For those that open a new card every 33 days or so, how many do you keep open? I was approved for another, with 4 prior all at $2000 CL each. When I go for a 6th next month should I cancel the oldest one first? I've seen DP of people with 6 cards open at once, but not sure how common that is.

On my 50k/10k card I missed the full $6k spend on my first statement by a few days. Received 50k plus miles for the $5800 in spend as well as the 15k bonus match I requested through chat. My second statement just closed and it shows the remaining 10k miles plus miles for the ~$200 in spend that posted late.

Usually we have three, sometimes four, sometimes two. It depends on how long it takes to make spend.

My process is: lower CL to $5K, make spend, pay off card, lower CL to $2K, close. So as soon as the card is paid off, it will generally be closed within a week.

I just got a no-language email offer. Was sent by AA.com not citi and provides a 9 digit code, which you enter the same way as mailers. I checked both the email and the application landing page and it only says "for new accounts only", just like mailers.

Also, was asked to send in a 4506-t form for a December application, and as far as I understand the IRS doesn't process these forms during the shutdown. Is there a time limit for citi to close the app if they get no response from the IRS?

DP:

Got the 50k/3k/10k/3k offer, card just arrived. Asked via chat to give the courtesy match using the exact verbage given above. No dice. Said due to limited capabilities via chat couldn't process, but gave me a number to call. Did offer me 1,000 points as a "service gesture" though? About to HUCA with chat...

Wife applied using final 60k/3k mailer dated 11/15. Instant approval with 19k CL. My last 60k offer was matched to 75 via backdoor SM routing.
May take a breather until the better offers start again.

Taking a breather too. For a full 33 days since my last Citi app. ;-)

Way past 5/24, had every AMEX worth having, definitely MAC for B/A and Barclays. 50K AA miles with no AF is pretty much the only game in town for me now. Would I like another one? YES, please ! :)

I used to keep them open for a year (or as close to it as possible), so that they would look better on my credit report in case I had to go through manual recon with another issuer. Now, like most people in this thread, I'm pretty much 100% locked out of cards from anybody else (way too many recent apps), so there's no longer any point to that. I've had as many as 6 per person open before, but now I'm always at half that or less.

The only exception is cards that may have a refund coming. It's easier (and more under the radar) to keep those open and get the refund than to get a refund on a closed card, request a check for it, etc.

One important thing that didn't make that list (probably because it naturally falls within those other steps for you): receive the bonus. Do not close a card until you've received the signup bonus and any additional match that you've requested. Most cards (and I believe this is one of them) requires the card to be open for you to get the bonus. Plus, if there are any problems (bonus not received, match not received, etc.), good luck getting much help out of Citi on a card you've already closed.

You obviously know this, but clarifying for others.

I got an interesting letter today. Curious if anybody else got one similar. First of all, it's dated 1/15/19 (time travel, obviously). Apparently there was some confusing wording at some point about earning 2X miles with the plat card at restaurants and gas stations. They just wanted to clarify. Simple enough.

Here's the confusing thing: it's addressed to one of my relatives who gets mailers but has never applied for their own card. It's regarding a Plat card for this person (complete with the last 4 digits of the card and everything). No one in my family has ever had a card with those last 4. Those digits also don't match any mailers we've received within the past 3 years, or an AA account, or anything else I can think of.

The obvious first thoughts are: 1. identity theft and 2. Citi's attempt to get rid of confusion led to them creating even more. But it can't be ID theft, because it would be impossible for this person to get a credit card. So all I can think is that Citi's IT messed up somewhere. Just curious if anybody else got a similar letter, and if it was as confusing/impossible as mine.

Wrong thread

Refund goes to closed card would eventually be a check mailed to you automatically after it is there for 2 months - seems it is the regulation when credit is not touched for 2 billing cycles the credit balance would be auto-refunded by check. It probably would be too much a hassle for the banks to program different treatments for active and closed cards. There is no need to request a refund check if you dont need the money immediately. It would come after 2 billing cycles the refund is posted.

Clearly its a open and shut case of non-identity theft. :p

TWO of my brothers received the same postal mail today. One of my wife's sisters also appears to have received one (I don't open her mail but the exterior looks identical, and she doesn't get much mail except from Citi and AA). It's odd.

Those addressed to my brothers do name them ("Dear My Brother's Name...") and references the last 4 digits of cards that were not opened by anyone who lives here.

Now, it's true that there have been some Citi cards opened by folks in my house, but none that match the numbers on the letters. I'm left scratching my head wondering where those 4 digit numbers came from.

As an aside, I'm guessing that Citi is finding that their new 2X (at restaurants and gas stations) card benefit is not being used as much as they expected, and they think that by being more clear that should bump up those results. I'm not sure I would draw the same conclusion, but wish them luck. Now, if they offered 5X at office supply stores or grocery stores, I bet that would move the needle significantly.

Same thing happened to me. Just usual Citi IT nonsense.