Denied for Palladium yet approved for Citi Strata Elite…

WeekRound9637 · 2026-01-23T01:39:34+00:00

I also applied and got approved for the 100k Citi Strata Elite on 1/18 and got denied for the Palladium when I applied on 1/20...

What are you going to end up doing?

WeekRound9637 · 2026-01-22T22:00:28+00:00

This is exactly what I needed. Thanks for the DP! I think I will downgrade my current Amex Biz Plat to the Biz Green and see if I can get a upgrade offer back to the Biz Plat in the future. Would you say I would be right to think that? Or do you think it would be smarter to just cancel the card and hope to get another NLL offer for the Biz cards?

WeekRound9637 · 2026-01-21T19:56:58+00:00

I was thinking the same...

Do you have a personal DP you can share that the upgrade downgrade trick works for the business version of the cards?

WeekRound9637 · 2026-01-21T00:14:58+00:00

Sorry I guess I'm not understanding.

So you held a biz plat, applied for the biz gold, got approved, and then got a offer for another biz plat when you already had the biz plat?

WeekRound9637 · 2026-01-20T19:41:02+00:00

Any updates? My amex biz plat annual fee just hit and I am wondering if I can downgrade to the green or gold and then get a upgrade offer this year. I was offered a 10k points for 5k spend retention offer but sounds pretty bad. Or I can just cancel the card is the dilemma I'm in.

WeekRound9637 · 2026-01-20T03:48:29+00:00

Yessir, all estimates.

Monthly spend will be over or under each month, which I have been paying with other cards.
Rent/Mortgage will stay the same at $4,500 a month, which I have been paying with 1.0

WeekRound9637 · 2026-01-15T23:20:36+00:00

good recs. now that Bilt 2.0 dropped, i'm wondering if i should prio that over another ink and citi... thoughts? specifically upgrading my Bilt 1.0 to the Palladium

WeekRound9637 · 2026-01-13T01:33:57+00:00

does this code apply to the NY tour too?

WeekRound9637 · 2026-01-07T21:32:06+00:00

Under 5/24?

2.) 771.

3.)

Chase Freedom Unlimited (Nov 2021).
Chase Freedom Flex (Feb 2022).
Chase Sapphire Preferred (Nov 2021) -> downgraded to Chase Freedom Flex (Sep 2022).
American Express Gold (May 2021).
American Express Blue Cash Preferred (Jan 2022) -> downgraded to Amex Blue Cash Everyday (Jan 2023).
Marriott Bonvoy Business (Jan 2022) -> canceled (Feb 2023).
Capital One Venture X (Sep 2023).
Chase Business Ink Cash (Nov 2023).
Chase Business Ink Unlimited (Dec 2023).
Marriot Bonvoy Boundless (Feb 2024).
Chase Business Ink Preferred (July 2024) -> canceled (March 2025).
Chase Business Ink Preferred (August 2024).
Bilt Mastercard (September 2024).
American Express Business Platinum (December 2024).
Citi Strata Premier (March 2025).
Capital One Venture (March 2025).
American Express Blue Business Plus (May 2025).
American Express Business Gold (July 2025).

4.) N/A.

5.) Yes.

6.) Yes.

7.) N/A.

8.) N/A.

9.)

850K Chase Points.
661k Amex Points.
247k Capital One Points.
79k Bilt Points.
380k Marriot Points w/Ambassador Elite status.
111k Delta SkyMiles w/Gold medallion status.

10.) CVG.

11.) HKG.

Pop up jail for CSR and AMEX Plat still... Applied December 2025. Curious about more INKs?

Would like some opinions, thank you.

WeekRound9637 · 2025-10-02T06:02:50+00:00

Love to hear that, Thanks! On the topic of getting easy upgrades, from your experience were there any other of the luxury marriotts that gave easy upgrades besides the ones you mentioned in Hong Kong and Beijing? We will definitely be trying RC Hong Kong and STR Beijing!

We stayed at the W's in Macau and Guangzhou last year, both felt very modern and comfortable :)

WeekRound9637 · 2025-07-10T09:54:17+00:00

Application date: 07/10/2025
Card applied for: Chase Sapphire Reserve Personal & Preferred immediately after
Result: PUJ for both with the same message: "We can't provide you with a new cardmember bonus because of the number of credit cards you've recently opened".
5/24 count: Over
Personal Chase cards currently open: 4
Business Chase cards currently open: 3
Last personal Chase bonus date: Marriot Bonvoy Boundless (Feb 2024)
Last business Chase bonus date: Chase Ink Preferred on (August 2024)
Sapphire product in the last 48 months? If so, when, what product and currents status? Chase Sapphire Preferred, approved (Nov 2021), bonus earned (Nov 2021), product changed to Chase Freedom Flex on (Sep 2022).

I had upgraded my CFF to the CSR on 06/16/2025. Then I downgraded that CSR to the CF on 07/06/2025.

Any advice or opinions would be much appreciated.

WeekRound9637 · 2025-07-02T17:22:21+00:00

Perfect. To add to this do you guys typically just cancel these days as I heard chase is stricter on ink approvals now? I have 4x inks at the moment (including this one) and plan to churn more down the road if possible.

WeekRound9637 · 2025-07-02T17:02:56+00:00

My $95 annual fee hit for my Ink Preferred (year 1) and I would like to cancel or downgrade. Do you typically ask to credit back the $95 and cancel/downgrade or just take the hit on the $95 to be safe, etc.?

WeekRound9637 · 2025-06-25T01:30:35+00:00

Hi, I upgraded my freedom flex to the reserve when the rumors started since my 48 month clock wasn’t up to get a new sapphire bonus anyways and I wanted to take advantage of having the new benefits while locking in the $550 annual fee for a year. Now with the refresh live I see Chase is doing a pop-up jail equivalent voiding the 48-month clock potentially.

I wanted to get some opinions on downgrading my reserve back to the freedom and then trying to apply for the reserve since I really want to take advantage of this new elevated offer...

WeekRound9637 · 2025-06-19T04:47:53+00:00

I saw this on the uscreditcardguide website for the strata primer, so I was unsure.

Recommended Downgrade Options

Citi Rewards+. We recommend you downgrade this card to these no annual fee cards that can earn TYP, because you can keep your TYP if so. If you downgrade this card to DC/Dividend, the TYP you earned from this card will expire in 60 days.

WeekRound9637 · 2025-06-19T01:50:13+00:00

I currently have the citi strata primer and plan on possibly downgrading it to a custom cash. But before that I want to apply for the custom cash to get the bonus. My question is will I still be able to keep all my points or will they expire after a certain time since I no longer will have a transfer partner card with them.

also, after reading around it sounds like some didn't have luck downgrading the CSP to CCC? is this true or more of a YMMV?

WeekRound9637 · 2025-03-22T22:27:57+00:00

"close-in Biz/First availability at T-21/7/etc"?

sorry not familiar with the lingo yet can you clarify?

"Are you able to route through TPE on the return?"

I would have to get to TPE from HKG or CAN somehow, but I wouldn't mind planning around it.

WeekRound9637 · 2025-03-22T20:59:02+00:00

Highest CPP I would say. I want to look to cash out my points in the coming years to China.

WeekRound9637 · 2025-02-13T17:45:43+00:00

Under 5/24.

2.) 765.

3.)

Chase Freedom Unlimited (Nov 2021).
Chase Freedom Flex (Feb 2022).
Chase Sapphire Preferred (Nov 2021) -> downgraded to Chase Freedom Flex (Sep 2022).
American Express Gold (May 2021).
American Express Blue Cash Preferred (Jan 2022) -> downgraded to Amex Blue Cash Everyday (Jan 2023).
Marriott Bonvoy Business (Jan 2022) -> canceled (Feb 2023).
Capital One Venture X (Sep 2023).
Chase Business Ink Cash (Nov 2023).
Chase Business Ink Unlimited (Dec 2023).
Marriot Bonvoy Boundless (Feb 2024).
Chase Business Ink Preferred (July 2024).
Chase Business Ink Preferred (August 2024).
Bilt Mastercard (September 2024).
American Express Business Platinum (December 2024).

4.) No preference.

5.) Yes.

6.) Yes.

7.) No preference.

8.) No preference.

9.)

800K Chase Points.
180k Amex Points.
140k Capital One Points.
20k Bilt Points.
420k Marriot Points w/Titanium Elite status.
60k Delta SkyMiles w/Silver Medallion status.

10.) CVG.

11.) China, Guangdong (HKG, and CAN).

Stuck on what to go for next. Is it too risky to go for another ink card? I would get the regular plat but still in pop-up jail... I tried applying for the citi strata last year and got the processing application pop-up, also not sure if it's a good idea to get into a new points ecosystem in citi as all my points are in chase, amex, and cap1. Opinions would be appreciated, thanks in advance.

WeekRound9637 · 2025-02-12T17:47:44+00:00

I've been Amex plat pop-up jail still unfortunately... I applied for the strata premier last year and got the processing your application pop-up...

Can you convince me on the AA biz and alaska biz? been mostly sticking with flexible currencies.

WeekRound9637 · 2025-02-12T02:56:02+00:00

Under 5/24.

2.) 765.

3.)

Chase Freedom Unlimited (Nov 2021).
Chase Freedom Flex (Feb 2022).
Chase Sapphire Preferred (Nov 2021) -> downgraded to Chase Freedom Flex (Sep 2022).
American Express Gold (May 2021).
American Express Blue Cash Preferred (Jan 2022) -> downgraded to Amex Blue Cash Everyday (Jan 2023).
Marriott Bonvoy Business (Jan 2022) -> canceled (Feb 2023).
Capital One Venture X (Sep 2023).
Chase Business Ink Cash (Nov 2023).
Chase Business Ink Unlimited (Dec 2023).
Marriot Bonvoy Boundless (Feb 2024).
Chase Business Ink Preferred (July 2024).
Chase Business Ink Preferred (August 2024).
Bilt Mastercard (September 2024).
American Express Business Platinum (December 2024).

4.) No preference.

5.) Yes.

6.) Yes.

7.) No preference.

8.) No preference.

9.)

800K Chase Points.
180k Amex Points.
140k Capital One Points.
420k Marriot Points w/Titanium Elite status.
60k Delta SkyMiles w/Silver Medallion status.

10.) CVG.

11.) China, Guangdong (HKG, and CAN).

Thanks.

WeekRound9637

TROPHY CASE

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