Instant Approval For 5 New Rewards Cards, I’ll Earn 460,000 Points In Bonuses

Instant Approval For 5 New Rewards Cards, I’ll Earn 460,000 Points In Bonuses

by Gary Leff on January 20, 2024

I applied – and was instantly approved – for five new rewards credit cards this weekend. I’ll share with you the offers I decided to take advantage of, and my thinking with each. Four were small business cards, none of which were subject to or add to “5/24” (where Chase will only approve you if you have had fewer than 5 new cards in the last 24 months). Only one card, the Alaska Visa with its elevated 70,000 mile offer, was a consumer card.

1. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has an offer to earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Cardmembership. When I clicked on it, I was targeted to earn 150,000 points instead.

   The card has a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees) but I’m good with that not just because of the initial bonus but also because of $400 – $600 in statement credits I expect to benefit from once I opt in and make qualifying charges.

   
   American Express Membership Rewards Transfer To Etihad

2. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has an offer to earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. I often transfer my Chase points to Hyatt but of course have a number of options.

   Lots of readers have reported being approved for this card despite being over 5/24.

   
   Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer To Air Canada, In Whose Vancouver Signature Suite I Enjoyed This Tomahawk Steak

3. CitiBusiness^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® Mastercard^® is offering 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening. This card has a $0 annual fee the first year (then $99). [See rates and fees]

   
   My American Airlines First Class Trip To Sydney Last Summer Won’t Be My Last After All, I’ve Booked It Again

4. The Alaska Airlines Credit Card has an offer of 70,000 Mileage Plan miles after $3,000 spend within 90 days and also an Alaska Airlines companion certificate after the same spend ($99 base fare for the companion plus taxes and fees starting at $23).

   It has a $95 annual fee, and Bank of America checking or savings account customers receive a 10% bonus on the miles earned for each dollar spent.

   
   I’ve Redeemed Mileage Plan Miles For Cathay Pacific First Class

5. Alaska Airlines Visa Business Card offers 75,000 Mileage Plan miles and a companion fare certificate after $4,000 in purchases within 90 days of account opening. (You need to enter any six numbers as a referral code to qualify for this 75,000 mile offer rather than the 70,000 that’s available more broadly.)

   Like the consumer card, it has a $95 annual fee and you’ll earn a 10% bonus on all miles earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America business account. Plus, you’ll get $100 off an annual Alaska Lounge membership purchased with the card.

   
   Generally Qatar Airways (And Royal Jordanian) Awards Between U.S. and Mideast Get Less Expensive Under Their Newly Announced Chart

Applying For Small Business Cards

This last week I emailed with a friend who’s a long-time print journalist. He was asking about applying for small business cards, since he does a lot of speaking and writing on the side. It’s 1099 income, he’s a sole proprietor, and he doesn’t have a separate business entity.

I offered that while I can’t guarantee approvals every time, that’s a perfect use case for a small business card.

Among the first things you want to do with a side business are to set up a bank account and get a credit card, to keep funds and expenses separate. Financially professionalizing your 1099 income helps when it comes to tax reporting and to demonstrate to the IRS that it’s a bona fide business (so you can deduct the expenses, which you couldn’t it if were hobby income).

In other words, it’s perfectly normal to have a business credit card on a sole proprietorship with your social security number as tax ID.

My Choice Of Cards

I can never have too many Membership Rewards and Ultimate Rewards points. I wish it was easier to earn Capital One’s miles and Citi ThankYou Rewards as well. Even though The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers a 35% rebate on travel purchased through their portal (up to 1 million points per year, when redeeming for travel with the cardmembers’ preferred airline or for business and first class travel) I’ll still use the points transferred to one of their airline partners.

I haven’t had a CitiBusiness^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® Mastercard^® in several years and having one works better with the new AAdvantage Business program, as much as I lament the loss of Business ExtrAA.

And I’m excited to really double down on Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan since we know the direction they’re going on award pricing and while awards on some long-standing partners in long haul business and first class get somewhat more expensive other awards get cheaper and the net is much much better than what I’d have expected.

Can Never Have Too Many Miles

Credit cards remain the source of a majority of miles, and I need to earn as many as I can since I like to travel often, in premium cabins, with my family.

For rates and fees of the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here

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