My last credit card applications were April of this year, so true to my once every 3 month pledge, I’m ready to apply for credit cards again. My scores are 851 with Experian, 865 with Transunion and 807 Equifax. These scores come from Truecredit and are based on the VantageScore system. The top VantageScore is 990 and I’m looking for scores over 800 on this scale to assure I keep my good credit. If your scores are reported on the FICO scale 700+ is considered a good score and you should stay over that number at all times.

My inquires within the last two years show 7 with Transunion, 14 with Experian and 8 with Equifax. Equifax shows me with one extra open account so the student loan payoff from several months ago must not have posted. My Equifax score actually dropped since I last checked?? It was 835 last time I looked. I have two additional inquiries from July 2008 ready to fall off my report in July, one each from Equifax (my Iphone from AT&T) and one from US Bank that was done by Transunion.

Based on this report, I’m clear to go with either Transunion or Experian and can probably get a card or two from Equifax checked lenders, but I don’t really want to tap that 807 score much.

I hit Chase in November of 2009, December 2009 and February 2010. All three produced Equifax inquiries. I still have not picked up my Chase Sapphire Preferred card that I have been recommending. I like it for the no annual fee feature and the ability to transfer the 25K free points to Continental Onepass miles. When the merger happens with United, they’ll be nice to have in the FF account. But no rush there, although I’d hate to miss the 25K sign up bonus.

I still have not hit the Bank of America Alaska Airlines cards and they show promise. I have three hesitations. 1. The Annual fees on the biz and personal cards. The fact that they two cards total 45K in miles not 50K and 3.That I can’t mix award partners. If I start with a Delta flight I don’t think I can connect with a Alaska flight.

What I really want is a load of hotel points somewhere. I’m still having trouble with our mail forwarding to Michigan and don’t want a card sitting in my mailbox for long periods of time. It is the only reason we did not try another Starwood card without a membership number on the app. Well, that plus the fact the last time I tried it I was shot down

My inquires are worth at least $300 each to me. I don’t care about a standard hotel card offer that I see out there now, so it must be some transfer offer that will work out well OR does any one have info on the soon to be released Hyatt credit card?

I could use your suggestions this time. Any info on the Hyatt card? Know of a terrific offer I can transfer to a boatload of hotel points? or a card or two without a first year fee and nice big bonus. I’ll appreciate your suggestions in the comments box, as will your frugal travel friends.

Maybe I can find a new card from my old friends at Citibank

Thanks