May 22, 2013, 8:47 pm
Last edit by: aeneas3
- Retention offers, generally speaking, are offers made by a card issuer when they believe you might close your card account.
Often this means you have to actually say specifically you "want to cancel the card because..." before they can offer you something. Being vague saying things like "I'm not sure I want this card", or "are there any offers for me to keep this card?" don't meet their threshold to make an offer until you use the "c" word in a declarative fashion.
- Offers may include cash, points, or a combination of both and are frequently linked to required spending on the card.
- You can contact Citibank's Retention Department directly at 800-444-2568, and avoid the front line customer service reps.
- For additional tips on interacting with retention representatives, see this blog post by someone who claims to have worked for Citi's retention department.
Current offers (update with your current offer under the respective card, date of offer, how long you had the card and yearly spend)
Thank you preferred
Thank you premier
Called Sep 7 complaining about benefit cut
Card #1 (15 years, $2K spent) - no offers, she saw offer taken in February
Card #2 (2 years, $0 spent) 5000 TYPs for $1K spend in 3 month
or $125 for $4.5 spend in 3 month
11/20/13: $125 credit for annual fee. Extra 500 points each month I spend $500 for 16 months. 2 year old card. Spend $5000 per year.
AA platinum
8/22/13: $95 credit + 500 miles each month with $500+ in purchases for 16 months - (Opened 12/2012, min spend)
9/16/13: $95 credit after 5 eligible purchases in the next 6 months (Opened 2 Years, no spend in last 11 months)
9/16/13: $95 credit after 5 eligible purchases in the next 3 months (Opened 2 Years, ~$2000 spend in last year)
10/15/13: $95 statement credit and 1000 miles bonus for 1K spending for the next 16 months - (Open 2/13, 25K spend so far)
10/17/13: $95 statement credit and 500 miles bonus for $500 spend for the next 16 months - (Open 9/12, no usage after meeting bonus spend except for recent purchase for the 2K bonus from AA mall)
10/20/13: $95 statement credit and 1,000 miles bonus for $1,000 spend for the next 16 months - (Open 2/13, $3,000 spend so far)
10/23/13 $95 statement credit and 750 miles bonus for $750 spend for next 15 cycles. (Open 3/2013, $3,000 spend so far)
11/23/13 $95 statement credit and 1,000 miles bonus for $1,000 spend for the next 16 months (opened 11/'12 and $55K spend)
12/10/13 $95 statement credit and 1,000 mile bonus for $1,000 spend for the next 16 months (opened 11/12 and only $5K CVS + $100 AA spend for bonus)
01/06/14 $95 statement credit and 1,000 mile bonus for $1,000 spend for the next 16 months (opened 01/13 just made the purchases to meet the min spend)
AA gold
8/22/13: $50 credit + 750 miles each month with $750+ in purchases for 16 months - (Opened 2/2013, min spend)
AA Amex
12/10/13: $95 credit + 1k bonus miles each month with $1K+ in purchases for 16 months (Opened 11/2012, approx. $1,000 per month spent over 12 months)
11/21/13: $95 credit + 1k bonus miles each month with $1K+ in purchases for 16 months (Opened 11/2012, only minimum spend)
8/22/13: $95 credit + 1k miles each month with $1K+ in purchases for 16 months (Opened 8/2012, only minimum spend)
8/22/13: $95 credit + 750 miles each month with $750+ in purchases for 16 months - (Opened 12/2012, min spend)
9/16/13: $95 credit after 5 eligible purchases in the next 3 months (Opened 2 Years, ~$800 spend in last year)
10/12/13: $95 credit after 5 eligible purchases in the next 3 months (Opened <2 Year, $1200 / mo spend in last year). Can double dip with previous retention offer of 1000 bonus AA miles with $1000 monthly spend for 16 months
12/17/13: $95 credit + 1k miles each month with $1k+ in purchases for 16 months (opened 11/12, ~$8k spend on opening, minimal recent usage)
01/07/14 $95 statement credit and 1,000 mile bonus for $1,000 spend for the next 16 months (opened 01/13 just made the purchases to meet the min spend)
AA executive
10/6/13 $50 credit + 750 miles each month with $750+ in purchases for 16 months - (Opened 10/2011, $60k spend)
10/6/13 2500 miles each month with $750+ in purchases for 3 months - (Opened 10/2011, $60k spend)
1/3/14 $50 credit and 750 miles with $750 purchase each month for 16 months (opened 1/13 with 40k spend)
3/22/14 $100 credit and 5,000 miles with $1,500 in purchases each month for 3 months. Opened the card 2/1/14
AA business
1/3/2013: Spend $5000 in 6 months, earn 10,000 miles
7/24/14 - 1 day after AF hit - $95 credit + 1000 miles if $1000 spent per statement for 16 months - 4k spend
Hilton reserve
9/16/13: 750 HHonors Points each month with $750+ in purchases for 16 months
Hilton signature
Often this means you have to actually say specifically you "want to cancel the card because..." before they can offer you something. Being vague saying things like "I'm not sure I want this card", or "are there any offers for me to keep this card?" don't meet their threshold to make an offer until you use the "c" word in a declarative fashion.
- Offers may include cash, points, or a combination of both and are frequently linked to required spending on the card.
- You can contact Citibank's Retention Department directly at 800-444-2568, and avoid the front line customer service reps.
- For additional tips on interacting with retention representatives, see this blog post by someone who claims to have worked for Citi's retention department.
Current offers (update with your current offer under the respective card, date of offer, how long you had the card and yearly spend)
Thank you preferred
Thank you premier
Called Sep 7 complaining about benefit cut
Card #1 (15 years, $2K spent) - no offers, she saw offer taken in February
Card #2 (2 years, $0 spent) 5000 TYPs for $1K spend in 3 month
or $125 for $4.5 spend in 3 month
11/20/13: $125 credit for annual fee. Extra 500 points each month I spend $500 for 16 months. 2 year old card. Spend $5000 per year.
AA platinum
8/22/13: $95 credit + 500 miles each month with $500+ in purchases for 16 months - (Opened 12/2012, min spend)
9/16/13: $95 credit after 5 eligible purchases in the next 6 months (Opened 2 Years, no spend in last 11 months)
9/16/13: $95 credit after 5 eligible purchases in the next 3 months (Opened 2 Years, ~$2000 spend in last year)
10/15/13: $95 statement credit and 1000 miles bonus for 1K spending for the next 16 months - (Open 2/13, 25K spend so far)
10/17/13: $95 statement credit and 500 miles bonus for $500 spend for the next 16 months - (Open 9/12, no usage after meeting bonus spend except for recent purchase for the 2K bonus from AA mall)
10/20/13: $95 statement credit and 1,000 miles bonus for $1,000 spend for the next 16 months - (Open 2/13, $3,000 spend so far)
10/23/13 $95 statement credit and 750 miles bonus for $750 spend for next 15 cycles. (Open 3/2013, $3,000 spend so far)
11/23/13 $95 statement credit and 1,000 miles bonus for $1,000 spend for the next 16 months (opened 11/'12 and $55K spend)
12/10/13 $95 statement credit and 1,000 mile bonus for $1,000 spend for the next 16 months (opened 11/12 and only $5K CVS + $100 AA spend for bonus)
01/06/14 $95 statement credit and 1,000 mile bonus for $1,000 spend for the next 16 months (opened 01/13 just made the purchases to meet the min spend)
AA gold
8/22/13: $50 credit + 750 miles each month with $750+ in purchases for 16 months - (Opened 2/2013, min spend)
AA Amex
12/10/13: $95 credit + 1k bonus miles each month with $1K+ in purchases for 16 months (Opened 11/2012, approx. $1,000 per month spent over 12 months)
11/21/13: $95 credit + 1k bonus miles each month with $1K+ in purchases for 16 months (Opened 11/2012, only minimum spend)
8/22/13: $95 credit + 1k miles each month with $1K+ in purchases for 16 months (Opened 8/2012, only minimum spend)
8/22/13: $95 credit + 750 miles each month with $750+ in purchases for 16 months - (Opened 12/2012, min spend)
9/16/13: $95 credit after 5 eligible purchases in the next 3 months (Opened 2 Years, ~$800 spend in last year)
10/12/13: $95 credit after 5 eligible purchases in the next 3 months (Opened <2 Year, $1200 / mo spend in last year). Can double dip with previous retention offer of 1000 bonus AA miles with $1000 monthly spend for 16 months
12/17/13: $95 credit + 1k miles each month with $1k+ in purchases for 16 months (opened 11/12, ~$8k spend on opening, minimal recent usage)
01/07/14 $95 statement credit and 1,000 mile bonus for $1,000 spend for the next 16 months (opened 01/13 just made the purchases to meet the min spend)
AA executive
10/6/13 $50 credit + 750 miles each month with $750+ in purchases for 16 months - (Opened 10/2011, $60k spend)
10/6/13 2500 miles each month with $750+ in purchases for 3 months - (Opened 10/2011, $60k spend)
1/3/14 $50 credit and 750 miles with $750 purchase each month for 16 months (opened 1/13 with 40k spend)
3/22/14 $100 credit and 5,000 miles with $1,500 in purchases each month for 3 months. Opened the card 2/1/14
AA business
1/3/2013: Spend $5000 in 6 months, earn 10,000 miles
7/24/14 - 1 day after AF hit - $95 credit + 1000 miles if $1000 spent per statement for 16 months - 4k spend
Hilton reserve
9/16/13: 750 HHonors Points each month with $750+ in purchases for 16 months
Hilton signature
Citi retention offer reports [2009-2013]
Jan 9, 2013, 4:40 pm
#1636
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 94
Call number on the back of AA Visa card - got offer of 3000 miles for $500 spend in 3 months. Rep said to call back again when annual fee is due (March) to see what else they have to offer.
Jan 15, 2013, 7:06 pm
#1637
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 349
Card 1 Mother's - offered $95 statement credit after 5 purchases
Card 2 Mine's - offered $25 statement credit or 3000 miles - they told me to call back again in another week or so to see if better offer show up.
Card 3 Father's- offered $95 statement credit after 5 purchases
All 3 cards were offered $95 statement credit in March of 2012,
I think the magic phrase is that "I'm considering to cancel my card bc of the annual fee"
Card 2 Mine's - offered $25 statement credit or 3000 miles - they told me to call back again in another week or so to see if better offer show up.
Card 3 Father's- offered $95 statement credit after 5 purchases
All 3 cards were offered $95 statement credit in March of 2012,
I think the magic phrase is that "I'm considering to cancel my card bc of the annual fee"
Jan 15, 2013, 10:54 pm
#1638
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: SPG Plat
Posts: 459
Same:
$125 statement credit for $4500 spend in 3 months
10000 TYP for $3000 spend in 6 months
$75 for $1000 spend in 2 months
$125 statement credit for $4500 spend in 3 months
10000 TYP for $3000 spend in 6 months
$75 for $1000 spend in 2 months
Jan 16, 2013, 2:57 pm
#1639
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Wash DC
Programs: AA, BA, DL, WN, UA, HH Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 16
AA AmEX $50 credit
Called retention line directly. Have had the Citi AA Amex for 4 years, with the AF of $50 due in March. Told the cheerful rep that I wanted to cancel due to the AF. She offered me $50 statement credit for 5 purchases in the next 3 months.
I plan to knock that spend out this week, wait for the credit to post, then call back again. Will cancel and reapply if I get no additional retention bonus since its been well over 18 months since i applied for the card. Have had their MC since '04 and Visa since '10...time to focus on churning.
I plan to knock that spend out this week, wait for the credit to post, then call back again. Will cancel and reapply if I get no additional retention bonus since its been well over 18 months since i applied for the card. Have had their MC since '04 and Visa since '10...time to focus on churning.
Jan 17, 2013, 8:43 pm
#1640
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: PEK
Programs: SPG Plat, A3 *A Gold, HH Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 392
Cit TY spend $4,500 waive $125 annual fee
FYI,
I had called a month or two ago to cancel my Citi Thank You premier card as I didn't expect to get enough value this year to justify the $125 fee. When I had called then, I asked if they could credit the fee or offer points and they said there was no option, so I said close the account.
For some lucky reason, the account was not closed. I just received a 5 points/$ offer and realized the card should be closed, so I called them back to ask about closing the account. I was transferred to one of their retention representatives and without me even asking was offered that if I spend $4,500 in the next 3 months they will credit the $125. I took the offer.
When your annual fee comes up for this card you can ask for a similar offer.
I had called a month or two ago to cancel my Citi Thank You premier card as I didn't expect to get enough value this year to justify the $125 fee. When I had called then, I asked if they could credit the fee or offer points and they said there was no option, so I said close the account.
For some lucky reason, the account was not closed. I just received a 5 points/$ offer and realized the card should be closed, so I called them back to ask about closing the account. I was transferred to one of their retention representatives and without me even asking was offered that if I spend $4,500 in the next 3 months they will credit the $125. I took the offer.
When your annual fee comes up for this card you can ask for a similar offer.
Jan 17, 2013, 9:08 pm
#1641
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 4
Why would you want to do that? Less money to spend on generating sign up bonuses. Just cancel the card and get a new one with a bonus.
Jan 17, 2013, 9:12 pm
#1642
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: PEK
Programs: SPG Plat, A3 *A Gold, HH Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 392
Jan 17, 2013, 9:17 pm
#1643
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: GSO
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 776
Canceling cards too often and signing up again reduces your Average Age of Accounts, which is a factor in your credit score (although not the largest factor). It can definitely be beneficial to keep a card open with a waived annual fee (although I've had Citi give me MUCH easier retention offers: waived $95 fee for making 5 normal purchases, no minimum amount).
Jan 18, 2013, 7:42 am
#1644
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 123
Advice for canceling Citi AA cards
It's now been one year since a successful two-browser application for the Citi AA cards, and there's no reason for me to keep both. I do think hanging on to one will be useful, though. I want that one to be the Amex (because of Small Business Saturday), but Citi chopped credit from that one to approve me for the Hilton Reserve. Consequently, the Visa has twice the credit limit of the Amex, which I don't want to give up. I'm guessing that this is two separate calls: One to transfer as much credit as possible from the Visa to the Amex, and the other to cancel the Visa (well.. first to try and angle for a fee waiver or points bonus to keep the card). The thing is, I can't think of a good reason (from Citi's standpoint) why I'd want to move the credit around, since it's accepted fewer places and I think otherwise has the same benefits.. but I'm probably missing something. In other words, what's a legitimate reason to be making the first call, and can I combine it into one call without raising any flags ("I want to cancel the Visa, so please move that credit over to the Amex"). Also, how likely is it that I'll be offered a "keep the card" incentive? My main priority is not paying $170 for benefits I can get for $85, although if I can get just one card for $0 fee for another year, that's a best case!
Jan 18, 2013, 8:01 am
#1645
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
Have you looked at this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...all-cards.html
??? You may not really need to pay $85 at all, especially on the Visa. (Although "statement credit equal to annual fee" typical retention offers are not unheard of on the Amex, on average they tend to be less available on the Amex than on the Visa, per the collective experience of people in that thread.)
So here's the irony: If you choose which to cancel before you try for the retention bonus of statement credit (which they are likely to only give you around the time your annual fee comes due), you may end up cancelling the one that would have been "net free", and keeping the only one that will cost you $85!
Is $85 worth one Small Business Saturday??? (Isn't SBS just a $25 credit or something in that ballpark, once a year?)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...all-cards.html
??? You may not really need to pay $85 at all, especially on the Visa. (Although "statement credit equal to annual fee" typical retention offers are not unheard of on the Amex, on average they tend to be less available on the Amex than on the Visa, per the collective experience of people in that thread.)
So here's the irony: If you choose which to cancel before you try for the retention bonus of statement credit (which they are likely to only give you around the time your annual fee comes due), you may end up cancelling the one that would have been "net free", and keeping the only one that will cost you $85!
Is $85 worth one Small Business Saturday??? (Isn't SBS just a $25 credit or something in that ballpark, once a year?)
Jan 21, 2013, 9:20 am
#1646
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Of many retention inquiries over the years, yesterday's was by far the most entertaining. For openers, I didn't get a CSR right away; instead, I heard a recording -- clearly intended for regular Citi CSRs attempting to transfer calls -- thanking me "for my help in saving a Citi customer." 
Got a lackadaisical-sounding specialist who turned out to be very, well, special. When I asked if there were any retention offers for my ThankYou Premier account, he asked what I meant by "retention."
This coy approach turned out to be his standard operating procedure. After giving me two offers (listed below), I pressed on whether there were any others; he replied that the two he'd described were "the best," forcing me to say, in effect, "humor me & tell me about the lousy offers, too."
The offers on my account, for which the annual fee hits next month:
Got a lackadaisical-sounding specialist who turned out to be very, well, special. When I asked if there were any retention offers for my ThankYou Premier account, he asked what I meant by "retention."
This coy approach turned out to be his standard operating procedure. After giving me two offers (listed below), I pressed on whether there were any others; he replied that the two he'd described were "the best," forcing me to say, in effect, "humor me & tell me about the lousy offers, too."The offers on my account, for which the annual fee hits next month:
- Fee waiver: $4500 spend/3 months
- 10K TYP: $3000 spend/3 mos.
- 5K TYP: $1K spend/3 mos.
- $75 credit: $1K spend/3 mos.
Jan 21, 2013, 11:46 am
#1647
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 507
citi aadvantage cards
amex: 3000 bonus miles for $500 spend in 2 months or 2x miles on $1250 spend in each of the next two billing cycles. i took the former.
visa: $85 statement credit and 2x miles on the first $750 of spend for the next 12 billing cycles. this is nice.
visa: $85 statement credit and 2x miles on the first $750 of spend for the next 12 billing cycles. this is nice.
Jan 21, 2013, 1:11 pm
#1648
Moderator: Chase Ultimate Rewards
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 2P, MR LT Plat, IHG Plat, BW Dia, HH Au, Avis PC
Posts: 5,457
Jan 24, 2013, 8:06 pm
#1649
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NY
Programs: AA PLT, Delta SkyMiles
Posts: 569
Does the Visa number mentioned in #1604 work for the master card too?
Thanks
Jan 24, 2013, 10:25 pm
#1650
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,767
I phoned and asked for any specials or retention incentives and he wouldn't give me anything. He said they are no longer giving any incentives. Nor would he transfer me to the retention department. I asked to be transferred and he said that if I want to cancel my card, he will. GRRRR
Does the Visa number mentioned in #1604 work for the master card too?
Thanks
Does the Visa number mentioned in #1604 work for the master card too?
Thanks