Cuttoff day for spending threshold

[Fefferkorn]

What exactly is the cuttoff day for when CC companies say you have 3 months/6 months etc to spend X amt. and get the signup bonus?
3 months from when applied? approved? activated?
Any difference between Chase, Amex, Citi?

A question pertaining to this subject:
I currently have a Chase Sapphire application which was denied and I have 30 days to call Reconsideration to push it through. In the meantime I have other cards which I'm working on spending in order to get the signup bonus for those.
Should I call Chase as late as possible thereby buying myself time and making my 3 months to spend $3K expire LATER, or did my 3 months start already?

[AsherO]

I'd say first three billing cycles, or from the date your account was opened (should be the same thing).

[Fefferkorn]

I'd say first three billing cycles, or from the date your account was opened (should be the same thing).

IME it's usually not the same thing..
I apply for a card on the 5th and it comes with the billing cycle on the 20th (example).

I started this thread to get the nitty gritty on this...

Also what would you say about my case with Chase recon that I asked in the OP?

[A3]

I had a prob with Amex once bec I thought it was 3 months from when I activated the card. Turns out it was 3 months from when I was approved for the card.
They ended up giving me the points but It took a few phone calls.

[Fefferkorn]

I had a prob with Amex once bec I thought it was 3 months from when I activated the card. Turns out it was 3 months from when I was approved for the card.
They ended up giving me the points but It took a few phone calls.

Thanks for your input on this.
You think other bank differ on the matter or they're all the same?

[pianodude]

What exactly is the cuttoff day for when CC companies say you have 3 months/6 months etc to spend X amt. and get the signup bonus?

I have asked Amex, Chase, Barclay, BofA and Citi this question when activating cards.  In almost all instances they have told me the the clock starts at when I was approved for the card.  I would venture to say the couple CSRs who told me otherwise were incorrect.

[JEWDA]

In almost all instances they have told me the the clock starts at when I was approved for the card.

+1

[JS69]

Just SM them and ask. I have done it many times asking what date I have to meet my spending requirement on.

[Smokey Joe Robinson]

Just SM them and ask. I have done it many times asking what date I have to meet my spending requirement on.

+1

chase gives 93 days from approval eventhough there arent any 3 subsequent 31 day months in a year.

[Fefferkorn]

+1

chase gives 93 days from approval eventhough there arent any 3 subsequent 31 day months in a year.

So, based on this, I should probably wait to push through my SP with recon to buy me more time..
Anyone else can confirm this?

[AJK]

Just got off the phone with a high-level rep at Chase.

FWIW, they give 103 days from the time the account is OPENED.

[Fefferkorn]

OPENED.

=Approval via recon?

[AJK]

=Approval via recon?

Correct.

[Shmelly]

I received a Plat and an MB Plat today; I have $5K in transactions that will be made next week. I was thinking that I should wait to activate the cards until next week, thus giving me a few extra days to receive the points before cancelling. Does anyone know if the rules mentioned in this thread apply to annual fees as well? Does delaying activation have any benefit whatsoever?

[meshugener]

Has nothing to do with card activation.