When you’re trying to choose a credit card to apply for, a variety of factors might come into play, such as the promotions and rewards being offered – and whether you’re even eligible for it.
Once you have a card, over time you might find your needs or purchasing patterns change, or the card might not offer the reward or perks it once did.
In this case, seeing what other card issuers offer is tempting. But it’s also worth looking into how to upgrade your current card.
Fortunately, if you’re a Capital One credit card holder, upgrading can be a fairly quick and straightforward process. Just follow these steps to move up to a credit card with the features you want.
On this page:
- Requirements to Upgrade Your Capital One Cards
- Ways to Upgrade Your Capital One Card
- Top Capital One Cards to Upgrade To
What’s Required to Upgrade?
Capital One upgrades are driven by a few factors, but overall, your upgrade depends on the following:
- How long you’ve had the card
- Frequency of use (though not using the card doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be eligible for upgrades)
- The marketing promotions currently being offered by Capital One
- Your current account standing (i.e., if you’re consistently missing payments or your card is maxed out, you might not be eligible for upgrades)
Ways to Upgrade Your Capital One Card
How do you know if you’re eligible for an upgrade?
There are a few ways, but typically, cardholders who are eligible for an upgrade will be notified through a banner on their online account or via mail. However, if you don’t receive or see any of those upgrade alerts, you can always call customer service to inquire.
If you are eligible for an upgrade, you can either accept the offer over the phone or accept the offer online by logging in and selecting “Upgrade Now” on the offer you would like to choose.
Once you’ve done that, a “Finalize Upgrade” window will appear, and you’ll have one last chance to review the upgrade basics (name of the card, reward/promo) and the annual fee. Then simply read the terms carefully and make sure you understand them, check the box stating you agree to them, and select “Upgrade Card.”
There is no credit check associated with an upgrade, and your existing APR and limits will remain the same unless otherwise stated as part of the upgrade offer. Additionally, your card number will remain the same, meaning you can continue using your current card until the new one arrives, which should be within seven to 10 days. It’s as simple as that.
Capital One upgrade offers are typically available for a limited period of time, although new ones become available regularly if you meet the requirements.
As such, if you’re thinking about upgrading, be sure to regularly check your mail, log into your account, and/or contact customer service to inquire about current offers available to you.
And, of course, if there is a card you’d like to upgrade to but do not see the offer, always contact customer service to see if you’re eligible despite the absence of a specific offer.
Additional Options
If you’re currently a Capital One credit card holder but would like to get a card that offers a few more rewards and perks, check to see if you’re eligible for an upgrade.
If so, be sure to choose the card that offers the perks and rewards that best meet your needs. If you would like to see more options, you can review the Best Capital One credit cards.