2023 Credit Card Application Outcomes
As summer quickly approaches, I’m shocked at how quickly spring passed. That’s certainly not a hot take, as I could pretty much say that with every approaching season. But the past few months have been particularly hectic – in a good way. And if you’ve read any of my previous ramblings, Amex played a big role. Between my favorite card issuer and several solid offers from others, it’s been a fruitful quarter. Today, I’m reflecting on our spring 2023 credit card application highlights.
Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex
Back around March, Amex juiced the Bonvoy Business card with a 125k welcome offer. I generally find earning Bonvoy points on everyday spend a bit underwhelming, with the exception of supermarket spending on the Bevy. We therefore rely on earning Bonvoy points in big chunks via signup bonuses. And with a bit of flexibility, we still manage to obtain one cent per point on redemptions. So the Business card’s heightened offer was all we needed to jump.
Outcome: Immediately Approved
Bank of America Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard
Speaking of heightened offers, Bank of America returned with one they usually offer every year or so. The Air France card is still offering 70k miles and 100XP for elite status with $2k spend, up from their usual 50k miles/60XP offer. We enjoy using these miles for non-stop domestic flights on Delta, where Flying Blue’s rates are often better than Delta’s. My wife and I were both eligible for new accounts, as we haven’t had problems fitting within BoA’s application rules.
Outcome: Immediately Approved x2
Wells Fargo Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
I was pleasantly surprised by the unveiling of the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard from Wells Fargo. We’d heard the no annual fee card was transferring to Wells Fargo, but initially there was no big talk of an annual fee version with more perks. This $95 annual fee card (waived the first year) offers a plethora of benefits, my favorites being the 30k point anniversary bonus and 5x earning at grocery stores and gas stations. Put all this stuff together with my affinity for niche redemptions with Choice, and applying was a no-brainer. Oh, and that 90k point welcome offer is nice.
Outcome: Immediately Approved
Bank of America Alaska Business Visa
Winding up the elevated offers for this cycle, I applied for the Alaska Business card. I’m unashamedly hoarding hotel points and airline miles currencies, and signup bonuses play a big role. This one was 70k miles on $4k spend. I don’t have any immediate plans to use these miles, and I don’t care. And since it’s a BoA business card, I wasn’t subject to their more stringent application rules for personal cards.
Outcome: Immediately Approved
Capital One Venture X Business
After plenty of waiting, Capital One recently launched the Venture X Business card. More accurately, they slapped a new name on the Spark Travel Elite and lowered the welcome offer. That’s fine, as the 150k welcome offer threshold was interesting enough for me when combined with the card’s solid benefits. What hasn’t changed is the need to work with a Capital One banker to apply. My half hour phone call with a regional banker was 25 minutes longer than it needed to be. And that extra time apparently didn’t help. This experience was quite a step down from my previous stellar experience with a different Capital One banker outside my area.
Outcome: Immediately Denied
Amex Business Platinum
Same song, different verse here. The no lifetime language offers in the ~150k point range continue. I won’t waste more time talking about it again, as I’m doing it for the same reasons I did before. I have no plans on changing course.
Outcome: Immediately Approved x2
The Amex +5 Referral Bonus Flurry
I started out with a goal of maximizing the amazing Amex +5 referral bonus offer four times this spring. I hit that number exactly. Doing so involved my wife and I applying for three Amex cards; I was able to pick up a fourth by referring a buddy. This offer encouraged us to do something we hadn’t planned to so soon – pursue more Amex Golds. My wife and I each opened one, and I went for a Business Green card.
Outcome: Immediately Approved x3
Conclusion
Over the past few years, I’ve slowed down with hobby activities over the summer. I plan to do the same this year, enjoying more time with our little ones out of school. It’s probably safe to say our application activity will take a dip during that timeframe, as well. I’ll keep my eyes open, though, and I’ll cherish each outsized opportunity that comes along. How have your applications gone this spring, and what are you looking forward to this summer?
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That +5 referral bonus on AMEX cards has been nice. I don’t really mess with VGC but it’s been easy to earn a ton back just on getting gift cards for travel and stores our family already had plans to buy (stacking with the cruise status match offers from Caesars Diamond the gift cards further discounted what part was left to pay).
Why did you get denied for the Capital One Venture X Business?