A Beginner’s Guide to Building a Credit Card Application Strategy by Erik Paquet and Mark Jackson May 25, 2025 14 U.S banks play a huge role in the travel rewards ecosystem. Learning about credit card application rules won’t be the most exciting part of your points-and-miles education, but it’s hard to overstate the importance of building a healthy relationship with the banks for your credit card application strategy. In this post, we explain how to build a sustainable, long-term strategy.
Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions [2025] by Ian Snyder May 24, 2025 128 Wondering which credit card you can apply for next? Issuer rules vary widely — and much of the information out there is incomplete or unpublished. This guide breaks down major bank restrictions, including Chase’s 5/24 rule and which issuers expect you to have a checking account. We’ve compiled what’s known, plus community data points, all in one place.
Why Starting With Chase Cards Matters if You’re Under 5/24 by Ian Snyder May 24, 2025 0 If you're new to the points and miles hobby or looking to dive deeper after just dipping your toes in, you'll want to develop a solid earning strategy. This applies to both welcome offers and ongoing rewards. To do so, you need to understand the rules and restrictions card issuers have in place. With Chase offering so many lucrative bonuses, we recommend designing your credit card strategy around their 5/24 rule. Here's how you best do that, and the potential cost of ignoring this unwritten rule.
How To Check Your Chase 5/24 Status for Free by Brie Bash and Ryan Smith May 24, 2025 73 Chase's 5/24 rule is one of the strictest — and one of the more (in)famous — credit card application rules. However, Chase doesn't publicize this rule or tell you what your 5/24 status is. Here are the best free methods for checking your 5/24 status.
Chase 5/24 Rule Explained: What It Is and How to Work Around It by Brie Bash and Miguel Rueda May 24, 2025 79 For points and miles enthusiasts, the Chase 5/24 rule is one of the most notorious restrictions you'll run into when applying for a new rewards card. It's a rule that can be confusing and frustrating. In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the Chase 5/24 rule.
Cardless Now Lets You Hold More Than One Credit Card — With Some Limits by Mark Jackson May 21, 2025 0 Cardless' one-card-at-a-time rule was seemingly limiting business, and it's now been removed. Cardholders now have the ability to sign up for more than one card at a time. With interesting co-brand partners, these niche offerings might entice readers. Just watch out for the new restrictions now in place.
Getting a Small Business Credit Card Is Easier Than You Think — Here’s How to Apply by Tyler Glatt May 9, 2025 3 Business credit cards are handy tools, and almost anyone can apply for one. No matter your hustle, there's a good chance you qualify for a small business card. The process can be overwhelming if you've never applied for a business credit card, so we've broken it down into three easy steps. Here's all you need to know about business cards.
Who Is Eligible to Earn the Welcome Bonus on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card? by Mark Jackson and Ben Nickel-D'Andrea April 15, 2025 16 The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of our favorite travel rewards cards. But who is and isn't eligible for its welcome bonus? In this post, we'll cover all the rules that can make or break your eligibility to earn the current Sapphire Preferred welcome bonus.
Citi Adds New Restrictions to The Citi Strata Premier Card’s Welcome Bonus — Here’s What Changed by Lauren Wynn April 9, 2025 1 The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card offers a great mix of value and perks; it's one of my favorite "keeper cards" in my wallet. However, if you're looking to earn a bonus on this card, there are new terms and conditions attached to its welcome bonus. Here's what you need to know.
The 16 Best Small-Business Credit Card Offers for June 2025 by Jess Farley and Ryan Smith April 4, 2025 2 Want to leverage your business expenses to earn a stack of cash back or travel rewards? We've put together the best business credit card offers available to new applicants this month. Whether you are a business owner, freelancer, consultant, or entrepreneur, there is a card to suit your goals and budget.
Best Chase Credit Card Combinations: From Simple 2-Card Setups to 5-Card Power Combos by Ajay Jain and Mark Jackson March 22, 2025 78 Looking to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points quickly in order to maximize your premium airline and hotel redemptions? We've put together multiple card setups ranging from two to five cards in order to help you earn the most points from each dollar you spend.
How to Manage Your Credit Score to Unlock the Best Travel Rewards by Jenna Hansen and Ashley Onadele March 8, 2025 58 Keeping track of your credit score is imperative when it comes to maximizing your credit card rewards and benefits. This article will show you how to track and manage your credit score, plus what you should be doing regularly to make yourself look good in the eyes of the banks.
Decoding Marriott’s Credit Card Rules: What You Need to Know Before Applying by Miguel Rueda and Mark Jackson January 24, 2025 47 American Express and Chase have complex application rules for the Marriott co-branded cards, making it harder for applicants to obtain welcome offers on more than one card or understand their eligibility. Here, we break down eligibility for each card's bonus.
Amex Card Combos to Maximize Membership Rewards Earnings for Minimal Fees by Jess Farley and Brie Bash November 7, 2024 19 American Express Membership Rewards is one of the premier flexible rewards programs available to points and miles fans. You can earn Membership Rewards (MR) via a slew of different credit cards, and you can collect every point into a single account which then transfers to almost 20 different airline and hotel partners.
What’s the Difference Between a Charge Card and a Credit Card? by Ajay Jain and Scott Sikes September 4, 2024 22 Charge cards and credit cards are commonly thought of as the same. They have similar application processes, usually have a hard pull on your credit report, and can be used interchangeably to make purchases. However, there are significant differences between how credit cards and charge cards work. Here's a breakdown of the differences.
Is Your Wallet Working for You? Here’s How To Evaluate Your Credit Card Portfolio by Tyler Glatt and Ross Denkin August 30, 2024 66 Whether you've got one credit card or a wallet with cards in every slot, it's important to take the time at least once a year to revaluate which credit cards are worth keeping. Your spending habits, travel goals, and ability to utilize credit card perks will change over time—and so will the benefits that come with your cards. Here's our guide to managing the cards in your wallet like a pro.
How To Create a Travel Rewards Credit Card Strategy for Families by Ashley Onadele June 11, 2025 0 The world of points and miles can seem daunting even if you’re just one or two travelers traveling together. Imagine the hurdles that families have to face when trying to figure out how to plan for family travel that involves four or more people. Thankfully, with proper planning and taking advantage of things like pooling points, families can enjoy the benefits of travel with points and miles too. Here’s how to create a travel rewards credit card strategy for families.
When to Downgrade vs. Cancel a Credit Card — And Top Options for Downgrading Your Card by Jess Farley and Dan Miller August 12, 2024 38 Managing the credit cards in your wallet is a crucial component of maximizing rewards travel. If you've decided that a particular card in your wallet no longer supports those goals, that's okay. But first, consider whether you can downgrade your card instead of outright canceling it. Here's when you should downgrade.
How Does a Credit Card Sign-Up Bonus Work? by Kennedy Miller July 22, 2024 51 There are many ways to earn points, but if you’re just getting started, the credit card sign-up bonus is a critical part of your strategy for saving on your next trip. Here's our breakdown of how sign-up bonuses work and why you should care about earning them.
How Can I Receive Welcome Offers From Multiple Delta Amex Cards? by Kennedy Miller February 6, 2025 83 With so many Delta co-branded credit cards available, one of the most common questions we field on the blog and in our Award Travel 101 Facebook community is, "Can I hold multiple Delta Amex cards?" In the past, the answer was a resounding "yes!" However, that answer has changed to a muddy "maybe." Here's what you need to know about earning welcome bonuses on multiple SkyMiles cards — and why it's worth carrying more than one Delta Amex card.
What Is a Credit Card Reconsideration Call and When Should You Consider Doing It? by Ian Snyder and Tyler Glatt May 31, 2024 1 Sometimes, even with a stellar credit score, a bank doesn't approve you for a new card. The good news is that you have a second shot at approval by calling the credit card reconsideration department. In this post, we cover how reconsideration works, how to prepare for your call, and some tips for approval.
Who Is Eligible for the Welcome Bonus on the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card? by Kennedy Miller May 29, 2024 31 Are you eligible for the 60,000-point bonus on the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card? Like many card issuers, Citi implements a few policies that limit who can earn a lucrative welcome bonus. In this post, we'll break down all the rules you need to know before applying for a ThankYou® Rewards card.
How To Meet Minimum Spending Requirements on New Credit Cards by Ryan Smith June 5, 2024 50 There's a hesitation I see regularly about applying for travel rewards credit cards is about the minimum spending requirement to earn a welcome bonus. Some people feel the spending requirements are too high for their income levels. Others think that much spending sounds rash — as if it's a surefire way to get into credit card debt. Thankfully, there are ways to put spending on a new credit card without increasing your overall spending. Here are our tips on how to meet minimum spending requirements to earn a new bonus without busting your budget.
How To Plan a Long-Term Credit Card Strategy by Carissa Rawson May 25, 2024 1 Crafting the perfect credit card portfolio is a long-term process, especially as your lifestyle changes and cards are updated. Let's take a look at some long-term strategies for success, including which how to decide which cards to get next and which to keep in your wallet for the long run.
Card Question: Do You Need a Chase Sapphire Card Before Getting a Chase Ink or Unlimited? by JT Genter April 16, 2025 2 The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card both offer valuable sign-up bonuses. One reader reached out to ask if he needed to have an existing Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® before applying for an Ink card to convert that cash-back bonus into transferrable Ultimate Rewards points. We break down the answer in this post.
Why You Should Be Strategic With Your Cardless Applications by Tyler Glatt May 6, 2024 0 The Cardless credit card portfolio is nothing short of interesting. In its current form, Cardless offers a trio of airline credit cards alongside a Simon American Express product. In the past, Cardless featured credit cards for sports teams, and soon, it will roll out four new cards spread across Avianca and Qatar Airways. However, according to Cardless' website, there's a potential restriction you'll want to be aware of before you apply for your first Cardless credit card. Simply put, you may not be able to get another one. Emphasis on may.
Does Adding a Credit Card Improve Your Credit Score? by Dan Miller March 21, 2024 39 One of the more confusing aspects of rewards travel is how applying for credit cards affects your credit score. Conventional wisdom has it that applying for more credit cards will negatively affect your credit score, and is somehow frowned upon by lenders and credit providers. But that’s not the case. A strong credit file with many credit accounts and a proven history of on-time payments is exactly what creditors want.
What Is a ‘Player 2’ in Points and Miles? by Samantha Holland February 16, 2024 0 A "Player 2" can help you level up your points and miles hobby in a variety of ways. Learn more about what it means to team with other people while earning and redeeming points and miles, including how to stay organized, work together, and earn referral bonuses. Here's everything you should know about what a Player 2 is.
Amex Adds ‘Family’ Restrictions to the American Express® Green Card by Tyler Glatt February 8, 2024 0 Continuing with its effort of adding "family" language to what now seems like all of its credit card offerings, American Express rolled out new terms on the American Express® Green Card. Yes, there are now more restrictions on who can receive a welcome bonus on the card. Here's what you need to know about the new terms attached to Amex Green Card applications.
How To Get the Chase Sapphire Reserve® by Dan Miller February 7, 2024 0 If you're looking for information on how to get the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, we've got you covered. You'll pay a hefty annual fee to keep this card, but the benefits truly are second to none. Let's look at a few tips to increase your chances for approval if you apply, as well as what to do if you aren't approved right away.
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