I started the miles and points about 15 years ago. I used to get instant credit card approvals all the time. But something happened 6 or 7 years ago... All of a sudden I stopped getting instant approvals. Maybe 2 out of 20 applications. And of those 17 pending, probably 3 got rejected for some reason. Meanwhile, my wife has since applied to just as many and she has the inverse rate - almost every single one of her applications gets instant approvals & has only been rejected once.

I assumed this was a result of some sort of credit monitoring that I forgot I signed up for, but I've checked all my credit reports through annualcreditreport.com and have never seen anything indicating some sort of freeze or fraud alert or credit monitoring. What could it be?
How do I get back to instant approvals!??

Maybe the card issuers feel like you have enough credit? How many open cards do you have?

Probably close to 20. Same amount I've always had. But it is slightly more than my wife has.

we got your app-o-rama post locked, stick around and let's see if we can lock this one too lol. It's not the number of cards (usually), it's the amount of credit, utilization, and history I'd say. What bank are you specifically trying to get a card from?

So many variables here.
Do you carry balances regularly?
Do you have any history of late fees?
Do you have a variety of cards and credit available/ annual fees/ types, etc.? (not saying this is good or bad, just pointing out how myriad factors are at play at any time).
How old is your oldest vs. newest credit line?
Have you recently taken out new debt like a car loan, mortgage, or cosign for a loan (e.g. son/daughter's car or college)?
Is your wife's credit linked to yours in any way? You presumably live at the same address. Do you share business cards/ authorized user status?
Are some of your apps too recent? Chase 5/24, Amex pop-up jail. All those unwritten barriers.

I certainly don't know have the foggiest, but the fact I can generate so many questions that may (or may not) factor could offer you reasons to consider. No one can tell you, but with specifics we can help make educated guesses.

I have about a dozen--maybe closer to 20 cards--no trouble with approvals. High credit score, stable factors in my history. No debt. No balances carried--everything goes on cards, then paid in full. I don't apply often. I wait and play strategically. E.g., I just earned my CSP 100K bonus because I waited a good while to even apply for that one. Now I am slowly moving credit lines within Chase, and plan to downgrade my UA card that just went to $150 a year. I don't fly UA (thought I would when I got it, kept it for the primary insurance and gifted the lounge passes, but now that's over). CSP has better benefits for me. Will keep the card $0 AF or ask Chase to allot the $5K to one of my other 6 personal cards. I also downgraded the Hilton when Amex raised the AF to $150 and cut PP. I earned Diamond so the card giving me Gold was not worth it. I never close down a card I can downgrade. I use every card a little bit to show activity.

To me, it is more about being strategic. I don't know if cards can see that in applications with some algorithm or not, but I have not had any issues, and I try to pace with a strategy in mind, probably slightly slower than most in part because. I am single with one income. I keep one premium card currently, the AA Executive card since AA gets me everywhere I need in the US and OWE is the pass I need for lounges worldwide. If I need to fly another carrier, I will but the seat I want.

My "way" is absolutely limiting for most. BUT never get a card just to get it. Have a reason and strategy. That's my $.02.

I understand all these nuances of credit. My credit, utilization, history, & credit score is pretty similar to spouse (except I have like 10 years longer credit history). I manage all our cards. We co-sign auto and home loans, and are each others' authorized user on some no annual fee cards. Yes, at least 1 of those rejections was my fault for being up-to-date with bank rules (i think it was 5/24). But often, a reconsideration call approves with low credit limit (5k for my most recent United Biz app) - meanwhile my wife just got insta-approved for 35k on the CSR. I then call to lower her limit, because her one rejection was Citi because she had too much credit.

Damn, I haven't logged in in a while so missed the AOR shenanigans. I found some alternatives to AA, so don't need that many anymore, but will DM you to pick your brain.

Anyway, all this to say (to keep on topic) - I'm not looking at a specific card. This post was simply triggered from my wife's instant approval 3 days ago. A few weeks earlier, my sister was insta-approved for the CSP. Just before that my friend (who bunches up his apps), got insta-approved for the United card that I referred him to. Meanwhile, my last application 2 months ago went pending or rejected.

I was hoping someone had insight about something that always triggers a review for all banks. There's SOMETHING going on with my credit that I almost ALWAYS get the "pending review" message, while others almost always get instantly approved. Most often, I just call reconsideration and they ask some verification questions, maybe send me a text, and I'm approved in 5 minutes. But sometimes it takes begging & pleading & HUCA and sometimes still rejection. I just want to save myself the stress of that call every time.

What are the stated reasons for the rejections?