topic Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals? in Credit Cards

Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Revelate — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 04:03:04 GMT

I think we've all seen that Chase has apparently changed their underwriting requirements for the Freedom as of late (last month or so), and there was a Sapphire approval that surprised the heck out of me too, though admittedly he was an employee of Chase so all bets are off there.

When I have a travel gig, I tend to fly in Southwest. Since I'm now marginally literate after perusing this forum for the past half year, hey, travel rewards cards, mucho bueno; however, still in rebuilding mode.

I checked some of the databases for recent approvals and unfortunately the only ones in the last month were both 760+, but has anyone seen recent approvals here for the under 700 (640ish hopefully shortly) crowd?

Many thanks for any information

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Repo-ed — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 10:40:50 GMT

I really do not think it's possible to get a SWA chase w/ 640. I did recently receieve a pre-approval from them, and even with slightly higher scores than you, I threw it away, as I know better

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Cdnewmanpac — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:10:27 GMT

How recent is recent? I was able to get the southwest rr visa sig with 5k limit in january with an ex score of 654. Denied electronically, approved on recon.

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

webhopper — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 13:02:07 GMT

I applied for Chase Southwest Visa a few yrs ago after receiving a pre approval offer in the mail. I used to fly them all the time. I was declined and didn't know about recons back then.

I was approved for Chase Amazon Visa with a 5k limit earlier this yr, I got the card upon recon. at that time my scores were near 690

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

CreditScholar — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 14:15:51 GMT

For any of Chase's travel rewards cards, ~700+ is what they're generally looking for. The freedom, slate and Disney can be approved with upper-600s in some cases, but at 640 I doubt you'd get approved for the southwest card.

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Revelate — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 14:39:06 GMT

@CreditScholar wrote:
For any of Chase's travel rewards cards, ~700+ is what they're generally looking for. The freedom, slate and Disney can be approved with upper-600s in some cases, but at 640 I doubt you'd get approved for the southwest card.

Except Chase appears to have changed their underwriting policies on the Freedom at least starting approximately June 1st.

Underwriting changes all the time; however, that's a good point regarding co-branded cards, the underwriting standards could vary from the rest of a lender's general portfolio, and even with that individual cards of course have different requirments.

I suppose I was mostly curious to see if other Chase products also were re-evaluated in addition to the Freedom, and since I may well be travelling again, makes more sense to figure out how to maximize that financially. I figured 640 was a bit low TBH, but there's a world of difference between 650 and 680, and 700 is about my max bucketing wise with some of my stupid choices in the past. If the typical approval range is still around 700, it's a non-starter.

Cdnew: that's a fantastic point about reconning with Chase, thank you for reminding me. Nice approval too.

Also thank you to everyone that replied in the thread already, much appreciated!

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Danfitz75 — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:29:37 GMT

I was approved for this card within the last two weeks. I believe they pulled all three scores. I bank with Chase and have moved a ton of money through checking and savings as I bought a house and paid for a wedding within the last year. I also auto-filled my application by providing them with my checking log-in informaiton - I have to think that existing relationship helped as I was approved instantly with the highest credit limit I've ever had.

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Revelate — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:36:53 GMT

@Danfitz75 wrote:
I was approved for this card within the last two weeks. I believe they pulled all three scores. I bank with Chase and have moved a ton of money through checking and savings as I bought a house and paid for a wedding within the last year. I also auto-filled my application by providing them with my checking log-in informaiton - I have to think that existing relationship helped as I was approved instantly with the highest credit limit I've ever had.

That's another good point, Chase's newish (six months?) customer-loyalty programs. I was considering moving to Chase from BOFA for my local banking requirements anyway, probably another benefit in doing so. Thanks!

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 16:13:54 GMT

I was approved for the SW card with a $3000 limit in early April with a TU score that was about 20 points lower than whatever my siggy shows right now. It was an instant approval online, although the CL didn't show up. I was so happy that I didn't even bother to call and check on the CL, just waited for it to show up in the mail. I did snoop around online and figured I'd get a line around $2500 which was the lowest I was seeing online, but I believe someone posted earlier this month about only getting $1000 limit.

I also had (and still have) some really old derogs on my reports, unpaid COs/collections, but I haven't had a new derog in 5ish years and I had absolutely no prior history with Chase.

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 16:26:46 GMT

For what's it worth: I got pre-approved for a Freedom and then approved for it with a 656 score.

So there are exceptions to the rules out there, albeit, because I had been a solid Chase banking customer for 2 years.

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

bettercreditguy1 — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 22:33:57 GMT

Good evening Revelate,

I on line apped for Chase SW Airlines Rewards Card, af $ 69.00 was approved (except had fraud alert) so I had to call in due to an Identity Theft Situation. Immediately approved. I full believe that my history with my Chase Freedom Card, 13 months, PIF each month was a positive factor. Eq was pulled and I Was at 753.

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

bettercreditguy1 — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 22:36:47 GMT

TU shows no pull, did not check Experian,. so I believe they only pulled EQ on me. However, I have a great 13 month history with them.

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Revelate — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 23:38:15 GMT

@bettercreditguy1 wrote:
TU shows no pull, did not check Experian,. so I believe they only pulled EQ on me. However, I have a great 13 month history with them.

Hah, yeah, and the 750 FICO probably made you pretty much guarunteed approval anyway, congratulations though and thank you for posting!

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 05:47:30 GMT

I was approved in April with a 635 score, a collection and a couple of lates from several years ago on my CR. $5,000 CL visa signature.

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 06:41:19 GMT

I just applied for this card about a week ago because I'm planning a trip to San Diego for my 21st. I'm not sure I've gotten anything in the mail. Spent the whole week at the river. And I havent checked yet. But anyway once I found out that I've been denied, if i have been, how do I even start a recon? Do I just flat out ask "can you reconsider y'all's decision for the SW rewards card?" and then they'll take it from there? tbh I have a feeling I might have been approved only because I've read where somebody recieved an email they were declined and it seems that's usually what happens with most cards but I know not always.

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

bettercreditguy1 — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:19:26 GMT

When I apped last year for the Freedom Card, it was online. I am not certain but my Equifax was probably low 700's as my Tu Fico was 735 or so. This summer both scores mid 750s. I have one derog account with 4 30 day lates. This derog account should go positive in the next eighteen months or so. It is my only derog account on all three reports.Hope this gives some insight.

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

RockinRay — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 13:06:02 GMT

I was approved for this card in June. $20k line, but my scores are just around 800 now...

Re: Chase Southwest Rewards - recent approvals?

Revelate — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:18:03 GMT

Jmoney: thanks bud, that sounds roughly where I am, though you're several months ahead of me in the process it appears.

Squirrley: call in anyway. No news is usually good news in my book when it comes to lenders, but there should be a number sticked that you can find more information out about whether you were approved or not. As for recon, I haven't done it personally but I suspect it's simply asking why you were denied and if we could talk about it and possibly reconsider the decision as I really want this card for XYZ reason. Probably a lot of threads on this over time if you search, I should probably do that too come to think of it.

Bettercreditguy: Yeah, it just appears as though Chase has changed the underwriting on the Freedom specifically, and I was wondering if they'd done it on any of the other cards as well. So far it appears unknown trending towards unlikely, it was a curiousity point as there was one strange CSP approval but that had unique situation written all over it anyway since he worked there. Was hoping it was a bigger trend but probably that's pure fancy.

RockinRay: hah, is there any card you couldn't get approved for senor? You rock.

Anyway thanks again for all the responses.