Citi AA Platinum, Gold and Business cards (2015)
Jan 15, 2015, 12:23 pm
#241
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
Some people interpret the T&C to mean that you can't get another Plat AA until 18 months after your last Plat AA is closed.
I take the more plain english interpretation that you can't get another Plat AA within 18 months of the act of opening or closing a Plat AA. So as long as you don't close it before you apply, you should be fine.
My interpretation sounds illogical, but I can totally see Citi doing this. If you decide to try, please report back. At this point no one can say for sure what will or won't work since the rules seem to have just changed (or be in the process of changing). We can only make our best guesses.
I also think that you can only be approved if you are auto-approved. It seems that the recon CSRs are declining people who have a current or recently closed AA card of any type. This does not match the auto-approval rules.
The only problem with this approach is that if you are not auto-approved, we will not know for sure that this is the reason. It could be another reason, like too high aggregate CL with Citi. Were you auto-approved for your previous Citi cards or did you have to go through recon? If you were not being auto-approved before, I would not bother trying now.
I take the more plain english interpretation that you can't get another Plat AA within 18 months of the act of opening or closing a Plat AA. So as long as you don't close it before you apply, you should be fine.
My interpretation sounds illogical, but I can totally see Citi doing this. If you decide to try, please report back. At this point no one can say for sure what will or won't work since the rules seem to have just changed (or be in the process of changing). We can only make our best guesses.
I also think that you can only be approved if you are auto-approved. It seems that the recon CSRs are declining people who have a current or recently closed AA card of any type. This does not match the auto-approval rules.
The only problem with this approach is that if you are not auto-approved, we will not know for sure that this is the reason. It could be another reason, like too high aggregate CL with Citi. Were you auto-approved for your previous Citi cards or did you have to go through recon? If you were not being auto-approved before, I would not bother trying now.
Jan 15, 2015, 12:54 pm
#242
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 3,677
Jan 15, 2015, 1:37 pm
#243
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
You do not ever (AFAIK) get auto-rejected for too much existing credit line. That is the nice thing about Citi, if you have too much you get deferred and you suggest moving credit line around or they do.
I have only ever gotten auto-rejected for breaking the application time rules. It is probably possible to get auto-rejected for having a lousy (really lousy) credit score---but that is somewhere south of 650---or low income, no credit history, etc.
It is also possible to get auto-rejected for being on their black-list, I think.
I have only ever gotten auto-rejected for breaking the application time rules. It is probably possible to get auto-rejected for having a lousy (really lousy) credit score---but that is somewhere south of 650---or low income, no credit history, etc.
It is also possible to get auto-rejected for being on their black-list, I think.
Jan 15, 2015, 2:50 pm
#244
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 224
Targeted Plat
A friend applied and was approved for the AA Plat with the 50K bonus. A day later he received a targeted offer for an AA Plat with 50K miles and two Admirals Club passes. The terms of the targeted offer did not contain any restrictive language.
I've seen the reports from members who were approved for the AA Plat and a targeted AA Gold (and vice versa) in a short amount of time. However, I didn't notice any reports of having the Plat approved, then a targeted Plat approved a few days later.
Question: It's been 16 days since my friends first Plat approval...If he applies using the targeted offer he received, what are his chances?
I've seen the reports from members who were approved for the AA Plat and a targeted AA Gold (and vice versa) in a short amount of time. However, I didn't notice any reports of having the Plat approved, then a targeted Plat approved a few days later.
Question: It's been 16 days since my friends first Plat approval...If he applies using the targeted offer he received, what are his chances?
Last edited by traveler9020; Jan 15, 2015 at 2:53 pm Reason: typo
Jan 15, 2015, 7:54 pm
#245
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
A friend applied and was approved for the AA Plat with the 50K bonus. A day later he received a targeted offer for an AA Plat with 50K miles and two Admirals Club passes. The terms of the targeted offer did not contain any restrictive language.
I've seen the reports from members who were approved for the AA Plat and a targeted AA Gold (and vice versa) in a short amount of time. However, I didn't notice any reports of having the Plat approved, then a targeted Plat approved a few days later.
Question: It's been 16 days since my friends first Plat approval...If he applies using the targeted offer he received, what are his chances?
I've seen the reports from members who were approved for the AA Plat and a targeted AA Gold (and vice versa) in a short amount of time. However, I didn't notice any reports of having the Plat approved, then a targeted Plat approved a few days later.
Question: It's been 16 days since my friends first Plat approval...If he applies using the targeted offer he received, what are his chances?
And with a targeted offer that was generated before someone had an AA card, that's probably why it didn't have restrictive terms, but it's very likely that restrictive terms apply now that he does have an AA Plat card already.
Targeted offers that were generated before you applied for a card work quite differently than targeted offers that are generated after you already had the card.
Jan 15, 2015, 8:09 pm
#246
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 224
Recieved how? By mail? If so, it was obviously generated before he applied for the AA Plat. Even if by email, it was likely generated before that, but harder to prove that.
And with a targeted offer that was generated before someone had an AA card, that's probably why it didn't have restrictive terms, but it's very likely that restrictive terms apply now that he does have an AA Plat card already.
Targeted offers that were generated before you applied for a card work quite differently than targeted offers that are generated after you already had the card.
And with a targeted offer that was generated before someone had an AA card, that's probably why it didn't have restrictive terms, but it's very likely that restrictive terms apply now that he does have an AA Plat card already.
Targeted offers that were generated before you applied for a card work quite differently than targeted offers that are generated after you already had the card.
Thanks, I'll advise him to apply for the Exec instead.
Jan 16, 2015, 12:06 am
#247
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,857
Have you tried lowering the CLs on your current cards? I had a very high total CL with Citi, and had to call Recon and move credit every app. Then I lowered all but one of my Citi cards to $1K or $2K, just keeping $8K on one card so that if I had to move some CL I could. My four Citi apps since then have all been instant approvals.
I've got an AOR coming up, and in preparation, I cleared out 20k+ with each card issuer a month or two ago. Chase and Amex may not be quite as good about it as Citi (which is almost automatic if you have enough credit free), but it sure doesn't hurt. From what we've seen with the US Airways cards, Barclays seems to be in about the same boat.
Jan 16, 2015, 12:16 am
#248
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,857
Dang it, Citi, why do you have to change the rules right as I'm about to get more of your cards? How dare you make me work a little for free money.
Lots of good information in the last few pages here. Lots of (good) speculation involved, though. What we really need is datapoints. If you apply for one of these cards, please report back on your results, even if it may not be a situation that would have been noteworthy a few months ago. With all these changes, it's going to take a lot of datapoints to pin down the new rules.
Please make sure you include (at a minimum):
- Card applied for & link/offer used
- Citi & AA card history (which cards, open date, close date)
- Instant approval or recon required
- If you lowered your CL before applying
Lots of good information in the last few pages here. Lots of (good) speculation involved, though. What we really need is datapoints. If you apply for one of these cards, please report back on your results, even if it may not be a situation that would have been noteworthy a few months ago. With all these changes, it's going to take a lot of datapoints to pin down the new rules.
Please make sure you include (at a minimum):
- Card applied for & link/offer used
- Citi & AA card history (which cards, open date, close date)
- Instant approval or recon required
- If you lowered your CL before applying
Jan 16, 2015, 9:45 am
#249
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,857
We have no data points indicating that either the new or old business links are more or less churnable, correct? If not, I'll be applying soon with one of the newer links (2k spend vs 3k), and will have some data points about that.
Jan 16, 2015, 11:10 am
#250
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 228
data point for biz card
have 1 biz card open in march 2014, still holding it
applied last week used the no restriction rule, pending, called without me saying anything, put me on hold, came back approved for $1 but I can move CL from the existing card, confirmed with CS that the 50K bonus.
have 1 biz card open in march 2014, still holding it
applied last week used the no restriction rule, pending, called without me saying anything, put me on hold, came back approved for $1 but I can move CL from the existing card, confirmed with CS that the 50K bonus.
Last edited by catcathk; Jan 16, 2015 at 11:18 am
Jan 16, 2015, 1:01 pm
#251
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,055
Experiment time
This thread has heated up recently with the changes and we are trying to figure out what all of the new language means. My wife and I are ready for our next AA Personal churn, so what would be helpful for the community to know?
Abridged History:
06/29/2013 - Last AA Visa approval (IkeEsq) - 18 months since last approval
07/10/2013 - Last AA Visa approval (MsIke) - 18 months since last approval
02/03/2014 - AA Visa closed (IkeEsq) - less than 18 months since last closed Visa
08/14/2014 - AA Visa closed (MsIke) - less than 18 months since last closed Visa
11/06/2014 - HHonors approval (IkeEsq/MsIke) - greater than 60 days
12/08/2014 - AA Biz approved (IkeEsq) - greater than one week
12/15/2014 - AA Biz approved (MsIke) - greater than one week
Apply for one of the no open/closed in 18 month $2K cards for one of us and if it fails one of the old cards for the other?
Ike
Abridged History:
06/29/2013 - Last AA Visa approval (IkeEsq) - 18 months since last approval
07/10/2013 - Last AA Visa approval (MsIke) - 18 months since last approval
02/03/2014 - AA Visa closed (IkeEsq) - less than 18 months since last closed Visa
08/14/2014 - AA Visa closed (MsIke) - less than 18 months since last closed Visa
11/06/2014 - HHonors approval (IkeEsq/MsIke) - greater than 60 days
12/08/2014 - AA Biz approved (IkeEsq) - greater than one week
12/15/2014 - AA Biz approved (MsIke) - greater than one week
Apply for one of the no open/closed in 18 month $2K cards for one of us and if it fails one of the old cards for the other?
Ike
Jan 16, 2015, 9:04 pm
#252
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: FL
Programs: BA, AA, DA, UA, CO
Posts: 212
Citi is getting very strict with these AA cards, that's for sure.
Applied y-day for the Business version with the 2000 spend. Previous AA Business version (and not even Platinum) was closed Oct 2014.
No automatic approval. After calling several times, was told the real reason--many notes in my account saying that I already have/had enough AA cards, personal and business. So the last rep said this will affect all new AA applications in the future.
And I even was not that heavy churner, probably all I have done so far was 3 personal and 3 business AA cards since the time of the first 75K offers, 2008 or so, all applications done very carefully and waiting enough time between them.
Need to search for a different bank/airline.
Applied y-day for the Business version with the 2000 spend. Previous AA Business version (and not even Platinum) was closed Oct 2014.
No automatic approval. After calling several times, was told the real reason--many notes in my account saying that I already have/had enough AA cards, personal and business. So the last rep said this will affect all new AA applications in the future.
And I even was not that heavy churner, probably all I have done so far was 3 personal and 3 business AA cards since the time of the first 75K offers, 2008 or so, all applications done very carefully and waiting enough time between them.
Need to search for a different bank/airline.
Jan 17, 2015, 7:54 am
#253
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BDL
Posts: 39
Recieved how? By mail? If so, it was obviously generated before he applied for the AA Plat. Even if by email, it was likely generated before that, but harder to prove that.
And with a targeted offer that was generated before someone had an AA card, that's probably why it didn't have restrictive terms, but it's very likely that restrictive terms apply now that he does have an AA Plat card already.
Targeted offers that were generated before you applied for a card work quite differently than targeted offers that are generated after you already had the card.
And with a targeted offer that was generated before someone had an AA card, that's probably why it didn't have restrictive terms, but it's very likely that restrictive terms apply now that he does have an AA Plat card already.
Targeted offers that were generated before you applied for a card work quite differently than targeted offers that are generated after you already had the card.
I received a targeted offer for AA Gold before I had any Citi cards, and was able to get approved for Platinum and then the targeted Gold later that week. By your reasoning my Gold should have been denied based on restrictive terms coming into effect after receiving the Plat - but in reality targeted offers appear to be able to circumvent all Citi rules regardless of when you received them.
So I see no reason why traveler9020's friend shouldn't be able to get approved for the targeted Plat even after just getting approved for the public Plat.
Last edited by rapishorrid; Jan 17, 2015 at 7:59 am
Jan 17, 2015, 9:20 am
#254
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 3,677
Citi is getting very strict with these AA cards, that's for sure.
Applied y-day for the Business version with the 2000 spend. Previous AA Business version (and not even Platinum) was closed Oct 2014.
No automatic approval. After calling several times, was told the real reason--many notes in my account saying that I already have/had enough AA cards, personal and business. So the last rep said this will affect all new AA applications in the future.
And I even was not that heavy churner, probably all I have done so far was 3 personal and 3 business AA cards since the time of the first 75K offers, 2008 or so, all applications done very carefully and waiting enough time between them.
Need to search for a different bank/airline.
Applied y-day for the Business version with the 2000 spend. Previous AA Business version (and not even Platinum) was closed Oct 2014.
No automatic approval. After calling several times, was told the real reason--many notes in my account saying that I already have/had enough AA cards, personal and business. So the last rep said this will affect all new AA applications in the future.
And I even was not that heavy churner, probably all I have done so far was 3 personal and 3 business AA cards since the time of the first 75K offers, 2008 or so, all applications done very carefully and waiting enough time between them.
Need to search for a different bank/airline.
Seriously, there are two basic facts you don't seem to be taking into account:
1) Citi CSRs are clueless, and they make up things all the time that have no basis in reality.
2) AA Bus apps have always been a YMMV situation. Some people can get card after card, sometimes with a card still open. Some people have to close both the card and the master account and wait a while to get approved. And some people can only get one card per lifetime, no matter what they do.
Jan 17, 2015, 6:56 pm
#255
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 100
Hello,
We applied for a new business card for DW yesterday. Her last business card and master account was closed about 1 month ago and she wasn't instantly approved. Her last business card app resulted in a rejection due to a stated reason of "already have a business card" although we had canceled it. My guess is that we didn't wait long enough after canceling the card before we applied (only 3 days I believe).
So, should we call into the Citi recon line or see how it plays out? We called into the recon line right after her last app and they looked it up and then came back with the rejection and the above-mentioned stated reason. So I'm wondering if she would have gotten approved automatically if we hadn't rocked the boat by calling in.
Thanks.
We applied for a new business card for DW yesterday. Her last business card and master account was closed about 1 month ago and she wasn't instantly approved. Her last business card app resulted in a rejection due to a stated reason of "already have a business card" although we had canceled it. My guess is that we didn't wait long enough after canceling the card before we applied (only 3 days I believe).
So, should we call into the Citi recon line or see how it plays out? We called into the recon line right after her last app and they looked it up and then came back with the rejection and the above-mentioned stated reason. So I'm wondering if she would have gotten approved automatically if we hadn't rocked the boat by calling in.
Thanks.