moretimeoffguy

Although I've never gotten one myself, I've read a number of posts from FlyerTalk folk saying they've been offered X number of miles to keep a card when calling to cancel; even if they admit they only got the card to get miles--and seemingly in response to it. 10K is a recent retention bonus I've heard BA cardholders receive when trying to cancel.

Here's the question: how much longer must a person keep a card, typically, to keep the retention bonus miles? 6 months? 12 months? Surely there must be some catch--or some would wait for the miles to post and then call to cancel again (or do so online).

Perhaps it's common knowledge--but I've never seen anyone mention this detail (how much longer they must keep the card) when they talk about the retention bonus they just received.

carolinaaaflyer

Depends. Just got 3000 on an Citi AA Mastercard with no obligation to do anything. I think to be safe you should get the bonus miles posted first - and if the bonus carries a time period it obviously would apply - but otherwise my experience with Citi is that there's no mandatory time limit.

MilesMark

Although they won't "waive the renewal fee", CitiCards have sometimes issued a credit in an amount equal to it. I think it depends on your usage aka loyalty. If so, they sometimes impose a requirement like making 5 additional charges before the credit issues. As far as I know, when CitiCards offers miles as a retention premium, they are posted at the time of the next statement closing, and they are not subject to forfeiture. That being said, it would seem to be bad form to cancel the card promptly after the miles post.

muji

Same here. After having gotten a (no annual fee for the first year) CITI airline miles card which gave me something like 25,000 miles, I kept it for about 10-11 months then called in to cancel it (plenty early before the renewal date when an annual fee would be imposed). The agent had a supervisor come on the line and say they would give me 3,000 bonus miles if I kept the account open. So I did. The miles posted (it must have been a few weeks later), then eventually before the renewal date I called in again to cancel. The miles were not rescinded by CITI as there were no strings attached.

Middle_Seat

There isn't such a catch, in my experience.

You call in to cancel, and usually the CSR transfers you to a Retention Specialist. That guy (usually a guy), if his computer tells him that he can, offers you various deals to keep the card.

If you say you want miles, he offers miles. If you say "I don't want to pay the annual fee," he offers to waive it or change you to a fee-free card that gives half a mile per dollar spent. (I like these cards, because it's an easy way to keep your FF account active by buying a hamburger once every few months.)

As soon as the miles post you can cancel again. However, I've never been offered 2 retention bonuses in a row...they will just agree to cancel the card.

For a few days or weeks, the card can be reopened without penalty if you "change your mind."

While I don't particularly enjoy doing these calls, the CSRs are invariably polite.

MilesMark

Middle_Seat is right. In my most recent experience, however, the CSR kept saying there was nothing she could do if I was leaving because of the annual fee, and I had to ASK to speak to a Retention Specialist! At which point, she transferred me. I thought that was kind of odd, but it ended up fine.

nic3456

Is 3K the standard rate from Citi or are there ways to get more?

lhs323

Like Middle_Seat, I've also never been offered more than 1 retention bonus for the same credit card. Also, I never seem to get retention offers unless I have had a card more than 6 months... But still, I always end up getting something: usually either 1000 or 2000 months, or 3000 miles for spending $1000 in 3 months. I think my retention bonuses are pretty low because I'm a low spender generally speaking.

Max M

There's a lengthy discussion about this topic in the Credit Cards Forum:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...n-bonuses.html

moretimeoffguy

Thanks for the replies.

ChaseTheMiles

To me it is an honor system: They give me the retention bonus and I keep the card another year. I don't even think about cancelling before the year's up to try to milk it some more. I'd prefer this method to continue indefinitely and hope others don't try to kill another golden goose.

HareKrishnaHareKrishna

when you call say you want cancel and ask to be transferred to a card specialist
explain you want to cancel and ask what miles are availabe for keeping the card.
i got 3K AA miles and also 7.5K delta miles just by calling. I will try calling again since a new statement cycle began and see if they offer more miles. no strings just make sure
you call well in advance of the renewal to avoid the annual fee. easy miles and i can cancel my card if i choose.

HareKrishnaHareKrishna

i think the offers increase the closer it gets to your renewal date