Citi will automatically deny your credit card application or not award you a bonus if you don’t follow the rules below before you apply for a credit card.
One Personal Card Application Every 8 Days
You can only apply for one personal credit card every eight days, also called the “1/8” Rule.
Any application, even a denial, counts towards this rule.
If you apply within the 8 day period, there is a high probability that your application will be denied.
Two Credit Application Every 65 Days
Citi limits you to two credit applications (personal and business) every 65 days, also called the “2/65” Rule.
In theory, you could have the following timeline for Citi cards:
- First Application = Day 1
- Second Application = Day 9 (limited by the 1/8 Rule)
- Third Application = Day 66 (limited by the 2/65 Rule)
- Fourth Application = Day 74 (limited by both the 1/8 and 2/65 Rules)
One Business Card Application Every 90 Days
You are limited to one Citi Business card every 90 days.
Business cards count towards the 2/65 Rule, so you need to ensure that you also did not apply for two personal cards within the last 65 days.
Six Hard Inquiries Within Six Months
Citi will likely deny your application if you have more than six hard credit inquiries on your credit report in the last six months.
This rule only applies to the credit report that Citi pulls for your application.
For example, you could have ten inquiries on Equifax in the last six months, but you won’t violate the rule if Citi pulls your TransUnion report with only two inquiries.
However, it is almost impossible to know what credit bureau Citi will pull, so generally, be aware of this rule when applying.
Bonus Restrictions: Citi ThankYou Cards
Citi groups all of its ThankYou cards into a single “card family.”
This card family includes the Prestige, Premier, Preferred, and Rewards+.
You are ineligible for a new sign-up bonus if you received a bonus from a ThankYou card OR closed a ThankYou card within the last 24 months.
You have to be very careful with this rule because closing a card resets the clock.
For example:
- No Bonus– You close a Prestige after 26 months, and then apply for a Premier or Prestige shortly thereafter.
- Bonus– You wait at least 24 months after receiving the Prestige’s sign-up bonus to apply for a new ThankYou card, you receive the bonus and then close the Prestige shortly thereafter.
Downgrading a Card: There are mixed reports on whether downgrading a card will reset the clock. The general rule is that as long you keep the same credit card number (i.e. same number, different card), the clock is not reset. But if the downgrade results in a new credit card number, that will reset the 24-month clock.
Bonus Restrictions: Citi AAdvantage CArds
Citi does not take the family approach to sign up bonuses for the American Airlines AAdvantage credit cards.
You can get a sign-up bonus for each card every 48 months, and closing a card will not affect the bonus.
These cards include the American Airlines Platinum, Platinum Business, Executive, and MileUp cards.
For example, you could receive a bonus on the AAdvantage Platinum and then get another bonus on the Executive card as long as you wait 8 days from the first application.
