Citi Product Change Rules
There was always one thing that Citi was better than everyone else at, and that was product changes. They were by far the most liberal bank when it came to product changes. They would let you move from one product to the next without any family rules are any other real restrictions. The one outlier was the Citi Costco card, but everything else was fair game. Taking advantage of the Citi product change rules was actually the best way to get the Citi Double Cash card, since it didn't come with a sign up bonus. That was then, and this is now though. Citi made some negative changes to our ability to product change cards in early 2025. While much of that is still in place, kind of, they at least brought product changing online. Welcome to the 21st century Citi!
What Changed With Citi Product Change Rules?
There were reports that the Citi product change rules changed when it comes to the American Airlines AAdvantage card lineup in early 2025. In the past you would be able to change your American Airlines Citi card into any ThankYou earning card you wanted after the first year. This is why many people grabbed an AAdvantage card for the sign up bonus, and then would product change it to the Citi Double cash after the first year.
Citi adjusted their product change rules away from that, which made the process much more limited. Cardholders were being told that they can no longer move their AAdvantage card over to a ThankYou earning card. They can only product change it into another American Airlines credit card. Weird enough, you can also product change an AAdvantage card into a Costco card. Somehow that is an option, even if you are still not able to product change out of a Costco card. It makes no sense to allow it one way but not the other – we are talking about Citi here though.
That change really threw a wrench in my plan of attack for our Citi card lineup. That is what I get for being lazy and dragging my feet on making the changes though.
Improvements With Online Capabilities
During this time Citi decided to upgrade their technology a bit. They now have a chat option online, which is usually just a chat bot. You are able to get an agent though, and when you do you can ask for a product change. It looks like they will still give you limited options most of the time, but you can always ask for what you want instead. I know Benjy over at Miles to Memories was able to move from an American Airlines card to a Citi Strata Premier after some push back. Maybe it is more wide open than they let on after all.
I recently did this for my wife's Double Cash card and wanted to share the process. We ended up product changing to the Citi Strata Premier for the card's better earning structure. We were both denied on new applications multiple times, so this was the next best thing.
How To Product Change Your Citi Card Online
Here was the step by step process I went through:
- Once logged into my Citi account on my computer I clicked the Need Help button in the lower right corner of my account screen.
- This is the typical help section, but you want to scroll to the bottom and hit the button for the Citi Bot
- Once there you can just ask for a representative or say you want to perform a product change
- The agent will come on and give you the options for your Citi product change available for that card.
If I am being honest, chatting with the agent was like chatting with a bot. They were copying and pasting a script, and even including the internal notes from Citi for the chat representative. Things like, read this verbatim, or remind them they can track the card in the Citi app etc. Once I read through all of the errors I was given the following card options to product change to for the Double Cash card:
- Citi Diamond Preferred Card
- Citi Custom Cash
- Citi Strata (408)
- Citi Double Cash Card
- Citi Strata Premier
Yes, even the Double Cash was on the list for my options to product change from … a Double Cash. As you can tell this isn't the best system, but I guess it is better than nothing. I was surprised the Strata Premier Elite was not an option, but I would have asked if I was interested. Maybe it would automatically be an option once we activate the Strata Premier card? Not that I want the Elite card – more of a curious inquiry.
Citi Product Change Rules: ToP Thoughts
There is no doubt that these newer Citi product change rules are a devaluation overall. Unless they start to open things up again for American Airlines cards etc. a little down the road. The good thing is that we have a positive data point for that now, so maybe you just need to push back a little on the list offered for your product change? I do like that it is possible to do it online now, even if it is super clunky. I can deal with clunky since it saves me some spouse points by avoiding my wife making that phone call for the Citi product change. Let me know done a Citi product change online yet over in the ToP Facebook Group.
