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Increase Your Citi AA Bounty to 225,000 Miles with Business AA Card

by on August 15, 2011 · 57 comments

in American, Citi, Credit Cards

Last week I wrote about how easy it was to get 150,000 miles for 2 citi AA cards. The deal is not active on either Citi or American’s website and reps will tell you it is inactive when you call. However, I haven’t heard of a single reader who didn’t get the 75,000 points per card when applying through the links I posted on Thursday. FYI: these are not my referral links, but are links found through this Flyertalk thread and ones that I’ve verified personally. I don’t get paid anything if you sign-up – I’m simply promoting these cards because I think they are a phenomenal deal.

So if you’ve gotten the 150,000 points for the personal Visa and Amex, you can also get the Citi Business Visa which comes with a $95 annual fee waived for the first year and 75,000 miles after $1,500 spend within 6 months as long as you apply at least 60 days after your first application. (Application link). I applied for my 150k Visa/Amex cards in May and just applied on Sunday August 14, 2011 at 5pm EDT and I confirmed with the rep the bonus was still active. As with the other offers, the 75,000 bonus will not show when you apply and no phone rep will confirm it. You must apply with confidence that you will get it – I confirmed with the phone reps after applying. Please read this Flyertalk  if you are skeptical.

What if you don’t have a  formal business? That’s fine! You can use your own SSN and you do not need to provide a Tax ID number for your business. There are thousands of family and small businesses that are not official LLCs or S-corps. It’s okay to be a sole proprietorship and use your social security number to get a business card – even if you are just planning on starting your own business at some point. I do have several LLCs, so I used my EIN, but many people have gotten this deal with their own personal name as their business name and SSN.

Just remember, business credit cards generally have higher APRs and less consumer protections, so you may not want to use it as your every day card. But for an additional 75,000 AA miles, I just couldn’t say no!

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author.s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program.

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  • minghi

    tempting but which CR are they looking at? all mine are locked and i would like to open them first and then apply since getting denied automatically and then calling in for reconsideration will lower my chances

  • JA

    If you happened to apply for only 1 personal card, do you have to wait the 60 days?

  • Anonymous

    yes

  • Anonymous

    it depends by state

  • redor

    Does applying for a business card also result in a hard credit pull?

  • shayguy

    If i got the personal amex and the business visa cards, would i be able to get the personal visa card or am i out of luck sinec i am no longer a first time card holder?

  • ashley

    i applied seperately for an AA amex 2 months + after the AA visa(didnt know about the double up then) and was just denied because it said I already received the bonus and could not receive again. Any reconsideration words of wisdom I can use?

  • Latimer

    >>Citi Business Visa which comes with a $95 annual fee waived for the first year
    Hey Brian – I believe the annual fee for the Citi Business card is actually $75.

  • PJ

    “as long as you apply at least 60 days after your first application” could you elaborate on this?
    I got my CITI AA in may ( working on SPEND) do you mean i am ready to get the CITI BUSINESS ?

    a side topic, I called in to speed up my applications on CHase Southwest and Chase Hyatt. they took 5K off my Chase Freedom’s 20K and 5K off Chase BA. Here I am long another 2 cards FROM CHASE with one phone call

    Thanks Brian.

  • PJ

    “as long as you apply at least 60 days after your first application” could you elaborate on this?
    I got my CITI AA in may ( working on SPEND) do you mean i am ready to get the CITI BUSINESS ?

    a side topic, I called in to speed up my applications on CHase Southwest and Chase Hyatt. they took 5K off my Chase Freedom’s 20K and 5K off Chase BA. Here I am long another 2 cards FROM CHASE with one phone call

    Thanks Brian.

  • Warm

    I last applied and received the 2 cards 1 year ago. Last week I applied for the Business Card but was denied because I was already a card holder. So I don’t see how anyone else can get the Business Card too. You may be wasting a credit pull.

  • Chris

    Hi, I already got the bonuses for the Visa Personal and Business last year. Is there a chance to be approved and get the bonus for the Amex Personal?

  • PJ

    do u mean you applied Citi AA Visa and AMEX one year ago ? Do you still have those 2 cards while applying for the Citi AA Business? i wonder if you just cancelled a CITI AA card . My wife did not even get a yes or no from Citi when she applied again a Citi AA visa shortly after a few months from dropping a Citi card with singon bonus cllected.

  • zzd

    Also was denied. Perhaps we are finally approaching the limits of Citicorp’s largesse.

  • PJ

    i got my Citi AA Visa in late may. is it time to go for the business? I kicked myself for NOT going for Both a few days earllier when a friend of mine got approved on BOTH Visa and Amex on May 28 with my computer ,my wifi your links right at my house lol ,

  • zzd

    to clarify, I’m an active citicard AA user and actually have a legitimate business. but the reasoning given was too many credit checks in the last 6 months. (the others were for a mortgage, not credit cards.)

  • Warm

    Applied and received both the Visa and AMEX one year ago. Cancelled 1 of them; still have the other. So even though it’s been a year since I last applied, they wouldn’t qualify me for the Business Card.

  • M J

    I applied for both cards and, to my great surprise, was denied. I’ve never been denied a credit in my life, make a comfortable 6 figure salary (as I’m sure most of your readers who are interested in points do), never late on any bills, etc. Well, it turns out that there are 2 erroneous collection notes for $300 and $600 on my credit report via Experian — apparently related to medical services that I didn’t receive with providers that I’ve never been to. I guess this goes down as another reminder that we all need to check our credit reports regularly for false info. I wonder how long it will take to get this sorted out…. Honestly, I’d give them the **** $900 if I thought it would fix things asap, but I know that won’t do any good.

    And further support for the “when it rains …” theory, I just found out that my ATM card was blocked and a lousy $150 transaction was declined on Sat. despite having funds all because I used it for a lousy $2.00 soda at an airport vending machine a few weeks ago, which the credit union “flagged” (that transaction went through just fine, BTW). My credit union didn’t bother to try to call me and I wasn’t able to reach anyone all weekend. Good thing I wasn’t on the road needing cash!

  • Bohemiana

    I just applied and automatically approved for the business Citi and verified 75k miles and $1500 in 6 months. I have a real business but I’m self-employeed and use my own name & social.

  • zzd

    same here. This was the first time I have been denied credit in over 10 years. My score is > 740 and I carry no revolving debt, although I did have a balance on my personal AA citicard at the time of the application for the business card, which will be paid before the due date. I suspect they are catching wise to aggressive points collectors that they deem likely to jump ship after the bonus.

  • Brosher

    As an additional way to get some AA points, I just called to cancel my AA Amex Personal card. I was offered an additional 2 points per dollar, 3 total, by the customer service rep. My card had been open for 6 months and the offer was through my 1 year anniversary. I declined as I plan on opening the business cards.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-Schwartz/3213290 Daniel Schwartz

    If I added my wife as an additional cardholder when I applied for the 2 personal cards in May, can I apply for Citi cards under her name with me as an additional cardholder this time or will it count her as a “returning customer”?
    Thanks.

  • themizz

    TPG, sounds like alot of people are getting denied for the AA Biz card. It seems from the FT thread, the recommendation is to wait 65+ days between the personal and biz applications. Do you think using a LLC + EIN (and i assume SS as well), has a better chance of approval then just using SS for a sole proprietorship? I have an EIN I can use, but there really isn’t any income I can state associated with that LLC.

    Thanks!

  • PJ

    do you now have Citi AA personal? if yes when did you apply?

  • PJ

    do you now have Citi AA personal? if yes when did you apply?

  • PJ

    Citi was sneaky I applied ( on my duaghter’s request) Visa only and filled the SPEND in days with insuance bills. SOmehow Citi forced the CIti AA select into Citi AA Visa and CIti Amex without NO additional miles. I assume I am going to get my daughter cancell BOTH when they come to be renewed annully. Her AMEX gold premier is on the way !!

  • PJ

    Brian,

    does the Citi Hilton get counted as ONE? i think i bot CITI AA Visa in May and june Citi Hilton

  • Jeff

    Confirmation: Applied, received, the visa/amex back in may. 150K in my account. Just got approved, via my business, for Business Visa and confirmed 75K after 1500 spend. Only caveat is they gave me a ridiculously low credit 1K since I’m maxed with my other citi cards and they won’t transfer. Not a big deal. I’ll hit the spend over two months then.

    Thanks TPG

  • deadreckoning

    Applied on the 12th for the Visa but was denied, response was : “for first time customers only”. I actually already applied for a CitiVisa Plat Sig card in March.

  • Quick Question

    i applied for both citi visa and amex personals last year around this time. For some reason i was denied for the visa. so only ended up with 75K. I’m about to cancel the amex today and try to replace it with this offer.. do you think it can be done?

  • Guest

    Word on the street (FT) is that biz card applications have experienced a crackdown and many applications are now flagged before approval. They ask you to send in copies of proof of business, either bills, business checking accounts, certificate of incorporation, etc. as a means of verifying your business or ‘sole proprietorship’ before approval.

  • http://twitter.com/Chad_Gibbs Chad Gibbs

    Applied for the Personal Visa and Amex in April. Waited 60 days and applied for the business. Business was my name, I am a freelance writer, and they asked for a bank statement and a bill. Sent them my bank statement and a phone bill, approved. 225K AA Miles!

  • Kevin

    I think having an LLC + EIN will help chances of approval. No income for the LLC should be fine. I did a sole proprietorship w $0 income and I was approved.

  • Mooper

    What if you’ve already had the Citi AA Business Visa… will a 60 day delay allow you to churn it a second time?

  • LEE G

    What if I applied for the VISA AA only (stupid me should have applied for the AMEX AA too)…now I am thinking of getting the BUSINESS AA card, do I still need to wait for at least 60 days? Thanks!

  • LEE G

    sorry – some already asked the same question. just ignore me.

  • Benthelefty

    Same question for me. Got the stupid “only first time customers” reason…

  • Benthelefty

    I have the same question. Can someone answer? I originally applied for the Visa last year so it’s been long enough… thanks!

  • Guest

    I applied (I did the 2×75,000 deal 4 months ago, both already cancelled) and then had to call in to Citi to go over info., was a pproved over the phone w/ a $25,000 limit, card to arrive in a week or so.

  • joe

    Hi TPG,

    I have been reading your articles and really appreciate all the info that you shared. Before i know about your site in begining of June, I got Citiadvantage Amex ($4000 spending and 75k points) . A few days ago because I opened a citigold account, they automatically opened another Citiadvantage card for me ( $750 spending and 35k points) . Now my question is, should i wait for 60 days before I apply a business account ($1500 spending and 75k points) , or is it OK to apply now because it’s been 60 days since the first card was issued ? Thanks and look forward to your answer

  • Anna

    Got the two Citi 75,000 personal cards in May and just applied yesterday (Aug 17) for the Business. After calling in I was approved. 1K credit line and rep confirmed 75,000 bonus upon $1,500 spend in two months.

    A side note: the two personal cards were registered to an older address. I initially used an updated address on this Business card, but the rep said to be approved I’d need to fax in documentation, like a bank statement. I then asked the rep to switch the address on the application to my old address (for which I had a statement immediately available to fax) and after a 2-minute hold, I was instantly approved, and told that my card was on the way. Not sure why that happened but just thought I’d share.

  • stevecs21

    I’m very new to the whole airline miles game and I finally took the plunge on this deal…it was too good to pass up! Just called and confirmed with a CSR. Points will be in once the spending amount is finished up ($1500 in 6 months). Thanks for this link!

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  • Scrobson

    I have already obtained both the Citi AA Visa & American Express, and have gotten both awards for a total of 150,000 airline miles. Now, I was going to apply for the CitiBusiness Visa, however, I already have that card! Is there another Citi AA Business card that I can apply for the bonus miles? (Like a Business Mastercard) And do you have a link?
    Thank you very much! I read your blog and take many of your suggestions every single day!
    Susan

  • Travel Guides – Destination360

    Nice I’ll try this. Thanks!

  • Travelkeys

    I just confirmed today that the card I applied for on Aug 8th and just received in the mail is for the $1500 in 6 months = 75,000 miles :-)

  • Travelkeys

    I meant September 8th :-)

  • Jones

    FYI – Similar to “Guest” below, I tried this and was asked for proof of existence of the business, such as mail, bank statement, etc. Since I was only applying to get the miles I do not have this. I countered that it is a new business and would only operate as a DBA, but did not work. I’m at 1.75mm miles, so trying to pile some on before the 12/1 deadline. Oh well….

  • Benthelefty

    I had the same issue here! I can use an LLC that I have so I can re apply. My question though is this: I applied for the Amex a little over a month ago and now this business app. Does that count as 2 within 60 days or would the business one not count because they didn’t finish processing it? (I can re-apply for the visa w/ my actual business and be okay..i should have done that on the front end!)

  • Sean

    The link above is dead.

    The $4k spend link for the Business AA Citi Visa is active from the flyertalk thread post #2.

  • Mcgrail

    I applied for (and received) the AAbusiness card last month (Aug) and was told it is 40k miles after $2k spend in 4 months and 5k miles every $7,500 spend. How did this go horribly wrong for me?

  • Josh_brooks

    I applied for both on the same day (End of August), got the amex didn’t get the visa (apparently the application just vanished). re-applied and told it was for first time customers only. They must have caught on. Dead?

  • Meg Bell

    Anyone done this lately?? Does it still work?? I’m just past my 60 days and would like to apply for the business card if it’s still a good deal!!

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