Superorb

Even 3-5 cards for me only drops my score 5-7 points. But 50?! That happens when you max out your cards and don''t make monthly payments. Any public records? Divorce? Collections? Bankruptcies?

flyer4512

My statement closed yesterday...........50K in account today

flyer4512

I would pull your credit report............credit scores don't drop 50 points for opening cards.

LWT3

That seems like a lot even for what I'm about to say, but credit utilization accounts for 30% of your score. Rather than run a balance up close to the limit and then pay it off in full after the bill is issued, you should pay down the balance before the statement closing date.

CJ99

Does the new card bonus typically apply when downgrading another Citi card to this card? I'm trying to decide whether to cancel or downgrade a high-AF card and for 50k HHonors points and lifetime Silver, it seems like a no-brainer to downgrade to this product.

Thanks!

sdsearch

In my experience, having more than about 30% utilization on any particular card can lower your score a bit, and there are even greater hits at some higher percentages. I had read this somewhere, and then I had a balance transfer that was using a bit more than 30% (or whatever it is exactly), and when I made an effort to pay it down in one payment to the point where the remaining balance went definitely below 30%, all of a sudden the next month or so my score went up, with no other significant changes in my credit.

Thus on my most recent Citi AA card, where I have to spend $3k within 3 months but they only gave me $5k CL, I'm paying off my balance a couple times a month to keep it below $1500 balance at any point.

And btw because of that bonus on the Aviator card, I asked Barclay for a credit limit increase around the time I signed up for the bonus. I didn't ask for anything drastic (fearing they'd decline me if I asked for too much), but enough so that I can charge somewhat more a month and still stay below 30% of my CL.

sdsearch

All new card bonuses only apply when applying "from scratch" for a new card, not with downgrades or upgrades. Furthermore, the 50k or 60k bonus only applies if you apply through the correct link! (The most commonly advertised bonus for this card is only 40k!)

A few banks (but not Citi that I've heard) may offer separate bonuses for certain upgrades (not sure about downgrades), but even when they exist those are completely separate and often not the same amount or the same terms.

PETERPNYC

Thanks . FYI I got an email on the two accounts I dropped to $5 K CL that my cash limit was reduced to $1 K .

bswiz

Thanks LWT3 and others who've commented. The high usage on the Aviator (~50% one billing period, paid off in full when the statement was issued) is the only thing I can think would be a negative. I've been 800+ for the past several months and now I'm around 760-770 according to Citi and Barclay free scores. According to CreditKarma my AAoA is a bit over 3 years which it says is a negative also.

I don't want to derail this thread so I'll take any further questions to another forum (assuming there is a general credit score-type forum).

flyer4512

Is Citi issuing new cards ?

I got a message when I logged in to CITI today saying to activate me new card.

When I clicked on activate card The last 4 #'s on the card they want me to activate match a card ( my oldest Hilton) that I already have.

I have not applied for any new Cit cards in months and I have never received a message when I log in to activate a new card in the past.

I can't call right now so I have a SM to Citi.

isle-hawg

I don't know, but you say it is your oldest. Is it about to expire or does it have a chip? My newest does have a chip, perhaps they are upgrading your card to a chip (if it does not already have one)?

flyer4512

I just looked , Card expires 8/15 and no chip.............makes sense now.

I am always worried about identity theft

StartinSanDiego

Here bswiz, check out this thread. You are not alone, and it is not uncommon for Fico scores to drop when you first start with the miles and points earning strategies. It will bounce back.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...o+score+killed

travel light

Years ago, Citi closed one of my cards for inactivity. They then refused to open a new card until after a laborious process of cleaning up the record to indicate that their closure did not indicate any undue credit risk.

This took many calls and several weeks.

Since then, I have kept all cards, not only Citicards, active.

flyer4512

50K link still working, just got my fiance another HH card..........# 7 I believe..........amateur, lol