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Citi is an advertising partner of CreditCards.com.

If you have a Citi credit card that you no longer need, you can apply for a new card or cancel your current card. Unfortunately, both of these strategies are likely to hurt your credit score.

Another option you can try is to request an upgrade or downgrade to another Citi card. Switching from one card to another is called a product change. Receiving a product change allows you to upgrade or downgrade your account to a different Citi credit card that better suits your current needs. It’s also a great way to lower your annual fees or access various card rewards and benefits without hurting your credit history.

Each card issuer has its own policy regarding product change requests. Citi has a reputation for being one of the most generous issuers in this regard. However, like many card issuers, its policies are not widely advertised or published online. Change request instructions also vary from card to card. If you are interested in upgrading or downgrading your current card, please contact Citi Customer Service.

Continue reading to learn more about how to upgrade or downgrade a Citi credit card, including some of the popular Citi credit cards currently available.

Update process

There are two main ways to upgrade or downgrade a Citi credit card: respond to a targeted offer or request a product change directly through Citi Customer Service.

From time to time, Citi sends targeted email offers to current cardholders to enable them to upgrade to a new product. If you have received a targeted proposal for a Citi product change, you can complete the entire product change process online using the link provided. Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict when and when you will receive a targeted offer.

If you do not receive a targeted offer, you will need to call Citi Customer Service at the number on the back of your card to request an upgrade or downgrade.

Research the best Citi cards before calling so you know which card you want to switch to. Write down any specific questions you have about the terms of the new card, especially annual fees and rewards. The customer service representative will tell you about the available upgrade or downgrade options. You can complete this entire process over the phone.

It may take some time to process product changes. Ask a customer service representative how long it will take to get a new card and continue making payments with your old card until the product change is completed and updated on your online account and card statement.

Qualifications

Citi evaluates product change requests on a case-by-case basis. There is no one specific set of qualifications across the board. With this in mind, you should consider the following factors before requesting a new card.

How long have you had your current card

Citi does not require a card to remain open for a specific amount of time before you can upgrade it. It is possible that you will be able to upgrade or downgrade after a few months of owning the card. However, a good rule of thumb is to wait until the one year mark. This is due to the protections provided by the Credit Card Liability and Disclosure Act (CARD), which protects cardholders from higher annual fees in the first year.

The type of card you want

Credit card issuers typically limit product changes to a single card family, i.e. those that offer the same reward currency. However, Citi is one of the exceptions to this rule, making it one of the most flexible issuers.

As long as your account is in good standing, you will be able to switch to any other Citi card that you are eligible for. This includes changing the product between reward currencies (Cash Back Points or vice versa) or even to one of the many Citi credit cards issued with the brand.

Please be aware that Citi evaluates all product changes on a case-by-case basis and reserves the right to approve or deny your request based on your situation.

State of an account

Please make sure your account is in good standing before requesting a product change. Citi cares about customer satisfaction, but may not provide you with the offer you want if you have a history of late payments.

Changes to your credit card

So what can you expect when upgrading or downgrading a Citi card? Unfortunately, Citi does not publish its process publicly, so it may look different for different people. Ask a support representative for each of the following details when changing cards.

Card number, APR and credit limit

Changing the product will keep your account, but you should check with your support representative to see if your card number and APR will remain the same on the new card.

Reward Balance

If rewards accrue on your Citi card, they must be transferred to a new card if it belongs to the same card family. For example, if you switch between two cards that earn ThankYou points, your balance should be transferred without losing points.

Switching between cards that offer two different reward currencies, such as from ThankYou Points to Cashback, may mean losing your existing rewards. If you have bonuses on your current card, ask a support representative how much time you have to use them before they expire. Another option is to use all of your rewards before requesting a product change.

Annual fee

There is no guarantee that you will be able to receive a refund of the annual fee, or at least a pro rata refund, if you downgrade your cards with Citi. Please ask your support representative if you are eligible for a full or partial refund when submitting a product change request.

If you upgrade your Citi credit card to a card with a higher annual fee, the new fee will be reflected on your first statement after the product change is processed.

Benefits of upgrading or downgrading

Because Citi has such an extensive portfolio of premium bonus cards, there are many good reasons to upgrade or downgrade your card with the bank. In particular, you can ensure that your card rewards always work for you.

Let’s say for example you signed up for a Citi Premier® card to take advantage of its high reward rate for travel, meals and more. But now you’ll find that you don’t spend as much on those categories, and you can get more out of a card that offers a flat rate on every purchase. Instead of applying for a new card and having trouble with your account, you can request a switch to the Citi® Double Cash Card, which offers one of the best flat cashback rates.

Downgrading your card is a great way to reduce or waive expensive annual fees. So if you originally signed up for a Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® to take advantage of its generous travel perks, but now don’t travel enough to justify the $450 annual fee, you can upgrade to a co-branded card. . American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card with no annual fee.

Tips for getting the most out of upgrading or downgrading

• Before applying, check out other Citi cards to find the option that best suits your needs.
• Please read the terms and conditions of the desired card carefully before requesting a product change.
• Always ask your support representative about approved product change options in case you miss a better one.
• Ask for a prorated annual fee if you upgrade to a no-fee card.
• If you are switching to a new Rewards currency, be sure to cash out your current Rewards balance.

Popular Citi Credit Cards

bottom line

Citi can offer the most flexibility among card issuers in terms of changing products. Please be aware that Citi does not have set upgrade recommendations and will review requests on a case-by-case basis. Get the information you need from Citi Customer Service to make an informed decision about upgrading or downgrading your current Citi credit card. Before requesting a product change, please ask questions about Reward Balance and Annual Fee Refunds.

A product change request can not only help you avoid a credit downgrade due to cancellation or a new card application, but also lead to better rewards and perks that fit your needs now and in the future.

Emily Sherman is a senior editor at CreditCards.com, specializing in news and product recommendations. She is also a founding member of To Her Credit, a two-week series of women’s financial advice for women. When she’s not writing about credit cards, she’s spending her points and miles planning her next big vacation.