Following a short string of applications that didn’t pan out, I had a double win with two recent approvals. I’ve dialed back the number of cards I apply for, and although it would have been nice to get both of the business cards I’d wanted, I’m happy enough with the two personal ones I picked up.
Sure, with “5/24 day” coming up I’m reminded that the 5/24 planning could have been better. But with the business card door seemingly closed, I decided to go for a personal Chase card followed by another one I’d been eyeing. Fortunately, both were instant approvals.
Card 1: British Airways Credit Card
I’d waffled around on which personal Chase card to get next. I struck out on two Chase business card applications in the past four months, so I had some trepidation about applying for a personal card. I’ve dropped a couple Chase cards over the past year, but I’d also picked up a couple. With multiple hotel cards, a suite of Inks, and a couple other products, I’m fairly set. But I figured an airline card would be best.
The United Explorer would make the most sense, but I’m ineligible for the bonus. Had the Southwest card’s offered an elevated bonus, I may have gone that route. But it’s been ages since I’ve had an Avios earning card, so I ended up going with the British Airways Visa. Hard to say no to 100,000 points. And this time it won’t require the $20,000 spend necessary last time I had it. The earning rates aren’t a selling point. This one caught my eye on the sign-up bonus and features.
But there are other Avios-earning cards. Why this one over the others? Well, it was a harder decision than you may have thought. I did heavily consider the Iberia card. But the need to spend $30,000 on it to get the $1,000 voucher seemed like a reach. Plus, having gone to Spain twice in the last 18 months and with another trip on the calendar for late 2025, heading to Great Britain seems more likely. The British Airways Visa offers the rebate on award taxes and fees, which could make me willing to pull the trigger on a trip in off-peak season. This seemed the most-likely-to-be-used perk among the features of the few Avios earning cards.
But if I don’t use the miles to head to jolly old England, there are still some other great uses of Avios. The biggest bummer is that the options within the Americas have been seriously devalued.
Card 2: Wyndham Rewards Earner+ Card
My second choice was the Wyndham Earner+ card. I’ve had the Earner Business for a few years now, and it is a fixture in my wallet. Earning 8X points on gas that I can use for vacation rentals? Easy choice.
The Earner+ doesn’t have quite the same attractive niche earning, but it does offer a solid bonus — 90,000 points after $2,000 in spending at time of writing. The 4X points at dining and grocery stores isn’t a huge pull. I’ll give it some grocery use. But I have a couple better options for restaurants. It also offers annual bonus points and only a $75 annual fee.
I’ll be glad to bank some points for use this fall or next spring for a trip with my sons. Our first Vacasa experience was back in 2023, and it was highly enjoyable. I’ve had my eyes on a few rentals within a half day drive, and this would give us the points for a great “local” vacation.
Where Do I Go From Here?
Given that I now won’t drop below 5/24 until May 2026, I’ll be looking at non-Chase personal cards for the next several months. After that, I’ll begin the “cooling off” period again of the occasional business card.
Overall, I’m happy with my portfolio of cards. But some targets include the avianca lifemiles American Express® Elite Card, the Capital One Venture card, and the Citi Strata Premier. I’ll give others with elevated offers a look. But these three are my top prospects.
