We’ll be staying at the Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Waikiki over Christmas and New Year, all on points! I also have a soft spot for the Moana Surfrider.
I hope you don’t mind the probing questions, but with all the new restrictions on these cards, we need the details to help best navigate around the rules.
1. To confirm, when you say Starwood card, do you mean the SPG personal card? (Not business card?)
Yes, we both had SPG personal only.
2. When did you and your husband receive the signup bonuses on your SPG cards? (As in, roughly the month and year the signup bonus posted to your SPG account.)
Approximately opened card March 2013, September 2013. So most likely bonus posted around August 2013 and Jan 2014. I don’t have statements but can try to get those if needed. This is my best estimate from looking at credit report.
3. When did you and your husband close your SPG cards? (Again, month and year?)
Within one year so approximately March 2014, September 2014, can find exact if needed.
4. Are you under 5/24?
DH is at 5/24 but one is authorized user for my Ink business card. Does this count against him? I am going to pull my credit tonight to look at mine.
5. How many Amex credit cards do you have, and what are they?
None currently. SPG was last Amex.
6. Have you applied for any Amex credit cards in the past 90 days?
No
7. It would really help us develop a strategy for you if you could list all the credit cards you’ve opened in the past 2 years. (Month and year opened, and closed if applicable.)
I will pull my credit tonight and check and update.
If you plan to get DH involved in opening credit cards as “Player 2” (“P2”) in this hobby, so you two can double up on the signup bonuses and refer the other for the referral bonuses, a list of his credit cards opened (and closed) in the past 2 years would be helpful too.
8. Are you open to applying for business credit cards? If you have any sort of side hustle — like selling on eBay, Etsy,
Amazon, craft fairs and bake sales, etc.; baby or pet sitting; consulting; contract work; tutoring; teaching classes; driving for Uber or Lyft; etc. — you can qualify for business cards. And both Chase and Amex each have a business card that earns Marriott points.