Easier to get approved during a "transition" time?

[mkhan1093]

Hey all,

Just something I had on my mind. Is it me or does it seem like getting approved for credit cards is easier during certain transitions involving the card? For example, I have no clue how I got my Chase Sapphire Reserve with a very thin profile at the time other than the fact that I applied a little while before the 100K offer was going away, and this was publicly announced. Fast forward to how I've had my Amex SPG with a SL of $1000 and being denied CLI requests left and right, and had gotten denied for certain revolvers in the past.

Until one fine day I app for the Delta Gold (after being denied a couple times before and multiple recons each) when the new 60K offer is going to end and huzzah I get it, and at $2K. Then a week later, I apply for the Amex Surpass since it's very well known that these cards are ending, I have no problem getting approved for this one too.

So is it just me or is it easier? Any DPs to share? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

American express is one of the most competitive issuers in my opinion based on how aggressive they are with keeping a diversity of cards and having a score above 660 means you're in.

I do hope you meet the min spend on these new cards and get a great return on travel. Hopefully you got a the 100k surpass offer instead of the usual one.

I would question why you opened the Boa cash rewards card. You did well with the better balance rewards card. But you could have used a single hard inquiry to request a credit increase on your BBR (gets recurrent bt promos like any boa card) and for 30 days that TU inq could have got you a much higher return than the limited 3pct category or $1xx sign on bonus.

The surpass is a toss-up. It will be converted to the new ascend version afaik. But had you planned it out you could have got it earlier, pcd it and got the higher end ascend bonus.

Check to see if you are targeted for 2x spg points on gen spend. Also read up on amex 3x cli thread. You also have to think about shifting your credit line on your citi Hilton card bc citi will most likely let you keep it but Amex is exclusive for Hilton Jan 2018. Maybe you'll end up getting 4k extra cl with Amex as well?

Ask for sp apr reductions on your arrival plus (also gets u sp cli). And since you got your chase reserve before may, your travel credit resets Jan 1st so you should be able to use that and evaluate if you really need to keep it at reserve or downgrade, or shift CL and close since your UR will be safe with your freedoms. See if you can get a chase ink preferred 80k business card. If you sell on eBay Amazon or have a small business it would be an amazing addition of URs regardless if you keep or downgrade the reserve!!!

You could also consider doing the same with Amex and Citi.

I stopped impulse applying for cards. Instead I wait until the offer is high.

Regardless you should have a nice stash of points and miles. There's tons of info on how to maximize them!

Also for me it was harder to get approval during transition. Chase no longer offered Amtrak and BOA had just released it. It took several calls to make it happen. *