You apply for a credit card with a signup bonus. The next day you see that the signup bonus has increased for that card. Will the card issuer give you the higher bonus upon request?
For the most part, there aren’t any hard-and-fast rules on this and it could vary widely depending on which bank agent you get. We’ve tried to collect some data points as to which credit card issuers match the higher bonus. Please share your own experience in the comments below.
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American Express
TravelSort reports that Amex used to match higher signup bonuses, but they no longer do so. While they don’t officially match higher bonuses, they will sometimes offer some sort of bonus upon request as a goodwill gesture. Often times, they’ll even match the entire amount to keep you happy.
- SPG – Some had success getting a full match by calling in (1, 2, 3), others got a smaller goodwill bonus (1, 2, 3) and others couldn’t get them to match at all (1).
See also How To Get ‘Matched’ To The 35,000 American Express SPG Offers for good tips on how to go about making this phone call for best chances of success.
Bank of America
It seems possible to get a match with BoA.
- Simon K had success getting a match on a 50,000 mile Alaska Airline offer.
- Elliot W had success once, but had a harder time when he tried doing the same for his wife’s card.
- BoA Travel Rewards: Reports of success matching the 20k bonus (1, 2). No success (1).
Barclaycard
Barclaycard used to not match, then they began matching in 2017 (1, 2) (sometimes even match an annual fee waiver (1)), but most recently it seems they are not matching, at least for some cards (1).
Capital One
Capital One didn’t used to match (1, 2, 3), but more recently in 2022 we found them matching the $3,000 bonus (sent in via e-mail by Help Me Build Credit).
Chase
Since 2020, Chase no longer matches all credit card bonuses, but they do match some. It’s offer dependent, and there’s no way of knowing from one offer to the next which ones will be matched without asking.
Old rules:
The one card issuer who seems to match a higher offer as a matter of policy is Chase. So long as you applied within the past 90 days, Chase will match the higher offer on personal cards and business cards. For example, if you applied for the Chase Freedom card with a $100 signup bonus on March 1, and on May 25 Chase makes public an offer of a $200 signup bonus, you should be able to get them to match the higher offer and give you the $200 bonus.
With Chase, the easiest way to do this is to simply send them a Secure Message (SM) through your online login, and they’ll send you back a message to confirm that you’ll get the higher bonus. Everyone seems to have success with the SM method, and you have the added advantage of having a written confirmation that you will receive the offer. Calling on the phone should work too.
(A few points: Chase will only match a publicly available offer, not a targeted offer. If you got the targeted offer yourself, you should be able to get the match. Try uploading a picture of the offer via SM, or try calling in; they’ll need to validate that you received such an offer; It’s harder to get them to match an annual-fee-waiver; typically, the match in only on the bonus points; It’s not entirely clear whether the 90-days begins on the date of card approval or on the application date.)
Citi
Citi will usually match a signup bonus within 90 days.
If the offer was targeted for you, there seems to be an official rule of matching the bonus. If it’s public offer they’ll usually match as well (1). Secure Message or chat is the easiest way to get it done.
If you are having trouble getting a match, try asking for a supervisor who will hopefully agree to match for you, or at least offer some lower amount of points as a goodwill gesture.
- Prestige: Many had success with getting matched (1, 2, 3, 4)
- AAdvantage: Successful (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), Successful via chat (1, 2), Not successful (1)
- Unspecified card: Success (1)
Discover
Many have had success getting a courtesy credit (1) at least when escalating to a supervisor (1).
Others have not had success getting a match (1, 2).
NFCU
- Doesn’t match: 1
Synchrony
TD Bank
Reader IZ says that they wouldn’t match them to a $150 offer when they signed up for a $100 offer.
US Bank
- E had success getting a match on a US Bank FlexPerks card. (Another data point here.)
- Doesn’t match: 1
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo will not match a higher bonus. (1, 2)
Final Word
As you can see, there isn’t a hard-and-fast rule about getting a match. The exception oisChase who consistently matches better offers. It’s may be worth a phone call or sending a SM with all card issuers, but definitely with Citi, BoA, Discover, US Bank, and Amex.
We’s appreciate if readers could share their own success stories and failure stories of getting an offer-match in the comments below.
Tried to match the SUB for Citi AA Biz card – unsuccessful via chat and 2 calls. Seems they only match if you have a targeted offer.
Tried to match the higher SUB for Citi AA Biz card but was unsuccessful via chat.
US Bank Altitude Go- no match. Applied under a pre-selected offer for 20k, a month later received a pre-selected offer for 25k. No luck matching by phone or by chat or getting a courtesy credit.
Per update from Help me Build Credit, Capital One does not match offers.
https://helpmebuildcredit.com/match-your-welcome-offer/
Tried with Citi Premier going from 60k to 75k for the higher bonus that started today. Hard No from chat (once), and CSR on the phone twice. Might need to update that its mostly no’s now on Citi.
DP for Barclays Aviator Red – I signed up for the 50k offer two weeks before the offer was bumped to 60k. I called to request a match and was given a case number. It took a month and a half to get a confirmation letter that they would honor the 10k match request, with the miles to be posted on the next statement (i.e., the total time to get the bonus points from the time I created the case was approx. 2-1/2 months).
Who did you make the request to? Just regular customer service? I called twice and messaged them and got 3 Nos.
No luck with Citi matching a higher offer for AA Executive card even after talking to the supervisor. They only match if we have a higher offer (either physically mailed or emailed).
Citi does not match. I chatted, called, tweeted, and escalated to the executive resolutions team about the Aadvantage card (got 50k, three days later it was 75k), and they all said they do not match signup bonuses. Some of them were quite rude as well.
Just received a letter from Barclays that they will in fact match. I had gotten the Aviator Biz when it was 70K SUB for 1K spend. A couple weeks later it went to 80K and $100 credit for 2K spend. I asked for a match on account messaging and a call and on Twitter. On both I was repeatedly given firm “no”s. At least I get the additional 10K on the next statement, if not the $100. But also no mention of the 2K spend so I’m ok.
The front-line telephone and massaging receivers are just a little better than robots now so at least get the request in and maybe ask it be sent up.
I was denied (tried chat first, then CSR, then supervisor) an AA Platinum match (60k–>75k). Definitely not like the old days. However, I think if you are willing to put in the time and get to a supervisor, and stay polite, you are likely to get some token miles (I got 2,500). I sense it’s real that Citi CSR’s ability to match is gone, but they seem to have ability to gesture a few points/ miles.