Citi Gold Fee Free Upgrade

[bry4ntt]

I have a fee free Citi Gold credit card back from the 2006 promotion.

I know many people here got offered an upgrade to a fee free platinum 3 years ago, but I wasn't one of the lucky ones. :/

I recently was offered to upgrade to a platinum and when I called Citibank, they insisted that I would have to pay annual fee if I choose to upgrade.

Anyone here managed to upgrade recently and keep their fee free for life status?

 

[tinkybelle]

we got our citi plat 3 or 4 yrs ago on the free for life deal
its still free
I see you are trying to upgrade from free gold to a new card
no they will want all your docs again inc ID etc and will charge.
I am trying to downgrade to goldbusiness( 1.25 pp$ and 40k to join) and they are asking for all the usual docs

 

[bry4ntt]

It was actually a pre-approved upgrade offer on my internet banking account, so I don't think I would have to send docs.

I emailed and spoke to a couple customer services, all of them insisted I would be charged annual fees.

I'd just keep my fee free gold for now :/

 

[Zippy7]

I too have the Gold fee free for life, and was not offered the Platinum upgrade.

Until late, I had been using it quite a bit. I'm now moving all my spend onto a Westpac Altitude Platinum (got the first year fee waived, so just "trying it out").

If the sudden zero spend triggers any special offers from Citi, then great, else it will go in the drawer as a backup (much like my Coles Source Mastercard).

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I'm now moving all my spend onto a Westpac Altitude Platinum (got the first year fee waived, so just "trying it out").

.

Why would you do that?

With Westpac having just dropped their earn rate to 0.5 for their KF, I have just moved all my non-Amex spend back to my Citibank card which had been retired when Westpac KF first came out.

It may only eran 0.66 KF points per $, but is still more than 0.5.

 

[coolsteps]

Why would you do that?

With Westpac having just dropped their earn rate to 0.5 for their KF, I have just moved all my non-Amex spend back to my Citibank card which had been retired when Westpac KF first came out.

It may only eran 0.66 KF points per $, but is still more than 0.5.

yes in the my tabs offer is an upgrade offer but when you scroll down to the fine print on the next page its says you will be liable for the $250 fee so dont fall for this trap. you are best holding onto your free for life card and make a new application for a platinum card. like this one Citibank Australia
which offers no a annual fee for the first year and 60k. then if you are a citigold cleint you can ask your relationship manager to arrange to have it waived. thats what i plan to do in the next couple of months.

 

[Zippy7]

Why would you do that?

With Westpac having just dropped their earn rate to 0.5 for their KF, I have just moved all my non-Amex spend back to my Citibank card which had been retired when Westpac KF first came out.

It may only eran 0.66 KF points per $, but is still more than 0.5.

I'm not a member of KF. I wanted to see if I can get a platinum card for free (asking them to waive each year) - they waived the first year, so will see how next year goes.
Longer term, this product offers me extended warranty on electrical goods (so I'm thinking that should apply to iPad2, and other gadgets).

Also, the Amex companion card earns me 3x points - just haven't figured out what to redeem it for.
And no, I've not ever swept points into any FF program, hence happy to try out alternative offerings.

 

[crowman28]

I'm not a member of KF. I wanted to see if I can get a platinum card for free (asking them to waive each year) - they waived the first year, so will see how next year goes.
Longer term, this product offers me extended warranty on electrical goods (so I'm thinking that should apply to iPad2, and other gadgets).

Also, the Amex companion card earns me 3x points - just haven't figured out what to redeem it for.
And no, I've not ever swept points into any FF program, hence happy to try out alternative offerings.

If you are a Citigold member, I think your platinum card will be free for life, provided you can maintain $100k deposit with the bank most of the time.

 

[Zippy7]

If you are a Citigold member, I think your platinum card will be free for life, provided you can maintain $100k deposit with the bank most of the time.

The official line from Citibank is that you would only get the Gold card for free. I've been in there to ask. Even offered >100k as a deposit. They don't care to do the business, and I don't care for such slack attitude (esp if their main objective is to look after ME)

 

[lovetravellingoz]

yes in the my tabs offer is an upgrade offer but when you scroll down to the fine print on the next page its says you will be liable for the $250 fee so dont fall for this trap. you are best holding onto your free for life card and make a new application for a platinum card. like this one Citibank Australia
which offers no a annual fee for the first year and 60k. then if you are a citigold cleint you can ask your relationship manager to arrange to have it waived. thats what i plan to do in the next couple of months.

Unless they have change what you link to, it is $125 off for the first year = $125 for 60K = good deal )note ful fee is $250.

However it states in the T&C:

Citibank Credit Cardholders are not eligible to apply for this introductory offer. Ready Credit Customers are subject to Citibank's Credit Criteria.


So did you already have a card, but still get the 60K?

I am looking get my wife one, but thought I would be excuded due to this clause.

 

[coolsteps]

Unless they have change what you link to, it is $125 off for the first year = $125 for 60K = good deal )note ful fee is $250.

However it states in the T&C:

Citibank Credit Cardholders are not eligible to apply for this introductory offer. Ready Credit Customers are subject to Citibank's Credit Criteria.


So did you already have a card, but still get the 60K?

I am looking get my wife one, but thought I would be excuded due to this clause.

just call up and ask before you apply to be sure. when i called up they looked into my accounts then i was told that with that special promo code since i already had a gold card cc etc if i applied over the phone the first year annual fee would be waived and that i would get the 60k. however i haven't applied yet as i dont really know what to believe from them. as long as you dont already have a platinum card i think you would get the 60k points. also i believe after you get the card if you are a citigold client just mentioned that when you call up to activate it so that you can get the fee waived for life as this may be possible too. thus free 60k points if you have never held a platinum citibank cc.