I usually hover between having 10-12 credits cards, though over the last few months I’ve cancelled two cards (the American Express Hilton Honors Business Card and one of my two Chase Ink Business Preferred cards) and currently have 9 cards:
- American Express Business Platinum
- American Express Business Plus
- American Express Hilton Honors Aspire
- Capital One Venture X
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Chase Ink Business Preferred
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business
- Chase United Explorer
I wasn’t planning to apply for any new credit cards until the details of the Alaska Atmos Summit Card were released (including the 105,000 point sign-up bonus, which includes 5,000 points that I’ll get for registering my interest in the card with Alaska months ago). At the same time, I saw a post from View from the Wing about earning 70,000 American Airlines miles simply by using the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard once, which was enticing.
I decided to apply for both the cards within a few minutes from each other and was pretty surprised at the results:
- For the Alaska Atmos Summit Card, I was told that I wasn’t approved for the card. Bummer.
- For the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard, I was told I’d receive a letter about the decision (which has happened to me before).
Now even though I do have a fair amount of credit cards, I have a FICO credit card score of 823 (which is considered “Exceptional”) and am lucky to have a high income and, because of those two factors, I don’t think I’ve been rejected for a credit card in 5+ years. I got two new credits in the last year — the American Express Business Gold and Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business cards — so chalked the rejection up to that.
But when I checked the mail today, I got the letters from Bank of America and Barclays and they both said I wasn’t declined for either of the cards, but needed to provide more information.
For the Alaska Atmos Summit Card, I was asked to provide: a paystub or latest tax returns and to fill out this form on the SSA website (which I guess allows them to verify my social security number). I actually am a little worried about the tax return piece, as I’m a Los Angeles resident and Los Angeles residents don’t need to file out 2024 taxes until October 15, 2025 because of the wildfires. So I sent them my 2023 taxes, a document from my accountant regarding my 2024 income, and a letter explaining why I don’t have my 2024 taxes and my expected income for 2025. Fingers crossed that works.
For the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard, it was even more odd as they asked me to send them a copy of my driver’s license, a utility bill, and a copy of my social security card. I didn’t love the idea of sending those things through the mail, but 70,000 AA miles is 70,000 AA miles.
I will say that to Bank of America/Alaska’s credit, they sent me a prepaid envelope for me to mail everything back where with Barclays/AA, I had to mail it myself back, but whatever.
I am curious to see what happens now — while it won’t be the end of the world if I don’t get either, I do really want the Alaska Atmos Summit Card, as with my spending I can easily earn Alaska MVP Gold status (I know, I know, I said I would stop chasing status, but I just can’t quit the gamification of it all).
Did anyone else have similar experiences when applying for either of these cards? Let me know in the comments!
4 comments
I applied with Barclays for the Hawaiian business card a few months ago. Even though I have an existing business credit card relationship with them where I charge over $10K a month on my business card Barclays wanted all of the same stuff as you. I ordered a new Social Security card and sent in everything they wanted. I got a letter back asking for the same so I resent the documents. They sent me another letter asking for the stuff again so I called and they said they couldn’t make out the information, which surprised me but I did it again. Then they ran another inquiry, doubtless because it had been so long. After that I got another letter stating the same problem. At that point I just gave up and called to have them close the application.
Despite this massive cluster yesterday I applied for the soon-to-no-longer-be-available personal Hawaiian card and was approved instantly. At this point I just don’t know what to make of Barclay’s but I do know that if they require documents again and don’t allow anything but faxes or USPS then I’ll probably decide it’s not remotely worth the hassle. I wish I could offer you a more cheerful data point but maybe I’m just an outlier.
I applied for both cards was approved for the Atmos Summit and pending further review for the Aviator Red. A couple days later I got called by a Barclays rep and asked some questions about my income, job history, average spend on my existing credit cards and I was approved. For the Aviator Red I gambled on applying because I had closed my first card in November 2024 and had held it since October 2021. I found a mixed bag of data points regarding reapplying for the Aviator Red from no bonus allowed if earned previously within two or four years and also cancelling the card then waiting 6 months or two years. The 70,000 mile offer was too good to pass up so I gave it a shot.
Yep same here. How many pages of 2023 tax returns did you send? I am debating on whether to send or forget it.
I just sent 2 pages (the 2nd page was “signed” by my accountant, but he only really typed his name). I really hope it will work.