I love credit cards so much! v3.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[SouthFayetteFan]

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are new, It is highly recommended that you read the first 6 "stickied comments" before jumping in here!

Welcome to the "I Love Credit Cards" Thread!!

This is a continuation from our Original Thread which generated over 2million views and 70k comments and our v2.0 Thread which generated another 2 million views and 72k+ comments.

If you are NEW to this thread, please read the first few comments on this page to find out a little bit about us. However, after that don't try to read through every page. If you want to get a feel for us maybe peruse the last 25-50 pages. This thread moves very fast and information may become outdated

• IF YOU ARE HERE TO ASK FOR ADVICE ON WHAT CARD TO GET NEXT - PLEASE FOLLOW THE FORMAT IN STICKY #2!!! IF YOU DON'T, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE GOOD ADVICE!!!
• ...AND BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, READ STICKY#3!!! DON'T MAKE YOUR FIRST CARD A FATAL ERROR!!

What is this thread?

• A positive and drama free place to discuss credit card rewards with fellow DISers
• A community of contributors who want to help others travel for free (or at very discounted rates)
• A group of people who are unified in our goal to maximize returns on our purchases but diverse in our goals on what to do with those points
• We have experts in numerous rewards programs frequenting the thread each day including: Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi Thank You Points and virtually every major frequent flyer and hotel rewards program.
• See comment 2 for how to properly ask for advice. Depending on what your travel goals (or financial goals) are, we can assist in creating a customized strategy to generate THOUSANDS of dollars in free travel or cash on your everyday purchases!
• See comment 3 for a caution on why you should ask first and apply later! Don't make an important mistake right out ot of the gate!!

What isn't this thread?

• This is NOT A place to discuss strategies to pay-down credit card debt, take advantage of balance transfer or 0% interest offers, or anything else related to credit card debt.
• It is HIGHLY recommended to avoid the "churning" game if you currently have or are susceptible to credit card debt. The cards we will advocate for may have exorbitant interest rates and fees. This does not bother us because we DON'T pay interest EVER and the benefits of the cards outweigh any fees.
• There are numerous places on the DIS where qualified and helpful people will give you advice on CC debt, this just isn't one of them
• Even if you are a "credit card debt avoider" please be aware of your spending habits. Some of the cards we will advocate will require spending a large amount in the first 90 days, do not allow this to affect your spending patterns. Free travel is only truly free if you earn it from your regular everyday spend!

Also - a huge shout-out to @FairestOfThemAll37 for creating the original thread. I'm sure she never envisioned in July of 2016 that this simply titled thread would become one of the most prolific in DISboards history!

Additional Note: We are like a family here. Some of us have been on the original thread since the beginning and many have been around for well over a year. We know each other's families, travel styles and preferences. The discussion will move fast and furious and you may be lost at first. If you ask for advice, don't worry, we will eventually see it and help you! If you don't get a response ask again. And if you see us having fun with each other or making jokes, know that it is ALL out of love!!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

How do I ask for Advice?
Well...you go to the comment box and ask...

Ok - so seriously, there are numerous things that the experts here would need to know to provide qualified and helpful advice.

1) First off, we are going to want you to list ALL credit cards you were approved for in the last 24 months. This would include all personal credit cards, store credit cards, business credit cards (but not things such as auto loans, mortgages or debit cards). If you have a spouse (aka Player 2) please also list their cards separately if they are participating in this as well.

The format you should use to do that is as follows:
MM/YY - ISSUER Card Name

• MM = Month (add a 0 before single digit months to make it look even more uniform)
• YY = Year
• ISSUER = CHASE, AMEX, CITI, BOFA, WELLS FARGO, etc.
• Card Name = The Full Card Name (including business or personal if applicable)

Example:
11/18 - AMEX Business Gold Rewards
01/19 - CHASE Marriott Personal
04/19 - CHASE Ink Preferred
09/19 - CITI AAdvantage Business
11/19 - CHASE Southwest Business
01/20 - CHASE Southwest Plus

2) Secondly we'll want to know a little bit about you. Specifically - what you spend, and what you want to earn!

• What amount of spend would you put on a card monthly (i.e. groceries, gas, insurance, cable, cell phone, other expenses)?
• Do you currently payoff your CCs in full every month or do you carry any balances/pay any interest?
• What airport(s) do you typically fly out of?
• Do you have a preference of Frequent Flyer program?
• Does SOUTHWEST Airline service your airport?
• Do you have a Hotel Rewards program preference?
• Do you currently have travel points or miles in any program? (if so, which programs and how much)
• What at your specific goals for churning credit cards? (i.e. Disney World Trip, Cruise, European Trip, Cash Back to pay-off a mortgage or student loans, etc. - you can have multiple goals too!)
• When do you plan to take these trips? (Keep in mind that it can be difficult to earn points/miles to cover imminent travel...it's best to plan far in advance, especially with regards to international travel)
• Who does your travel party consist of? (Spouse, Kids (& ages), other relatives/friends)

You DO NOT need to list all of this (or really any of this) info above to ask for advice...just know that the MORE you share, the BETTER the advice we'll be able to provide. If we feel that you have not provided us enough info, you'll often be directed back here or met with lots of questions before getting any answers.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

So you want to apply for a card... STOP. WAIT. PAUSE!!!

Please, Please, Please take a moment and introduce yourself on the thread here. Simply say "hi, I'm new here and thinking about getting the XYZ card."

In this game, there are numerous rules, guidelines and loopholes that you want to be aware of BEFORE pulling the trigger on an application. We CANNOT undo your mistakes. And mistakes can cost you THOUSANDS of dollars in points opportunities. (Not points...we're talking actually $1,000's of real money!!)

So take a breath, say hi, and let us help you avoid making any fatal errors with your first application.

TRUST ME... Waiting an extra day to apply will not kill you... But applying for the wrong card today could hurt you for 2 years or more depending on your situation!!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Care to see our top Secrets???

Spoiler: Our Best Churning Secrets

Did you seriously think it would be that easy???...you gotta read the thread to learn about those!!!

Some other related threads that may be of interest:

• HOTEL Reviews thread - reviews completed by our very own folks right here!
• DISNEY Gift Cards Discussion - Churning credit cards and purchasing Disney Gift Cards at times can go hand in hand. Also there is a lot of overlap posters there and here.

IF you are struggling to keep up with the pace of the thread - we are trying something new:

• Check out our "news" post on Reddit that keeps track of the major newsworthy events discussed on the thread.
• Reddit also has a lot of other great information on it - just ask for details on how to access things like Trip tips, Advanced strategies, etc.

PLEASE ALSO BE ADVISED THAT CERTAIN ADVANCED STRATEGIES AND LOOPHOLES ARE NOT DISCUSSED OPENLY ON THE DISBOARDS THREAD. THIS IS FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE STRATEGY AND THOSE USING THEM. IF YOU HAPPEN TO MENTION ONE OF THESE, YOU MAY RECEIVE A GENTLE NUDGE TO TAKE THE TOPIC ELSEWHERE. PLEASE DO NOT BE OFFENDED BY THAT

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

GLOSSARY - we will use many terms, abbreviations and acronyms. Refer to this list to help understand the most common ones. IF you have any questions though, just ask! We are all super nice (we also will typically try to spell these out in our initial comments to a newer person)

• 0/30 = To apply for a Chase Business card you want to have no applications in the last 30 days
• x/24 = The number of cards opened within the last 24 months - A common measurement for churning activity
• A+ = Barclays Arrival Plus Card
• AA = American Airlines or the American Airlines AAdvantage program
• AF = Annual Fee The yearly fee associated with premium credit cards.
• AMEX = American Express (aka Amex or AmEx)
• AU = Authorized User - A secondary user of a credit card account.
• BBP = AMEX Blue Business Plus Card (aka BB+)
• BoA = Bank of America (aka BOA or BofA)
• Bonvoy = Marriott's rewards points program
• BGR = AMEX Business Gold Rewards Card (aka BRG)
• Cap1 = Capital One - a card issuer (aka C1 or CO)
• CF = Chase Freedom Card (the Visa version which you can’t apply for anymore)
• CFF = Chase Freedom Flex Card
• CFU = Chase Freedom Unlimited Card
• CIC = Chase Ink Cash Card
• CIP = Chase Ink Preferred Card
• CIU = Chase Ink Unlimited Card
• CK = Credit Karma - one of the tools you can use to track your credit and recent cards
• CL = Credit Limit - the credit limit assigned to your card
• CP = Companion Pass - almost always used in conjunction with the Southwest CP program
• CPP = Cents Per Point - the monetary value of a reward redemption
• CSP = Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
• CSR = Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
• DD = Double Dip - can be used in many different ways, most notably a strategy that no longer works (applying for 2 Chase cards on the same day)
• DC = Citi Double Cash card
• DISchurners = A reddit group where we discuss advanced strategies and loopholes
• DoC = Doctor of Credit blog - a very reputable blog we often quote (aka DOC)
• DP = Data Point - A piece of information that proves that a strategy is working (or not) or a rule is being applied in a certain way
• EIN = Employer Identification Number which is sometimes referenced in discussions of biz cards
• FT = Flyer Talk - another discussion board where we sometimes find info to share here
• GC = Gift Card - Any gift card. Usually used in conjunction with a store name or issuer (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express)
• HH = Hilton Honors Reward Program
• HUCA = Hang Up and Call Again - A tactic advocated when you encounter an unfriendly/unhelpful/uninformed phone agent.
• MCGC = MasterCard Gift Card
• MDD = Modified Double Dip - a rarely used strategy that can be lucrative in very specific situations
• MO = Money Order - sometimes used with certain strategies
• MPE = Chase MileagePlus Explorer Card
• MPX = United MileagePlus App where you can purchase GCs to other stores and earn UA miles and CC points
• MR = American Express Membership Rewards Program
• MS = Manufactured Spending (a next level strategy)
• MSR = Minimum Spending Requirement - The minimum required amount that must be spent on a credit card in order to qualify for the sign up bonus
• NLL = No Lifetime Language - related to the ability to earn an Amex bonus on a card a 2nd time
• P1 & P2 = Player 1, Player 2 - Referring to spouses and other family members that are also participating in the churning game. Some will also reference P3, P4 etc regarding additional family members.
• PC = Product Change - converting your card to a different product as allowed by the bank (many times to avoid an annual fee or access different benefits)
• PP = Priority Pass Lounge - airport lounge that certain cards provide access into
• r/churning = Reddit's churning group where a lot of our info comes from. (Not necessarily a friendly place like here)
• RAT = American Express Rewards Abuse Team who reviews AMEX signup bonuses and may deny your points at their discretion
• RR = Rapid Rewards - Southwest Airline's points program
• SM = A Secure Message sent through a bank's secure portal
• SUB = SignUp Bonus
• SW = Southwest Airlines
• T&C = Terms and Conditions - often relevant to us in checking eligibility or how to qualify for a bonus
• TPG = The Points Guy blog - NOT a favorite around these parts but sometimes quoted
• TYP = Citi Thank You Points Rewards Program (aka TY)
• UA = United Airlines
• UR = Chase Ultimate Rewards Program (plural = URs)
• VGC = Visa Gift Card(s)
• YMMV = Your Mileage (Miles) May Vary - i.e. results may vary.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

...RESERVED FOR FUTURE NEEDS...

Coming this fall...a game by game analysis of the South Fayette Lions football season! (Ok, I kid... just keeping this in case I need it!)

 

[wendow]

Wow, good job @SouthFayetteFan! I am amazed it is time to refresh the thread. We've grown so much, so fast! I love it!

It's been an amazing run for us all over the last few years and I expect 2020 to knock our socks off as well. I'm so happy to be a part of the best thread on the DIS! Thanks to all who make this place so awesome!

 

[ten6mom]

As we used to say on the old DIS Divas trip planning thread... ahhhhhhh, new thread smell!

 

[orangecuse]

Yay new thread! Should we do a kick off topic? 2020 churning goals?

Post what cards you have your eye on, what points you aim to earn, or any other card/churning goals for the new year!

 

[orangecuse]

2020 churning goals-

-plan to get Chase biz cards in spring for P1/P2
-would like to earn 2-3 Hilton FNC for San Diego redemption. Maybe 2 Aspires or 1 Aspire and maxing 15k on Surpass/Biz.
-would like to have P1/P2 get Hyatt card
-try to stay under 5/24 for P1/P2 as much of the year as possible to minimize possible time locked out of Chase

 

[mmmears]

Great start to a new thread for the new year!

 

[mmmears]

Yay new thread! Should we do a kick off topic? 2020 churning goals?

Post what cards you have your eye on, what points you aim to earn, or any other card/churning goals for the new year!

Hmm... Goals. Staying out of trouble. DH has his eyes on the Hyatt card (I have one) and the Aspire, but he's struggling to remember to put spend on every last one of his AMEX cards, so I fear the dreaded pop up. He has time, though, so I guess that's something we will work on in 2020.

 

[mmmears]

What's the shortest trip you would take if you had "spent" enough miles to travel in first class halfway around the world?

I'm trying to decide what to do if my desired return window never opens! I think I'd just cancel the whole thing! I didn't realize that leaving on November 15 is going to put my desired return over Thanksgiving weekend. Getting home might be trickier than I thought.

I saw this on the old thread, but thought I should answer here (I think?). The shortest one we took was 8 nights in Norway a few months ago, flying AF in J (from the west coast, so a long, long journey). Normally I prefer 2-3 weeks, but we had a particular reason to go and a week seemed perfect this time. I will say that it was tough to do that much flying in that short a time, but we managed it. I can't seem to sleep on the plane, even with lie flat seats, so YMMV. How long were you planning on being there? When I was thinking about going to Japan (with the miles I used on that short trip to Oslo) I was considering 2-2.5 weeks. Also, since it's an international flight Thanksgiving weekend might not be as much of an issue as it is domestically (I sure hope so for your sake).

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Yay new thread!

 

[Mopedmom1]

My 2020 goal is to pick up the pace a bit. I need to get to Alaska twice and must figure out how to shave off quite a bit of the cost while continuing to rack up UR's for a 2021 cruise.

 

[Lain]

In on the first page!

 

[trstno1]

In on the first page!

Ditto!

 

[Alexle2007]

2020 Goals:
- Complete MSR on DH’s CIP
- continue to amass URs
- Continue to amass MRs
- Get Hyatt cards and try for Globalist status (Besides late check-out and maybe a room upgrade, Explorist doesn’t get you much)
- Enjoy our 2020 nearly free travel!

 

[Psychodisney]

I'm not usually up at this hour. Got a text that our SW flight out of MDW was cancelled this morning. Called right away and got an inexperienced agent who couldn't find any flights to MCO today or book another city pair. Only could offer us tomorrow morning at 6am to MCO. Called back, got another agent and got rebooked today into RSW to drive up to Orlando. Then I go to check in, my DH and I are booked on the 8:40 am...but my DD is on the 6am. Third call in...finally fixed. If I try to tweet SWA for some Luv for my troubles, do I just tweet the regular SW handle. I'm not too experienced in the twitter realm.

Bummed that we have to drive 3 hours but I'm glad we're able to get in today. Football game tomorrow! Go Blue!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'm not usually up at this hour. Got a text that our SW flight out of MDW was cancelled this morning. Called right away and got an inexperienced agent who couldn't find any flights to MCO today or book another city pair. Only could offer us tomorrow morning at 6am to MCO. Called back, got another agent and got rebooked today into RSW to drive up to Orlando. Then I go to check in, my DH and I are booked on the 8:40 am...but my DD is on the 6am. Third call in...finally fixed. If I try to tweet SWA for some Luv for my troubles, do I just tweet the regular SW handle. I'm not too experienced in the twitter realm.

Bummed that we have to drive 3 hours but I'm glad we're able to get in today. Football game tomorrow! Go Blue!

Direct Message them by clicking the envelope at the top of their Twitter user page. Their handle is @SouthwestAir

I’m glad you caught that stupid 2 different flights mistake! What a mess!!