Citi Custom Cash closed to new applications (but product change still available)

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Update 5/29:  Citi has now closed the Custom Cash card to new applications, but reports in the comments suggest that you can still product change for now. If you’d like to make a product change, we’d highly recommend trying it via chat. There is essentially no wait, and the process takes less than five minutes..

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Doctor of Credit published a post yesterday about a rumor that the Citi Custom Cash card will be pulled from new applications as of May 28, 2026. That sadly looks to be nigh on confirmed, as they now have a screenshot of answers for Citi bankers to provide in response to any questions they might get.

The Custom Cash doesn’t get much attention, but it’s a nifty little card for what it is. It has no annual fee, and you can earn 5X ThankYou points on the first $500 spent in a billing cycle in one of numerous categories—restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment. That capped its usefulness to 2,500 points per billing cycle (the card otherwise earns 1X on all other spend, other than 5X on hotels, rental cars, and attractions booked through Citi Travel), but it’s an easy way to earn 30,000 ThankYou points per year if you consistently spend $500 per month in one of those categories.

Sadly, that might be coming to an end…to an extent. Rumors suggest that Citi will stop accepting new applications for the Custom Cash card after Thursday, May 28.

That said, if you have any other Citi cards at the moment, you could look into product-changing one of them to a Custom Cash card. There’s no guarantee you’ll be able to do that, but it’s worth a try if it’s a card you want and you already hold an existing Citi card you don’t really care about. It’s unlikely that product changes to a Custom Cash card will be possible after Citi has pulled the card for new applications (product changes to the Citi Prestige card weren’t possible after applications were pulled for that card), so now is the time to product change if that’s an appealing option for you.

Citi increasingly seems to be acting like a serial entrepreneur who likes creating shiny new things, but then quickly gets bored with them. That said, thankfully, they’re not doing a Google and simply killing off products they don’t want to maintain, at least for now anyway. Per the screenshot obtained by Doctor of Credit that’s been provided to Citi bankers, it says (among other questions and answers) the following:

Will my existing Custom Cash card be converted to another product?

Existing Custom Cash accounts are not impacted by this change.

Are there any changes to existing Custom Cash accounts or benefits?

No. Existing cardmembers can continue to use their card and enjoy its benefits.

Another of the questions and answers is as follows:

Will the Custom Cash product become available again?

The Custom Cash card is not available for new applications.

That’s interesting wording because it doesn’t actually answer the question. The answer doesn’t state that it won’t become available again; it just says it’s not available for new applications. That might mean it will return at some point, or they’ll rebrand it as something like the Citi Strata Custom Cash card while essentially keeping it the same. I wouldn’t count on that, though, if it’s a card you want.

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kaza

End of an era for me… Product-changed my long-held Dividend card to the Custom Cash few minutes ago.

Last edited 5 days ago by kaza
ResQguy

Product changed Double Cash to Custom Cash via chat 5:00pm EST on 30 May.

C2CMom

Was able to change my Strata and P2’s Double Cash to Custom Cash. 22:30 PDT on 5/29

Hector G

Strata to Custom Cash successful at 2045 CST on 5/29.

DJT

Same here at 1920 PST on 5/29

Frank

I recently applied for and got the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard and have met the requirements for the initial bonus. I also had the Barclays AA card which was transferred to Citi, so now I have 2 of the same cards. I called to see about a product change for this card (which hasn’t even been sent yet, but the did not offer the Custom Cash as I’d hoped, and offered only a Costco card or a Double Cash card.

Which should I choose? I look at this as an inquiry-free card with no SUB. Or should I just cancel it?

Frank

Oops, forgot to mention: I don’t need a cash back card. I want AA miles, but something with Thank You points would also work.

Johhny

Could try changing to Double Cash and then crossing your fingers that the window to change that card to CC stays open.

jerry

I did a PC yesterday from strata. I now have 2 CC cards. Also have Premiere and DC to round out the best rotation that also maintains a 1 cpp cashout option via premiere.

Last edited 10 days ago by jerry
Kimo C.

Has anyone PC’d a CSE or ATT Points Plus to Custom Cash?

Andy

I tried my AT&T card last night but was only offered a bunch of AA cards or the Strata Elite.

wjs2

Got turned down from AA Platinum Select. Chat agent tried twice 🙁

Larry

Just changed strata at 10:49 pacific. Now going to do mileup.

Larry

No go on mileup, as expected.

Johhny

Data Point, just changed from Strata to CC at 6:15 CDT via chat. Incredibly fast and easy

Julie

Product changed via chat from Double Cash and Strata to Custom Cash (10:45am CST 5/29). Custom Cash was not an option from my Aadvantage Platinum.

Adam

I was not able to product change from a AA MileUp card yesterday, and this was before new applications were pulled. Probably just my specific account as there were several available cards I could product change to, but the CC was not one of them.

Bret

Data Point. Was able to product change via chat just now.

Keith

Just applied yesterday and got message that they are reviewing my app, will let me know in 7-10 days. Hopefully they can still approve it next week! P2 luckily got instant approval.

I still hadn’t entered the Citi points game but been meaning to combining this with a Strata Premier card

Slaven

any reason not to change my strata (basic) into a custom cash?