Help with my next churn
 

I was hoping to get some help with my next churn. Right now I'm looking through these threads and the pickings look slim. I was told by Chase to not apply for another 6 months, so their offerings are off the table. I'm most interested in airline points, but will consider others.

The only 50k card I see is the Barclay's US Airways 40-60k card. There is a 30k amex delta, but I'm wondering if it's worth waiting for that card until the offer bumps. So if I was only going to do one card, should I still go ahead or skip this churn entirely and add the US Airways card to the next one?


fwiw, right now I'm holding a chase SW, Chase Sapphire, Chase BA, Citi AA, Citi TY, Amex SPG.

try the citi and amex hilton cards

I recommend the US Airways card. You might as well add another card or two in your churn, as long as your credit has bounced backed since your last set of apps.

You are right, if you can't apply for a Chase card the pickings are slim.

US for sure. Since it only pulls from TransUnion, it probably won't affect your credit at all. (And it's 40K unless you do a BT).

For many people BofA pulls EquiFax instead of Experian so they may be a freeby too. Their two Hawaiians for 35K each are hot now. (One's technically BofH but still FIA corp). I also like their Virgin Atlantic as you get 50K usable on US and other partners and you earn 1.5 miles for every dollar spent and 1100 miles for every Hertz or Avis rental.

That sums it up pretty nicely. Without Chase, those cards are your only options right now unless you're willing to fork out $450 for Amex Plat, which is still excellent value with 50000 bonus points.

Well you can always apply for the business cards like many others do.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'm going to look into the virgin atlantic as well as hilton cards.

The Hawaii cards aren't ideal for me as I live on the East Coast. I can't really justify the amex platinum's fee as a grad student. And I've had three attempts at business cards -- all rejected despite trying every technique on these boards. They just don't believe someone in my situation (despite scores 760's) has a business.

You could transfer Hawaii to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio. However, from what I remember, the HA cards both have annual fees not waived the first year.

When the pickins' are slim, it might be time to pick off some less than optimal fruit.

My wife -- who foolishly missed a CC payment last year for two months, plunging her pristine high 7's score down to around 695-715 -- is attempting to rebuild her credit again by grabbing a couple no fee cards with small spends and smaller rewards but which when taken together give you something decent. In her case, we grabbed the 60K AMEX Hilton card and the Citi Hilton 50K card. She can keep them forever to build her credit long term, and 110K Hilton points for 2K in spend is not too shabby either.

I guess that was the real crux of my question -- is one better off waiting for more desirable offerings or just pulling the trigger on whatever is available? (eg getting this 40k US Airways offer now would preclude me from getting the same card soon if the value goes up to say 75k)

And if it goes down to, say, 30 or 25K wouldn't one then have to kick himself in the teeth?:D

I'm in a similar situation right now. Have way too many Chase cards so must give it a rest for a while. 40,000 US Airways is a good bonus. Get what you can now and don't think twice.

Oh, and if it does go up to 75K then don't kick yourself either 'cause no one has a time machine.

There will always be better offers (and of course there may be worse ones too), but if you hold off on applying b/c you're always waiting for something better to come along, you might miss out over the long run.

Just as an FYI, us airways pulled all 3 bureaus for me...

That's a total bummer. Where are you located?

South Florida.
Tell me about the bummer... i got the card through so it wasn't a waste, but still...