Update 2/3/26: Last year, we started getting reports that it might no longer be possible to product change American Airlines credit cards issued by Citi to ThankYou points-earning cards.
Although that might still be the case in some situations, it’s definitely not a hard and fast rule. Greg was able to confirm today that he could product change his American Airlines MileUp card to a range of other Citi cards.
They initially only provided the option to upgrade to an American Airlines Platinum Select card, but after asking if he could change to a non-American Airlines credit card he was offered the following options:
- American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum Select
- American Airlines AAdvantage Executive
- American Airlines AAdvantage Globe Mastercard
- AT&T Points Plus Card
- Citi Strata Elite
This could be particularly good news for American Airlines cardholders issued by Barclays. Those cards will be moved to Citi in April and converted to Citi equivalents, with legacy benefits still being available for now. Some cardholders might not be interested in the Citi equivalent cards, so it’s great that you might still be able to product change to a non-American Airlines Citi AAdvantage card.
It might also be possible to product change to a card that you’re not initially offered. For example, if you were given the same options as Greg was above, you could convert to the AT&T Points Plus card and then hopefully be able to change to something like a Double Cash or Custom Cash card further down the line.
Original post follows.
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There are many reasons to change your credit card from one product to another, the most common being in order to move from a card that charges an annual fee to one that doesn’t. There are also some cards that you can’t apply for new, but that you can get through a product change (like the Chase Ritz Carlton card) and there may be times that you want to convert a card that’s no longer useful to you to one whose benefits are more appealing.
Citi has long been the most flexible bank when it comes to product changing, as it has allowed customers to do it across families of cards. For instance, you could change from a card that earns Citi ThankYou points to a card that earns American Airlines AAdvantage miles or vice versa. This is something that almost no other issuer allows.
However, we recently got an e-mail from a reader named Amit who wanted to change his AAdvantage Executive Elite card to a no-annual-fee Citi Double Cash, which earns ThankYou points. However, when he called, the rep informed him that he could only downgrade to an “AAdvantage Ally” card, which included AA or (oddly enough) Costco cards. He tried to hang up and call again, but the second rep told him the same thing.
Poking around FlyerTalk and reddit, I’m seeing numerous similar data points. It seems like Citi has either stopped or significantly limited the ability to product change between AAdvantage mile and ThankYou point-earning cards.
I wanted to try this out myself, so I called Citi to ask about changing a Citi Strata Premier card to an AAdvantage card. Two different reps told me the same thing as we heard from Amit, although in reverse: that it was no longer possible. When trying to move my wife’s AAdvantage Platinum Select to a ThankYou point card, I struck out twice as well.
We need data points
It’s too early to tell for sure whether this is just a momentary glitch or a permanent policy change. We’d love to hear from folks who have recently attempted to do the AAdvantage/ThankYou switcheroo, either successfully or unsuccessfully.
Our hope is that this isn’t a permanent change. Citi’s longstanding product change flexibility was a great feature of holding the bank’s cards. It would be a shame to see that eroded.
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I tried PC from mileup card to double cash. Twice the phone csll representative told me, I can switch to att plus and then do another PC to double cash so I moved to att plus but now the chat representative told me, PC to double cash is not available.
+1 on DP. PCed from AA MileUp to ATT Plus. 3 hours later, asked different rep to see PC options for the ATT plus, rep replied ““request denied”.” Any actual DP of success? A Reddit comment says need to wait 50-60 for the PC to settle.
Has anyone product changed from an AA business to a Citi Business card?
@Tim Steinke @Greg What was the credit limit on Greg’s Mileup card that he wanted to PC?
$30K
These are disappointing datapoints below, that I probably won’t be able to PC my no AF Barclays AA > Citi card in April to anything other than Strata Elite (already have and wtf even if I didn’t) or an AA card. I won’t if this might change in April with the big influx. I’m sure Citi would rather these former Barclays customers keep a Citi card of some flavor instead of canceling, but I wonder if their contract with AA forbids product changes to most other non-AA Citi cards. I’m sure AA has zero interest in making it remotely easy to give up an AA card.
I had the same experience: when I wanted to PC my AA Platinum Select in November 2025, the only non-AA card they offered me was the Strata Elite, which I was not going to do (I want to get the SUB for that card at some point). I ended up switching to the AA MileUp card, which has no annual fee. When I asked in the past, I was also given the option to get the Costco Visa (which I already have). So I determined that the Costco card is the PC black hole of the credit card world – once in, you can’t get out.
Wait, so no more DoubleCash or CustomCash or no-fee Strata? I have PC’d to CC and Strata before, and hoped to do DC soon. Already have. Strata Elite. Ugh.
I’ve been trying for over a year to PC my Mileup card and I’ve been given those same options. Maybe I’ll PC to the AT&T card in hopes I can eventually PC that to a CC or DC.
I think it’s likely that PCing to ATT (which earns ThankYou points) will clear the future path to a CC or DC.
No it is not.. they just told me.
Cherrection.. at this point no. May be in future
So, is the Citi ATT Plus the black hole now? Hope not in the future..
From att you can go back to aa or strata elite.. but that is not what we want..
Would you suggest at least earn 1 TYP thru ATT then attemp the PC again? Will try that anyway just that no confirmed successful DP yet..
I’m guessing this Barc –> Citi transfer would also be a 5/24 hit.
I would like to know this as well?!?!?
No it will not. Citi paid for the books. Even your card number will stay the same. They have a landing page with the info.
The Citi website says you get a new card AND account number. I’d say that means the number changes.
Just out of curiosity, is there an explanation for why the shift to a new bank wouldn’t be a 5/24 hit for Barclays-Citi (AA cards), but would be in the case of Wells Fargo-Cardless (Bilt)?
Only Strata Elite can be transferred over.
And I tried to check if my other Custom Cash and Premier can transfer over to Strata Elite, CSR always says no. It’s really weird that Citi groups Strata Elite into AA family and separate Strata Elite away from ThankYou Points Family.
Both P2 and I had the aviator Red card but last year we both downgraded to the no fee aviator white. Since we will both end up having the Citi AAdvantage Mile Up card, we’d like to product change one of these cards to a no fee Thank You rewards card. the Citi Strata Card sounds great for 3x grocery and gas. What’s the chance of changing to that card after receiving the Citi AAdvantage Mile Up card? How long should one wait before requesting a product change?
I tried to PC my AA to CCC a few months back and was told it’s not possible anymore. I was offered the other cards but not Citi point cards… I went back and forth with them for days and was even offered a $99 credit to cover my AA fee for the year (which was my main concern). After all that, still no offer or concessions to get the CCC. I’m f sad cause I only got the AA to get the offer points and then convert to CCC :((((((
Just wanted to provide a more recent data point. I asked Citi about my options for converting my AAdvantage Platinum Select card today, and the only card available to change to was the AAdvantage MileUp card with no annual fee. I was able to complete the product change over chat, and they said that the new benefits would take effect in 11 days. I was also given 51 days to cancel the product change request.
Yes, tried to switch my AA Platinum card to a Citi DoubleCash or CustomCash and told I would only have the option to PC (Product Change) to the AA No Annual Fee Mile Up card as I already have the AA Executive card as well. Tried via online chat, phone, and different agent again via the phone. Still no luck on getting the AA Platinum product changed to a cash back product. Second agent stated the available options to product change are likely to change over time.
Just spoke with a rep and they said that there would be more options in the future for PC from AA but they didn’t have a date on when it would happen. I downgraded to mileup in the hopes that double will come back at some point.
Called today (May 15 2025) to PC AAdvantage Platinum and the only two no-fee options offered were the AAdvantage MileUp card and the Costco Card. I asked to confirm that those were the only options and interestingly the rep said, “Yes, at this time, those are the only options. Other cards you see on our website, like Citi Custom Cash, Double Cash, and others, may become available at a later time, but for right now it’s just those two.” They also said something about that ability coming and going.
Since I needed to PC now to get rid of my recently posted annual fee, I chose the MileUp card. The rep also indicated that down the line I could PC the MileUp card to a TYP card when those are offered again.
Who knows if they’re right or if this is a permanent change, but they were under the impression it’s temporary.