Jan 16, 2017, 9:36 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Before applying, please note
B of A's restrictions (2-3-4 rule, UPDATED: as of Sept 28,2019 possibly 3/12 for new customers and 7/12 for existing customers. See thread for ongoing discussion) on approving applications:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cred...24-months.html

Nestled in the terms and conditions of all of the personal Alaska Airlines credit card offers:
"This card will not be available to you if you currently have or have had the card in the preceding 24 month period. This does not apply to the business credit card product."

More info on the COMPANION FARE cert can be found here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alas...-fare-faq.html

This thread is a continuation from THIS discussion (2012-2016)
Concurrent discussion here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alas...017-later.html

As additional resources for these cards, see the following threads in the Alaska Airlines forum

Please do not delete non working offers because sometimes they start working again. Instead move them to the prior offers section.

PERSONAL CARDS

Current offers:
All offers below are DEAD
72K offer: 72K offer
70K offer: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/cr...B&gclsrc=aw.ds
70K + $100 statement credit: click on the direct link to offer in the DoC article...https://www.doctorofcredit.com/bank-...0-miles-offer/

Prior offers:
50k miles + companion fare, $75 AF, $2k spend (Live Jan 2021 to May 2021)
40k miles + $100 + companion fare, $75 AF, $2k spend

As of December 2018, Bank of America no longer gives you a lower bonus if you're approved for Platinum instead of Signature.

Make sure to opt-in to "Partner Offers" within your Mileage Plan account if you wish to be targeted for single-use application links with increases bonuses.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Check Personal Card application status online here:
https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit...status-form.go

Personal card Recon Lines:
1-800-354-0401 (8am-7pm ET Mon-Fri) direct, referring agent from another BofA line called it their "credit department"
or 888-230-6262

================================================== =======================

BUSINESS CARDS

Current offers:
Now 50k $95 AF $100 Stmt credit $4k spending https://www.alaskaair.com/content/cr...-business-card

Prior offers:
40K>70K

Read post 844 for tips on being approved for the business card.
It may be easier to get approved for a new business with 0 years and $0 gross income.

Also see the Applying for Business Credit Cards [Consolidated] thread (not-BofA-specific) for general tips on applying for business cards.

Business card Recon Line:
April 2024: BOA Biz Recon (Small Biz Lending, Credit Analyst) 888-782-7717, 888-569-4439 (M-F 8am-7pm EST), both answered by live human in 2-4 minutes. (Both numbers confirmed multiple times in the past 2-3 days.)
866-695-6598 (8-7pm EST M-F)
Biz card status line: 888 663 6262 (not working)
Biz Card credit analyst line: 888-782-7717
Biz card expedited shipping: wait 24 hours after approval for a card number to generate then call 800-901-9830 and a person will answer. If 1st Rep says "no" ask him/her to ck. with a supervisor. This worked for me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Credit Inquiries
Credit Inquiries for Personal cards come from BofA. Inquiries for business cards come from FIA.
Credit bureaus usually merge inquiries from the same requester made on the same day.
Inquiries from BofA and FIA will not be merged.

Does one have to call BoA to lower a card's credit limit?
Yes, there is no longer any way to contact BOA online. Phone is the only method currently.

When do the initial bonus miles post? You will get the miles after the statement closes for the cycle in which you meet your minimum spend. Usually AS points show up the Sunday evening after your statement closes, but sometimes it takes an additional week.

If there's a statement credit, when does it post?
It seems to be batch-processed. It will post automatically. Can be on the same statement or the next statement. It does not appear to be based on the statement close date.

Can you send a secure message through your account online?
No. BOA has removed the secure message functionality, even for Preferred members. The only way to contact BOA now is to call them.

Can I apply for another personal Alaska card if I have one open already?
Some people still can, but these days many people get denied. If you don't want to risk getting denied, it's probably better if you close any existing personal Alaska cards before applying for another one. But be sure to lower credit limit as low as possible at least a few business days before you close the card (though the earlier you can do it the better), because credit limit that's left on the card when you close it stays unavailable to new card applications for a year or more (while credit limit that's lowered as a separate step becomes available to new card applications much sooner)!

.................................................. .................

Use or earn Mileage Plan miles with Alaska's Global Partners
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...tners-overview

Bank of America Alaska Airlines card

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Mar 8, 2018, 8:50 am

#901

RobertHanson

Join Date: Jul 2013

Posts: 1,784

Quote:

Originally Posted by jiaogulan

Any recent data points on what bureau BoA (FIA Card Services?) is pulling for business apps? TransUnion is still the main one?

I was getting ready to apply for a business Alaska card after getting laughed at by BoA for my recent personal app for "too many recent accounts". All these denials above are making me reconsider, but if I could limit the damage of a potential deny to a HP on TransUnion then I might go for it still.

Makes me laugh how Alaska was THE churning card, and I have never churned a card in my life, yet I am potentially gonna get nothing out of these cards at all presumably due to the "new" BoA clamping down... I know I am not a special snowflake, but I even have had a mortgage, checking/savings, my oldest credit card (13+ year history) with them, etc. Just amusing.

Haven't had a BA Bus card, but my personal apps have always pulled Exp. I'm on the West Coast, though, so YMMV.

Can't be bothered with Alaska cards anymore. Between maybe being given a mere Plat card, more and more likely to be denied when any other bank would give me an instant approval, and the paltry sign up bonus even if you do get a Sig card, forgedaboutit. We did however each recently pick up a Premium Rewards card, an easy $450 net, plus a $100 Global Entry statement credit if you have use for that. We each got an instant approval with @$20K CL.

A total of @$1300 net for the two of us once you factor in cash back for the min spnd and GE credits. Using that cash to pay my expenses on cards that have a much greater ROI than the pathetic Alaska card.

Mar 8, 2018, 3:24 pm

#902

azepine00

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2003

Location: LAX

Posts: 10,911

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobertHanson

..

A total of @$1300 net for the two of us once you factor in cash back for the min spnd and GE credits. Using that cash to pay my expenses on cards that have a much greater ROI than the pathetic Alaska card.

YMMV but to me 30K miles plus $200-400 x2 of savings from companion certs (one in the beginning one at anniversary before i close the card) is at least a grand worth of value...

Mar 8, 2018, 11:46 pm

#903

beltway

Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: On strike

Posts: 8,135

Quote:

Originally Posted by azepine00

YMMV but to me 30K miles plus $200-400 x2 of savings from companion certs (one in the beginning one at anniversary before i close the card) is at least a grand worth of value...

For us, excellent AS nonstop service from DC to the west coast plus free checked bag made this a no-brainer. Yes, there are personal cards for which the ROI is probably better, but we're on a "credit cleanse" at the moment to get back under the Chase 5/24 threshold, so biz cards only til 2019.

jiaogulan likes this.

Mar 9, 2018, 4:11 am

#904

jiaogulan

Join Date: Jan 2017

Posts: 790

Quote:

Originally Posted by beltway

Data point: my DW recently applied for the biz card (sole prop., $0 revenue). Went pending instead of instant approval, so we waited it out & received notice of approval ~1 week later. DW has an existing personal BofA card, about 2 years old, with a moderate (~$10K) LOC.

For us, excellent AS nonstop service from DC to the west coast plus free checked bag made this a no-brainer. Yes, there are personal cards for which the ROI is probably better, but we're on a "credit cleanse" at the moment to get back under the Chase 5/24 threshold, so biz cards only til 2019.

Alaska isn't even great for me as an airline, but with their miles being so valuable it's a no brainer to capitalize on a 1K minimum spend if at all possible.

Thanks for the DP.

Mar 9, 2018, 11:14 am

#905

metoo

Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: LAX

Posts: 2,851

Quote:

Originally Posted by jiaogulan

I applied for the Alaska Biz card. TU was pulled. This is the first time. it had always been Experian. Waiting for the card to arrive

Mar 9, 2018, 2:07 pm

#906

flyerinfomama2

Join Date: Dec 2017

Posts: 13

getting ready to apply

I am getting ready to apply for a personal Alaska airlines card and think I am in a good place to be approved (although I know I may have to call the reconsideration line). I just have one potential issue. I applied for and got a BofA MLB card about 2 years ago. After I got the bonus, I never used it. Will this be a flag for them in some way? Should I close the card before applying? I do not intend to use it. If so, do I need to lower my credit line before closing it and how do you determine how much to lower? Also, if it does seem I should lower my credit line what reason would I give? If I got to that point, would it be contraindicated to tell them I want to apply for the Alaska airlines card?
Thanks!

Mar 10, 2018, 9:04 am

#907

sdsearch

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jan 2005

Location: home = LAX

Posts: 25,934

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyerinfomama2

First, if you truly never use it, the bank will eventually close it for inactivity. So you really meant that you never use it (not even occasionally to keep it open), you might as well close it, but yes, you want to lower the credit limit as much as possible (say, down to $1000 if they'll let you) before you close it. Then wait at least until the new credit limit shows online before closing.

But be aware: Credit limit that is reduced this way can take a few months before it becomes available for new card applications. (Credit limit that remains on the card when you close it can take a year or longer

before it becomes available for new card applications!) So unless you're going wait several months after doing that before you apply for the personal Alaska card, no action you can take with your existing MLB card now (other than putting some small purchase on it if you truly haven't used at all for about 2 years and are not planning to close it) is likely to help with this Alaska card application.

You've not mentioned what the size of the your MLB card credit limit is, so it's hard to be more specific in the answer.

I've never heard of BofA asking why you can to lower credit limit. But if you're concerned about that, ask to lower your cash advance credit limit to $0 at the same time; they probably won't let you lower it that far, but it'll make clear (without you saying that) that you're trying to lower credit limit to avoid problems like "accidental" purchases of the wrong kind at high amounts.

Certainly don't mention what you're planning to do (re new card applications) whenever calling about existing cards.

I've not heard of BofA scrutinizing whether you used your other BofA cards much in the past. So don't worry about that per se.

Mar 10, 2018, 9:31 am

#908

flyerinfomama2

Join Date: Dec 2017

Posts: 13

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdsearch

Thanks so much; this is very helpful! I promise I have read everything, but its hard to assimilate it all sometimes, so I need to clarify something. In general, should I be lowering my credit limits and closing cards that I know I will not use? Also, should I lower credit limits on cards I want to use, but will not need the amount of credit they have given me (I think one has give me over $10000 and I have cards that have given me $7000), if I want to be able to apply for cards with good bonuses?

It sounds like I should just apply for the card and hope for the best for the time being as lowering my credit limit/closing cards won't help for quite a long time?

Thank you!

Mar 10, 2018, 6:29 pm

#909

pgary

Original Member

Join Date: May 1998

Posts: 2,506

I fixed the link in the wiki to the 30,000 Bonus Miles + $100 statement credit Buy one ticket, get one for just taxes and fees offer. It is still available.

Mar 11, 2018, 9:20 am

#910

RobertHanson

Join Date: Jul 2013

Posts: 1,784

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyerinfomama2

It sounds like I should just apply for the card and hope for the best for the time being as lowering my credit limit/closing cards won't help for quite a long time?!

The thing is, "quite a long time" from now will eventually get here. So unless you are very sure that you will never want to apply for a B/A card of any kind ever again, I'd lower that CL now. Then when "quite a long time" from now does get here, you won't have this dilemma again.

Mar 11, 2018, 1:30 pm

#911

NeYo

Join Date: Jun 2017

Posts: 34

Statement closed on March 5 but miles doesn't show up on Alaska. It's the second statement since opening account, with the first statement it took just a day to transfer the miles. Any suggestions?
update: just checked again, miles posted.

Last edited by NeYo; Mar 11, 2018 at 4:17 pm

Mar 11, 2018, 9:29 pm

#912

sdsearch

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jan 2005

Location: home = LAX

Posts: 25,934

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyerinfomama2

You should lower creidt limt and close. That'll keep BofA making up a story like "you already have this card, you don't need another one". But the credit limit lowering, while a good idea long-term, is not that likely to "register' in time for you to benefit from it on an application which you're doing "sson".

Every bank is different. At BofA, you should lower credit limit as soon as you stop using the card much (presumably after you finish the minimum spend requirement for the signup bonus). If you're going to use it only for Alaska flights, figure out what's the highest purchase amount you're likely to make in a billing cycle, and then make the credit limit at least 3.5x that. (That's because your credit score will bee dinged if you go over 30% utilization on any single card.) A credit limit of $3000 would allow to make purchase up to $900 a month, which if you buy economy fares on Alaska, and only 1 flight a month at most, should be no problem.

Then do cancel (anytime after you're lowered the credit limit and confirmed it online) if you're really not going to use the card.

But lowering the credit limit ASAP is much more important than closing ASAP at BofA.

In general, at any bank: You should decide whether a no-AF card is a card you want to use to establish long credit history (for the future) or not. If so, use it at least once or twice a year for something small to keep it from getting cancelled for inactivity, and then plan to do that "forever". If you're not planning to do that, you might as well cancel when the first annual fee hits (if it has annual fee) or about a year or so after opening. (When is the best time to close varies by bank. Amex frowns on cards closed within first 12 months after earning a signup bonus, it doesn't charge the annual fee for the 2nd until 13 months in, so it's no problem cancelling an Amex card when the 2nd year AF hits. Chase frowns upon cancelling in the first 6 months. BofA so far hasn't frowned on any particular cancelling date that I've heard of.)

Mar 11, 2018, 9:34 pm

#913

philemer

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2002

Location: Intermountain West

Programs: Too many to list

Posts: 12,087

Quote:

Originally Posted by azepine00

YMMV but to me 30K miles plus $200-400 x2 of savings from companion certs (one in the beginning one at anniversary before i close the card) is at least a grand worth of value...

This. ^ I save ~$300 on every Companion Fare Cert that I use. Plus the 30K miles.

That said, BofA is being WAY too strict on Business apps.

Will give them one more try later this yr with a new business.

Mar 12, 2018, 9:30 am

#914

Superorb

Join Date: Oct 2011

Posts: 4,166

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeYo

They post on Sunday evenings, so you should have points today or next Monday morning. Also this is in the wiki

Mar 12, 2018, 12:04 pm

#915

NYCroots

Join Date: Mar 2016

Location: New York City

Programs: SPG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Platinum

Posts: 96

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYCroots

Applied for the Alaska business card last night and went to pending. I put $0 sales, started last month based on input in this thread.

I have had a BoA checking account for the last 10 years. No new personal cards with any issuer since July 2016.

At this point do I just wait it out and hope they approve? I don’t mind calling, but would like to know beforehand if I should expect to get grilled about the details of my “business”.

Just an update for anyone in the future who may be curious after reading through these pages - I ended up getting impatient and called business recon today about the status of my application and was approved.

I was asked basic identity verification questions, then the rep mentioned that someone had begun working on my application but stopped - this wasn't entirely clear. At that point, he asked me to quickly describe what my "business" is so that the business category was correct. He also just asked me to confirm that it was a new business, which I said yes to (I think I put 0 years, 1 month on the app). I was then put on hold for ~1 minute and was approved when he came back.

This is my first BoA card - business or personal, though I have been a BoA checking customer for about 10 years. I actually closed my savings account a few weeks ago and was only keeping $1,500 in my checking to keep it fee-free while I waited to figure out what would happen when I decided to apply for this card, considering the $1,500 CD data points that everyone has shared previously. I'm happy I got the card, can finally close my checking account down, and didn't have to provide any sort of tax returns or get the CD

Also, FWIW, I'm 0/12 and 2/24 with personal cards overall. I do have two HPs within the past month for Schwab checking and the CIP.