Citi DC vs CFU

[CreditSage]

Citi DC gets 0.5% more cash back. As far as BT goes and long term value comparing these two cards.. what's your take? I like the idea of PC later to CSP so Chase has that on Citi. 

-how does Chase customer service compare to Citi?

-How do SL at Chase compare to Citi?

-SP CL increases?

-Card benefits, etc.

Anything else you can think of.. 

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I use CFU with CSR, its 2.25%, with my lotalty programs with airlines, it is close to 2.5%.

Chase offers does occasionally provide good deals too.

My DC limit has always been higher than my Chase cards, but I don't know how typical that is.

[longtimelurker]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I use CFU with CSR, its 2.25%, with my lotalty programs with airlines, it is close to 2.5%.

Chase offers does occasionally provide good deals too.

My DC limit has always been higher than my Chase cards, but I don't know how typical that is.

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Yes, the CFU makes most sense in conjunction with a transfer card (especially the CSR) not as something that can be PCd from.   If you can put $20K on in the first year, the current offer makes it more attractive cashback wise than the DC (but just for the first year).

[CreditSage]

That makes sense BUT I use NFCU Amex which is about to be basically a 3% across the board card for everything EXCEPT hotels and airlines (hence the CSP/CSR desire). I would only use the CFU for maybe one year for BT and to build relationship with Chase/PC to CSP/CSR. Does that change your thoughts on it?

[CreditSage]

How do you like the Citi DC? How's the customer service compare between the two?

[coldfusion]

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@CreditSage wrote:

How do you like the Citi DC? How's the customer service compare between the two?

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By way of comparison,  Chase has their heads screwed on straight and Citi has their collective heads placed somewhere else. 

[wasCB14]

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@CreditSage wrote:

That makes sense BUT I use NFCU Amex which is about to be basically a 3% across the board card for everything EXCEPT hotels and airlines (hence the CSP/CSR desire). I would only use the CFU for maybe one year for BT and to build relationship with Chase/PC to CSP/CSR. Does that change your thoughts on it?

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3% on a lot of categories is not the same thing as 3% on everything. Things like tax and tuition payments can be significant yet don't fall within most/all bonus categories.

Best to apply for a CSP/CSR if you'd be eligible for the bonus and have sufficient income. Then you get the bonus, a good travel/dining card, and a good off-category card. What I actually did was get a CSP, downgraded to CFU, then applied for a CSR. So I got two Sapphire bonuses. Of course, the newer rules would require such a process to take place over 4+ years.

CFU has a bonus. DC generally doesn't. I used Prestige for 2 years (when it had a nice bonus and lots of perks) and then PCed to DC...I would have never applied for DC directly.

Neither one offers much in the way of perks or protections. I think of them as bill-paying cards only (and may close DC eventually).

Citi does give SP CLIs. Chase does not, but does allow easy CL reallocations. My personal experience with limits isn't really that relevant because neither was my first card with the bank, my income grew between cards and CLIs, and if the choice of card affects the approved SL (I have my doubts it matters much) I didn't actually apply for either one (both were from PCs).

[M_Smart007]

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@CreditSage wrote:

Citi DC gets 0.5% more cash back. As far as BT goes and long term value comparing these two cards.. what's your take? I like the idea of PC later to CSP so Chase has that on Citi. 

-how does Chase customer service compare to Citi?

-How do SL at Chase compare to Citi?

-SP CL increases?

-Card benefits, etc.

Anything else you can think of.. 

Thanks!

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First off, I quickly glanced through the  thread, Tired. and you probably already have some good answers.

But I wanted to throw my $0.02 cents worth in the pot.

Had em both, Just PC'd The FU To Freedom as I have plenty of 1.5% cards

Use The Freedom for some 5% Categories. Mostly Gas in Rotation with Disco IT.

keep in mind if you get the 3% offer The Chase gives a whopping 1% more.

Depending on you 1st year spend, that could make a difference.

1)  0.5% makes very little difference unless you are super big spender do the math on $1000 spend ?

(even 1% is not that much)

2) Chase gave me a $27,700 SL to start. YMMV

3) Citi for DC gave me $9K to start, $13,000 now. It will take years of SP's to get to where Chase Card  is.

4) Chase has SUB, but when runs out, nothing spectacular.

5) Citi several years later still gives me BT offers, sometimes at 2% APR

6) Chase you can allocate limit to another card without Credit pull / Citi can be done, but I believe it's a HP

7) Benefits   .. have not used at all.

8) Some people complain about Citi reps. Chase is probably better in that area.

9) Chase will report $0 balance Mid Cycle if you pay off.

10) I have (2) Citi DC cards that I will combine The CL at some point on, And close one.

11) Chase is known to be a little more prone to "AA" Close Accounts, Than Citi is. IMHO

12) Last but not least Chase has the 5/24 rule, unless you get a green check mark, In branch approval is better.

13) It is possible to get a APR reduction with Citi, Never had and success with Chase.

I have used both Chase and Citi  a Ton, never been Declined at all.

enough rambling for now. Good Luck to you!

Edited: Several times for Spelling errors. 2 hours of Sleep

also added line #13

[Anonymous]

I haven't had major interaction with Chase cs, when I called for minor stuff, they were pleasant.

I had one major problem with Citi before, their cs was completely incompetent, provided me with incorrect information that ended up with me filing a cfpb complaint.

Still, I don't really know how chase would have performed, had the same problem I had happens with Chase.

[pinkandgrey]

It’s probably going to be a mix here, but I will stand firmly in the DC camp. I’ve had both and I obviously like the DC better. The better rate of cash back (duh), the better customer service (at least in my experience), the great app for Citi, and the SP CLIs. (I don’t THINK you get a lot of SP CLIs with Chase.)

Ultimately it’s your call, but that’s my input.