chazas

I have had a Citi Aadvantage Visa for years - I have used it as my secondary card only when the SPG Amex wasn't accepted.

I'm about 200,000 miles away from lifetime Platinum - since only BIS miles will count from 12/1 and I don't fly huge amounts, I thought I'd give this a try.

I got instantly approved for the Business Visa with a significant credit line and then was approved in live chat for the Amex. The Amex had only a token credit line and I had to move a couple thousand over from my personal Visa so I'll have enough to qualify for the bonuses. It's kind of crazy how much unsecured credit Citi has given me, even though I am a Citi Gold account holder.

I hope they arrive soon - I need to meet the spend and then get the miles posted before 12/1!

IkeEsq

They'll post within 2-3 business days of closing.

Thanks!

mikesteg

Success. ^ I applied yesterday for personal Visa and AMEX. Both 'required more processing'. Chatted about Visa yesterday immediately after submission to no effect. Called today on the AMEX and found that the Visa had been approved, but AMEX was stuck on overall credit limit with Citi. Fixed that and was approved with low limits, but sufficient to get the spend with no interruption.

Did verify that the 75k/$1500/6mo and 75k/$4000/6mo codes were on the cards. Very helpful customer service, I have to say.

I assume it makes sense to "clean up" by closing the older accounts once the new cards are in hand. One is a AAdvantage MC, which I was just charging the occasional small item to revive my AA miles. The other is a Thank You points card, which she told me I haven't used since 2009. doh!

Then... wait on a big AAdvantage MC offer, right?


~~~~

This is my first post, but I'd like to also say thank you to you all. I've run across FlyerTalk many times while googling for information... mostly on air travel, but also on miles. I've been lurking because there is so much information here that I could never come up with a new question or useful addition to the discussion... but I thought this data point would be useful... the links in post #2 are still working as of yesterday afternoon.

Cheers,
Mike

MDtR-Chicago

There's little reason to do that, really. Apparently holding a citi card has no effect on being a "new cardholder" in the future, as long as you've held it for 18 (or maybe a little more) months. Also, your credit score will be higher if you hold those cards open with little or no balance - helps your credit utilization. And you never know when citi will send you a promotion to charge more.

The only reason, really, is if you have so many open that citi decides you have too much overall credit. But even then, you can probably "move" credit line from one of the existing cards.

I'd definitely keep the Thank You card since you've had it for several years and it's probably helping your "average age of accounts". But it's time to make a charge and let the statement close! citi has this habit of canceling inactive accounts with a negative flag on your record, making it very difficult to get new cards in the future. So go buy lunch with it once.

Quite a compliment to everyone here.

EDIT: Citi doesn't care about holding the personal cards long term but they DO seem to care about holding the business cards. One per person (usually).

Tako

So here is a question. I applied on the wrong link for a Visa Citi card - 4000 spend yesterday and was approved.

Was only going to get one of the cards.

Thought I was crap out of luck and would have to spend $4000 2 months.

Just applied for the Visa citi card - 1500 spend this morning and was approved for that??

Both were for the personal ones. Think this will raise flags if I apply for the citi amex?

hahah!

MDtR-Chicago

Probably be rejected since you already have 2 applications within 60 days.

Why do you think you have to spend $4000 in 2 months? The offer gives you 6 months to spend. And if you also get the AMEX, then you just have another $4000 to spend?

Ari1

Guys i have a NOOBIE question I currently haven an extension for the Citi AMEX from wife would I qualify for the Bonus if i apply for an account on my name.

Thanks in advance

Frequent lurker Thanks for all the good info on site.

MDtR-Chicago

Do you mean that you are an authorized user on her account? That has no effect.

Also, welcome to FT - note that many of the posters here are female so "guys" might not be the best choice of greeting.

Tako

I only applied so I can hit the 1mm for American and the program switches end of Nov. Short like 100,000 so I only needed 1 credit card bonus.

jcmitchell21

I think you are the very first person to report getting 2 personal cards on on back to back days. Everyone always gets rejected on the second because the second sees the first.

Stoughton

Do a bit more work -> read post #2, item #11

Air Traffic Controller

I am an AAdvantage member, presently gold, and short of 300.000 miles for the 1 million miles threshold. I would like to maximize my mileage before december and I am interested in this (or any other) credit card offering enrollment bonus, but the problems are:

1- I don't live in the USA
2- I am not an US citizen.
3- I don't have any US bank account (but I am ready to open one if needed, unfortunately I don't have any trip to USA planned until 2012, so I could only open one online or in any european office of a US bank and then transfer funds to it from my bank account)

But as I studied in the USA many years ago I have a SSN (not valid for employment) and I can have an US address (home of some friends and they will be happy to forward my mail to Europe).

With these info provided I would like to know if I could apply for one or more of these credit cards.
I thank all of you for the info you can give me (in the case feel free to PM me)

MDtR-Chicago

You could certainly apply but you would probably be rejected. Do you have any credit history from when you stayed in the US? That will probably be the determining factor. If not, you will probably be rejected for "lack of sufficient credit history"...

Happy

Your problem is you have no credit history in US. Or put it this way, the banks can NOT verify your credit worthiness via any traditional methods they use - i.e. pull a person's credit report, ask tax return information, etc etc

rikramer

Just applied for the 2 cards. Approved on the visa, "application received" noticed for the Amex.

Like most posts from today, I need to get these bonuses in before the end of November. some questions:

1) What date should I target to complete the requirement? I imagine it would need to be the end of my Oct statement in order to hit my AA account before the end of November.

2) Has anyone determined 'easy' methods to spend ~5,500 in a month or two? I've investigated and my options appear to pay off my mortgage using chargesmart.com (looks like this would only work for the Visa card and not the Amex) or buying 5K in Amazon gift cards and just using them over time. Anything that I've missed?

3) Can someone please confirm that payments made on chargesmart.com would qualify as eligible spend?

Thanks for the help!