Almost time for my next app-o-rama

This month I will be attempting my most ambitious app-o-rama since I have begun this "game."

In my last mini app-o-rama in January, I applied and was approved for two new credit cards. This time I hope to get four new cards. Note: if you plan to attempt this, I recommend a credit score at or above 750 and you should always pay off your credit card bills in full on time every month.

Here's a chart I made with what cards I have previously applied for (the red row means the card is closed) and what I plan to apply for this month:

Chase Hyatt
I will be applying using a link from a targeted email I got with the first year fee waived. For those interested in this card, but don't have such an email--I have read that if you go through the Hyatt website as though you're making a reservation, you should see an offer on bottom of the page where you enter guest information for the credit card with a $50 statement credit after your first purchase. You don't actually have to complete the reservation booking. This brings the net fee down to $25.
I paid the fee for the Chase Southwest card last year and it is now up for renewal. I will not be keeping this card, however, I wanted to wait and apply for the Hyatt card first. This is in case I am denied for the Hyatt initially I would call the reconsideration line and ask to close the Southwest card and transfer the credit line. If I am instantly approved, I will still call in and close my Southwest card. I do expect to be approved for the Hyatt card either way.

Barclays US Air
I will be applying with a link from Flyertalk. Barclays is notoriously finicky about approvals especially for people who frequently open new accounts. However, this is the first Barclays card I have ever had, so I hope to be instantly approved. I don't fly on US Airways too often, but since they have purchased American Airlines, these may be AA miles in the near future and this card will no longer be available.

Citi AA Business
I will be applying with a link from Flyertalk. I don't think I should have trouble getting this card. However, I am a bit sad to have missed out on the 50,000 miles that was available up until very recently.

Club Carlson Business (US Bank)
Like Barclays, US Bank is finicky about approvals. They have also been known to approve applicants for a lesser card than they applied for. That's why I am applying for the business instead of the personal version because there is no lesser business version. I will be applying through the public link on Club Carlson's website. Unfortunately, the fee is not waived, but I am willing to pay because 85,000 miles is pretty good and the card has a number of good benefits such as 5 points per dollar on all purchases and if you redeem two or more award nights, the last night is free. I doubt I will be instantly approved as I may have to call in and provide some information on my business.

In conclusion, if I am approved for all four cards, the spending requirement would be $6,500 in three months. I could never do this just from my day-to-day purchases, but thanks to some manufactured spend, I should I have no problem. I will report back with my results as well as how I hope to use these miles and points.

Point/mile opportunities: British Airways, Club Carlson

Yesterday, I posted how to get 500 free US Airways Dividend Miles.

Well, here’s a few more point/mile opportunities. The first two hit my email yesterday, while the third is credited to Slickdeals.

Club Carlson: Stay 2 nights at a Country Inn and Suites, get 25,000 points

In recognition of Country Inn and Suites' 25th anniversary, Club Carlson has launched a “25 for 25” promo. To participate, register here (you must be a Club Carlson member), then complete a two-night stay booking the 25 for 25 Promotion Rate at any Country Inns & Suites By Carlson hotel worldwide between Aug. 15 and Oct. 14.

Keep in mind that the “25 for 25” rate is higher than if you prepay in advance. I priced a room in the Dallas area for next weekend and the “Book Early and Save” rate is $69.70/night while the “25 for 25” rate is $82, which is the same as the “General Rate.”

After you complete your stay, your 25,000 bonus Gold Points will be deposited in your Club Carlson account within 4-6 weeks (my bonus points posted within a few days when I participated in a previous promotion).

I registered, but it’s highly unlikely that I’ll stay at a Country Inn before October 14. Still seems to be a cheap way to get some points—IF—the Country Inns in your area are inexpensive.

If you’re not already a Club Carlson member, sign up here to earn an extra 2,000 bonus points when you stay at a participating Carlson hotel in the next 90 days.

A second Club Carlson promotion: Sweepstakes entries+100 points per day

With Club Carlson’s Global Giveaway (that’s strangely only valid in the U.S. and Canada—excluding Quebec) you can enter to win one of six giveaways that include five nights at a Carlson Rezidor hotel, roundtrip business-class airfare for two and USD $5,000 in spending money. Carlson hotels include Radisson, Radisson Blu, Park Plaza, Country Inn and Suites, and Park Inn.

First, register here for one sweepstakes entry. If you book an eligible stay (any stay eligible to earn Gold Points) online at a Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group brand website and then complete that stay at any of the group’s hotels worldwide by Sept. 24^th, you’ll receive 10 entries for each night stayed. For an additional entry, view the week’s entire Vacation Look Book. A new Vacation Look Book will be unveiled each week of the sweepstakes.

The real meat of this promo is through the 100 points a day you can earn by viewing the Vacation Look Book. That’s 4,000 points. It does look like you have to view the same book over and over for a few days because it apparently only changes once a week.

If you have multiple family members with Club Carlson accounts, encourage them to participate and you can then combine the points into one account for easy redemption. Award nights start at 9,000 for Category 1 properties and go all the way up to 50,000 points for Category 6 hotels. Points+Cash awards start at 5,000 points.

You may recall this is the chain I scored 150,000 points from for just three hotel stays and a little over $200 this summer. This promo is more easy points and free at that.

Again, if you’re not already a Club Carlson member, sign up here to earn an extra 2,000 bonus points when you stay at a participating Carlson hotel in the next 90 days.

1,000 British Airways Avios points/miles

• Join the Loyalty program of British Midland International (BMI) here.
• Use Voucher code 1JA1KD when joining to get 1,000 free points.
• Go to your British Airways (BA) account and combine the BMI account to your BA account to transfer the 1,000 points over.

For additional points, up to seven accounts can be linked together. So if you have additional family members in your household, create accounts for them with BMI (use the code 1JA1KD) and with BA. Then transfer the points from BMI to their BA account using the steps described above. Then create a Household Account on BA and add all the members to your household account. This will combine everyone’s BA points into one account for a total of 7,000 Avios. To keep things on the up and up, I’d recommending only using actual people who live in your household for these extra accounts.

Avios flight awards are distance-based (the fewer miles you fly the fewer points you need), and one-way awards start at just 4,500 Avios. And since American Airlines is an alliance partner of BA, you can book AA flights within the U.S. using BA Avios thus saving yourself BA's high fuel surcharges and taxes on European award flights.

Click here to check out my ongoing list of free and easy frequent flier mile offers from all airlines.

500 free US Airways miles

 

Receive 500 miles when you download and shop with the Dividend Miles StoreFront Assistant.

 

To qualify for the initial download 500 bonus miles offer, make at least one search or purchase using the Dividend Miles StoreFront Assistant. Bonus offer is valid only for the initial download and install of the Dividend Miles StoreFront Assistant. Not valid on subsequent downloads or installs.

 

When the toolbar is active you'll earn 1 mile for every 3 valid searches you perform. Up to 100 Dividend Mile award miles per month can be earned by performing 300 valid searches made through the StoreFront Assistant toolbar. You only earn Dividend Miles award miles on searches made from the search box within the StoreFront Assistant. You must be logged into the StoreFront Assistant to receive credit for your searches.

 

You can earn additional miles by shopping in-store and paying for your purchases with a registered credit or debit card at participating store locations. When making purchases online, click through to the retailer from the Dividend Miles StoreFront for additional miles.

 

Click here to check out my ongoing list of free and easy frequent flier mile offers from all airlines.

 

2,250 free United Airlines miles

1,000 Airline Miles from Thanks Again Visa Offers

Thanks Again Page 

Get bonus miles when you sign up to receive advertisements and special offers on your mobile phone, redeemable when you use your enrolled Visa card. This offer is apparently available for Delta and US Airways as well as United, though you can only receive the 1,000-mile bonus on one airline.

Unfortunately this requires spamming your phone, but if you have unlimited texting, it’s just a minor annoyance. You can always opt out of the texts once your miles post by replying “STOP.”

Also, this program tracks your shopping habits on your enrolled Visa card. Thanks Again is a Visa partner. Visa already has your personal information; they just want your permission to track your spending for marketing and sales purposes, so they can send targeted deals to your phone. I’m still trying to decide if I’m okay with that, but the offer doesn’t expire until September 30. I may just enroll a card that I rarely use.

Points will post in 4-6 weeks.

Airline-specific pages (you can only receive the bonus for one program)

United

Delta

US Airways

MileagePlus Mobile Offers 500 miles—offer expires tomorrow (July 13)

Enroll here

Once again requires spamming your cell phone and enrolling a Visa card.

Important terms:

• Offer valid only for MileagePlus members currently residing in the 50 United States (including Alaska and Hawaii).
• To receive the 500 bonus award miles, members must successfully register by entering their MileagePlus member number, eligible Visa card number and mobile number and have registered by July 13, 2012.
• This offer is combinable only with other combinable MileagePlus offers.
• A member can register up to three eligible Visa cards per MileagePlus member number but can only earn the 500 bonus award miles one time.
• Please allow 6-8 weeks after registration for posting of the 500 bonus award miles. The 500 bonus award miles will be posted to the MileagePlus account entered at time of registration.

750 United miles from MyPoints

Join MyPoints and get 750 United MileagePlus miles for free after 30 days of membership.

What is MyPoints? Click for info

Check out my ongoing list of free and easy frequent flier mile offers from all airlines.