Update: Looks like this is in a pilot program now. Reader @jonathonleguen was offered the following:
It looks like if you deposit $10,000 or more then you’ll get an additional 25% more miles on your card for the first $50,000 spent per year. In addition you get the followign:
- Deposit $10,000-$49,999.99 and get 1.01% APY and 20,000 bonus miles
- Deposit $50,000-$199,999.99 and get 1.25% APY and 40,000 bonus miles
- Deposit $200,000+ and get 1.5% APY and 50,000 bonus miles
Original post: Citibank plans to launch a high-interest online savings account called Citi Miles Ahead for their American Airlines credit cardholders. (CNBC)
- Exact interest rate unknown, but it’s being presented as a high interest account.
- Earn up to 50,000 American miles for signing up (presumably this will be tiered with high deposits earning 50k and lower deposits earning lower amounts).
- 25% boost on miles earned through the credit card (capped at the first $50,000 spent).
- Account will only be available in areas outside of Citi’s physical footprint.
- Account is only for Citi American Airlines credit cardholders.
We’ve known that Citi wants to launch a national digital bank, and they’ve already launched their Citi Accelerate savings account which offers competitive interest rates. The Citi Miles Ahead savings account sounds like it’ll be similar, but with special perks targeting American Airlines users.
View Comments (79)
is the 25% boost capped at the first $50K ever or the first 50K per year?
I was approved for this account in late November and deposited $10,000.01 from an external checking account at account opening. A few days after account opening, Citi sent me an email noting the promo was applied and a reminder of the tiered bonus structure. I maintained the balance + accrued interest past the max 171 days they had to pay out the bonus per terms.
Contacted Citi via online chat, and a rep confirmed offer was applied and that I had met the requirements. They asked me for some info such as my aadvantage number and other PII to fill out a "dispute form." The miles were applied to my account later that same day.
Overall, the chat process took quite a bit of time (about an hour) to get through all of the required back, but I found it more helpful than the notoriously bad Citi phone support. It seemed I had the right person for the issue immediately. That said, after I had given most of my info the chat did disconnect with no further contact from Citi, and I figured I'd have more work on my end before the pleasant surprise of seeing the miles in my account later.
Did anyone not receiving the bonus and even after multiple attempts, they refused to credit the points? If so, what is the course of action?
This is happening to me right now. They are refusing to deposit the miles because they say I wasn't targeted. I saw promotion here but applied through the pop-up promotion in the citi app. I have one email where i'm targeted and one "congratulations on enrolling in the citi miles ahead offer"... I'll follow up here if I get this resolved over the phone.
This got marketed agressively to me via mail, email, and with prompts at citi login September and October of 2023. Seamed like a good deal with the 3.05% APY they were offering on top of the bonus of miles.
9/28/2023 Account Opened
9/28/2023 $10,001 (Opening Deposit)
1/5/2024 CITI MILES AHEAD 20,000 BONUS MILES posted AA. (Didn't notice until 1/9/24, it likely was backdated.)
I saw this offer in my citi AA account but got 'promotion not available' error when clicking the apply link...oh well
I also saw this on my Citi account, but got the same error when trying to apply.
I signed up for this offer and deposited $10,000, i waited 6 months now they say they never sent me a postcard and I needed to keep the postcard if I got it. They will not honor this offer they targeted me with. Either way, I'm considering contacting an attorney to help making this a class action lawsuit. I know we are not the only ones being scammed by Citi. I've stopped using my AA card and trying to find an easy way to withdraw my funds... but Citi intentionally makes this difficult.
@chucksithe
There is a new targeted offer appearing when I log into my citi account. (Both P1 and P2 can open the link. Maybe it is available to all AA card holders.)
https://online.citi.com/US/ag/easyaddbank-deep/ph?PromoType=ECM_TIERED_MILES&product_list=citi_accelerate_savings&package=citimilesahead&Promo_ID=4ENS53D7XXINTR
Eligibility
So long as you are an Eligible Cardmember who has received a direct communication from Citibank inviting you to apply for the Citi Miles AheadSM offer (“Communication”), are at least 18 years of age, and furnish or have a valid Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification) or Form W-8BEN (Certification of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting (Individuals)) on file with Citibank and are not subject to back-up withholding, you can participate in the “Citi Miles Ahead Offer”.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World EliteTM Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World EliteTM Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Gold World EliteTM Mastercard® or American Airlines AAdvantage MileUpSM credit cardmembers are “Eligible Cardmembers.”
Your Citi Miles Ahead savings account cannot be held in the Private Bank, or IPB to qualify for this offer. In addition, special title, fiduciary, estate, business, Retirement Accounts (including IRAs, SEPs, CESAs, money purchase pension plans, and profit sharing plans), and trust accounts that are not living trusts are not eligible for this offer.
‡ Required Activities
If Eligible Customers open their Eligible Account by any other means than those described, they will not be enrolled in this Offer and will not be eligible for the Citi Miles Ahead Package Offer. Eligible Customers must satisfy all of the following “Required Activities”:
First, enroll in the Citi Miles Ahead Savings offer between 7/18/2022 and 10/15/2022 (“Offer Period”). Eligible Customers can enroll online by clicking the call-to-action button and following the instructions for online account opening or by contacting a Citibank representative by phone and asking them to enroll you.
Second, open a consumer Citi Miles Ahead savings account in the Citi Miles Ahead package as first signer (“Eligible Account”) at the same time and method as you enroll under the first step listed above. Customers must use residential address in AA, AE, AK, AL, AP, AR, AS, AZ, CO, DE, GA, GU, HI, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MP, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VI, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY or select markets in Florida and Illinois when applying for a Citi Miles AheadSM Savings account.
Your new Citi Miles Ahead savings account and card account may only be used to fulfill the Citi Miles Ahead Savings offer once per offer period.
Third, your Citi Miles Ahead Savings account and card account in the Offer must be open and in good standing from the time you open your Citi Miles Ahead Savings account until the time the applicable miles are credited. The Bonus Miles will be paid within 90 calendar days from the date you complete all Required Activities.
Fourth, your New-to-Citibank Funds balance in your Eligible Account must meet the Minimum Balance Requirement for one of the tiers (see Chart) by the 30th Day. You must maintain a Minimum Balance for one of the tiers for 60 consecutive calendar days (“Maintenance Period”), but the maximum number of Bonus Miles you are eligible to earn will be determined by your Minimum Balance on the 30th Day (see Chart). The Maintenance Period begins on the latest of 1) the first day the Minimum Balance is met for one of the tiers (see Chart) or 2) the 30th Day. Multiple deposits allowed.
“30th Day” means the 30th calendar day after the Account Opening Date for your Eligible Checking Account. If either the 30th calendar day or the Account Opening Date fall on a non-Business Day, the first Business Day after those events will be used. For example, if November 1st and December 1st are Business Days and you open your account on November 1st, your 30th Day is December 1st.
“Account Opening Date” means the date your eligible account has been assigned an account number.
“New-to-Citibank Funds” are funds deposited from accounts external to Citibank, N.A. and deposited: 1) using “Enhanced Direct Deposit”, or 2) with checks, or 3) through wire transfers Cash deposits, Citi Global Transfers, Citi debit cards, transfers between Citibank accounts, do not qualify as New-to-Citibank Funds.
An Enhanced Direct Deposit is an electronic deposit through the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network of payroll, pension, social security, government benefits and other payments to your checking, savings, or MMA account. An Enhanced Direct Deposit also includes all deposits via Zelle and other P2P payments when made via ACH using providers such as Venmo or PayPal
If your Minimum Balance in your Eligible Account drops for even one day below the required balance applicable to your tier by the 30th Day, you will not earn Bonus Miles.
■Examples:
If you open your Eligible Account and deposit $10,000 on the same day, your Maintenance Period begins on day 1 and you will be eligible to try to earn 20,000 miles.
So long as the 30th Day has not passed, you can increase your Minimum Balance to another tier, such as to tier 3 with a Minimum Balance of $200,000. In such a situation, the Maintenance Period will begin on the day your balance reached $200,000 and you will be eligible to try to earn 50,000 miles.
If you were in Tier 3 on the 30th Day, your balance cannot drop to $199,999.99 or lower for even one day during the Maintenance Period, or you will not earn the Bonus Miles. If you were in Tier 2 on the 30th Day, your balance cannot drop to $49,999.99 or lower for even one day during the Maintenace Period, or you will not earn the Bonus Miles. If you were in Tier 1 on the 30th Day, your balance cannot drop to $9,999.99 or lower for even one day during the Maintenance Period, or you will not earn the Bonus Miles.
Bonus miles will be credited to your AAdvantage® account within (90) calendar days from the date you complete all Required Activities.
Chart
Tier “Minimum Balance” Maximum Potential AAdvantage® Bonus Mile Award
1 $10,000.00 – $49,999.99 20,000 miles
2 $50,000.00 – $199,999.99 40,000 miles
3 $200,000.00 + 50,000 miles
I opened the milesAhead savings account on January 11 and deposited $50K. The terms stated the money had to remain in the account for 60 days which it did. I even called to confirm in late march that I met the requirements. They are now refusing to award the miles because the money was not in the account for 90 days. I confirmed the terms stated 60 days with them but they will not honor their commitment.
I remember it being 90 days but I'll have to look to see if I can find the brochure or print out. I'm really close to my 90 days and want the miles and money back!
Same scenario.
I had the same exact problem. Do you have a copy of the terms and conditions? I also had them confirm that I had met the requirements. Even in chat. I might challenge that aspect of it.
Anyone have a copy of both sides of the mailer they could post? I lost the one I received and am trying to battle Citi on this.
I opened mine on 1/21/21 and deposited 10k on 1/26. Still waiting on the miles. Via Chat said they said miles would be deposited by 4/26. Nope.
My 20K points finally posted on 6/15/21 after quite a few chats with Citi.I left 10K in the account since I opened it on 1/21/21 to be on the safe side.