jmw

No way. Look for links here on FT, not at the bloggers for the best offers. I'm here to line my own pockets with the most miles possible. Even if the sub-optimal links are fully disclosed, you might accidentally browser cache the link with the worse offer and losing thousands of miles. This is also why private browsing is a good idea when using FT links to apply.

PainCorp

^

I'd rather lose 5k miles than give the bloggers more money.

Tiki

To update the results of today's AOR:

This AOR I want in order of importance:

Chase Ink Bold or Plus - approved on recon, moved credit from CSP
Chase Freedom (for 5x) - approved on recon, moved credit from BA Visa. They didn't make me close any existing accounts.
Amex PRG 25k - used Creditcards.com, got spooked when the sign up bonus didn't appear on the app. There was a phone # 877-915-6387 so I called and applied on the phone. CSR confirmed bonus and approved card.
Citi MC, 35k with $1500 spend (can't do too much spending all at once) - went to pending
Barclays Arrival - went to pending.

Last I heard, conventional wisdom was to leave Citi and Barclays alone if they go to pending and let them work through the system. Is this still the case?

FlightNurse

When you go to the bloggers, the have mention FT and a link to get the better deal. I could not find the IHG 80K link, so went to a blogger, who pointed me to the correct link. Never did I say, use the bloggers link

FlightNurse

WHen my partner went out for the Citi AA biz card, he got the pending, and he called in, the CSR asked him three questions (he is a realtor) and was approved with a very high CL. I also have read that calling Citi doesn't help, so I'm not too sure if this only works for personnel cards.

GuySmylie

Starting to figure this out a bit, but still a question bout churnning. Do you have to close an account to churn or is downgrading to a free non airline/hotel branded card enough to reset the clock?

PainCorp

Depends on the card and the provider.

Calipso

120,000 points is valuable to me in exchange for 2 hard pulls. I will be using them on repeat vacations at Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Average category one hotel down in Jacksonville.

flyer4512

Then why are you worried about a hard pull ?

The Citi AA and Hilton churns may not wait for when you are ready so grab what you can when you can IMO

flyer4512

Yes but those 2 "free nights" are still costing you $190 in annual fees and are only good on the weekend plus you and your SO other need to spend $20,000 on the Reserve card to get the 2 "free" nights

armature

I did my one and only AoR in 2007 (applied 18, approved 15) and, honestly, had forgotten all about the concept until I started considering how to pay for my upcoming wedding and honeymoon.

Primary Goal
Honeymoon in Spain in late February 2014. So, pay for business/first class travel from Austin to Madrid, then return from Barcelona and hotel stays using miles/points. Additionally, my future bride travels annually to/from Poland and we have a post-wedding trip planned for Fall 2014, so I need to set up points for that, too.


Current Points/Miles of Any Significance

• AA - 23K
• Marriott - 58K
• SPG - 114K
• Amex MR - 110K

Current Cards (all personal, AAoA: 8y2m)
AmEx

• AmEx SPG
• AmEx Blue Cash

BofA

• BankAmericard Cash Rewards Signature Visa
• BofA World Points Platinum Plus
• BankAmericard Rewards World MC

CapOne

• Sony Card Visa Signature

Chase

• Chase Freedom
• Chase MC Platinum

Citi

• Citi Gold Aadvantage World MC (oldest card at 22 years)
• Citi Diamond Preferred
• Citi Professional
• AT&T Universal Rewards
• Sears MasterCard

Discover

• Discover Miles
• Discover More

Other

• PNC Bank Select Rewards Visa Platinum
• Dillards AmEx (managed by GEMB)

Other Notes

• Inquiries: TU - 1, EX - 1, EQ - 7 (most recent: Dec 2011)
• Utilization: 5% of $300K
• My AOR in 2007 was strictly for personal cards as I wasn't comfortable applying for business cards without a business. Since then, I've started a modest business and will go after these more earnestly.
• I've already booked the hotel rooms using Marriott and SPG points. The balances above are post those transactions.
• Based on what I've researched, my best option appears to be AA, requiring either 200K or 300K. So, I need either AA points or other points that can be easily converted to AA.
• I can't see a compelling reason to add another Discover card and the BofA and CapOne cards are a stretch.

Current AoR Target Cards
AMEX

• SPG Biz (25K SPG)
• Is another SPG personal possible? If so, then, great, SPG personal (25K SPG). If not, then...
• Hilton Hhonors Surpass (60K Hilton)

BARCLAY

• UsAir Personal (35K US)
• USAir Biz (25K US)

BOFA (not sure this is really worth the effort, but couldn't find any other BofA card)

• Virgin Atlantic Amex (45K VA)

CAPITAL ONE (ditto the BofA comment)

• Spark Miles Biz (10K points)
• QuickSilver Cash Rewards Visa ($100)

CHASE

• IHG Priority Club (80K IHG) [our wedding is being held in an IHG property]
• Ink Plus Biz (50K UR)

CITI

• AA Visa (50K AA)
• +8 days, if it's still going on, AA Visa (50K AA)
• If it's still going on in Oct, AA Visa (50K AA) x2
• If not, then, AA Visa Biz (40K AA) & Platinum MC (40K AA)

USBANK

• Club Carlson Biz (85K CC)
• Club Carlson Personal (85K CC)

Thoughts?


Many Thanks!

PainCorp

Cut that list in at least half.

FlightNurse

Many of your CC aren't earning any points look at canceling some, you have a Freedom Card, think about Chase Sapphire Preferred, an Ink Bold, and the IHG card. Do you want to fly to Spain on a OneWorld airline or Star Alliance? You have points in MR you might want to look at what those points will get you as far as tickets as well as the SPG. You might have enough points between those two to get your tickets RT to Spain then you will have to work on a hotel.

I also agree to cut what you are looking at in half, just because you have all those (current) cards, you might not be able to get what you want because of all of those cards.

slider34

My mini app-o-rama...

Chase Sapphire Preffered 40,000 bonus (never had it before) auto approved
AMEX SPG 25,000 bonus (never had it) auto approved
Citi AA Platinum (have 2 current Citi AA cards still open) had to move some funds around on my other AA card but then approved 50,000 bonus. Did this all via chat instantly which was so much nicer than doing it via the phone.

Wife auto approved for all 3 above. Nice little haul for now. Starting to run out of things to apply for in bunches outside of Chase still having good offers which I don't have all of yet and/or my time of being able to get an offer again.

I have great credit but I still feel like a school boy when I hit submit waiting for that great "approved" message. Also expecting for this to all come to a stop some day and me having to actually pay for travel someday too.

FlightNurse

LOL, yes, like you I get a little excited when I get the "approved" screen.