2013 App-O-Rama (AOR) and Churn Advice Archive

Closed Thread Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Feb 20, 2013, 8:39 am

#271

merc1234

Join Date: Feb 2011

Location: Jersey City, NJ

Programs: UA GS, AA Exec Plat, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 348

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjepps

My wife and I are planning to travel to Istanbul this coming October. I would like to do it for free or as close to free as possible.

Churning is a non-issue.

I currently have the following:
Amex BCP
Discover More
Chase Freedom (M and V)
Citi Dividend (First card, six years old)
US Bank Cash+
Capital one platinum(?) (Old card don't use)

I'd like to travel Turkish Airlines out of DC but I'm OK traveling whatever..

Current AOR targets:
Chase Ink and Bold (50k each)
Citi Hilton Honors
American Express HHonors
Chase Sapphire

Any suggestions? Both my wife and I will each be able to do an AOR.

Thanks!

Maybe instead of both the ink plus and bold you should try the United Card and just 1 Ink card. It gives a similar number of points with a much lower spending requirement.

Feb 20, 2013, 9:58 am

#272

punjabi2

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 217

Thanks. I think I will avoid Hilton for now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasguy77

Hilton miles has just been devalued, so good luck there

Feb 20, 2013, 10:00 am

#273

punjabi2

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 217

Thanks for the reply. I am out of Hilton cards, and so Hawaiian air miles will avoid too...

Any links for Hyatt and Marriott cards with good bonuses?

Thanks for the advice for 6-months wait. That is what I will do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by caGALINDO

that looks good but i would drop all point-based hilton cards. keep the reserve application.

see if you want 70k hawaiian air miles because transferring them to hilton is no longer a good value.

you can look at the hyatt and marriott hotel card instead. i wouldnt do more than 8 apps because they tend to timeout. and i think waitings 6 months not 3 after this AOR would probably be required because of so many apps (im in the same boat i just applied for 7)

Feb 20, 2013, 10:02 am

#274

punjabi2

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 217

I think, in the first AOR, I will just do it for my wife. Wait 2-3 months, meet the minimum spend on those, and then do aor for me. Then, meet the minimum spend in next 2-3 months on my cards, and then repeat for my wife. That will give me 5-6 months time between different aor's for the same person. Sounds like a plan??

Thanks.

Feb 20, 2013, 10:22 am

#275

punjabi2

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 217

Here are the cards that I am thinking of applying in this first round of AOR for my wife:

1. Chase united Mileage Explorer Card (60k, if it shows up) and Chase ink bold (50k). If United Mileage Explorer Card offer does not show up for 60K, is there another card that I can sign her up to get UA miles?

2. US Air Card: Will go away and become AA. I think it has 40K miles.

4. Citi AA visa (50K miles)

5. And then there is Club Carlson card.

That Hyatt card link in The special credit card offers master thread is also from Chase. If I were to apply for cards in #1, that will make it 4 chase cards. Won't that be too much for one provider? If I can do that many, then I would like to do Southwest's Personal and business versions for 100K miles, along with CP for another 10K miles. Is it worth trying?

Feb 20, 2013, 11:14 am

#276

punjabi2

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 217

Great advice here. Thanks everyone. I will be watching this thread carefully along with my aor thread.

Feb 20, 2013, 11:15 am

#277

punjabi2

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 217

Can you please tell how SPG is better than BoA/BoH combo? I am getting ready to do my aor, and kind of getting overwhelmed reading about all these cards. Thanks for your help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by caGALINDO

Oh yeah the SPG is way more valuable than the BoA/BoH combo. Unless you can get the points to post to your HH account before March 27th and book an AXON I would do SPG since you don't have it. The bonus on it now is 25k I think. Even the 50k Adios bonus is worth more than HH now imo.

Feb 20, 2013, 12:08 pm

#278

stalker

Join Date: Oct 2012

Posts: 104

Quote:

Originally Posted by caGALINDO

thats crazy how many apps did you have in the past 6 months for barclays to approve? only those 2? not a big churner?

Crazy low?

Still kind of new to the game.

Feb 20, 2013, 12:15 pm

#279

bta15

Join Date: Oct 2012

Programs: AS MVP, BA

Posts: 300

Quote:

Originally Posted by punjabi2

If you don't get the United offer I would probably get the chase sapphire preferred to replace it.

Instead of applying for so many chase cards I would apply for the SPG amex instead just so you are not hammering chase.

Feb 20, 2013, 12:39 pm

#280

punjabi2

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 217

Thanks bta!!

Now, need to figure out this SPG Amex..this is a new card in the mix of things. Still learning here on FT, so where would I find this info?

Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bta15

Feb 20, 2013, 12:46 pm

#281

bta15

Join Date: Oct 2012

Programs: AS MVP, BA

Posts: 300

Quote:

Originally Posted by punjabi2

Thanks bta!!

Now, need to figure out this SPG Amex..this is a new card in the mix of things. Still learning here on FT, so where would I find this info?

Thanks.

I believe current signup bonus is 25k. From what I have read it my go up to 30k by spring/summer.

Here is a write up of benefits; sorry if I am breaking rules linking to million mile secrets...

http://millionmilesecrets.com/2011/0...0-bonus-offer/

Feb 20, 2013, 12:56 pm

#282

c2d

Join Date: Aug 2011

Location: BOS / BWI

Programs: AA, UA, Marriott, HHonors, Avis et al.

Posts: 237

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcpilgrim

You may want to contemplate the HHonors award changes announced yesterday to decide whether the BoA/BoH apps are worth it given the lowered point value, and immediate annual fees. Similar, perhaps the no annual fee amex instead of Surpass. Or SPG instead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by caGALINDO

Thanks to both of you. I had glanced the news about HHonors devaluation, but did not dig deeper. From what I am reading, there are mixed opinions on this devaluation as some people think there isn't much change for middle and lower-end categories. Looks like only the high-end categories have been impacted hard. I might still do HHonors as I like the double dipping (points AND miles) and their number of properties compared to Hyatt, but your comments have made me think more about SPG. Thanks again.

Some references that others may benefit from:
- Useful comparison between Hilton and Marriott (Apr 2012).
- Hotel programs Mid-Tier elite levels comparison (Dec 2012).
- Another great hotel program top-tier elite levels comparison (Dec 2012).

Feb 20, 2013, 2:21 pm

#283

BrandonDuh

Join Date: Dec 2012

Location: DCA

Programs: US, AA, UA, LH, VX

Posts: 45

February Churn Discussion

I completed my first ever AoR yesterday. Here are the results:
US Airways 35k - error screen, but approved
Citi AA 50k Personal Visa - approved via chat
Citi AA 30k Personal Gold MC - approved via chat
Chase Sapphire Preferred - Pending

I had plans to do the UA Explorer Card but could not get the 50k to pop up even with miles in the account so I opted for CSP. Should I call Chase about the app or just let it roll?

Feb 20, 2013, 2:24 pm

#284

punjabi2

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 217

Thanks once again, bta!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by bta15

Feb 20, 2013, 2:27 pm

#285

punjabi2

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 217

Now the questions is:

Do I apply for this spg card as part of aor, or wait till 30K offer (hopefully with lower spending limit) comes up...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bta15