New Girl has been reading but needs advice

[MistralsDaughter]

Hello CB members -

New girl here. I have been reading and I appreciate all the good advice I see here. There are a lot of experts here. :-)

 

I would like to start earning points to travel on my own and I have read that Chase is a good place to start.

 

I checked my pre-qualifications on the Chase website and it returned the following results -

Marriott Rewards Premier Signature Visa

United MileagePlus Explorer Card

Sapphire Preferred (but I already have one)

Slate

Freedom

 

Which should I apply for? I know some here have had good results from applying for multiple cards on the same day. If I choose to do that, is there a sequence I should follow? I have also read that its necessary to freeze Experian. If I do that, will some offers disappear?

 

Background -

I have 4 credit cards of my own.

Chase Sapphire Preferred from 07/2013 with a credit limit of 12k

Tiffany's store charge from 05/2012 with no set limit.

Victoria's Secret from 01/2012 with a credit limit of 2900.

Sak's Fifth Ave store card from 2011 with a credit limit of 8500.

 

I have been an authorized user on my parents American Express (credit limit unknown) since I turned 16. Date on card is 1976.

 

I have 1 inquiry on all three major credit bureaus.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

[shifter]

Freedom is about the only one there worth anything.

 

you should get your own Amex cards for *D.

 

you may get *D back to the date you got your AU card

 

or maybe all the way back to 1976.

 

depends on what's in the system right now.

[hodap2001]

Some of them also require annual fees - are you financially able to pay the annual fees?

Edited October 8, 2014 by hodap2001

[ubercat]

Shifter, can you PC out of an Amex AU?

[shifter]

Shifter, can you PC out of an Amex AU?

[MistralsDaughter]

Freedom is about the only one there worth anything.

 

you should get your own Amex cards for *D.

 

you may get *D back to the date you got your AU card

 

or maybe all the way back to 1976.

 

depends on what's in the system right now.

 

I didn't think about getting my own American Express card. I will look into it. Thank you.

 

Anyone I should look at in particular?

[shifter]

look at the annual fee and the rewards

 

and pick what makes most sense for you.

[MistralsDaughter]

Some of them also require annual fees - are you financially able to pay the annual fees?

 

Yes. Its been almost a year since I found work as a school nurse. And I moonlight as an artist's model at several local colleges.

 

I should have been a flight attendant for Lufthansa like my twin sister. LOL. But I prefer a more laidback pace.

[chugs102]

 

Some of them also require annual fees - are you financially able to pay the annual fees?

 

Yes. Its been almost a year since I found work as a school nurse. And I moonlight as an artist's model at several local colleges.

 

I should have been a flight attendant for Lufthansa like my twin sister. LOL. But I prefer a more laidback pace.

 

 

 

Can you get discounts on Lufthansa? That may help with travels.

 

What are your goals as far as traveling?

 

Sign up bonuses are key. Identify the airlines and hotels that serve the area of interest.

 

For example, if American Airlines might be of interest

* get the Barclays US Air card (40K points on sign up, $89 annual fee)

* get Citi AA cards (Visa, MC, Biz)

* these will combine once the frequent flyer programs are merged

 

Chase Ink 70K sign up bonus, these Ultimate Rewards points can be converted to various airlines and hotels

Chase United Mileage Explorer 50K bonus

Chase IHG I think the 80K offer is still available

[mechanicworkman]

I sure wish I had a D* back to 76' My amex only turned 1 today! My $150.00 annual fee just came hit my balance! Others have said the D* trend! However if you are successful in getting it backdated I would seriously concider getting more amex's as time goes by for the history if not for anything else.

[MistralsDaughter]

 

 

Some of them also require annual fees - are you financially able to pay the annual fees?

 

Yes. Its been almost a year since I found work as a school nurse. And I moonlight as an artist's model at several local colleges.

 

I should have been a flight attendant for Lufthansa like my twin sister. LOL. But I prefer a more laidback pace.

 

 

 

Can you get discounts on Lufthansa? That may help with travels.

 

What are your goals as far as traveling?

 

Sign up bonuses are key. Identify the airlines and hotels that serve the area of interest.

 

For example, if American Airlines might be of interest

* get the Barclays US Air card (40K points on sign up, $89 annual fee)

* get Citi AA cards (Visa, MC, Biz)

* these will combine once the frequent flyer programs are merged

 

Chase Ink 70K sign up bonus, these Ultimate Rewards points can be converted to various airlines and hotels

Chase United Mileage Explorer 50K bonus

Chase IHG I think the 80K offer is still available

 

 

Lufthansa is part of the Star Alliance which includes United so Mileage Explorer should be a good choice for me.

 

Thanks for the heads-up on Ink and IHG. That's a lot of points to be had.

 

I can still score buddy passes on Lufthansa through my sister but they're usually good for standby only.

 

Having to stay 2 extra days in Paris or Prague unplanned is not as glamorous as it sounds. LOL

 

Still, first class/business class is nothing to scoff at when there's room on flights.

[MistralsDaughter]

I sure wish I had a D* back to 76' My amex only turned 1 today! My $150.00 annual fee just came hit my balance! Others have said the D* trend! However if you are successful in getting it backdated I would seriously concider getting more amex's as time goes by for the history if not for anything else.

 

That's a great idea. Thanks.

From what I've read it's not good to spree American Express. So I will need to stagger the apps.

[mattneed]

Lufthansa first class 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 so amazing when I was deployed I had a 4 hour flight to Germany on luft since we were military and they had open seats they took us out of coach and put us in first class. Their wine blows though haha.

[mechanicworkman]

I wasn't advocating getting them all at once."as time goes by" meaning over course of 2 yrs or so. I got 2 AMEX cards in the last 12 months now with CLI's their both at 24k a piece.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -

[MistralsDaughter]

Lufthansa first class so amazing when I was deployed I had a 4 hour flight to Germany on luft since we were military and they had open seats they took us out of coach and put us in first class. Their wine blows though haha.

 

On one flight out of Frankfurt, there were some American GIs coming home.

 

My sister suggested that I put on a spare uniform and help her with meal service since she thought seeing twins would entertain the boys going home.

 

She was about to ask for permission from the Captain but I chickened out because it wasn't Halloween and doing so would probably violate some aviation law.

 

I told her if she wanted to entertain troops, to join the USO. LOL

Edited October 9, 2014 by MistralsDaughter

[MistralsDaughter]

I wasn't advocating getting them all at once."as time goes by" meaning over course of 2 yrs or so. I got 2 AMEX cards in the last 12 months now with CLI's their both at 24k a piece.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -

 

Got it. Nice limits, sir :-)

[mattneed]

Or just ask them to come to the baCK 😅😅😅😂😂😂

[MistralsDaughter]

Or just ask them to come to the baCK

 

They were all gentlemen. LOL

[mattneed]

They were soldiers.... no such thing XD

[chugs102]

They were soldiers.... no such thing XD

 

 

She used the term very loosely.

[mattneed]

 

 

They were soldiers.... no such thing XD

 

She used the term very loosely.

I'm not sure u can get too loose with that term haha

[MistralsDaughter]

Aaaah.

 

Boys will be boys :-)

[hockeyplayr]

Get the freedom as well. Max out the 5% categories each quarter and transfer them to the CSP. 30k points fairly easily every year.

[MistralsDaughter]

Thank you for the advice hockeyplayr :-)

[MistralsDaughter]

Update -

 

I just got approved for a Marriott Premier at 23K !

 

I apped from the Chase Pre-qualifier page, so TU pull right? My EX is frozen.

 

Already Have CSP at 12K. Should I recon? or combine? or stay put?

 

Thanks to CB, I joined Navy and got a 25k flagship and 15k CLOC and now this.

 

Next stop - Centurion Bank

 

Walking. On. Air.