Don't be so quick to close this card. In my experience, through the year they have been offering some great bonus miles opportunities. It's their last chance to get and keep customers happy. And they have succeeded with me.

Assuming that applying for the card with another one already open is quite risky (most likely a rejection, unless the computer auto-approves it based on some unspecifed criteria), most current card holders are faced with the classic dilemma of "one bird in the hand vs two in the bush", meaning cancel now and re-apply by end of Dec for the prospect of 50+10k miles (worth at least $600-1000), which could be nothing if rejected, or take a retention bonus that will likely be offered when calling to cancel, most likely AF waived plus some miles, which can be valued at approximately $200 or so. So it is 1 bird vs 3-5 birds in the bush, lol.

What do you guys think? I know the decision comes down to individual circumstances that will determine the probability of success, but do you see any fundamental problems with the "cancel and reapply within December" scenario? Any data points?

Yes you can but I do not recommend doing so right away. This hobby of collecting miles and points is a marathon not a sprint. Banks can see not only when you open an account but how long you kept it open. Barclays seems to pay closer attention to this than many of the other major banks. They may offer another card that will interest you in the future, no need to potentially burn a bridge with them for opening an account to get the bonus than immediately closing it. I recommend keeping your card active for at least 8 months before closing it.

This is also a good point. Many of us were offered an additional 15k bonus a few months after having this card open for meeting some additional spend. And I am currently on yet another offer with this card getting 3X miles for spend on restaurants, gas and Dept Stores.

App under review. Darnit.

Suggestions on how to get it approved? I know I need to call; however, I've tried calling for approvals before with other cards, and I'm not very good at these calls. Advice?

+1 data point
 

Applied yesterday and got instant approval. Had another USDM MC open since a little over 6 months ago. 6 month before that, closed the original USDM MC card.

Same for SO, except she was approved automatically overnight, not instantly.

TransUnion CR was pulled. Credit score in the 760 range for both.

you can wait a day and see if you get approved, we had the same thing happen in our family and we got approved within 12 hours without calling. you can check the status online every few hours.

Darn, pending for both me and the wife.

Wife: last barclay app July 2014, 1 barclay arrival open
Me: last barclay app Aug 2014, 1 barclay arrival and 1 US Air open

pending for both me and wife. Maybe because of 0 year 4 months at our address?

Transunion score 786

A+ & US airways MC still open but 11 months old.
I think calling won't help since we already have one. Will wait and see first

Instant approval for me and wife with multiple recent chase and citi card apps. Key is that neither of us has ever had a Barclay card (and we have excellent credit scores).

sibling approved using preferred link. currently has a 1 year old us airways card and a 4 months old arrivals card. thanks for all the data points!! :) i would attempt another card for myself but sadly i have 2 open us airway cards and think it would be unlikely to be instantly approved for another :(

Anyone has cancelled previous card and re-applied successfully within the same month? Or told that was rejected for having the card recently?

Terms and Conditions:
[I]From time to time, Barclaycard may offer bonuses or awards of mileage credit or other premiums (for example, First Use Miles, First Use Certificates, and Promotional Companion Tickets) to new US Airways MasterCard Cardmembers. Unless otherwise stated in the offer, these bonuses and /or awards are intended for persons who are not, and have not previously been, US Airways MasterCard Cardmembers. You understand and agree that, unless otherwise stated, if this is your first US Airways MasterCard Account, once you become a Cardmember you are no longer eligible to receive these bonuses and/or awards for any new US Airways MasterCard account you open after this Account is opened. If this is not your first US Airways MasterCard Account, you may not be eligible for these bonuses and/or awards. If you receive a bonus or award for which you are not eligible, Barclaycard may direct US Airways to revoke the bonus or award, or reduce your mileage credit by the amount of the award, or charge your account for the fair value of the bonus or award, at our option.

It seems that you may not get a bonus if you have an existing US airways master card. Any experience on this ?

Got first card on 1/14, with 35k+10k anniversary and no AF, applied today via preferred link, instant approval for $17500 CL, first card has $12500 CL.

I went back to check my screen shots. This same paragraph was also listed under "Other Restrictions" at the bottom of the T&C when I applied for my 3rd USAir card in 12/2013. I got the miles last time. Let's hope they will not change their practice.

Just got instant approval with my background:

First US Air 35k(+15k bonus) no 1st AF 3/24/13 (closed 3/14)
Second US Air 35k no 1st AF 10/25/13 (closed 11/14)
Third US Air card 30k no 1st AF 4/28/14 (still open [till 5/15])


Approved for the card 4 (50k $89 1st AF) today. I see my first ever AF payment with Barclays as 165k miles for $89. No complaints.

My wife has only been able to get approved for one of these and that was way back in 3/13. She's tried every 6 months since then and still nothing. The one major difference between us is that back in '02-'03 I opened a Barclays CC then closed it around '09. Was always in good standing and closed it in '09 after they lowered my credit limit to $500 so I said screw them. Then I found out about churning 4 years later and now I get to screw them for sure. Maybe that prior history helped?