F+F FFFL Signature to Prestige upgrade on same terms?

[Legoman]

Has anyone ever had any success in getting (Sh)citibank to upgrade their family + friends fee free for life Signature credit card to a Prestige version under the same terms of the Signature card? I'm just wondering if there's any precedent out there to go on.

I've taken a different approach and "offered" Citibank to upgrade me, in a way that indicates they need me as a customer much more than I need them. I thought about begging and pleading, but as that approach has never worked in the past, I"ve decided instead to try something different to see if it gets another reaction.

I've been a F+F FFFL Signature card holder uninterrupted since 2013, I'm a CitiGold customer, my credit rating is 820/1000 (82%), my credit limit is already > the Prestige minimum and I easily meet the min annual income requirement for the card (and can prove it), so from all the data metrics, I would be the ideal customer candidate to be approved for an upgrade (if they were inclined). I've told them I'll look at it if they make the card available under the same terms as my current Signature, meaning FFFL and with a custom 55 day interest free period to match the Signature's instead of the standard 44.

Anyone in a similar position had success doing the same?

 

[auflier]

No. They won't even halve the fee. Best to apply a new one for better yield.

 

[Happy Dude]

You're asking them to comp you a $700/year card for life?

I'm interested in this card now that AmEx has stopped the Prioity Pass restaurant allowance but may end up just getting a separate PP membership.

 

[Legoman]

Yeah they responded with we're happy to submit your interest to the card division for consideration of upgrade, but there's no way it'll come with the same conditions of the F+F Signature. No chance of 55 day interest free period and no waiver of the $700 annual fee either. Both are non-starter conditions for me, so that's that. I'll just keep using my Amex cards instead in this case and leave the Signature for the increasingly rare occasions where Amex isn't accepted.

You're asking them to comp you a $700/year card for life?

That comes across as if you think it's insane even asking. Firstly, the $700 annual fee is utterly unrealistic and ridiculous for what the card offers. It's so overpriced as to be taking the piss. No-one with a rational mind and not under medical assessment would ever consider paying the full $700 annual fee for a card that is barely 15% better than the completely free Signature under it. The price clearly and obviously has a huge amount of fat built in to allow them room to discount it heavily to customers they want to keep, while at the same time skimming the cream off those too stupid to realise this who choose to pay full whack for it.

Secondly, the Signature was an annual fee of $395 when it was given away for free during the family & friends promotion (I still have the screenshot of the web page offer from December 2013). So given that they have form in discounting a $400 card to zero to gain market share, is it really so hard to believe them also discounting a probable ~$500 card (realistic price) to keep or entice an existing customer to spend more with them?

 

[coolstepslg]

dont waste your time like i did they wouldnt budge. best get the annaul fee halved if your a citigold client via your RM