How To Upgrade Your Credit Card

Credit Cards

Lee Huffman

Robin Saks Frankel

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Published 1:22 a.m. ET Aug. 31, 2023

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Credit card rewards, features, benefits and annual fees change from time to time. It pays to evaluate your credit cards on a regular basis to determine if you should upgrade any of them. One major way to do so is with a product change, which allows you to change your account to a different card with the same issuer.

We’ll explain how to upgrade your credit card, reasons why it might make sense and the pros and cons.

There are several different paths you can take to upgrade your credit card. These five scenarios explain how the upgrade process works for customers in a variety of situations.

Many credit cards have multiple versions offering various levels of benefits, earning power and annual fees. Customers may start out with a lower version until they need more premium benefits or rewards and can afford to pay a higher annual fee. Here are a few examples of cards and their premium versions:

These are not the only upgrades that may be available if you have one of the cards on the list, but are rather our takes on which options make the most sense if you want a more premium card with similar features.

To start the process, contact your issuer’s customer service team by phone or secure message. Explain to them what version you want to upgrade to and accept the terms of the new card. This is called a product change. Note, unless you’re targeted for an upgrade bonus, you won’t receive a welcome bonus by going this route.

Some banks allow customers to change card types when upgrading credit cards. You may be able to switch from a cash-back card to a travel rewards card, for example.

As with the process for upgrading to a more premium version of your current card explained above, this is a product change. And you typically won’t receive a welcome bonus.

This upgrade route also requires contacting customer service to start the process. In some cases, the customer service agent may help you pick a new card based on your goals and spending habits.

Be aware that whether you can do this depends on your issuer. Some issuers only allow you to upgrade or downgrade within the same “family” of cards — for example, from one cash-back card to another.

Since converting your existing card to another card doesn’t earn a welcome bonus, you’re missing out on a big opportunity to earn rewards. Applying for a new credit card with the same bank allows you to enjoy the more premium benefits you’re seeking and earn a welcome bonus at the same time.

Once approved for your new card, you’ll close your existing credit card. Before closing the old card, ask your bank to transfer its credit limit to your new card. This will help minimize the impact on your credit score since credit utilization is 30% of your FICO Score — and a higher credit limit means lower utilization as long as your spending doesn’t increase.

Be aware that applying for a new card will in most cases generate a hard inquiry, which can drop your credit score by a few points. By contrast, upgrading your card through a product change as described earlier typically does not result in a hard inquiry.

Your current bank may not offer credit cards that have the earning power, benefits or type of rewards that you’re looking for. When this happens, evaluate options from other banks to find the best credit card for your needs. This also enables you to earn a welcome bonus from this new credit card.

Once you’ve found your new card, complete your application. After approval, you can cancel your old card or keep it to continue taking advantage of its benefits.

When you’re using a secured credit card, which requires you to submit a security deposit to the issuer in the amount of your desired credit limit, it’s ideal to eventually upgrade to an unsecured credit card and get your security deposit back. Some banks review your usage, credit history and other factors and will automatically upgrade you to an unsecured card if they determine you’ve demonstrated that you can manage credit responsibly. For example, Discover starts automatic reviews of your eligibility after seven months with the Discover it® Secured Credit Card * The information for the Discover it® Secured Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. .

Many secured cards include free credit scores each month so that you can track your progress. Additionally, they often provide free credit education resources to learn positive financial and credit behaviors. If you think you’ve improved your credit and may qualify for an unsecured card, but your security deposit hasn’t been automatically refunded yet, you can try contacting your issuer and requesting an upgrade.

Not sure where your credit stands? Here’s how to check your credit score.

When you upgrade your credit card, you are switching it out for another card to gain access to better benefits. Typically, upgrading a credit card requires paying a higher annual fee in exchange for the new card’s perks and earning power.

In most cases, you’ll retain your existing credit card number and payment history, at least when you’re upgrading via a product change. However, some banks issue a new card number, which may count as a new credit card on your credit report. For this reason, it may make sense to consider all options instead of focusing solely on just the premium version of your current credit card.

There are numerous reasons why someone would want to switch their credit card. They typically revolve around these reasons:

The decision to upgrade your credit card is a personal one. While upgrading your credit card often unlocks higher earning power and better benefits, it also typically involves paying a higher annual fee. Before upgrading, think about how often you’ll use those benefits and how much they’re worth to you. That will help you determine if the card’s benefits can justify the cost.

You cannot upgrade your existing credit card with another issuer. Banks typically do not share customer information or account information. However, you can apply for a new card from a different bank to get better benefits, then close your existing card.

In most cases, your credit score is not affected when upgrading your credit card. Upgrading from a secured card to an unsecured card should not impact your score unless your credit limit changes — which, if you end up getting a higher limit, could potentially mean a positive change to your credit score.

Your score could be harmed if the bank reports your upgraded card as a new account to the credit bureaus.

Typically, banks do not do a hard pull on your credit when upgrading your credit card via a product change. This is one of the benefits of upgrading your card instead of applying for a new one. The card issuer may do a soft pull, which doesn’t affect your credit, or none at all. Upgrading generally doesn’t change your credit limit, so the banks usually don’t need to access your credit.

While there isn’t one simple answer to how many credit cards you should have, we generally recommend owning more than one credit card. This can help keep your overall utilization low and if you own rewards cards, can allow you to earn elevated rewards on more of your spending.

*The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card, Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card, Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, Chase Freedom Flex℠, Choice Privileges® Mastercard®, Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, Discover it® Secured Credit Card, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, United Club℠ Infinite Card and United℠ Explorer Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Lee Huffman

BLUEPRINT

Lee Huffman spent 18 years in banking and investments and now uses that insider knowledge to write about credit cards, travel, and other personal finance topics. Lee enjoys showing people how to travel more, spend less, and live better through the power of travel rewards. You can connect with him at BaldThoughts.com.

Robin Saks Frankel

BLUEPRINT

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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