How to Cancel a Citibank Credit Card

You can close your Citibank (Citi) credit card account in multiple ways, including online or over the phone. However, there are some things you should know before officially canceling your credit card, so you don’t cost yourself money or damage your credit score.

If you’re on the fence about deactivating your Citibank account, there are alternatives you can explore.

What to know before canceling your Citibank credit card

Closing a credit card account has some hidden consequences you should consider before you take steps to officially shut down your Citibank credit card account. Here are some things to consider before ending your line of credit:

• You’ll lose your points: According to Citibank, you’ll forfeit any unredeemed rewards on your Citibank credit card when you close your account. Make sure to cash out on your points, miles, or cashback rewards before you formally cancel your card.
• You won’t get your annual fee back: If you’ve already paid an annual fee for your Citibank credit card, you won’t get any of it refunded when you cancel—even if you still have most of the year left. Unless you’re also paying monthly fees, consider waiting to cancel until right before your next annual fee is due, so you can continue taking advantage of your Citibank credit card’s benefits in the meantime.
• You’ll still get billed: If you leave an unpaid balance on your Citibank credit card, the debt won’t disappear when you close the account. Instead, you’ll continue to be billed until the balance is paid in full, even if your Citibank account is fully closed.
• Your credit score may drop: Canceling a credit card may affect your credit utilization ratio and your credit age (though the latter will only be affected in your VantageScore, not your FICO score). Both of these are factors in your credit score, so you may see a slight drop in points when you shut down your Citibank credit account.

How to close a Citibank credit card account

There are multiple ways to cancel a Citibank credit card. Here’s how to close your Citibank account using the best method for you.

How to cancel a Citibank credit card online

To cancel your Citi credit card online, follow these steps:

1. Go to www.citi.com
2. Log into your account
3. Select Credit Card Services
4. Select Manage My Account
5. Select Account Closure Request
6. Follow the prompts to complete the cancellation

How to cancel a Citibank credit card by phone

To cancel your Citi credit card by phone, call (800) 950-5114.

Tell the agent you want to cancel your credit card and provide them with the account information.

How to cancel a Citibank credit card in person

To cancel your Citibank credit card in person, visit a Citibank branch and speak to a bank employee.

To find the nearest branch to you, search the Citibank Branch Locator.

Alternatives to canceling your Citibank credit card

If you’re not yet set on closing your Citibank credit card for good, consider one of these alternatives.

Request a different card

If your current Citibank credit card isn’t serving your needs well enough, consider requesting a credit card upgrade or downgrade.

If your card costs too much in fees that you don’t feel are offset by rewards, call the number on the back of your Citibank credit card and ask if you can downgrade to a less expensive card.

If your current Citibank credit card doesn’t offer enough rewards or benefits, call the number on the back of your card and request an upgrade to a better card. Note that whether they accept your request will likely be based on your Citibank borrowing history and current credit standing.

Request a credit limit increase

Considering canceling your Citibank credit card because you need more credit? Don’t pull the trigger until you’ve first tried requesting a credit limit increase.

To get a Citibank credit limit increase, call the number on the back of your credit card.

Negotiate your interest rate

If a high interest rate is what’s giving you pause about your Citibank credit card, consider calling the number on the back of the card and negotiating your credit card interest rate. You may be able to get a lower interest rate if your credit score has improved or if you’re facing unexpected difficulties (like job loss or divorce).

Freeze your card

You may want to cancel your card to resist the temptation of overspending on credit. If you’ve been purchasing past your limit, putting your card away for a while is a great idea. However, you may want to freeze your card rather than close your Citibank account entirely.

Freezing, or locking, your Citibank credit card renders the card unusable until you choose to unfreeze it. There are no charges or penalties for freezing a Citibank credit card.