . Then we tailor the AOR to focus on a family of points or an alliance.

Going back and forth to Oklahoma requires a very different plan than going to Rio. Many of us have limited time to travel and, if you have "orphaned points" it can be hard to use them up prudently.

FlightNurse

Times have changed and CC companies are changing how they veiw app's, look at US Bank, perfect example... Citi keeps changing the way they play the game.

I noticed that some of the world class sprinters have had issues lately when going after CC, becasue of the high inquire's. I just don't get why people have to go after 5 to 7 card each time? My last one was July, and I have gotten enough miles/points for our trips this year 2014.

FlightNurse

This past summer, Citi opened the flood gate and I was one of them that took full advantage of them (between myself and husband 400K,) that is a competely different story. My next full AOR is late Feb, any only three cards are on that one.

StartinSanDiego

I'm with ya, Flight Nurse... I just finished an AOR of a whopping 2 cards! Ha ha.. I added the Starwood program to my roster, but essentially, I'm in good shape. 4 trips on the books (2 domestic, 2 international) in the next 6 months. I can't fit any more travel into my schedule. I don't want a bunch of stray points here and there.

But, here it is already Jan 1 (Happy New Year to all) and I've got some bonuses to hit: AA for the 100 bucks, UA for the 10K extra, PRG for the 15K extra, BA for the Companion pass, which has more value now that the other programs have devalued.

ArmyFlyer05

Thanks! My wife and I do a fair bit of travel on our own, at least once a month with one to two international trips a year. I get pretty good hotel rates with my military discount so our goal is to utilize points for air travel. We are putting the majority of our spending on the CSP and freedom cards, groceries on the AMEX preferred. The remaining cards I got mainly for their additional benefits. We are going to Bali in May and looking at the Maldives or Bora Bora in the fall.

itchyfeet123

Mixed results:

US Air - instant approval.
Cap1 venture 50k - pending.
Wells Fargo 5% cashback - pending.
United 50k - instant approval.

Does calling Cap1 and WF work? Before or after receiving the official letters?

I was most worried about the US Air and not expecting problems with the others.

itchyfeet123

I posted a couple of days ago that I did four apps in the weekend. Instant approval for United Explorer and US Air, pending for Cap1 Venture and and Wells Fargo 5%. I have credit monitoring set up and got an instant alert that Barclay's had pulled my score, and an email this morning that Chase had pulled at the time of the app. But no sign that Cap 1 or WF have pulled.

Any clues as to what that means? My thoughts are either 1) the reason my application was pending was because Cap1 and WF couldn't do a pull somehow, or 2) the pulls are hidden until a decision is made, which seems unlikely.

MDtR-Chicago

I'm going to vote for 3) there's a backlog in their system and the pull won't happen until they're actually ready to evaluate your app.

Keep us updated.

itchyfeet123

Update:
Called Capital One. They asked for income verification, which I've now sent.

Called Wells Fargo. Denied for not being a permanent US resident. (At the rate my dissertation is going, I'll probably be here permanently, sigh).

Any recommendations for another 5% uncapped cashback card?

jordandawg05

Hi guys, wana bring this thread back from a few months back...we are a GO for hawaii and now need hotels...7 nights total ! can't wait.

so need some solid help on hotel now and i would appreciate everyone as usual to get us there hopefully with as less $ as we can.
a little background, mainly i would be churning and wife won't as much ( little history) so maybe can shoot for a lower hotel card that can help the situation.

I was thinking of getting hyatt with chase for two nights ( will have to fight them since i have 5 cards with them too but i can drop my marriot which can be fine)

Hilton? how many can i get and churn between now and July? i know amex has two hilton cards and citi has some too...what timeline should i shoot for on which cards ? i think if my memory servers the hilton we likes in waeila was 90k hilton honor points per night.

I do have 17+ SPG points, so i can use them for a one nigher at the sheraton seems nice. I would like to save those if possible two get it to 20k so i can transfer to an airline but i do have those on hand.

previously someone mention VA card for both of us? but i think that offer is dead or low ( too slow to react, back a few months i was concentrated on my Thailand trip in Dec ! ).

is it possible with hyatt and HH to cover 7 nights? again my wife won't churn due to lack of history. Also i prefere not to hit chase for other cards other than Hyatt cause i am pretty maxed out ( i got ink, marriot, ihg, freedom and sapphire pref). I do have 22k UR points too...so that might be another Hyatt night.

also a point, we don't mind paying some cash, pref less than 1k. if we do have to book like 3 nights and get the 4th free kinda of thing and i have to pay for one night that is acceptable for us. BUT again we rather get stuff FREE right FTers?

oh , i was thinking of another SPG card? maybe from my wifes ssn? that would be another 30k? and maybe a business one for me? that would give us total of close to 80k spg points. We have GOLD hilton and SPG.

any suggestions , ideas , i am all ears.

thanks !