Recommendation on if I should apply for Chase Sapphire Reserve or Freedom

[chris4434]

Hello everyone I am looking at applying for either the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Freedom and needed some advice as to which would be the better option for me. I currently have the following cards Chase Sapphire Preferred ($5000 limit, opened June 2016), AMEX Platinum and PRG, Discover it secured ($1000 limit), Capital One Venture $9500 limit, Macys $6700 limit.  My income is $65,000 and credit scores are: TU: 751 EX: 658 and EQ 649. 19% utl showing because my statement cut before paying off the balance on my card. 

The majority of my spend goes through the CSP so I can get as many UR as possible for travel. Ultimately I want to have the CSR and Freedom to maximize UR points earning and redemption. My two options I am considering are to either 1) apply for CSR in branch and product change my CSP to the Freedom OR 2) apply for the freedom and wait on the CSR once my scores go higher (but risk losing out on the 100,000 points). I am currently at 4/24 so this applicaiton will be my last one with Chase for at least a year. I orginally applied for the CSR when it first came out and was denied after recon due to not having my CSP long enough so I'm afraid I'll get denied again for the CSR but the Freedom seems to be much easier to get approved for. Thoughts?

[austinguy907]

---

@chris4434 wrote:

Hello everyone I am looking at applying for either the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Freedom and needed some advice as to which would be the better option for me. I currently have the following cards Chase Sapphire Preferred ($5000 limit, opened June 2016), AMEX Platinum and PRG, Discover it secured ($1000 limit), Capital One Venture $9500 limit, Macys $6700 limit.  My income is $65,000 and credit scores are: TU: 751 EX: 658 and EQ 649. 19% utl showing because my statement cut before paying off the balance on my card. 

The majority of my spend goes through the CSP so I can get as many UR as possible for travel. Ultimately I want to have the CSR and Freedom to maximize UR points earning and redemption. My two options I am considering are to either 1) apply for CSR in branch and product change my CSP to the Freedom OR 2) apply for the freedom and wait on the CSR once my scores go higher (but risk losing out on the 100,000 points). I am currently at 4/24 so this applicaiton will be my last one with Chase for at least a year. I orginally applied for the CSR when it first came out and was denied after recon due to not having my CSP long enough so I'm afraid I'll get denied again for the CSR but the Freedom seems to be much easier to get approved for. Thoughts?

---

NO

You have something on your reports that isn't going to be an easy approval by any means with Chase.  your TU is 100 points higher than your other 2 scores.

You're already spending ~$600/yr on AF's which is insane if you're not traveling all the time for work or something.

Your 4 cards look like they've all been opened in the last 2 years.  You haven't cracked the 10K barrier yet which makes it more difficult to deal with Chase.  

Step back, garden a bit, clean up your reports, get some CLI's, convert Disco, and quit chasing rewards.

[Anonymous]

---

@austinguy907 wrote:

---

---

You have something on your reports that isn't going to be an easy approval by any means with Chase.  your TU is 100 points higher than your other 2 scores.

You're already spending ~$600/yr on AF's which is insane if you're not traveling all the time for work or something.

Your 4 cards look like they've all been opened in the last 2 years.  You haven't cracked the 10K barrier yet which makes it more difficult to deal with Chase.  

Step back, garden a bit, clean up your reports, get some CLI's, convert Disco, and quit chasing rewards.

---

Out of curiosity, why do you think that amount is insane and only justifiable if you travel "all the time"? Even an individual who travels only a few times a year can get a lot of value out of AF travel card depending on the card and personal circumstances. (EX: Delta Gold has a $95 AF. If you travel ONE time with your family of say 4, you will save $200 on checked bags for a round trip flight. Not only did that cover the AF but that is $105 back in your pocket.) Now of course if you don't travel at all than yes, having a travel card period is rather a waste as you will get zero value from it.

I will say IMO most individuals who keep an AMEX Platinum after the first year typically do so for the cards perks rather than rewards and is really only a benefit to frequent flyers. It also doesn't make a whole lot of sense to have two AF AMEX cards especially the PRG if your spend is going to mostly go through Chase to earn UR.

Cashback cards aside, I've always thought unless you are a heavy spender (not sure 65k income is enough) most individuals are better off sticking with a single rewards point program as opposed to juggling multiple.

OP not having your CSP long enough seems like an odd denial reason. My guess it was something else such as what ever is dragging your EX and EQ down plus. If your profile looks the same as it did last time you applied and the only difference is your CSP has aged a few more months I wouldn't waste the HP. See if you prequalify for the Freedom. 

**austin - I hope you don't take my comment as me starting a debate or argument. I genuinely would like to hear your thoughts. 

[chris4434]

I do frequently travel which is why AMEX and Chase are my go to cards. After the annual credits the Platinum card and PRG are $250 and $95 and CSP is $95. I get far more value than $440 annually so the AF's aren't an issue. I use AMEX for airline redemptions and Chase for hotel redemptions. The only difference between my TU and EX/EQ is that EX/EQ are showing a student loan that went in default in 2009 but has been paid in full since 2010 and TU removed the account. Other than that the reports are identical. Also, when I orginally applied for the CSR I was at 5/24 (which is why I was automatically denied) due to being an AU on another AMEX but that card is over 2 years old now. When I called to recon the underwriter was willing to overlook the 5/24 because of it being an AU card but said he wanted to see more history with my CSP before recommending an approval. 

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@austinguy907 wrote:

---

---

You have something on your reports that isn't going to be an easy approval by any means with Chase.  your TU is 100 points higher than your other 2 scores.

You're already spending ~$600/yr on AF's which is insane if you're not traveling all the time for work or something.

Your 4 cards look like they've all been opened in the last 2 years.  You haven't cracked the 10K barrier yet which makes it more difficult to deal with Chase.  

Step back, garden a bit, clean up your reports, get some CLI's, convert Disco, and quit chasing rewards.

---

Out of curiosity, why do you think that amount is insane and only justifiable if you travel "all the time"? Even an individual who travels only a few times a year can get a lot of value out of AF travel card depending on the card and personal circumstances. (EX: Delta Gold has a $95 AF. If you travel ONE time with your family of say 4, you will save $200 on checked bags for a round trip flight. Not only did that cover the AF but that is $105 back in your pocket.) Now of course if you don't travel at all than yes, having a travel card period is rather a waste as you will get zero value from it.

I will say IMO most individuals who keep an AMEX Platinum after the first year typically do so for the cards perks rather than rewards and is really only a benefit to frequent flyers. It also doesn't make a whole lot of sense to have two AF AMEX cards especially the PRG if your spend is going to mostly go through Chase to earn UR.

Cashback cards aside, I've always thought unless you are a heavy spender (not sure 65k income is enough) most individuals are better off sticking with a single rewards point program as opposed to juggling multiple.

OP not having your CSP long enough seems like an odd denial reason. My guess it was something else such as what ever is dragging your EX and EQ down plus. If your profile looks the same as it did last time you applied and the only difference is your CSP has aged a few more months I wouldn't waste the HP. See if you prequalify for the Freedom. 

**austin - I hope you don't take my comment as me starting a debate or argument. I genuinely would like to hear your thoughts. 

---

[Anonymous]

If you can the CSR and convert csp to freedom unl or freedom. Though with the platinum not really worth it imo if applying outside the 100k bonus.