According to this datapoint you can product change from AA to Costco now.
Many readers have been asking whether it’s possible to product change a different Citi card to the new Costco card from Citi. As of now, it appears that it’s not possible to do so.
Many want to do a product change to the Costco card as an easy way to get the card with no hard pull. The card doesn’t have a signup bonus anyway, so we might as well just change over to the card from a different unused card, e.g. a card that has an annual fee which you’re planning on getting rid of.
The Costco credit card has its perks, including 4% back on gas (max $7k) and 3% back on restaurants.
A reader reports that Citi has not been allowing product changes to the Costco card, and many MyFico members got the same response from Citi.
It might be that it’s too early to do a product change to the Costco card since it’s new; in the past, we’ve seen this with other new cards. There’s a good chance, however, that they aren’t allowing product changes as a matter of policy. Perhaps Citi regards the Costco card as a store card which isn’t eligible to get via product change.
The bottom line is that it’s currently not possible to product change to the Costco card. If you hear a change on this in the future, please let us know.
Citi is typically very easy about allowing product changes so long as the old card has already been opened for 12 months, see Best Downgrade Options & Rules For Each Card Issuer for more details. Even product changing from one card line to another is possible, e.g. from an AA card to a ThankYou card, but some reps think that it can’t be done, and you may have to call multiple times to get it done.
I was able to convert my AT&T Universal Card (MasterCard by Citi) to the Costco Anywhere VISA today. It will take almost 2 months for the conversion to take place but they did it.
I just called the number on the back of my credit card and was able to product change from:
Citi AAdvantage Bronze MasterCard (no annual fee) to Costco Anywhere Visa.
I called 1-800-950-5114 to convert my Citi Dividend to Costco Anywhere and it worked perfect. The first guy said that they can’t convert but he said he will still transfer me to the Product department. At Product department they just asked my/spouse Costco member number and did the conversion. The only problem was that my spouse last name was different on the card and the costco membership. So they were not able to proceed with the add-on card conversion but I can add it later once my card arrives.
Thank you Chuck/PD/folks.
called to change my AA card to a non-annual fee. Asked about costco, it’s 100% an option. I asked if I could later transfer it to another card if I decided not to continue my costco membership and was told absolutely. I saw another DP here that suggested you could not, so I asked and was told I could.
Officially transferred CITI AA to costco card.
As a datapoint, Citi would not let me convert my Costco card to any other card. Must be the contract with Costco or something.
I just called Citi trying to get the annual fee on my old AA visa card waived. While talking with a rep, I was offered an option of product change to the Costco card. I didn’t like the costco card so I didn’t take the it. But apparently it’s an available option now.
I was able to product change from the Citi Hilton card to the Citi Costco card with no problem. I called the number on the back of the Citi Hilton card and they processed it for me on the phone. I received the new Costco Visa in the mail last Saturday.
I converted (Product Change) my 4 year old “AAdvantage AMEX” into Costco Visa today/ I have 2 questions.
1. Since the new card is Visa, I will get a new card number. How will chase view this from a 5/24 perspective
2. Since this is a Product Change (Even from AMEX to Visa), will my history be carried over in my credit report
@Kumar How did you manage to do that? Did they change the policy or they made a special case for you?
I called today (11/14/2016) trying to convert my Citi Forward to the costco card, but was told that it was not allowed.
PC to Citi Costco is still YMMV unfortunately.
I called the number on my Diamond Preferred, the CSR said “sure, let me transfer you to a product specialist.” After being on hold, she came back and told me that she talked with someone else and it’s not possible since the Costco card is through a third-party.
Then I SM-ed Citi, and they said “sure, but you have to call to do the conversion. Use this number.” It was a different number (1-800-950-5114) than I’d used from my card, and when I called the CSR said “sure” and immediately started the process, which was successful!
Thanks PD, that number worked like a charm for me tonight.
Good to go with a product change from the Citi Premier to the Citi Costco Anywhere
Thank you!!!! After trying unsuccessfully last month, I followed your instructions and it worked!!!!!! Just a heads up that I needed my Costco # and my wife’s Costco # (which were different).
Same here. I called for my premier retention bonus. Rep told me, the retention department is closed. I asked him is it because of weekend. He said ” it is closed until further notice” Is anyone having any clue about this?
PS: He told me I have 37 calendar days to close the card to get the full annual fee back.
@ JA: Closing the card will reset the clock. So you won’t be eligible for another bonuses for next 24 months. I’d keep the card, apply and get the bonus again after 24 months if you are otherwise eligible. That’s what I’m going to do it with my Platinum card.
I’m not sure downgrading to Bronze will reset the time limit or not.
@Shan: Are you intending to keep the card and pay the $95 annual fee?
No. Citi premier is not worth of annual fee without any bonuses. I’m planning to downgrade to Double cash or dividend if I don’t get any offers. As I have one more month for getting full refund, I’m going to call again next week and see anything coming up.
My AAdvantage Platinum annual fee is due & unlike the past years, Citi is offering no retention bonus. In fact, every rep says that the Retention Dept is “CLOSED”.
Can anyone suggest what to do with the card – just close it or switch to something else. All they offered me on the phone was a Bronze AA card.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
@Shan I’ve called Citi multiple times to see if I can get a retention offer on the recently nerfed Forward card and not gotten thru. I’ve been told multiple times that Citi had to put supervisors/managers on the phones to handle the call load of taking on the Costco customer base – evidently the Retention group also got thrown onto the front line supporting the Costco card.
Okay. Thanks for the input. Because of this, lot of people end up closing or downgrading their annual fee cards without retention department.