Rate my last round of applications – 247,721 points with 5 credit cards

I recently signed up for these cards and earned these respective point balances.

1) Citi AAdvantage Executive, World Elite Mastercard

This card requires a minimum spend of $10,000 which pushes the miles you will receive to 110,000+. The annual fee is a hefty $450 but is offset by a $200 spending bonus whch posted for in the first statement - no AA purchase was required.

2) Club Carlson Visa card

I wanted this card so bad but US Bank kept declining me before. The biggest advantage is the ability to get the last night of a 2 night stay free. This effectively doubles your Club Carlson point balance if you use it for 2 night stays. My existing 200,000 points just doubled in value!

Additionally this card now shows 112,121 pending. I used it in some Club Carlson hotels but not sure why the balance is that high. It should be a minimum of 87,500 points you should earn after completing the minimum spend.

The annual fee is not waived.

3) Chase Marriott Rewards Card 70,000

This card has been on and off with this sign up bonus. Chase also throws in one free night (category 1-4). There are a lot of hotels in the San Francisco Bay Area that are a category 2 but charge $350+ a night. 10,000 Marriott points replace $300 in room rates - so this card gives me $2,400 in rooms.

So far I got 71,005 points and a free night.

The annual fee is waived for the first year.

4) US Airways Premier World Mastercard
I thought this card could disappear soon so I went for it. So far only 18 miles have posted while the agent confirmed the sign-up bonus should post 'soon'.

The first time I signed up for this card a couple of years ago I got a credit limit of $750 and now it was $18,000 in an instant approval. :)

The annual fee of $89 is not waived.

US Airways only allowed you to book Star Alliance awards until 3/31.

5) Starwood American Express

This card usually comes with a 25,000 Starpoints offer - so I jumped on it when it was 30,000 for a limited time (usually early in the year for some weeks). Including the minimum spend for the full bonus I received 36,522 Starpoints so far. This translates into 41,522 airline miles with all of Starwoods airline partners (5,000 bonus for each 20,000 transferred).

American Express gave me just $1,000 credit limit for this card (though I was instantly approved). My other American Express card has $20,000 in limit - seems a bit random to me.

The annual fee is waived for the first year.