May 17, 2013, 11:04 pm
Last edit by: beltway
- What are the most current working links?
- Is this card churnable?
- How frequently can I apply for these cards?
- Do I have to close my previous card before reapplying?
- I got the 60K card and bonus but when I finished the spend on my second 60K card I did not get the bonus. What happened?
[1] What are the most current working links?
There is a standard offer for 50K points after $1K spend in 4 months. (No landing page is available for this offer; lnik taken from wiki for http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/citi-...amex-citi.html.)
There are no known 60K offers available. The most recent one expired in late September 2014.
[2] Is this card churnable?
In the past, this card has been easily churnable. However, in December 2014 Citi began inserting language into some applications and landing pages disqualifying current Hilton Visa cardholders & requiring an 18-month wait from the date of the previous card's cancellation. The application link listed above does not include this restriction, and FTers have confirmed that they have been approved through this application despite being current or recent holders of another Citi Hilton card.
[3] How frequently can I apply for these cards?
You can only apply for ONE Citi card in a week or TWO in two months (60 days). To be safe, it is frequently suggested to wait 8+ days between ANY two Citi applications and 65+ days until your third Citi application of ANY kind. These are rolling dates, so you have to wait at least 60 days (65+) from your second application to your 4th applications, and so forth.
If math is not your strong suit, you can use: http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html.
Example:
Day 0 - Citi HHonors Card #1
Day 8 - Citi AA Personal Card
Day 65 - Citi AA Business Card
Day 73 - Citi HHonors Card #2
Day 130 - Citi TY Card
[4] Do I have to close my previous card before reapplying?
Not if you use the application link above. As stated above, in December 2014 Citi began introducing new application pages requiring an 18-month wait since cancellation of the prior card.
Note that when you close an account, Citi may not "free up" the credit limit from that card for as long as 6 months. So if you're going to apply within 6 months, it's better to not cancel beforehand.
[5] I got the 60K card and bonus but when I finished the spend on my second 60K card I did not get the bonus. What happened?
There appears to be a problem with Citi crediting you with both bonuses but Hilton not crediting the second bonus because their system sees it as a duplicate.
You need to open up a case, preferably with Hilton, and explain that you have two separate cards (feel free to explain one is for business and one for personal if they ask why you have multiple cards and you feel like explaining). You also need to diligently check back with them and make sure that they do not close the case as you already got the bonus.
This is very much a YMMV situation. Depending on who you talk to and where, this can be a relatively short process or a particularly unpleasant and long one. Best advice: Be nice to the CSRs and get them on your side or HUACA until you find someone useful.
For some people it may be worth getting the 50K card instead, possibly trying to "bump the bonus" to 60K and getting it as a 10K adjustment instead.
Citi Hilton HHonors Visa [2011-2014]
Jan 28, 2013, 3:37 pm
#1516
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: DL DM, National EE, Hertz PC, IHG PL, Bonvoy Amb
Posts: 1,342
Thanks to those that provided the Amex honors links this afternoon. Next on my list 
Jan 28, 2013, 4:20 pm
#1517
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Times Square
Programs: SPG Gold, AAdvantage
Posts: 1,397
I'll try again in 65 days.
Jan 28, 2013, 4:35 pm
#1518
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,708
Is it two applications or two approvals though? My thought was to try the two browser trick just like in the past. Only if the second card is denied would I apply the same day for a different third card (reserve, citi, etc). What would the negative effects be though to doing this?
Jan 28, 2013, 4:52 pm
#1519
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: 5280/8150
Programs: Flying and sleeping
Posts: 341
Well darn - Instant denial for both the regular HHonors and the Reserve. I presume it was because of my freezes. I'll call in with the PIN and see what happens.
Jan 28, 2013, 6:21 pm
#1520
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: 5280/8150
Programs: Flying and sleeping
Posts: 341
I temporarily unfroze Experian.
The first application, for the regular card, went through with an approval for $10k. They cannot push the second one through, even though I unfroze completely. My PIN doesn't work either. It's not a question of two applications for the same card. It's two apps in one day.
They keep great records of calls in and were able to bring up notes from a previous call less than 5 minutes prior.
Edit - Called in again and got the Maryland call center instead of the offshore one. Offshore has the application in process or something so they couldn't help me, but she did give me a number that goes to US-based customer service every time - either Maryland or South Dakota - 866-606-2787
Edit again - the call centers have different names for the cards than the website. I haven't figured it out quite yet, but I think the regular HHonors Visa is called the Citi Hilton Visa Signature and the Reserve is the Citi Hilton HHonors Visa.
Final Edit - Approved for the second card, also $10k. Who knows what sort of hijinx were going on there, but it seems to all have worked out now.
Really Final Edit - Citi answered the phone and got me to a representative within about 15 seconds on every call. Amex now has me on hold. The world is upside down.
The first application, for the regular card, went through with an approval for $10k. They cannot push the second one through, even though I unfroze completely. My PIN doesn't work either. It's not a question of two applications for the same card. It's two apps in one day.
They keep great records of calls in and were able to bring up notes from a previous call less than 5 minutes prior.
Edit - Called in again and got the Maryland call center instead of the offshore one. Offshore has the application in process or something so they couldn't help me, but she did give me a number that goes to US-based customer service every time - either Maryland or South Dakota - 866-606-2787
Edit again - the call centers have different names for the cards than the website. I haven't figured it out quite yet, but I think the regular HHonors Visa is called the Citi Hilton Visa Signature and the Reserve is the Citi Hilton HHonors Visa.
Final Edit - Approved for the second card, also $10k. Who knows what sort of hijinx were going on there, but it seems to all have worked out now.
Really Final Edit - Citi answered the phone and got me to a representative within about 15 seconds on every call. Amex now has me on hold. The world is upside down.
Last edited by djrez4; Jan 28, 2013 at 6:53 pm
Jan 28, 2013, 8:06 pm
#1521
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: BNA
Programs: AA, Hilton, PC
Posts: 154
wasn't trying for 3 cards.
You cannot apply for 3 cards at the same time with Citi. This is nothing new, it's been true for years if not decades. Citi has a limit of 2 credit cards apps of any kind within a 60 day period (but use 65 days to be safe). No matter what 3 Citi cards she had applied for (ie, no matter how different they might have been), one of them was guaranteed to be denied.
Jan 28, 2013, 8:07 pm
#1522
Formerly known as cagalindo
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: MCO TPA
Programs: Citi AA/HH/TYP Amex SPG/HH & Chase SP/PC
Posts: 1,335
no wai
Jan 28, 2013, 8:11 pm
#1523
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: BNA
Programs: AA, Hilton, PC
Posts: 154
3rd Citi app on same day approved
App 1-Citi Hilton 50K in IE
App 2-Citi Hilton 50K in Chrome same time as app #1.
.....Called, App 1 approved, App 2 denied....
App 3-Citi Hilton Reserve in IE 2 hours later
Jan 28, 2013, 8:11 pm
#1524
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 86
Had two different experiences with these cards tonight on my applications.
I applied for the Reserve and Signature (no fee) Visa's via two browsers. Reserve was approved after phone call & ID#. Signature application locked up during processing. This scared the $h1T out of me as to reapply or call in....i ended up reapplying and was instantly approved. I also went with the Amex HHonors and was instantly approved as well.
For my wife's apps (since I had good luck with the Reserve and Signature) we decided to try for the two browser for two Signatures. Instantly approved for 1st app and instantly Declined for the 2nd. Went ahead for the Amex HHonors for her as well and was instantly approved.
Overall....the two browser for the same product is DEAD. Still have a relatively easy opportunity for the Reserve/Signature combo though.
thanks for the advice from the folks on here...hope this helps someone else!!
I applied for the Reserve and Signature (no fee) Visa's via two browsers. Reserve was approved after phone call & ID#. Signature application locked up during processing. This scared the $h1T out of me as to reapply or call in....i ended up reapplying and was instantly approved. I also went with the Amex HHonors and was instantly approved as well.
For my wife's apps (since I had good luck with the Reserve and Signature) we decided to try for the two browser for two Signatures. Instantly approved for 1st app and instantly Declined for the 2nd. Went ahead for the Amex HHonors for her as well and was instantly approved.
Overall....the two browser for the same product is DEAD. Still have a relatively easy opportunity for the Reserve/Signature combo though.
thanks for the advice from the folks on here...hope this helps someone else!!
Jan 28, 2013, 8:17 pm
#1525
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: BNA
Programs: AA, Hilton, PC
Posts: 154
2 products dead?
It sounds like we have multiple success stories on the Reserve/Signature combo. Hopefully we can rinse and repeat this new tandem every couple months.
Jan 28, 2013, 8:26 pm
#1526
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 86
In general, I agree with you, but Mike2200 has a successful data point 5 days after the policy change. Strange. Maybe he got a rep that hadn't been trained yet, or it was far enough after his initial signature apps that it didn't raise too many eyebrows. Having 6 open Signature accounts might hurt me next time. Maybe it's time to cancel a couple of my Signatures.
Jan 28, 2013, 8:45 pm
#1527
Formerly known as cagalindo
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: MCO TPA
Programs: Citi AA/HH/TYP Amex SPG/HH & Chase SP/PC
Posts: 1,335
depends if the inq. is merged or not. it seems the 50k visa inq. are being merged tho..
Jan 29, 2013, 4:42 am
#1528
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: MileagePlus
Posts: 190
Not a bad deal. I missed out on the 65K back in Nov but still its not a bad thing. Do people enjoy the card?
Jan 29, 2013, 4:54 am
#1529
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SPG Gold, Hilton Diamon, IHG Spire
Posts: 374
I think we don't know yet that the new policy is whether "not approving two of the same card at once" or "not having two of the same card" We'd be in bigger hassle if it was the latter. In this case, even if it's churnable, we'd still have to close the existing card in order to get the new one.
Jan 29, 2013, 7:21 am
#1530
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: 5280/8150
Programs: Flying and sleeping
Posts: 341
Well, and if it's a "no two of the same card" deal, we don't know yet how soon we can apply after closing the previous card.
New territory, here, people!
New territory, here, people!