Credit Card Strategy Quick Thoughts: Why I Applied for Two Cards on the Same Day
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EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE:
Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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This past week, I did something I have never done. We’re talking over 5 years of opening credit cards for travel rewards perks, and this was a FIRST for me.
I opened TWO credit cards on the same day. 👀
So for today’s quick thoughts, I’m sharing a peek into my strategy.
The cards I opened
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
First up, I jumped on an offer in my American Express account for this no annual fee (rates & fees) business card. My targeted offer was for 25,000 Membership Rewards® points (keep in mind that this will vary from a public offer), which was a pretty good deal for that $0 annual fee.
➡️RELATED: All About Business Credit Cards and How to Apply for Them
Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card
Next up, let’s talk about why this airline program isn’t talked about more?! Maybe people aren’t sure what it is, or maybe some don’t realize the killer award flight deals you can find through Alaska Airlines, but either way….I’m here to change that. 😉
I opened this card with the intention of using the miles to book business class partner deals to Europe (which you can find for as low as 45,000 points each way 🤯🔥) for next summer’s travel.
This card has a relatively low annual fee and offers a unique $99 Companion Fare benefit to be used on a cash fare.
➡️Related: All About Atmos Rewards
Why I applied for these cards
For a little over a year, I have NOT been on Amex’s nice list. 👎🏼 I have applied for a few different cards and have gotten the dreaded pop up message every time telling me that I was not eligible for the welcome offer (often referred to as “pop-up jail”)
I had been seeing that offer for the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Expressin my account for months, and I figured that taking this offer and starting with a lower tier card might help be get back in their good graces!
So I applied….and….REVIEW. Womp, womp.
Since I didn’t have high hopes of an eventual approval, I moved on to my next best option: the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card.
We’re planning on visiting Europe next summer, so I really needed to replenish my stash of flight points after booking our big trip to Thailand.
I applied for the card and…instant approval! 🎉
Things to consider
There are a few reasons why I took the chance and applied this way:
👉🏻These cards were from two different banks.
👉🏻One was a business card and one was personal.
👉🏻The total minimum spend was a manageable amount for us ($8,500 over 3-4 months)
And now I will be taking a longer break before opening my next card to make sure my credit score stays high!
Which is still sitting at 826 after both applications. ⬇️
Bottom line
I was pleasantly surprised when I got my approval for the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express a few days later, and now I’m carefully tracking my spending and minimum spend deadline for both cards.
This is not necessarily something I recommend doing on a regular basis, but I made sure that I had a budget and a plan for the spending if I got approved for both, and I made sure that I varied the type of card and bank I was applying to.
And while this worked for me, I always recommend doing what works best for you, your budget, and your travel goals! 👏🏻✈️
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
