Does Citi close credit cards for inactivity?
Citi is one of the most aggressive issuers, sometimes closing no-annual-fee cards after as little as 6 months of inactivity, often without any warning.
Closure window
~6–12 mo
Advance notice
rarely
Suggested charge
every 90d
How Citi's inactivity policy works
Citi often closes without any advance notice. Like every issuer, they don't publish an official inactivity threshold, and the exact timing depends on factors like your overall relationship, credit line, and account age. Based on widely reported cardholder data, an unused Citi card is at risk somewhere between 6 and 12 months without a posted transaction.
How to keep your Citi card open
Put a small transaction on the card before that window closes, roughly 4 times a year for Citi. The charge can be tiny; what matters is that it posts. Then make sure the statement balance is paid (autopay is easiest) so the activity doesn't turn into a missed payment.
Don't want to track this yourself?
KeepCardAlive runs a $0.99 charge on your Citi card every 90 days automatically, so it never goes idle. Cancel anytime.
Keep my Citi card aliveInactivity windows are approximate, based on public reports, and not guaranteed. KeepCardAlive is not affiliated with Citi.