I am hoping this is the right place for my question....my apologies, if not. I am pretty new to the credit card/miles game.

I am trying to decide which credit card applications to do next and have two options...

1. I have a USAir card and would like to get an American card to get the sign up bonus which will give me enough miles for a round trip to Asia in first class. However, that trip is more than a year away so I am hoping I could wait and get an American card much later, but worried that my USAir card will turn into American and then I won't be eligible for the American sign up bonus.

2. The Southwest cards for a companion pass. I ideally would like to get 2 personal cards, but not sure if that would go through. I could apply for a business card as I do a little bit of teaching on the side, but that makes me also nervous somehow - I don't really feel like I have a business. BUT, now seems like such a great time to capitalize on the sign up bonuses to get the companion pass.

Thoughts? I've been agonizing about this a bit. I don't like to sign up for too many cards per cycle so not really interested in doing both plans.

Thanks in advance from a frequent flyer rookie.

IMHO, grab AA card immediately while 50K bonus is available. Maybe see if you can get the AA biz card too. Check out the long thread on Citi AA apps for more info. Waiting gets you nothing except a lost chance to get a new bonus in eighteen months from date of last app.

Why don't you want to sign up for lots of cards. That's how you build up miles for free travel.

Meanwhile, think about apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase INK.

Trying going for ones with no yearly fee at first

Could be the same reason that holds me back all the time. Cant meet all the minimum spend if apply for too many at same time, and seems to be getting worse after Amazon pay was gone and other programs are more restrictive.

Agree to apply for the most or best cards now before they go away and hope the others are still around later after meeting the spend.

I would also do the Citi AA 50k personal now then apply for Biz version (if you could meet the spending)

Some services allow you to pay your rent with a credit card for a fee so that could help