slider34

Been asked many many times...

You don't want credit card companies to see you have 6-8 recent financial hits/inquiries so if you do them all on one day there is a chance they won't see those hits and your chance for approval goes up dramatically.

However, some credit agencies report those hits right away and will still be seen.

Sometimes you snooze you lose on a great offer, sometimes a better one comes around and you can't get it because you already got the lesser offer. Part of the gamble

arsenalman

So SPG and Chase INK are confirmed.
Would love to get 2 more. I applied for the US Airways from Barclays about 3 months ago, can i apply for that again? i heard its churnable.

hedge

Why not add Chase CSP so you have 1 personal and 1 business (obviously applying for Ink first since it's a higher bonus). Then maybe add in a Citi? Hilton Reserve gives you 2 free nights which is a huge value if you use them on the high-end properties.

US Air is churnable, but I'm not sure if your 3 months is too soon or not. There should be a thread on it with the latest datapoints.

Another option: Virgin Atlantic Amex, the big bonus is back and can convert those points in Hilton HHonors and other 'currencies'.

PainCorp

I would wait at least 6 months, probably more, before trying to get a second US Air, and unless you use it, if you get pending, reconsideration is going to be useless. This is just my general rule, plus you should wait longer than 90 days if you want to do Barclays' cards, since they HATE churners.

I like the Virgin Atlantic card, I'm going to get it myself eventually, I have ~180k HH points, so I need to keep building them up again, and this is a remotely easy way to do that since you'll get ~110k from this card.

It might also be worth noting if you DO want Hilton points, that the Amex card can be upgraded after 12 months to Surpass for 50k points, downgraded 12 months later and then upgraded again a few months later, continuous cycle for easy-ish points.

lwildernorva

The last couple of years, SPG has run a promotion in late July/August that lowers the spending requirement while raising the bonus to 30K. In 2011, I did the personal and in 2012, the business under exactly those terms. No guarantee of a 2013 repeat, but I'd consider a substitute card for this series of apps if you haven't already applied and don't have an immediate need for the SPG.

poppabear

What is ARS

jatink129

It's a credit reporting agency. One of the lesser known ones but one that USbank uses in addition to the regular three.

Here's how you block IDA and ARS.

http://freequentflyerbook.com/blog/2...k-credit-cards

arsenalman

arent they offering 25k right now - thats only 5 k less. Is it worth a lot?

PainCorp

Depends what program you put them in, and how badly you need miles there. It's a question only you can answer. While you said meeting spend isn't an issue, for some the extra miles for less spend would cause them (like myself) to wait for it. Especially if there are some higher requirement cards mixed in, such as an Ink, or Amex Business, etc which might make meeting spending difficult on their own without heavy manufacturing.

Also worth considering, if you use the SPG as your every day card, and you only transfer 20k to get the 20% bonus, you're halfway to your next transfer with a 20% bonus.

arsenalman

you make valid points. i really feel confused. The Chase Ink i need to get but i dont want to waste this round with nothing else. I guess the VA Amex is a decent amount of miles...even though i prefer AA applicable activity (thus SPG due to the transfer). Decisions Decisions!!!

PainCorp

VS (VA is Virgin Australia, VX is America) I don't think are really worth it, their fuel surcharges are ridiculous, unless they recently dropped them like Virgin Australia. I would only get that card to transfer to Hilton, at least unless the YQ has changed.

In the end though, I would take 10k UR points over 5k miles in another program, unless I REALLY needed miles in a program UR doesn't transfer to, like AA. But there's no reason you can't do it now. 5k isn't enough to really be a deal breaker for me, yes it sucks, but you can manufacture 5k miles in a month without breaking a sweat.

Take a look at the Arrival from Barclays, $440 isn't a bad sign on bonus, and maybe the CSP, that gives you 3 cards, 98k UR points (not including category bonuses, so will be more), $440 in travel, and then might as well do SPG if you can handle the combined spend $14,000 in 3 months, giving you 35k miles from that. (25k sign on, 5k transfer and 5k from spend)

dcpilgrim

AA Biz card?
I'll second the UA suggestion.

Amex MR I prefer to strike when a promo is out (50/75/100).

I wouldn't get too wound up about having a big blitz. If only 2-3 cards match your travel then do that. What is your next trip? That could determine your answer if you need a couple nights in a top end hotel (Park Hyatt or Fairmount or Citi Hilton Reserve) or quick hotel status (PC/Hyatt/Hilton/Ritz).

Since you are Boston based, Avios to Ireland is also something to consider, but there are many ways to get Avios (UR, MR, BA card), and the last couple years around Dec/Jan the BA card has bumped to 100K with high spend.

dcpilgrim

OP - make sure you message chase to ask for the extra 10K for the INK per the offers this week.

arsenalman

I think i will get the Chase (really need it for the GC game) and not do an AOR. Maybe do an AOR in a couple of months. It will also not increase my hits on my credit - the only downside is i will have to wait another 90 days before i can pull the trigger again. And if any good deals come in the middle, i might not be able to take advantage. (Thats the name of the game i guess).

arsenalman

I already have 200k pts from BA, they are just sitting in my account gathering dust. Dont want to pay 1k of tax fees to use it. I wish i could convert them to AA pts instead.