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How I Turned a 60,000 Mile Welcome Offer into 75,000 Miles

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Disclosure: Miles to Memories has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Miles to Memories and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Links in this post may provide us with a commission.

Increased Welcome Offers After Approval

Citi Matches Increased Welcome Offers After Approval

Citi isn’t the most customer friendly bank.  They don’t always honor the terms of their offer.  And they don’t always offer very good authorized user or spending bonuses.  But one thing Citi does better than anyone else is matching increased welcome offers after approval.

Although they have some pretty good retention offers too!

I used this to my advantage this past weekend.  This isn’t anything new, it has been reported on DoC multiple times. I thought I would highlight it again for people newer to the game or who just were not aware of it.

If you are interested in airline credit cards you check them out on our Tools Page.

Getting Your Offer Matched

Citi has always been pretty lenient on matching increased offers, even if those offers were considered targeted.  That is the case here as well.  I signed up for a 60,000 mile bonus for the American Airlines personal card knowing that I had a good chance of being matched to the 75,000 targeted offer.

Once I received my card in the mail and added it to my online account I sent Citi a secure message.  It is not as easy to find this section as it is with other banks.  Go to the bottom of the page and find the contact us link under Help & Support.  When you open that page towards the bottom will be a send secure message link.  These are the steps I had to go through to read the response as well.  If someone knows a better way let me know.  I think it may be easier for banking customers.

This is the response I received a few hours later (they seem to always be quick to respond):

Increased Welcome Offers After Approval

If you are interested in airline credit cards you check them out on our Tools Page.

Data Points & Constraints

After reading various comments and data points on the subject it seems like there are a few rules:

  • Citi will not match more than 15-20,000 points/miles
  • You must request the match within your first 90 cards of cardmembership
    • The earlier the better
  • It is not guaranteed so HUCA may be needed.
  • Secure Message or calling in seems to work.

Conclusion

This is a quick and easy way to turn a good welcome offer into a great one.  If you recently signed up for a Citi card and notice a higher offer floating around ask to be matched.  Worst thing they can do is say no.

Disclosure: Miles to Memories has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Miles to Memories and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

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Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Mark Ostermann
Mark Ostermann
Mark Ostermann is a father, husband and miles/points fanatic. He left the corporate world after starting a family in order to be a stay at home dad. Mark is constantly looking at ways to save money and stay within budget while also taking awesome vacations with his family. When he isn't caring for his family or taking a weekend trip, Mark is working towards his goal of visiting every Major League Baseball ballpark.

Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

32 COMMENTS

  1. OK, so another data point. I tried to send a secure message but could not find the page to do it. Opened live chat and was told that the SM feature had been removed by Citi. I asked if the chat rep could put in the matching request (60k to 75k). They agreed to do that, took a couple of minutes. Next day there was a letter in the communications folder that Citi would add the extra 15k miles as part of the total monthly mileage within the next two billing cycles. So it may be YMMV but still working.

  2. When I signed up, it was for the 40,000 point bonus. It shows 50,000 on their site now. I was hoping I could match to the 50 but no dice!

    • There may just not be a higher bonus to match it to right now. I believe people have had luck matching business card right now to 75K from 70K.

  3. So lame. I messaged them the exact same thing and they said…
    “Our records do not indicate you were solicited for the offer you
    mentioned. Please send a copy of the front and back of the offer you
    received. Once we receive this information, we will review your account
    and contact you.”

    And provided a mailing address, what the heck!

  4. Thanks so much! I was able to match the 75k for my husband a couple of month ago, but wasn’t sure if it was still around. Just sent and received a SM and they matched on my new account too.

  5. Mark
    Thanks so much for this post.
    It worked on the Biz Card instantly.
    Getting the personal card too, and will try again for that card.
    Thanks again.
    Mark

  6. Works for the Business AAdvantage card too. I applied for the 50k miles+$200 statement credit offer after $2500 spend and then secure messaged to match to 70K miles+$200 statement credit.

    • I just said I recently signed up for the card and noticed there was an offer for 75,000 miles and was wondering if I could be matched to that offer.

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