Question
Hello,
We have the citi aadvantage credit due for one year annual fee. My husband is the primary on the account and has his american airlines number on the card. We want to close the card and reopen the card for more miles. I got the offer for opening a card with 25000 miles. My question is how to open the account with both of our names, have me as primary and have his american airlines number in the card. is this even possible??
I read somewhere that closing and opening credit card within one year will not pull credit history, is that true??
My husband has about 8 credit cards on his name and i have about 7 and we use only the citi aadvantage card for the past one year, will this affect our credit history if we close and reopen the account
Thanks,
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Hi Welcome to Flyertalk :)
This subject has been discussed in the below links. You can open another account to receive the current 25k mileage promotion. I once had 3 personal AAdvantage and 1 business card at the same time. The best personal card to earn AAdvantage miles is the AMEX Starwood card. Transfer 20k AMEX Starwood points ($1 spent=1 point) to AAdvantage and you will receive 25k miles. Everything you ever would ever want to know about hoarding miles and points is available at the site. Use the search function, it will become your best friend. Good luck and welcome
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=578909&highlight=citi+churning
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=583261&highlight=citi+churning
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"The best personal card to earn AAdvantage miles is the AMEX Starwood card. Transfer 20k AMEX Starwood points ($1 spent=1 point) to AAdvantage and you will receive 25k miles."
I just stumbled into applying for an AMEX for this very reason. So long Citi AAdvantage, at least for my primary! One question though. When I transfer miles into my AAdvantage account from *wood, can you confirm that those miles will count towards my program to date miles. I currently have 1.7M until lifetime PLT and then "game over."
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Yes they count toward "program to date". I am only at 420,000 lifetime. All miles count gifted, flight, purchased, e-bate, credit card, bonus ... they all count. If you are applying for the *wood card make sure you apply using the 6,000 intro bonus as opposed to the 4,000 that is at the amex site. I've tried to find a link but can't.
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If you are applying for the *wood card make sure you apply using the 6,000 intro bonus as opposed to the 4,000 that is at the amex site. I've tried to find a link but can't.
It's on my website below, on the Free Cards page of the Credit Card section.
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https://www201.americanexpress.com/cards/Applyfservlet?csi=6/14478/b/57/1252686964/124215106443/0/n
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Hi Welcome to Flyertalk :)
The best personal card to earn AAdvantage miles is the AMEX Starwood card. Transfer 20k AMEX Starwood points ($1 spent=1 point) to AAdvantage and you will receive 25k miles.
Is this starwood card better than opening citi aadvantage card with intial 25000 bonus mile offer?? Please post your opinion,
thanks
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"The best personal card to earn AAdvantage miles is the AMEX Starwood card. Transfer 20k AMEX Starwood points ($1 spent=1 point) to AAdvantage and you will receive 25k miles."
I just stumbled into applying for an AMEX for this very reason. So long Citi AAdvantage, at least for my primary! One question though. When I transfer miles into my AAdvantage account from *wood, can you confirm that those miles will count towards my program to date miles. I currently have 1.7M until lifetime PLT and then "game over."
I do not think that you can transfer 1 starpoint to 1 AA mile with the Amex Starwood card...the transfer ration is horrible....I am not positive but I suggest you do a search on FT to find out....
any FT'ers can back me up?
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I do not think that you can transfer 1 starpoint to 1 AA mile with the Amex Starwood card...the transfer ration is horrible....I am not positive but I suggest you do a search on FT to find out....
any FT'ers can back me up?
You most certainly can. The horrible transfer ratio is if you want to get Amex MR to AA as the Amex MR->SPG rate is 3:1. But SPG->AA is 1:1 with a 5k bonus for every 20k.
SPG Amex over Citi AA is a no-brainer if you spend a lot of money. Citi AA is preferable if you just want to churn cards as there are much higher signup bonuses available.
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You most certainly can. The horrible transfer ratio is if you want to get Amex MR to AA as the Amex MR->SPG rate is 3:1. But SPG->AA is 1:1 with a 5k bonus for every 20k.
SPG Amex over Citi AA is a no-brainer if you spend a lot of money. Citi AA is preferable if you just want to churn cards as there are much higher signup bonuses available.
Got it...sorry got confused...not an amex user...
OT -- just signed up for my third AADvantage card since May 2006...have earned 45000miles (soon 65000miles)on signup bonuses....no annual fee either...got approved on the website immediatly...
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Quick question -- when you apply online with the AAdvantage card, and you choose the existing Citi member -- do they do a hard pull on your credit repor or do they just look at your currents with Cit?
In the past three times I have applied online, the first time I did not use the "exisitng member" and had to wait for a decision...the next two times, it gave me an instant decision...
just wondering?
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Quick question -- when you apply online with the AAdvantage card, and you choose the existing Citi member -- do they do a hard pull on your credit repor or do they just look at your currents with Cit?
In the past three times I have applied online, the first time I did not use the "exisitng member" and had to wait for a decision...the next two times, it gave me an instant decision...
just wondering?
It's always a hard pull, the "existing member" button is just for a shorter app (they automatically fill in your existing information.)
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Not necessarily "churning" (yet!) but I signed my wife up for the AA card, and she ended up getting two cards in the mail - one Gold and one Platinum. Different account numbers. She called and they said she would earn two enrollment bonuese, and guess what - 15k + 20k just posted!
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Quick question -- when you apply online with the AAdvantage card, and you choose the existing Citi member -- do they do a hard pull on your credit repor or do they just look at your currents with Cit?
In the past three times I have applied online, the first time I did not use the "exisitng member" and had to wait for a decision...the next two times, it gave me an instant decision...
just wondering?
I did this several months ago and it was a hard pull. At the time, they pulled from Equifax. Nothing from TransUnion or Experian.
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Citi is terrible about these hard pulls. Friend had a balance transfer and they did hard pull even on that. Any way to avoid or lower the number of Hard pulls?
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Citi is terrible about these hard pulls. Friend had a balance transfer and they did hard pull even on that. Any way to avoid or lower the number of Hard pulls?
You are right. Citi is worse in hard pulls. I opened 3 CDs with an interval of two weeks each and each time they pulled hard report :mad:
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If your current credit history has been good over the past 6 months and you believe a couple hard pulls wouldn't hurt your score much over the next 6 months, having such pulls now would be ok.
I stayed cleared (no inquiry) for 8 months, then had 2 pulls for Citi AA Plat and AMEX in July. My credit score still stays above 730. And of course, I got to enjoy 20K+15K Bonus for having both cards for free for one year. Free 35K Miles is definitely worth it.
I also have AMEX SPG and I agree with everyone else here that it is one of the best cards out there if you spend a lot each year. SPG points are very valuable and flexible when redeeming (either to redeem a free nite or to convert to miles - except UA (and only a few other programs) which requires 2 SPG points per 1 UA-MP mile).
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Is this starwood card better than opening citi aadvantage card with intial 25000 bonus mile offer?? Please post your opinion,
thanks
Citi has a better bonus, *wood is better for the long term.
If you can, get both and make an initial purchase on the Citi Advantage for the enrollment bonus, then use the *wood AMEX for the rest of your purchases.
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just to confirm: I have one Citi AA personal card, and CAN apply for a second, be approved, receive the miles, and credit to the same AAdvantage account?
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just to confirm: I have one Citi AA personal card, and CAN apply for a second, be approved, receive the miles, and credit to the same AAdvantage account?
Yes, that is correct. Try it, you'll like it! You'll want to collect the whole set!
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Yes, that is correct. Try it, you'll like it! You'll want to collect the whole set!
That's confusing to me. Can you open 2 or 3 cards of the exact same type & get bonus miles each time, or are you saying to collect the personal AMEX, personal MC, business AMEX, business MC (etc) to get the bonus miles each one offers?
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That's confusing to me. Can you open 2 or 3 cards of the exact same type & get bonus miles each time, or are you saying to collect the personal AMEX, personal MC, business AMEX, business MC (etc) to get the bonus miles each one offers?YES. You can have multiple Citibank AAdvantage accounts at the same time linked to the same FF number.
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But can you have multiple cards of the exact same type at the same time? For example, can you open a personal MC and get the bonus even though you have an existing personal MC currently open?
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But can you have multiple cards of the exact same type at the same time? For example, can you open a personal MC and get the bonus even though you have an existing personal MC currently open?
We need to test this theory.
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We need to test this theory.
Been done and Yes.
For the record, you can't quite do it so easily anymore. Citi now limits new applications to 1 personal app each 60 days and 1 Biz app every 90 days.
You're welcome to submit more apps but the results we be negative. Specifically, the Citi computer pulls your credit the instant you hit the submit button on the app. Then, since you will have already submitted an app within the new wait periods the message on the screen will read "needs further reviewing". This means decline now, though it didn't used to. So all you got for your efforts is an extra pull on your report.
This is not speculation and this new policy is probably only 30 days old or so. If your results are different consider yourself lucky and try again if you like, though now that this is in place I don't think its worth the dry runs.
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We need to test this theory.
I currently have 3 Citibank AA Platinum MC Cards, 1 Citibank AA AmEx card, 1 Citibank AA Busines MC and 1 Citibank AA Business Visa all open and active. I have collected bonuses on all of these cards in the last 18 months for a total of 125K miles.
So, I believe it has been tested not only by myself but many others!
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I guess citi is pressuring the 60 day limit....I applied for on on 11/2 and appllied again after 15 dyas...NO GO....
I will wait till end of this month to reapply....
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Been done and Yes.
For the record, you can't quite do it so easily anymore. Citi now limits new applications to 1 personal app each 60 days and 1 Biz app every 90 days.
You're welcome to submit more apps but the results we be negative. Specifically, the Citi computer pulls your credit the instant you hit the submit button on the app. Then, since you will have already submitted an app within the new wait periods the message on the screen will read "needs further reviewing". This means decline now, though it didn't used to. So all you got for your efforts is an extra pull on your report.
This is not speculation and this new policy is probably only 30 days old or so. If your results are different consider yourself lucky and try again if you like, though now that this is in place I don't think its worth the dry runs.
See what you have done anaggie! :eek:
Looks like you could apply for an AA and a PP and that it would work or maybe a VI and MC and AX and it would work. But apparently not. See what loose lips do here on FT.
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See what you have done anaggie! :eek:
Looks like you could apply for an AA and a PP and that it would work or maybe a VI and MC and AX and it would work. But apparently not. See what loose lips do here on FT.
hey it is not my fault....Citi will still you apply....maybe the the posters don't have good credit....
I am still getting what I want....
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I guess citi is pressuring the 60 day limit....I applied for on on 11/2 and appllied again after 15 dyas...NO GO....
I will wait till end of this month to reapply....
your 60day clock would most possibly be reset at the LAST application you submit - if you still would like to experiment, more power to you. Otherwise, it would be advisable to count the 60days from the LAST application.
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If I apply for a Citi Visa on Nov 1, can I apply for a Citi Amex within 60 days?
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If I apply for a Citi Visa on Nov 1, can I apply for a Citi Amex within 60 days?
You can apply for both on the same day.
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I reached my Citibank limit. I applied for one more card and got a call from Citibank saying that four cards open at the same time is the limit and I would have to consolidate my existing cards.
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I reached my Citibank limit. I applied for one more card and got a call from Citibank saying that four cards open at the same time is the limit and I would have to consolidate my existing cards.
Are they four of the same cards? Did you obtain all of them recently? What's your credit score?
AFAIK quite a few have 10+ citicards at the same time, and it's never a problem for citibank. I personally have 6 citicards right now.
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Hello,
I applied to the following Citi AA cards at the same time. By same time I mean that I had three different browser windows open and then clicked on 'Submit' within a few seconds of each other.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® MasterCard® (20K bonus)
Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World MasterCard® (20K bonus)
Citi® Gold / AAdvantage® World MasterCard® (15K bonus)
I got the “we need to review your application” message and thought that I would then get declined. It turns out that I was approved for all three. I’ll try again in a month to see what happens.
My FICO was in the 800s, any one have an idea as to how many points I’ll lose due to Citibanks hard pulls? Just wondering. I get a credit report w/FICO run every month so I’ll find out in mid-December.
- SR
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Been done and Yes.
For the record, you can't quite do it so easily anymore. Citi now limits new applications to 1 personal app each 60 days and 1 Biz app every 90 days.
You're welcome to submit more apps but the results we be negative. Specifically, the Citi computer pulls your credit the instant you hit the submit button on the app. Then, since you will have already submitted an app within the new wait periods the message on the screen will read "needs further reviewing". This means decline now, though it didn't used to. So all you got for your efforts is an extra pull on your report.
I don't know if that's right. Yesterday I applied for another Citi AA platinum for both myself and my wife (the 20,000 bonus mile no fee offer) and we both got the "further review" notice. Neither of us have ever been denied a credit card, and (if my recollection is right) I haven't applied with Citi since May (when they had that 1-day 25,000 mile deal). I've also had other credit cards approved this year when I didn't get instant approval.
I guess we'll see. I have perfect credit (well, at least until this year when I've probably signed up for more than a half dozen of these various ff bonus credit cards :) ). I hope the gravy train isn't going out of service.
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Citi is terrible about these hard pulls. Friend had a balance transfer and they did hard pull even on that. Any way to avoid or lower the number of Hard pulls?
They always do a hard pull when I have applied for new cards.
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Are they four of the same cards? Did you obtain all of them recently? What's your credit score?
AFAIK quite a few have 10+ citicards at the same time, and it's never a problem for citibank. I personally have 6 citicards right now.
They are all different Citibank cards. I had someone from Citibank call me and tell me to consolidate a few of my existing cards before they would send me another one.
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They are all different Citibank cards. I had someone from Citibank call me and tell me to consolidate a few of my existing cards before they would send me another one.
That sucks. If you don't want to consolidate, apply again after 60 days and see what they say.
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That sucks. If you don't want to consolidate, apply again after 60 days and see what they say.
Oh, they told me I was approved on the phone. They just wanted me to also merge several of my dormant accounts. I told them to go ahead.
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They always do a hard pull when I have applied for new cards.
Not just cards. They even do a hard pull for opening a CD. Citi is notorious for this.
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BofA hard pulls me every time. Not so Chase!
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Not just cards. They even do a hard pull for opening a CD. Citi is notorious for this.
Many banks do a hard pull for opening accounts, even it is a CD.
Off the top of my head, HSBC, Countrywide, Capital One - all do a hard pull on me when opening a CD online.
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Many banks do a hard pull for opening accounts, even it is a CD.
Off the top of my head, HSBC, Countrywide, Capital One - all do a hard pull on me when opening a CD online.
Do they do a hard pull even if you have an existing checking account with them? Citi does (though they may stop if you get a Citigold account or something like that).
I can sort of see the need to do a credit pull if someone is opening up a banking account for the first time with you (though it should be a soft pull, not a hard one as you're not applying for credit). But to do a hard pull for a checking account customer who wishes to open a CD gets a :td: .
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Isn't it just plain mean?
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Isn't it just plain mean?
IMO, no, drbond, it's just business; perhaps that pull leads to a higher rate or fee level that the lender can charge, down the road.
They're not foreclosing on widows and orphans, after all. In this thread, anyway. Yet.
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Do they do a hard pull even if you have an existing checking account with them? Citi does (though they may stop if you get a Citigold account or something like that).
I can sort of see the need to do a credit pull if someone is opening up a banking account for the first time with you (though it should be a soft pull, not a hard one as you're not applying for credit). But to do a hard pull for a checking account customer who wishes to open a CD gets a :td: .
Hard pulls on CDs as I said. I saw them when I got my Once-a-Year Free Credit Report - Countrywide made a hard pull on every single CD we opened, Capital One hardpulled for the first CD but not the subsequent MMA. HSBC hardpulled every one as well.
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As a follow up, as I suspected, the automatic "needs further reviewing" response from Citi was meaningless. They later sent me an email to call, but it was to ask me if I ALSO wanted a business card! I declined, but decided to try the new personal AA Citi AMEX card. Both cards are now coming my way (my first AA Citi AMEX, my second AA Citi Visa).
This is all very bizarre. Does anyone still earn most of their miles by, um, flying? ;)
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Does anyone still earn most of their miles by, um, flying? ;)
Mrs. kaukau and I fly 75k butt-in-seat miles annually, get 100% bonus for those, as platinums, and get 200k+ from credit cards, annually, each.
I also submit that the credit card companies enjoy churning us, as much as we them, vis a vis the newest business accounts we just opened; evidenced by the recent mailer urging us to "Open a SECOND account and get 15,000 MP Choices", we've received in the mail from Chase.
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When you call to cancel a card, retention often asks if you want to roll your credit line into a no annual fee card. Is there any reason to believe your answer will have an affect on your ability to churn in the future?
Does it matter when in the churning cycle you cancel, so long as it's after the miles post and before the next application?
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This is all very bizarre.If more people did the things FTers did, companies would likely change their policies. As it is, we are a small lunatic fringe, so they let us get away with this type of stuff :D
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If more people did the things FTers did, companies would likely change their policies. As it is, we are a small lunatic fringe, so they let us get away with this type of stuff :D
I honestly don't think these credit card practices can go on for very long, as they are, basically, giving money away. Which is why I'm taking it now, because I don't think they'll give it to me later. :) Much like (for you old timers over 35 or 40) frequent flyer programs were "too generous" in the 80s with triple miles, easy upgrades, etc.
I guess many folks (even flyertalkers) are reluctant to "churn" because of the risk to their credit histories. Indeed, if I needed to borrow money in the near future, I don't think I'd take more than a few cards.
Has anyone else noticed though that "churning" can be time consuming? Filling out applications, calling representatives, paying bills, remembering to use "the right" card, etc.? It's against everything I stand for -- which is financial simplicity. Heck, before these windfall bonuses started, I had two, maybe three, active credit card accounts. When this nonsense stops, I plan to return to "the good old days."
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Mrs. kaukau and I fly 75k butt-in-seat miles annually, get 100% bonus for those, as platinums, and get 200k+ from credit cards, annually, each.
I also submit that the credit card companies enjoy churning us, as much as we them, vis a vis the newest business accounts we just opened; evidenced by the recent mailer urging us to "Open a SECOND account and get 15,000 MP Choices", we've received in the mail from Chase.
No they don't and this is an inside answer. Policies are routinely reviewed and changed due to these type of actions. The more it is voiced, abused or acted upon the less likely it will be around tomorrow.
FACT
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No they don't and this is an inside answer. Policies are routinely reviewed and changed due to these type of actions. The more it is voiced, abused or acted upon the less likely it will be around tomorrow.
FACT
I get the impression that the credit card companies, unlike the travel companies (like Travelocity), don't read/care much about what is said on flyertalk. Such a dichotomy is logical, of course.
That said, I will now refrain from discussing the general insanity of what is going on with credit card bonuses and stick to only specific offers and nuts and bolts questions about application procedures and such. I doubt flyertalk discussion will make a difference in this case, but I wouldn't want to be the one who kills the golden goose.
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No they don't and this is an inside answer. Policies are routinely reviewed and changed due to these type of actions. The more it is voiced, abused or acted upon the less likely it will be around tomorrow.
FACT
Dear drbond,
We are bombarded with pre-approved mailers to open more lines of credit every day from every lender out there. I once received 5 for the same card, filled out all 5 and got 5 new accounts plus the bonus miles.
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Policies are routinely reviewed and changed due to these type of actions. The more it is voiced, abused or acted upon the less likely it will be around tomorrow.
FACT
The point is the offers are available now, so I, along with others, will continue to sign up. If and/or when the credit card industry decides to cry uncle, at that time, us 'churners' will be SOL. Until then, the churning will continue and that is a FACT :p
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If you want details do it via a pm.
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is there any valid 25k first year free offer for the citi AA card out there? I only find 20k...
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No they don't..
Yes they do.
Read the article in yesterday's MSN Money: "A Big Lender's Credit Card Trap"
"Capitol One Financial keeps the limits low and offers it's most vulnerable customers ADDITIONAL CARDS INSTEAD - helping them dig ever deeper holes with PENALTIES OF HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A MONTH".
Read the article. One poor SOB was issued six $300 limit accounts, each immediately run over the limit, each carrying $70 a month in PENALTIES! - not interest, fees, or balance: $420 in penalties! A month. Every month!
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Does citi give you any problem when you close the account w/in the 1st year?
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does citi give you a problem when you close the account w/in the 1st year?
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I currently have 3 Citibank AA Platinum MC Cards, 1 Citibank AA AmEx card, 1 Citibank AA Busines MC and 1 Citibank AA Business Visa all open and active. I have collected bonuses on all of these cards in the last 18 months for a total of 125K miles.
So, I believe it has been tested not only by myself but many others!
So just to get this straight - I have a Citibank AA Platinum Mastercard right now, I can apply for another, exact same AA Platinum Mastercard, and get one, with a bonus of 20,000 miles?
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I just found this link for 25k bonus miles. I don't find an expiration date, but I know such an offer was around for the 25 anniv. promo...
So, does anybody know if this offer is still valid? Or are there any other 25k offers out there?
http://citi.bridgetrack.com/usc/06/multi/aa/plat/Anniversary/default.htm
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I just found this link for 25k bonus miles. I don't find an expiration date, but I know such an offer was around for the 25 anniv. promo...
So, does anybody know if this offer is still valid? Or are there any other 25k offers out there?
http://citi.bridgetrack.com/usc/06/multi/aa/plat/Anniversary/default.htm
Invalid.
If you click on the apply buttons, it takes you to a page that does not exist anymore.
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Does citi give you any problem when you close the account w/in the 1st year?
Do not consolidate or close accounts that are less than six months old.
Go to Miles & Points forum. Find the "21,000 UA miles with Chase Credit Card" thread, started by SteamEngine, and read it. It has great information that applies to Citi as well as Chase!
Aloha!
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Do not consolidate or close accounts that are less than six months old.Why not? From the posts on this forum, many people do so without ill effect.
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I keep 'em open about 9 months. YMMV! Good luck and have fun.
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I'm sure no harm comes from keeping them open 9 months. Why do you think people should not keep them open less than 6 months?
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I'm sure no harm comes from keeping them open 9 months. Why do you think people should not keep them open less than 6 months?
The issuing institution can take bonus miles out of your ff account for a variety of reasons. Closing an account less than six months old is one of them.
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The issuing institution can take bonus miles out of your ff account for a variety of reasons. Closing an account less than six months old is one of them.
how did you find this out? i closed mine and was offered $50 credit to stay, no mention of a penalty.
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There is now a thread on Chase VISA where they have stopped the ability to churn accounts. Seems to be a very new thing.
Time may be limited.
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I read through the five pages of this thread, but want to be clear before Citi does another hard pull on me. I applied and received a Citi AA personal card a few weeks ago. Am I correct that I can apply for a business card and an AA AmEx immediately. I believe that the 60 day wait for a personal and 90 days for the business applications is only to receive duplicates of those cards.
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At a card conference two weeks ago the issue of churning came up and the post on internet websites was mentioned, flyertalk being one of them. Several banks mentioned immediately changing their systems to prevent such applications. A few others stated that they were going to monitor post and activity to determine what might be the best way to handle this. I recommend all who are knowledgeable in the area of churning to stop responding to these threads and to cease post related to this. Whatever is decided by each one, is respected, but I sincerely tell you that if these posts and threads continue related to this subject, you will quickly see the end of the option.
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:confused: Do you mean that if people stop posting about churning the banks will not notice the apply-cancel-reapply pattern? I am surprised they did not detect it at the outset, but it would seem that once sensitized they would track and implement simple procedures to prevent it, and messageboards wouldn't matter. What am I missing?
dennis
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how did you find this out? i closed mine and was offered $50 credit to stay, no mention of a penalty.
Typically, it's in the fine print. YMMV.