Barclay Arrival denied because too low utilization on existing Barclay reward card

[Rookies1000]

For me, the CSP is a keeper since I have chase freedom and chase checking account for the 10% extra bonus.

I want to get BC arrival because with all these recent airline miles devaluations, it's wise to diverse my card portfolio a bit and BC arrival 2.2% back on any purchase makes sense to me.

I put about $40,000-$50,000 on credit cards every year. A lot of these expenses are not travel related or typical 5x bonus category.

Oh well, back to the garden!

[Anonymous]

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@Rookies1000 wrote:
For me, the CSP is a keeper since I have chase freedom and chase checking account for the 10% extra bonus.

I want to get BC arrival because with all these recent airline miles devaluations, it's wise to diverse my card portfolio a bit and BC arrival 2.2% back on any purchase makes sense to me.

I put about $40,000-$50,000 on credit cards every year. A lot of these expenses are not travel related or typical 5x bonus category.

Oh well, back to the garden!

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It will be interesting to see if your strategy works if you apply again.  I guess in some cases having a card gives too much information to the lender when they make decisions about other cards.

BTW: not at all against closing cards, I also closed my Barclays Rewards when they wouldn't turn it into a WMC...

[indiolatino61]

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@Rookies1000 wrote:
My wife and I applied for Barclay Arrival in the weekend. We both got the application pending review message. My wife got an approval email shortly after. I checked my app status online and saw it was denied.

So I called the back door number to recon twice but no luck. Both CSR said my accounts are too young but also said that I already have a Barclay reward card that they gave me in august 2013 and they can see I have almost never used it. (this was my credit builder card and I have put it in the sock drawer many months ago)

They told me they like to see more history from me and see me use the Barclay reward card more for 6-8 months before they will give me a second card.

Needless to say, I thanked them and cancelled my Barclay reward card right away as it seems to hurt me more having it.
My wife didn't have any business with Barclay when she got approved.

So no more Barclay for me. I'm sticking with chase who have given me 3 cards last year (CSP, freedom, united)

Here is the stats
Me: 755 TU (FAKO)
Income: 70k
AAOA: ~ 1 year
Oldest card: ~ 2 years
Always paid in full, no baddies

Wife: 720 TU (FAKO)
income: 30k
AAOA: 1.5 years
Oldest card: 3 years

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Just another reason that I will never app for any Barclays products. IMO, you're not missing out on anything. 

[indiolatino61]

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@baller4life wrote:
@Anonymous and Finstar. Their loss meaning a potentially good customer certainly not a financial loss because I know they couldn't care less. "Their loss" is simply an expression not to be taken literally. Geesh!! You guys make me not want to post anymore. Many of you carry such a challenging and confrontational tone. It was merely MY opinion!

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I was going to post this exact same sentiment. I respectfully agree with you and mean no disrespect to Longtimelurker and Finstar. Perhaps they did not intend for their post to be interpreted in this way.

[Fico2Go]

I think keeping the Barclay reward card hurts my chance more than good.

I happen to agree with OP.  When a creditor does a HP a factor in determining CL is the current average CL.  Many are concerned about AAoA but ignore the possibility that AAoCL can be damaged with one low CL. 

As another poster shared he cancelled a Barclay product only to get approved a year later for $10,000. 

My WAG would be that the $10K CL was based on the current AAoCL. 

[Anonymous]

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@Fico2Go wrote:

I think keeping the Barclay reward card hurts my chance more than good.

I happen to agree with OP.  When a creditor does a HP a factor in determining CL is the current average CL.  Many are concerned about AAoA but ignore the possibility that AAoCL can be damaged with one low CL. 

As another poster shared he cancelled a Barclay product only to get approved a year later for $10,000. 

My WAG would be that the $10K CL was based on the current AAoCL. 

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What is "AAoCL"?

[dodgerslv]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Fico2Go wrote:

I think keeping the Barclay reward card hurts my chance more than good.

I happen to agree with OP.  When a creditor does a HP a factor in determining CL is the current average CL.  Many are concerned about AAoA but ignore the possibility that AAoCL can be damaged with one low CL. 

As another poster shared he cancelled a Barclay product only to get approved a year later for $10,000. 

My WAG would be that the $10K CL was based on the current AAoCL. 

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What is "AAoCL"?

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i think it may mean either Average Amount of Credit Limit or Average Age of Credit Limit...one of the two

[Fico2Go]

I was referring to Average Amount of Credit Line.  

In my case I have a Barclay Reward @ $1500.  I plan to use it regularly and even have monthly recurring payments for netflix and other payments billed to it.  

If by end of 2013 Barclay does not AUTO-match the other CLs I have, I would not hesitate to cancel.  

I am gardening all of 2014 so I am 1000% sure that I can replace a $1500 CL with no problem.  I have no reason to cancel Barclay at this point and they neither hurt or help me in any way.  But this time next year Barclay could add unnecessary weight to my wallet and cancelling might be do more good than harm.

[Anonymous]

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@Fico2Go wrote:

I think keeping the Barclay reward card hurts my chance more than good.

I happen to agree with OP.  When a creditor does a HP a factor in determining CL is the current average CL.  Many are concerned about AAoA but ignore the possibility that AAoCL can be damaged with one low CL. 

As another poster shared he cancelled a Barclay product only to get approved a year later for $10,000. 

My WAG would be that the $10K CL was based on the current AAoCL. 

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When a creditor does a HP a factor in determining CL is the current average CL

Not sure!  We have had a lot of theories, issuer X matching highest CL etc, but I have never heard anyone propose average CL.   Also, at least my pattern of initial CLs doesn't support that very well.

But the OP may well be right.  Once you have one card with an issuer, that issuer now has a lot of information on your spending patterns, and that can be used either for you or against you.  And since Barclays decided against him, and made the existing card an issue, getting rid of it makes sense.

[LearningMoreAboutCredit]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@baller4life wrote:
You tell em! Barclays can go kick rocks! Their loss!

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Why is it their loss?   OP might well have been unprofitable for them, given the initial bonus.  From their viewpoint, he hadn't used one of their cards, how do they know he will use the new one.

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Baller's response read more like sarcasm...