My Current Credit Card Lineup

My name is Dan and I’m a credit card churning addict…


A part of my collection from a picture taken a little while ago.

It has now been 10 years since I turned 18 (and 8 years since I started blogging) and I’ve opened over 300 cards building a nest egg of over 10 million miles and points so that I can always hop on a plane, fly in first class somewhere, and stay in a 5 star resort without having to pay for it.  Now that was easier before Rafi came along, but he’s logged tens of thousands of air miles under the doting eye of his incredible mom. It really is an addiction, from earning top-tier airline (United 1K) hotel (SPG Platinum and Hyatt Diamond), and car rental status (Avis Chairman), when I travel, I travel like a king and get to drive fancy cars and fly in first class suites for pennies. And yet I still enjoy nothing more than coming back home to good ole’ unpretentious Cleveland where my wife and I share a single Nissan Altima and we can sleep in our own (W) bed. At least until I start planning the next trip.

I’m not here to brag about what I’ve done.  My point is that anyone can do this.  Just be careful not to use cards to buy things you can’t afford and fall into a vicious cycle of debt.  Otherwise it’s all fun and games :D

Over time I’ve perfected my churning methods. While I started with a simple Gap card I discovered by accident some 9 years ago in a method that’s since spread across the web that I was able to get 2, 3, or even 4 cards at the same time with just 1 credit pull by applying for multiple cards in different web browsers or computers at he same time. 2BM/3BM/4BMs are often talked about on DDF these days.  The truth is that as long as the apps are submitted the same day it also generally counts as 1 pull, though nothing is ever guaranteed and it can take multiple attempts to call reconsideration to get your apps approved.

I became proficient at never paying an annual fee without either getting a retention bonus to keep the card or using the card as leverage to get approved for more cards. American Express and Chase reconsideration departments are only all too happy to allow you to move around credit lines to get new cards approved or close down old cards to get a new card approved so as you build your portfolio of cards it becomes a virtuous cycle as you keep getting more and more leverage to get new cards..  And I’ve gotten better at understanding how to properly churn cards and get matched to better offers, though companies have attempted to clamp down on that as well.

Over the years bonuses have gotten bigger, though spend thresholds have as well.  Luckily there are many options these days to meet those spend thresholds.  Travelers checks and dollar coins may be kaput but these days we have Amazon Payments, Vanilla Reload purchases via credit card and using Bluebird to cash out, and free cash advances from Vanilla Debit cards which can be funded via credit card or Vanilla Reloads.  And you can always just buy gift cards to use in the future (particularly lucrative on Chase Ink cards as those earn 5 times the points) in order to meet spend thresholds on time as well.

As for my credit score, it’s still top-notch!

Here are the cards I currently have that are active and that I am the primary cardholder of:
(An * is listed next to the 7 cards I have in my wallet for use every day)
AMEX (9 active cards)
AMEX Consumer (6):
-Platinum
Got this one in my first 4BM of the year which resulted in just 1 pull. Not as good as the 100K offer matching of last year that I did multiple times, but 25K is nothing to sneeze at. If you apply right now you can get the $200 airline gift card for 2012 and another $200 for 2013 in just a couple weeks.
If offers a host of other benefits like platinum card lounge access (even if the card is closed), priority club lounge access, expedited immigration via Global Entry, Starwood Gold status, lost item insurance, and a whole lot more.
I don’t use this card for spending.
*-Premier Rewards Gold #1
Got this in the first 4BM as well for 25K points. With 3x points on airfare, 2x points for gas and groceries, and 15K bonus points annual for spending $30K it beats the Platinum card for spending hands down. Points transfer instantly to many airlines.
-Premier Rewards Gold #2
Got this in my 2nd 4BM of the year which also cost just 1 pull. Automatically got the 25K points in October even though my other Gold card is active.
*-Starwood #1
I’ve had this SPG card for many years and they are always happy to give me 3K points per year to keep it open which covers the $65 annual fee. Of course Small Business Saturday and all of the other great AMEX promotions throughout the year make it quite profitable to keep. Benefits include preferred plus elite status and nights and stays towards gold and platinum elite status. Starpoints of course transfer at favorable ratios to dozens of airlines and are also awesome at Starwood hotels.
This card used to get nearly all of my spending, but Chase has really improved their offerings of late. I still always use my SPG card for items that I either want the extended warranty coverage for, that I may need to dispute (as nobody can compete with AMEX dispute resolution), or that I may want to return using AMEX’s awesome return protection.
-Starwood #2
Got this card in my 2nd 4BM of the year for the signup points and the elite status nights which posted automatically with a new Starwood number that I merged afterward. Came in handy for Small Business Saturday as well.
-Delta
This was part of the first 4BM. The signup bonus posted automatically with a new Delta number that I merged afterward. I don’t have elite status with Delta but in case I even fly them at least I’ll get free bags and priority boarding now.
AMEX Business (3):
*-Starwood #1
Had this one for a while as well. Makes getting Starwood Platinum easier and Open Savings on top of Starpoints is awesome.
Plus spending on business cards doesn’t hurt your score like spending on personal cards does.
-Starwood #2
Got this one in the 2nd 4BM of this year for the signup points and the elite status nights.
-Delta Gold
This one was also part of the 2nd 4BM as a toss-in.

Chase (13 active cards)
Chase Consumer (8):
*-Sapphire Preferred Visa
Got this card once again earlier this year in a 3BM. It’s an excellent churnable card for the 40K signup bonus and the 2.14 points per dollar on airfare, hotels, dining, car rentals, caterers, tolls, etc. Plus 1.07 points per dollar elsewhere, no Forex fees, and it’s an awesome heavy metal card with top-notch customer service that answers on the first ring. And it allows you to transfer all your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to airlines and hotels.
*-Freedom Exclusives Visa
Another excellent card I’ve had for a while for the 5 point categories and the Exclusives program I have that gives 10% bonus points and 10 points every time you use your card. The lack of an annual fee makes it that much sweeter.
-Hyatt
Not a great card for spending but for the 2 night signup bonus that can used at ultra-luxe hotels and the annual free night that you get as well.
-United Explorer
I got an incredible 55K+$50 signup bonus for this via SM and the benefits are top-notch. Primary car rental insurance, free checked luggage, expanded United saver and standard award availability, priority boarding, elite upgrades on awards, free club passes, etc.
*-United Club (Click on the Club tab from the explorer card)
This card gives the benefits of the Explorer card and a whopping 1.5 miles per dollar on everything, no Forex fees, 2 free checked bags, a Club membership with access to lounges worldwide, gate passes for you and companions to the secured section of the airport terminal if it has a United or USAirways club, waived award expedite/close-in fees, Avis President’s Club, and Hyatt Platinum status (which also gets you 2 free suite upgrades when you apply for the Hyatt card). You can SM to get the fee waived.
-United Awards Visa
This card is discontinued and I’ll use it for leverage to get a new card.
-Sapphire Preferred Mastercard
Converted my previous Sapphire Visa to this card and got the Visa and the points again. That’s not an easy feat anymore and you may have to close the Mastercard to get approved for the Visa again. Great card for renting a car in Israel.
-Southwest Premier Visa
Got for the 50K points which is now gone. Will use as leverage for a new card, might try for the British Airways 100K card again now that Vanilla Reload as made that threshold so easy to attain.

Chase Business (5):
See this post for how to get a business card and why business card spending is better than consumer card spending.
-Ink Bold Mastercard
Got this card last year when you could link this card for Exclusives to earn up to 1.675 points per dollar. Now you can get 5 points per dollar by buying gift cards and using those for spending or cashing out via Amazon Payments. All of the Ink cards give 5 points per dollar at office supply stores and on telecom, cable, and internet. They also all give 2 points per dollar for gas. The Bold, Plus, and Classic cards also give 2 points per dollar at hotels while the Cash card gives 2 points for dining.
The cards also give 2 free lounge passes for all cardholders, even free additional users.
You need a Bold, Plus, or Sapphire Preferred to transfer points to airlines and hotels. The Bold card is a charge card to be paid off in full while all other Ink cards are credit cards that can be paid off over time. They even come with 6 months of 0% APR on purchase and balance transfers and best of all as they’re business cards spending and carrying a balance on them won’t hurt your score. Plus they’re churnable, what else do you need?
*-Ink Plus Mastercard
Got this for the 50K signup bonus during a 3BM last month. Coupled with 5 points per dollar at office supply stores to meet the $5K spend threshold that a whole lot of points.
-Ink Classic Mastercard
Got this along with the Ink Bold last year. Was going to use it as leverage but didn’t need to.
-Ink Cash Mastercard
Got this card as well during last month’s 3BM.
-United Business Visa (Click on “Are you a business owner” in top left.
Got 50K+$50 for this card after SM last month as part of the successful 3BM with 2 Ink cards with just 1 pull.

Citi (7):
Citi Consumer (6):
-Hilton
Keep it around for the elite status it gives for free. I’ll pick up a Hilton Reserve card as soon as I have the chance to try out the Waldorf Jerusalem.
-AA Visa #1
-AA Visa #2
-AA MC
-AA AMEX

Used to be able to churn these things every 60 days. Now it’s more like every 1-2 years. Retention offers are generous though and benefits include free bags and discounted awards. There are backdoor links for these cards that are always changing. Check DDF for the latest ones.
-Diners Club
Before United introduced primary car rental insurance this was the card to use. Now it’s just for retention bonuses.
Citi Business (1):
-AA Visa

Barclay (4):
Barclay Consumer (3)
-USAirways #1
-USAirways #2
-NFL

Got all 3 of these and the business card below as part of a 4BM last month. There are backdoor 40K links for these on DDF.

Barclay Business (1)
-USAirways

Discover (1):
-Discover More 5%
5% reward categories (5% on Amazon Payments, you bet!) are great for a fee-free card.

GAP Inc (2)
-Banana Republic Lifetime Luxe
Used to be your got Luxe status for life. Not anymore but I luckily got grandfathered years ago.
-Gap
My first credit card :)

BOFA (1):
-Ex-Schwab 2%
Was nice while the 2% lasted, now it collects dust though it gets us into museums for free on the first weekend of every month.

USBank Consumer (1):
-Flexperks

USBank Business (1):
-Flexperks
My Northwest Airlines cards converted to these and they gather dust, may one day use for leverage.

179 Responses to “My Current Credit Card Lineup”

  1. Tuvz Says:
    1

    Inspirational!!

    ReplyReply
  2. chana Says:
    2

    What phrases do you use to ask for a retention bonus or an annual fee waved? I’m too tentative when I ask.

    ReplyReply
  3. ahr Says:
    3

    what do you say about citi thank you premier?

    ReplyReply
  4. efflpetzel Says:
    4

    Dan which cc do u use for gas & why, amazing post

    ReplyReply
  5. david Says:
    5

    You said that you have the spg business bec it helps you get platinum easier, care to elaborate how?

    ReplyReply
  6. Dan Says:
    6

    @Tuvz:
    Excellent!

    @chana:
    I’m taking stock of my cards with annual fees and deciding which I really need. XYZ gave me a credit of the annual fee and ZYX gave me points as a renewal bonus, etc, etc.

    @ahr:
    Fixed point program are not for me.
    I explain why in this post:
    http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/24840

    @efflpetzel:
    If I buy the gas in Costco I use my SPG card.
    Otherwise I use my Ink Plus card for 2x Ultimate Rewards points.
    Often I get free gas thanks to generous promotions from Giant Eagle, a local grocery store.

    Another good option is the PenFed 5%, though that can be complicated to open: http://www.dansdeals.com/go/penfed

    @david:
    All the SPG cards help you get SPG Platinum status.
    By having 4 active cards I got 8 stays and 20 nights towards Platinum status.
    If not for those I would not have re-qualified this year.

    ReplyReply
  7. Mike Says:
    7

    I found this site while looking for a different one. I dont understand how did you earn 1K status if you dont pay for your flights, due to having Millions of miles you fly for free, is United now giving Elite credit when flying on free tkts?

    ReplyReply
  8. Dan Says:
    8

    @Mike:
    Welcome!
    I suggest you take a look at our incredible forums as well: http://www.dansdeals.com/forums

    I have lifetime status with American and United.

    ReplyReply
  9. david Says:
    9

    @dan. Why do you get 8 stays and 20 nights by having 4 spg cards?

    ReplyReply
  10. Dan Says:
    10

    @david:
    Each SPG card give you 2 elite qualifying stays and 5 elite qualifying nights.

    ReplyReply
  11. david Says:
    11

    @dan. Sorry for being ignorant but what does it mean each card gives you 2 elite qualifying stays and 5 nights. Does that mean it minuses off as if you stayed there and are that much closer to platinum?

    ReplyReply
  12. Dan Says:
    12

    @david:
    Yes.

    ReplyReply
  13. Chaim Says:
    13

    By united club you write that you can get the fee waived via SM. do you mean the annual fee? That can be waived by an SM

    ReplyReply
  14. Dan Says:
    14

    @Chaim:
    Correct, I and others have done just that.

    ReplyReply
  15. Ben Says:
    15

    ben, can i send you a private email
    i see that you have knowledge in credit cards..
    what is your email address?

    ReplyReply
  16. batter bat Says:
    16

    Hi Dan – how do I get the annual fee waved on the chase sapphire preferred credit card? When I called to ask, they asked me if I want to downgrade to the regular Sapphire card.

    ReplyReply
  17. Benchik Says:
    17

    For lifetime 1k status you need 3mm miles. You actually did that, Dan? Or is there some other shpitzle here? ;)

    Perspective:
    At roughly 500 miles per hour speed of the airplane on average.

    6000 hours = 250 DAYS in the air alone. (minus some for the 500 mile minimum.)

    ReplyReply
  18. Bob Says:
    18

    You state that you can reload the vanilla debit card with a CC? Do you just do this on the myvanilladebit website? I thought the reloads were the only way to use cc to reload. If so, is there a fee to reload with a cc?

    ReplyReply
  19. rots5 Says:
    19

    any link to the continental plus card?

    ReplyReply
  20. Mayer Says:
    20

    When you sent the sm to chase f or united business what did they make your spending threshold ?

    ReplyReply
  21. Riley Martin Says:
    21

    How come no info on Capital One triple mileage cards?

    ReplyReply
  22. SY Says:
    22

    How often can I churn SPG and AMEX Rewards cards? Do I have to close the accounts first? I know AA you have to wait 18 months but don’t have to close. What about other Citi cards. Is there a post focussing this?

    ReplyReply
  23. ethan Says:
    23

    When doing a churn do you need to cancel you old cards, or just apply for new ones?

    ReplyReply
  24. ih Says:
    24

    I had a Sapphire Preferred Visa – did not convert & left it open.

    Applied for Mastercard version – called reconsideration & they simply closed Visa & gave me the line on my new Mastercard.

    Got the points again :)

    I can’t do that anymore??

    ReplyReply
  25. Adam Says:
    25

    Hey Dan,
    I really want to start churning small in a safe way without having to spend a lot of money. I recently got the chase saphire preferred visa signature. What should i do now and how do i do it?

    ReplyReply
  26. Mitch Says:
    26

    What does “sm” and “bm” means?

    ReplyReply
  27. glasses dude Says:
    27

    Thanx dan!!! If i merge mine and my wifes starwood cards to one account, will i get 4 stays and 10 nights, Or does it only work to merge 2 cards in my own name?

    ReplyReply
  28. eli Says:
    28

    Dan, you have lifetime 1K status with United? I never knew that was possible

    ReplyReply
  29. Jim Says:
    29

    Dan,

    Would appreciate your thoughts. I am under the impression that one is only able to churn AMEX cards two years after the cancel date. Seeing that you currently hold so many, are you restricting your option to churn?

    Thanks in advance,

    Jim

    ReplyReply
  30. Joe Says:
    30

    Have you been able to churn the AMEX cards with promotions even though you have had cards within the last year? Did you try anyway to get the points? Did you get them?

    They now claim it has to be 12 months after your last card!!

    ReplyReply
  31. Rots5 Says:
    31

    Thanks dan. Great job as usuall. Another q. Do u have written up a grand mehalach how to churn the cards and which ones to stay away from churning? bec the threads are getting confusing trying to figure out what everyone’s mehalach. Tia

    ReplyReply
  32. Zoli Says:
    32

    Legen…wait for it…. dary.

    How has your credit score changed since you turned 18? Would be interesting to see.

    ReplyReply
  33. dave Says:
    33

    Dan which miles or points can I use to rent by Avis? How would I do that? Thanks

    ReplyReply
  34. smay Says:
    34

    I aspire to be as good at this as you. You have taught me a ‘great deal’! How do you get the second starwood cards and sapphires and all 4 inks? Are you able to do that with reconsideration agents (and what do you say) or do you have to wait patiently (a current problem for me) to do your churns and apps so that you get instant approvals??

    ReplyReply
  35. smay Says:
    35

    my credit scores are upper 780′s and have a long credit history and high income. I am in NY so all pulls come from experian (your 3 and 4bm methods will be KEY for me from now on)

    ReplyReply
  36. connieg Says:
    36

    I use approx. $6000+ on shipping for our business. what credit cards can help us maximize our points?

    ReplyReply
  37. allen Says:
    37

    Cant find backdoor links to $400 nfl card on DFF that work.

    ReplyReply
  38. David Says:
    38

    Amex business Starwood – Makes getting Starwood Platinum easier?? How is this done? I thought you need to stay nights to get platinum?

    ReplyReply
  39. Az Says:
    39

    So if i read this and previous Hyatt post correctly … Hyatt gives you either 2 free rooms or 2 free rooms and 2 suite upgrades dependinging on your status when you apply .. however the united club card gives you platinum status at Hyatt … so better to first get United Club card .. then Hyatt card later ? (as oppose to vice versa or together in a 2/3/4bm) ?

    ReplyReply
  40. Chaim Says:
    40

    @Dan: under what pretext? What do I need to tell them they should agree to waive $395? Just asking nicely?

    ReplyReply
  41. Haolai Jiang Says:
    41

    Thank you for this awesome post. One question: Can I get 5% cash back from Discover card via Amazon payment all year round? Thank you.

    ReplyReply
  42. hello Says:
    42

    dan what do you say to jet blue cc with 20k signup?

    ReplyReply
  43. M&M Says:
    43

    What do you mean by that you used the card for leverage?

    ReplyReply
  44. Mm Says:
    44

    @rots5: @rots5:
    Continental dos not existe anymore

    ReplyReply
  45. Matt Says:
    45

    See today’s WSJ article on this. Covers exactly what you are talking about.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323277504578189370245154226.html

    ReplyReply
  46. Danny Says:
    46

    Do diners club points still transfer to Hyatt? IIRC they used to

    ReplyReply
  47. mike Says:
    47

    dan can i do a 3bm for chase ink bold and ink classic and ink plus , do they each have to be diff businesses

    ReplyReply
  48. smay Says:
    48

    @Chaim send a secure message and say you’ve heard from friends that they got a promotion where the annual fee was waived and would like that matched. Your are a long time chase customer… blah blah…. it would be appreciated… thank you… blah etc.!~

    ReplyReply
  49. Davidd Says:
    49

    Dan how does one get approved for business cards if he only grosses $10,000 per year. any suggestions when calling chase recon if card denied?

    ReplyReply
  50. Texan123 Says:
    50

    I am 19 and would like to start building credit and getting points etc- I do not yet have a steady income. Tried applying for three cards and got rejected.. which card is easier to get so I can start building credit, working out points, etc?

    ReplyReply
  51. aznprzn Says:
    51

    I am from Cleveland and I have to say quit buying all my reload cards! Ha just kidding still amazes me you are from Cleveland. I may need to pick you mind about some stuff..

    ReplyReply
  52. Judah Says:
    52

    “I still always use my SPG card for items that I either want the extended warranty coverage for, that I may need to dispute (as nobody can compete with AMEX dispute resolution), or that I may want to return using AMEX’s awesome return protection”

    My dad told me that AMEX has the worst dispute resolution out of all the major companies, since they need the stores or businesses 4% fees more than the stores need to accept AMEX. Mastercard and Visa charge much less and could barely care about the stores as they aren’t making much off of them, and the stores need them more.

    ReplyReply
  53. Daniel Says:
    53

    Dan, you rock rock rock! thanks for being so selfless!
    So to confirm for the last time, if i send my wife for example $50,000 with 50 $1,000 transactions from a few different accounts, (keeping her transactions under 200), will she be sent a 1099? will she get hit with a financial review?

    ReplyReply
  54. abraham bronofsky Says:
    54

    This person is good !!! Does he or anyone have advise how to get a credit card with bad credit ? Thanks

    ReplyReply
  55. Avi Says:
    55

    @dan
    Hi very nice list. Qustion nothing to do with this but I guess you have a good credit score. I have problems with my credit score so I can’t get accepted for credit Cards?? How can I fix This?

    ReplyReply
  56. Dave Says:
    56

    Dan, how do you get starwoods to give you 3k points just for keeping the card opened?

    ReplyReply
  57. mas Says:
    57

    Hey Dan, so here’s the stumbling blocks I’ve come across as I decided to take my churning to the next level.

    American Express will only allow a max of 4 credit cards. Any further applications will get denied unless I choose to close one of those 4 accounts to open up the next one. I even had the Complaints Dept get back to me today… a month after complaining about this cap… nothing can be done. Within that timeframe, I met one of the promo criteria for one card, so I was able to tell her to close that account to open up one of those denied app… and she told me they have the ability to suppress one of the inquiries if they have to make a new one.

    Furthermore Amex will count a business credit card again that cap. I assume it is because I opened it as a sole proprietorship… and perhaps different if it were opened under a legal and active corp. I see you clearly have more than 4 CC’s with Amex… so I have to guess the business cards you have with them are possibly under an actual corp and not sole proprietorship?

    Chase denied me all 3 applications saying I have too many accounts opened, and too many approved in the past 6 months. With Chase I had always been able to close a card I no longer needed and moved its credit line over (minus 100 they have to keep on account I’m closing) to open up a new account. Last I spoke with them, they told me they can only open 2 credit cards every 6 months or something silly like that… but 2 reps sang that same tune.

    Citibank denied me any further AA cards. I tried every single line you armed us with. The only shot left I have is with a business AA that they requested more info on rather than outright declining it.

    ReplyReply
  58. Me Says:
    58

    @Dan:
    I’ve applied for a cc from a few places, and got turned down to do no credit… I am young, and i have a steady income. Are there any cards you would recommend I try? I would like to build my credit and mileage wouldn’t hurt either. Thanks

    ReplyReply
  59. mas Says:
    59

    Also Amex only allows 2 credit cards opened every 90 days… but once i understood that I had no problem opening up multiple Amex SPG… I now have 3 active… that I will soon close to make room for the next batch of applications.

    To make it clear… Amex does not count charge cards toward those limits I stated in this post and the one prior. This specifically applies to credit cards.

    I’m also in the midst of trying the whole Vanilla “trick” to meet promo quotas.

    ReplyReply
  60. mike Says:
    60

    @Dan I spent alot of time going over Uniteds program, and as others said UA1K lifetime is 3millon miles flown on United. Are you saying at 28 you have flown 3 millon miles on paid tkts on United? American everyone got when they counted miles from any source and who doesnt have at least 2MM with them and lifetime Plat

    You said you fly everywhere w/o paying for your tkts, well United told me 1k is flying 100,000 miles Only on United each year on paid tkts. Can you please let us in on how you managed ,not to spend any money on tkts and yet get credit as if thats exactly what you did. I fly enough to a Silver but not enough to be Gold, would Love to learn how to reach a higher level then Silver w/o having to pay fro my tkts

    ReplyReply
  61. mas Says:
    61

    Sorry for the multipart post… I forgot to ask my question lol… basically… any advice on getting around those roadblocks from your experience? :)

    ReplyReply
  62. chani Says:
    62

    hashem should bentsch u with kol tuv. u r helping so many ppl. just finished a beautiful vacation in israel all to ur credit

    ReplyReply
  63. Leah C Says:
    63

    Dan, i just upgraded my gold card to a platinum card, i want to use the $200 incidental fees to get the aa card to use towards flight how do i do that?

    ReplyReply
  64. Leah C Says:
    64

    And can u use the gift cards to pay for flight?

    ReplyReply
  65. David Says:
    65

    Hi Dan! Thanks for the great post – Can we churn cc in Canada? Can you recoomend any cards or can you direct us Canadians to a website? Would love to take advantage of this. Thanks for your help!!

    ReplyReply
  66. Andrew Says:
    66

    Hi Dan, thank for your information!
    How could you let AMEX give you 3K points/year to let you keep SPG? Thanks.

    ReplyReply
  67. rebecca Says:
    67

    my contintel card is expiring the end of this month, which is the same as united explorer. I would like to keep it without any fee’s, bonus miles would be great, how do I do this? my husband tried with his united explorer and they refused to do anything for him, just downgraded him to a free united card that give 1 mile for every 2.00 spent. Please advise how to do this, thank so much

    ReplyReply
  68. Sara Says:
    68

    Why isnt the hyatt chase card good for spending?

    ReplyReply
  69. paul Says:
    69

    Dan, what does thos do to you credit rating ?
    Also I have a delta platimun Amex that I do pay an annual fee, since it allows me cash in miles for 100 dollars for 10K mileage. Am I wasting my money.

    ReplyReply
  70. Yaakov Says:
    70

    What’s the minimum income needed for Sapphire Preferred? I know some people with excellent credit and got rejected for having too little income.

    ReplyReply
  71. Benji Says:
    71

    How do you deal with having a low average age on your credit report if you open several cards a year?

    ReplyReply
  72. mark Says:
    72

    @ Texan123
    when I was 18 a number years ago I applied for a has advantage card and have it since .

    ReplyReply
  73. Thanks Says:
    73

    The real challenge for Dan now is to answer all these questions!

    ReplyReply
  74. Yaakov Says:
    74

    How do you get 5% cash back on Discover with Amazon Payments?

    ReplyReply
  75. esther12 Says:
    75

    hi Dan, i have a chase sapphire preffered visa, you said in the past that i could switch it to mastercard and then reapply for a visa again to get the bonus. when i called chase, they said since both mastercard and visa are preffered, i won’t get another bonus if i still have preffered mastercard mopen. is that so? how can i churn this card without closing it?

    ReplyReply
  76. esther12 Says:
    76

    Dan, when you are describing amex cards i didn’t see anything about their policy which they now enforce. which is not to allow you to get the bonus points if you had the card in the last 12 months. i opened amex gold and mercedez benz a few months ago and wrote a letter to corp.office, still they said they will not give me bonus points! any ideas?

    ReplyReply
  77. Leah Says:
    77

    Dan – i got the link to purchase the aa gift cards on my platinum account. can i purchase 2, $100 cards in the same order? will i get credit for both of them on my platinum card??

    ReplyReply
  78. mb Says:
    78

    dan

    im looking to rent a van/SUV in FLL for 5 days at the end of January. Any good ideas with points or discounts? The lowest I have found was $225 for 5 days all included.

    ReplyReply
  79. jhon Says:
    79

    every one just get jobs:)

    ReplyReply
  80. newdanfan Says:
    80

    Poor Dan. Who thinks he’s even going to attempt to answer any of these questions?

    ReplyReply
  81. Andy F. Says:
    81

    Hi Dan, you mentioned that platinum card lounge access, do you refer to passes to AA, DL and US clubs?

    ReplyReply
  82. Dan Says:
    82

    @batter bat:
    So use it as leverage to get another card approved.

    @Benchik:
    They used to count miles from certain cards towards lifetime status until 12/31/11.

    @Bob:
    Not what I said.

    @rots5:
    Not anymore.

    @Mayer:
    You can probably get either United consumer or business matched with $1 in spending. YMMV.

    @Riley Martin:
    Because Crapital One stinks.
    More info: http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/24840

    @SY:
    As you can see I have 2 gold cards and 4 spg cards all active.
    But churning is always YMMV and learning for yourself.

    @ethan:
    You can try either way, YMMV.

    @ih:
    Sure and now you can apply for a Visa and get the points.

    @Adam:
    Find some cards that looks good (Starwood, Ink, etc) and play the game.

    @Mitch:
    Secure Message.
    3BM=3 browser method, like using IE, Chrome, and Firefox.

    ReplyReply
  83. Dan Says:
    83

    @glasses dude:
    Same name only.

    @Jim:
    2 years has never been true. They added 1 year language earlier this year.

    @Joe:
    I’ve still been successful even after the 12 month language came around.
    Some people start calling and SM’ing for the points and likely raise red flags. Mine posted automatically in due time.

    @Zoli:
    My credit score is in the upper 700s now, which is excellent. And a whole lot better than it was 10 years ago.
    So much for rumors about opening/closing cards hurting your score…

    @dave:
    None are worthwhile unfortunately Just have to find good codes and coupons.

    @smay:
    Most of it is through negotiation with multiple reconsideration reps.

    @connieg:
    http://dansdeals.com/go/opengold
    2x points for shipping and Open Savings at Fedex.

    @David:
    See comment 6.

    ReplyReply
  84. Dan Says:
    84

    @Az:
    Correct.
    Though you can do even better by getting a Hilton Reserve card:
    http://www.dansdeals.com/go/HiltonReserve/

    That card gives you Hilton Gold which can be matched to Hyatt Diamond for 60 days.
    If you apply for the Hyatt card as a Hyatt Diamond then your free nights will be confirmed in a suite.

    @Chaim:
    To match an offer your colleague received.

    @Haolai Jiang:
    No, they have rotating categories. For Q4 it’s online purchases.

    @hello:
    Jetblue points are fixed value, I’m not a big fan of that. There are better offers than 20K points that aren’t worth too much.

    @M&M:
    To tell a reconsideration agent that you are willing to close a card and move the credit line over in order to get approved for a new card.

    @mike:
    You can.
    I have all 4 under the same business.

    @Davidd:
    Generally cards like to see a little more total household income reported than that.
    But you can still explain that you manage your credit well, etc.

    ReplyReply
  85. Dan Says:
    85

    @Texan123:
    Tough to get approved without reporting enough income. Consider including total combined household income.

    Store cards are easier to get approved for. Being an AU on a good card of your parents can help. A secured card can also help though those can cost money.

    @aznprzn:
    :D

    @Judah:
    No offense, but I can speak with many years of experience when I say he is 100% wrong.
    Nobody can tough AMEX dispute resolution or any of their other benefits like warranty and return protection.

    @Daniel:
    You can only send and receive $1,000 per month per account.

    @abraham bronofsky:
    @Avi:
    Fix your credit. Try to get incorrect or negative items deleted by disputing them. Or find a reputable agency to do it for you.

    @Dave:
    Call them and ask for a bonus to keep the card open when you are hit with a fee.

    @mas:
    HUCACACA (Hang up, call again, call again, call again, etc)
    if you don’t like what you’re hearing.
    Calling twice isn’t always going to cut it.

    Citi is tough these days, but Chase and AMEX recon can be reasoned with.

    @Me:
    I think I tackled this just before.

    @mas:
    Limits of 2 cards every x amount of days with AMEX and Chase are not true, they’re bluffs to get you off the phone.

    @mike:
    Tackled this as well just before.

    ReplyReply
  86. Dan Says:
    86

    @chani:
    AMEX! (I mean AMEN!)
    Paging AsherO :D

    Glad you got to Israel, it’s pretty awesome to have brought thousands of people there!

    @Leah C:
    Register for DDF in order to be able to read the Wiki here:
    http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=3802

    @Leah C:
    Yes.

    @David:
    Not an expert there, but try asking on DDF.

    @Andrew:
    Huh?

    @rebecca:
    Use it as leverage to get another card approved and then apply for it again with a new mileage number to get the bonus again.

    @Sara:
    http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/27038

    @paul:
    My credit is excellent.
    Yes, that card sounds terrible.

    @Yaakov:
    The minimum is probably $5K for Sapphire.
    If you have excellent credit and are rejected you need to call Recon. They will get you approved, especially if you can transfer lines from other cards or close them.

    ReplyReply
  87. Dan Says:
    87

    @Benji:
    As I have old cards by now (and am an AU on even older cards from my father) I find that it doesn’t affect me too much.
    Even when you close a card it still stays on for the average age calculation for 10 years.

    @mark:
    HAS Advantage is not a good card.

    @Thanks:
    Working on it!

    @Yaakov:
    Rotating categories.

    @esther12:
    Did you really expect them to tell you the truth or to even know the truth?
    If you switch from Visa to MC and apply for this Visa again you will get the points. You likely will just have to close the MC to get the Visa approved, but YMMV.
    Hundreds of DDF’ers have done this. Some DDF’ers have even been able to get 2 Visas at the same time.

    @Leah:
    Order them separately.

    @mb:
    http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=10605.0

    @newdanfan:
    Challenge accepted :D

    @Andy F.:
    The card itself works to get you and your family/companions into AA, Delta, and USAirways lounges.
    Plus the priority pass gets you into other lounges.

    ReplyReply
  88. sam Says:
    88

    after opening and closing and churning and shuffling around credit lines with chase, they have been telling me recently for the last three months that even with shuffling around active credit lines they wont approve me as i have requested to much credit in the last twelve months. any ideas on what u tell them when u open up multiple cards in a year???

    (by multiple i mean like 3 business and 3 personal with chase alone)

    Thank you for your response in advance!!

    ReplyReply
  89. ari Says:
    89

    @Texan123 Perhaps consider the Chase Freedom Card. $0 Annual fee. Open a Chase Checking account for free since you are in college (in washington heights?) Lucrative for small spending. the Q-Exlusive’s great way to earn points. You can start the point earning cc game, b/c Ultimate Rewards is where it is at. You will need another CC to transfer the points in, but too start you can get the Freedom card. Make sure to keep up with payments.

    ReplyReply
  90. Dan Says:
    90

    @sam:
    Just keep calling. If you hve the lines to move around and are willing to close cards you’ll find a rep to help you.

    ReplyReply
  91. rebecca Says:
    91

    i don’t understand, I should cancel my mileage # and what happens to my mileage. ihave over 160,000 miles.

    ReplyReply
  92. Dan Says:
    92

    @rebecca:
    Never said to do that.

    ReplyReply
  93. Yaakov Says:
    93

    @Dan: @ Yaakov – Application was for Sapphire PREFERRED Income is in mid 20′s credit excellent

    ReplyReply
  94. Dan Says:
    94

    @Yaakov:
    Did you call Recon a few times? Shouldn’t be that hard to get a $5K line.

    ReplyReply
  95. leah C Says:
    95

    DAN – do i need to read thru that whole forum, or can i just order the american airlines cards once i make american airlines my airline for this year on the platinum? I just want to make sure i get my money credited….thnx for answering

    ReplyReply
  96. Yaakov Says:
    96

    @Dan: So shall they do. Thanks for your help.

    ReplyReply
  97. Dan Says:
    97

    @leah C:
    If you are registered on DDF you will be able to read the options in the Wiki there.

    ReplyReply
  98. Chaim Says:
    98

    Dan, I currently only use citi aa as I have them for a long time, they made me 2mm lifetime.
    I want to apply for a new card that should mainly give me more travel benefits. What would be the best card to get?

    ReplyReply
  99. Dan Says:
    99

    @Chaim:
    SPG earns 25% more AA miles than Citi AA.

    Chase Ink, Sapphire Preferred, and Freedom are excellent as well.

    ReplyReply
  100. Andrew Says:
    100

    My question is
    how to get 3k points per year on SPG?
    Call them and tell them I want to cancel the card because of the annual fee?
    Thanks.

    ReplyReply
  101. Dan Says:
    101

    See comment 6.

    ReplyReply
  102. Chaim Says:
    102

    @Dan: what about united club?

    ReplyReply
  103. Chaim Says:
    103

    @Dan: you mean the same answer to @ahr?

    ReplyReply
  104. bob Says:
    104

    just wanted to mention that capital one is great option for isreal. no fees and i just got 100$ back cause i meet a three month spending threshhold while shopping in israel(did not even know that was possible so it was a nice suprise)

    ReplyReply
  105. Dan Says:
    105

    @Chaim:
    It’s awesome, but heavy fee after the first free year.

    @bob:
    Actually it stinks.
    -It takes 3 hard pulls to get 1 card (9 times as painful as getting 3 chase/amex cards with 1 pull).
    -The points stink.
    -Chase Sapphire Preferred, Ink Plus, or Ink Bold also have no Forex fee, have awesome transferable points, and are free for a year,

    ReplyReply
  106. Little bob Says:
    106

    I signed up for the united visa and got the sign up bonus +$50. If I sign up for the united business card can I also get the sign up bonus on that card.

    ReplyReply
  107. chaim Says:
    107

    @Dan: thanks! Sorry for comment 103, I thought 101 was meant from r me.
    After 1 year SM doesn’t help anymore for getting the fee waived?

    ReplyReply
  108. Dan Says:
    108

    @Little bob:
    Yes.

    @chaim:
    No, but you can use it as leverage then to get a new card. It really is an awesome card.

    ReplyReply
  109. chaim Says:
    109

    @Dan: OK. Right on it. So at least now with aa plat lifetime and this we have one world and star alliance covered…

    ReplyReply
  110. Chaim Says:
    110

    @Dan: and between this or the citi aa, what is better for daily spending?

    ReplyReply
  111. Dan Says:
    111

    @Chaim:
    Starwood, Freedom, Sapphire Preferred, Ink, United Club, etc are all better then spending on Citi AA.

    ReplyReply
  112. rob Says:
    112

    dan i put a lot of grocery spending on my cards which cards offer 2 points per dollar besides united and amex gold?

    ReplyReply
  113. Dan Says:
    113

    @rob:
    6% cash back:
    http://www.dansdeals.com/go/bluecashpre/

    Browse incognito if you get an error, http://www.dansdeals.com/credit-cards

    ReplyReply
  114. Chaim Says:
    114

    @Dan: if I apply for the united club, what others can I apply with 3/4bbm?

    ReplyReply
  115. Dan Says:
    115

    @Chaim:
    Sapphire?
    Hyatt?
    United Explorer?
    Freedom?

    http://www.dansdeals.com/credit-cards
    http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8028.0

    ReplyReply
  116. Chaim Says:
    116

    @Dan: any difference if I do some consumer and some business?

    ReplyReply
  117. Brocha Says:
    117

    @Dan: i am 18 and just got approved for my first cc card (Macy’s). When do you think it’s safe for me to try to apply for a amex, visa, or MasterCard. i’d rather not risk being turned down. I do have an amex card in my name on my parents acct. when i do apply, what do you think i should start with?

    ReplyReply
  118. Steven Says:
    118

    Need help cleaning my credit any Ideas Dan ????

    ReplyReply
  119. Dan Says:
    119

    @Chaim:
    You can definitely do that, but you may get a 2nd pull. Not the end of the world when it means getting some great cards with signup bonuses.

    @Brocha:
    I’d wait a couple months spending a few dollars and paying it off before applying for a card like Chase Freedom or Starwood.

    @Steven:
    Try asking on DDF.

    ReplyReply
  120. chaim Says:
    120

    @Dan: if a different officer in my company just recently opened one of the chase business card, using his name and ss. If I want to open a card now, will his prior opening on the company name affect me?

    ReplyReply
  121. Dan Says:
    121

    @chaim:
    Nope, that won’t affect you at all.

    ReplyReply
  122. dave Says:
    122

    Dan can I use miles or points to rent by Avis? Which miles? How would I do that? Thanks

    ReplyReply
  123. dave Says:
    123

    from your post sounds like you can use points to rent by avis correct me if im wrong

    ReplyReply
  124. mike Says:
    124

    Dan I dont understand how if you started this only 10 years ago, how were you able to fly 3millon miles on United,Continental and its partners that would be an avg of 300,000 elite miles every year. Yet you said you dont pay for your tkts but you use your miles.

    Can you please tell us your step by step way you achieved United 1K for Life w/o buying any tkts. Thanks

    Ive spoken to United today and some friends and none of them had any clues

    ReplyReply
  125. Zoli Says:
    125

    Dan, I think you really need an updated commenting system! Would make your life a lot easier.

    You should check out Disqus or Livefyre (also a new WP theme wouldn’t hurt :)

    ReplyReply
  126. Chana Says:
    126

    I have a US Bank flexperks card that I do all of my spending on. I’ve built up quite a nice amount of points and flew a couple of times on it. Just wondering why you don’t use/recommend it?

    ReplyReply
  127. avremel Says:
    127

    So you are saying I can apply for 3 delta gold cards in a 3BM move and get all 3 accepted and spend the threshold on each one and get 90k miles???

    ReplyReply
  128. avremel Says:
    128

    Also I have SPG how do I avoid the fee by transferring CL I have an SPG and a blue cash card I call them and ask them transfer CL all to blue cash and close SPG and all is safe
    ?

    ReplyReply
  129. chani Says:
    129

    I have 2 pulls from Experian and Transunion except from the 3rd I have 1 pull. 2 from 1 year ago 2 from 6months ago and 1 from 3 months ago I got declined I wrote too low income when and to what should I apply?

    ReplyReply
  130. avremel Says:
    130

    how do I get 3 spg at once?

    ReplyReply
  131. Barryg Says:
    131

    @chani:

    Before waiting and applying, call reconsideration and explain how you always pay bills on time even with your income (as long as decline was within 30 days). Assuming your score is high enough you prob don’t have to wait to apply

    ReplyReply
  132. Miketab Says:
    132

    Not sure what I’m more amazed at: that I read through every comment, or that Dan actually answered (almost?) all of them…!

    So, how many pulls max should one do per year? It seems like some people do 4 pulls a year. With 4bm, that’s 16 cc’s a year. x10 Years=160 ccs. How did you manage 300?? A 4bm pull every single 45 days?!? That’s dedication…

    ReplyReply
  133. Sam Says:
    133

    Dan,

    Check this article out about the man who flew 1 millon miles on United this year:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/18/business/meet-tom-stuker-uniteds-million-mile-flier-of-2012.html?_r=0

    ReplyReply
  134. tt Says:
    134

    I have around 20 active cards with vg credit 750+ .in chase, citi, bofa, br luxe, hsbc, discover, ink.B”H

    ReplyReply
  135. Goldie Says:
    135

    A while back you make a handy chart of which card to best use for which purchase. I printed & carry it around. Is ti still up to date? If not can you update and repost. It was very handy!

    ReplyReply
  136. martin Says:
    136

    “The signup bonus posted automatically with a new Delta number” does this mean u need 2 delta FF # (miles) to get it twice and then merge it?

    ReplyReply
  137. isaac Says:
    137

    DAN or anyone else THAT KNOWS, is there any problem to send money from my friends amazon payments account with my cc which has my billing address to my own amazon payments account which obviously has the same billing address (my own)?

    ReplyReply
  138. ChaseChurner Says:
    138

    If I’m churning the Sapphire and United cards, how do I use accounts I’m closing for leverage if opening account of same type? Will Chase allow me to use leverage of closing old United account to open new one?

    ReplyReply
  139. Bluegrassyid Says:
    139

    I still have to use my $200 credit for the platinum card and I am having trouble figuring out how to spend it. I chose Delta as my airline which looks like was a mistake from what I have read online. My wife is flying to Miami next week and I may use them for first class upgrade if available, is that ok considering the card is in my name and she is tne one traveling? any other ideas? Do Delta gift cards work? Any chance they will let me switch the airline for 2012? help please

    ReplyReply
  140. glassesdude Says:
    140

    I may be wrong but it seems that the hyatt card now offers 2 points per a dollar on restaurants airfare and car rentals, not bad for those who dont have the saphire preferred???

    ReplyReply
  141. MAW Says:
    141

    Should a person wait until the fee on the card is actally charged to seek a fee waiver or request it shortly before the time when fees will be billed?

    ReplyReply
  142. Joseph Says:
    142

    Dan, my daughter just turned 18, what credit card do you recommend for her in order to start building her credit?

    ReplyReply
  143. Andy F. Says:
    143

    @Dan: and the airlines lounge staff cannot verify the card after …, right?

    ReplyReply
  144. Joel Says:
    144

    Hi, Dan. Does the browser trick work with one or more personal cards and one or more business cards, or does it have to be the same type? Thanks and happy holidays!

    ReplyReply
  145. Joel Says:
    145

    @isaac: An Amazon rep told me that you can send money to one person with the same address; however, you can not share the same last name. If you don’t believe me, give them a call. :)

    ReplyReply
  146. eli Says:
    146

    Dan, when u churn a card, do u first cancel the old one?

    ReplyReply
  147. KyMase Says:
    147

    As an Ohioan myself now living in extremely expensive Southern California thank your posts. I enjoy this blog so much.. Great job

    ReplyReply
  148. jo Says:
    148

    does chase business and personal count as one pull or two for 3bm

    ReplyReply
  149. Ben Says:
    149

    Gut Vuch Dan
    I Have The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
    And The Citi Thank You Preferred Card
    And The Citi Thank You Premier Card
    The Question Is Which Card Should I Use
    More In Order To Gain More Benefits??

    I Tried Once To Sell My Citi Thank You Points But Was Unable Only The Sapphire Card SellMilesNow Gave Me 1.75 Per Point

    So Dan As An Expert On Credit Cards I Would Like To Know Your Opinion PLeae Email @ 8505000@gmail.com Thank You..

    ReplyReply
  150. Shlomo Says:
    150

    How do you keep all your card open?
    I had a card and the bank closed it for not using it.

    ReplyReply
  151. Dan Says:
    151

    @dave:
    Nothing worthwhile.
    There are codes and vouchers though, etc.
    Try looking on DDF.

    @Zoli:
    What I need is a web designer!

    @Chana:
    Because I’m not a fan of fixed redemption points.
    More here:
    http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/24840

    @avremel:
    I typically do 3 different cards.

    @chani:
    Are you including all household income on your app?

    @Miketab:
    You can do 4BM for 3 banks on same day as well :D

    @Sam:
    I don’t envy him.

    @Goldie:
    That really depends on which cards you have.

    @martin:
    That’s what I did to churn it.

    @ChaseChurner:
    You have to use the leverage for different cards.
    Though with Sapphire you can have them switch it to MC and then apply for Visa and get that approved by closing the MC.

    @Bluegrassyid:
    Yes, that’s fine.

    @glassesdude:
    True, but Sapphire Preferred is better.

    @MAW:
    I request it afterward.
    You have 60 days from it’s billed to still cancel the card (or better yet leverage it)

    @Joseph:
    Is she an AU with her SSN provided on a good card of yours?

    @Andy F.:
    Correct.

    @Joel:
    @jo:
    It works well for AMEX with 1 pull.
    With Chase you can still use it to get more cards but you may get another pull.

    @eli:
    Sometimes.

    @KyMase:
    Escaped from the snow, eh?

    @Ben:
    Sapphire Preferred.

    @Shlomo:
    I’ve heard of banks doing that rarely.
    To be safe charge $1 to your card once a year.

    ReplyReply
  152. Shmuel Says:
    152

    How in the world do you get the $375 fee waived for the united club card?

    ReplyReply
  153. Dan Says:
    153

    @Shmuel:
    Send them a secure message after getting the card asking for them to match the offer your colleague got waive the fee.

    ReplyReply
  154. Eli Says:
    154

    Should I cancel my chase united club before applying for a new one?
    how about Sapphire?

    ReplyReply
  155. yisrael Says:
    155

    hi Dan,

    1st of all, thnks for a great site!!!!
    2nd. I leave in Israel now!! is there any C.card you think is good to use here in Israel for every day use(and also for online shopping and flights) so I can build my credit score if I ever move back to the U.S ?

    ReplyReply
  156. Jake Says:
    156

    Hi Dan, My wife and I recently applied separately for the amex gold offer with 75k bonus with 10k spend. i got my bonus but they refuse to pay my wife her bonus. i used the same link and applied for both our accounts at the same time. i called them a few times and sent them messages via their site. they finally sent me a letter stating that the offer she signed up for was the 5x shipping and ad spend” , and they will not give her the 75k bonus.

    what do you recommend i do at this point. i was thinking i can threaten to cancel the card and see if they flinch or complain to the BBB. Can you comment?
    thank so much

    ReplyReply
  157. esther12 Says:
    157

    if i applied for amex card and got denied the bonus points due to me having this product in the last 12 months, wrote a letter to corp.office and still denied. is there any other way i can “fight it” or just give up and close the card? thanks

    ReplyReply
  158. yehuda Says:
    158

    @Shmuel: Please share the answer to this

    ReplyReply
  159. chani Says:
    159

    I have 2 pulls from Experian and Transunion except from the 3rd I have 1 pull. 2 from 1 year ago 2 from 6months ago and 1 from 3 months ago I got declined I wrote too low income when and to what should I apply
    if i write 25k a year even with all the pulls will it work
    what should i do

    ReplyReply
  160. chani Says:
    160

    also what card should i apply for i am AU on an AMEX for 3 months and i checked my report and there is no score the card is like 2 or 3 years old

    ReplyReply
  161. sompo Says:
    161

    Hi dan
    Is there a business card (or personal card ) that gives you for shipping expenses 3 points per dollar

    ReplyReply
  162. mike Says:
    162

    i do a large amount of spending (around $75,000 monthly) on my credit cards for business purposes, which credit card would you suggest will give me back the best return?

    i am thinking of 1 of these, United MileagePlus Club Business Card 1.5%, discover new escape 2%, or Capitol one 2%,

    i would still use the Freedom and ink cards for the 5% categories,

    any better suggestion?

    ReplyReply
  163. Ben Says:
    163

    What does “sm” and “bm” DDF mean

    ReplyReply
  164. Yossi Says:
    164

    Hi Dan, I remember seeing this somewhere on the site but can’t seem to find it. Basically I have a Freedom, Sapphire and Amex Gold. I saw somebody once made a “cheat sheet” of when to use each.

    ReplyReply
  165. Levi Says:
    165

    Hi Dan,

    Can you please tell me how to get chase sapphire and united $95 fee waived (i have both cards for a little over a year)

    Thanks

    ReplyReply
  166. Ari Says:
    166

    @Dan
    Your Ink Bold MasterCard Link is not available anymore(takes you to application though). On my first 3bm it said that offer was no longer available, even though on their website it is. Practice makes perfect

    ReplyReply
  167. aaron Says:
    167

    got a personal and business spg in a 4BM but amex will only give me the 30K bonus for 1 since they both opened same month and ideas?

    ReplyReply
  168. Esther Says:
    168

    I’m gonna try a 4BM for the first time today- what do I do in order come up with a 4th browser, is another page in chrome just as good

    ReplyReply
  169. Jaicky Says:
    169

    When you do a 3BM, I assume you are applying for 3 different Amex or Chase cards, rather than 3 versions of the same card?

    Can anyone confirm.

    ReplyReply
  170. newbie Says:
    170

    I had the platinum mercedes benz for second time in 12 months and did not receive the 50k bonus points the second time around. I already closed the card, got back the annual fees, and then reopened it to be able to get the $200 airline credit again for ’13.
    Is there any point in still asking them for the bonus points if account had been closed for about a month?
    Also, can you still do the aa gift cards for the airline credit?

    ReplyReply
  171. newbie Says:
    171

    A few months ago while calling Amex phone customer service, they said I need to speak to someone else first and I was transfered to financial review department, is that what you call being FR’d? I don’t know the reason why, but after a couple of questions they told me my account is OK. Do I need to worry about having left some kind of red flag by them?

    ReplyReply
  172. doopy Says:
    172

    I’m a bit of an amateur so please don’t mind my ignorance, but what do you mean when you say “bm”, like “4bm”?

    ReplyReply
  173. please Says:
    173

    I have a Bank Americard Cash Rewards card, it gives me 1.5% on every $, plus after $300 you can cash it in for 25% more bonus, equals to about 1.875%. Which should I rather use? this one, or chase Freedom w/ Exclusives?

    ReplyReply
  174. Kevin Says:
    174

    bm=browser move(using google chrome, internet explorer, etc

    sm:secure mesage thru their website

    Your welcome

    ReplyReply
  175. Harold Says:
    175

    Dear Dan I just got a Amex gold I want to sign up in a Milliege with points where is the best way to go

    ReplyReply
  176. Lior Says:
    176

    Dan….I have the Chase BA card and the Barclays US Airways card. They took the $95 ahead of time. How can I get these credited back. I am using both extensively for the miles…Thanks

    ReplyReply
  177. Lior Says:
    177

    Also…what does churning mean?

    ReplyReply
  178. mike Says:
    178

    Hi dan what are your thoughts on the chase Ritz Carlton and Fremont hotel offers and the cards annual fees

    ReplyReply
  179. Ari Says:
    179

    Hey Dan did you ever consider the PayPal debit and credit card combination? you get 1% cash back for using the debit card and if you don’t have enough money in your account to cover to purchase you can have it backed up by your line of credit, which means you earn points for it as well. Also you can place a charge on the debit card wait for ti to post to both the debit and credit card accounts and when it does refund the charge. you won’t get cash back for the debit card but YOU WILL GET CC POINTS because the money comes in as cash to your paypal account which you then use to pay off the bill.

    ReplyReply

Leave a Reply

Please note: Comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

Switch to our mobile site