Advice needed ... I have received yet another pre-approved Diners Club application form. The program offers "never expiring miles" on all major US airlines (including my favorite ones). I currently have an AAdvantage card. Any opinions/ thoughts on Diners Club (other than it is not accepted everywhere) and also thoughts and opinions on the Diners Club International airport clubs.

Thanks in advance.

TCrazy

Diner's is not a bad card. I use it and the AAdvantage card exclusively. It is a nice option to have non-expiring points and the ability to transfer points to any airline and almost any person I want (except for AA, Air France and I think BA which requires that the milage transfer goes to the cardholder only).

The Card is beginning to be accepted more places in the US (I was in Japan 5 years ago and it seems like it was accepted everywhere there). All major hotels, airlines, gas stations, car rental and national food chains (Friday,etc...) take the card. FOr retailers, Barnes and Noble and I think Bloomingdales come to mind.

The best feature is the 60 day grace period. For example, my September statement (which end Oct 1) is not due until December 1 -- all with no interest charge!

Considering both are run by Citibank, I would use Diners exclusively if it was accepted more places -- I find customer service to be very friendly and helpful. There are occasions where I have found Citibank AA customer service reps to be downright rude. In addition, they are getting much tougher on receipt of payment -- if it is not paid by the due date -- $25 fee + interest (even if the bill is paid in full by the cut-off date of the bill) And to top it off, if you make payment at a Citibank ATM, you must make it 3 days in advance of the payment due date or it is not considered not timely paid. They claim it takes 3 days since the ATMs and Credit Card computer systems are not linked.

Sorry about the tirade about Citibank AA card -- if it was not for the miles, they would not be my card of choice.

JIMBOLIGUY --> Thank you very much for your informative and complete response. I am seriously considering taking Diners up on the offer (they are also offering an incentive of 1,000 miles/month, each month that I use the card in the next 12 months) which would definitely cover the $80 annual fee. Anybody tried the lounges?

This sounds like a good deal. Do you have a phone number or offer code so that I can call Diner's and sign up?

My partner and I both received the Diners Club card so we could get the 20,000 miles on BA .(Which they offered through the end of September...)
The Card itself really isn't that easy to use in the US...few places honor it, so if you have a Visa card why bother...

I noticed in Europe, that most any place that will accept Visa or Mastercard will accept Diners Club, but beware!! they do charge a 1-2% fee on any transaction that's made in a foreign currency overseas, but billed in the USA..(luckily I read this small print before I left for Europe. )

Lounges are mainly outside of the US, look on their web page for locations...
http://www.dinersclub.com/diners_lounges.html

We did Try the Lounge at Heathrow (Terminal#1), It's was very nice...
This Lounge was the Servisair Executive Lounge. Which was the Lounge for Several of the Foreign airlines, like Swiss Air, Iceland Air, etc.
Few people,lots of papers, magazines, and all sorts of refreshments.

I'll try out the one in Tokyo in November, it might be a nice change from the over crowded Red Carpet club.All I ever find in the Tokyo RC Club is Pushy passengers trying to hook up their computers to the phones so they can check their email.

Also if you are interested in signing up for the card, you can opt for the 10,000 miles or 20,000 points as a bonus all at once. Otherwise you have to use your card at least once a month in order to get the 12,000 miles. 1000 per month for 12 months.
If you want the 10,000 mile/20,000 points you will need to ask for offer # H9XXDXXPXXX@ 1-800-2-DINERS.

In my opinion unless you want the bonus miles, or can really use the clubs a lot, your better off with a regular Airline Visa Card.

The 60 day grace period is great when you're travelling on business & it takes a while to get your expenses back... most credit cards only offer one month, & the turnaround on expenses is often longer than that.

Also, although Diners generally give you one Club Rewards point for every dollar spent, and one airmile for every two Club Rewards points, they do give you large bonuses, & often run promotions like the BA one (which ended on Sept 30th) of 1 mile for each Club Rewards point. There is also a program with certain restaurants where you get 20% back on your total bill (incl taxes & tip), for no extra fee. Club Rewards points don't expire and can be transfered to any ff plan, so if you're not sure where you want to use those miles you can allow them to accumulate & transfer them only when there's a special offer/you want to fill up a particular ff plan's milage for a specific reason.

I have a few applications which offer 2000 points (1000 miles) every month in the first year which you use the card. You must make a charge in the month to get the bonus. I also have an application which gives 20,000 points (10,000 miles) where you do not have to make the purchases. The annual fee is $80. I get a bonus of 6000 points for the referral. If you are interested send me an email (click on the envelop symbol in my posting).

I find the customer service people at Diners Club to be equal to those you would find at a fine hotel. They are always polished, intelligent and professional. They are truly in a league of their own. Additionally, I have never had any problems with the CLub Rewards program and find DC to be very generous with promotional offers.

Truly, the only weaknesses I have with the DC card are 1. The limited number of non-travel related places that accept the card (the same complaint as every other DC member) 2. Their website is in dire need of an update with more interactive capabilities 3. I found their airport clubs to be a dissapointment. The one in Dublin is a windowless closet, the one in Amsterdam in tucked away in a remote, secret location that only 3 people have ever found and in all the times I have passed through Edinburgh, it seems to never be open regardless of what time of day I arrive

The following a repost of some comments I made in the Diners Club forum on 7/15/98:

"I was driving a bright red Nissan Micra in County Carlow, Ireland last spring. Beautiful spring day, nice curvy road. I came around a sharp curve to the left and came face to face with a dairy delivery truck that was using the center of the road. I was doing 30mph, he was doing maybe 20mph. We collided with a horrible sound, causing my car to bounce backwards 20 feet. The car's engine was protruding into the passenger compartment and was a total loss. I had some foot injuries that required a hospital visit but I am okay now.

Getting to the point (finally...) I had made the rental with my Diners Club card. I contacted DC when I got home, they sent me a couple of forms to fill out and that was it. I called 4 months later to inquire and was told that it was all taken care off.

This card has amazing customer service."

Wow ... thanks to all for the great responses. I think I will try the card out ... 12,000 miles for 1 year ($80) is probably worth it. Don't need the miles desparately, so will go with the monthly option and get the extra 2,000 miles.

TCrazy

Travelcrazy,

If you sign up for Diners Club, let someone here (it doesnt have to be me but I will gladly volunteer) sponsor you as it will earn that person 6,000 Club Reward points.

The lounges are not bad -- I dont necessarily agree that the one in Dublin was a "windowless closet." In August, I flew LGA-ORD-LHR-CORK (last minute booking and I wanted the miles). On the way back, it was Galway-DUB-LHR-JFK. The inter-Ireland flights were on AerLingus which I am not a member of their club -- it was nice to have the Diners Club Club to use -- it was empty, the staff was friendly, they had drinks and snacks.

In terms of the referral -- if Travelcrazy uses a referral -- he may not get his bonus miles -- make sure you check before you request it.

A note from fukuchan's comment on the additional charge for using the card overseas - as far as I know -- that is not the case -- I used the card extensively in Ireland and the exchange rate was comparable to the rate used on my Visa card -- you may want to confirm this with Diners -- but since they are pushing to be a business persons card, I cant imagine them charging extra. He may have been referring to a fee for ATM/Cash advance uses. In that case, they do charge.

--Jim

In response to JIMBOLIGUY's message, the referral applications state the bonus which the applicant gets (depending on the application form it is either 2000 Club reward points every month of usage in the first year, or it is 20,000 Club reward points irrespective of card usage). 2000 Club reward points equal 1000 airline miles, except in case of a double mile promotion where 2000 Club reward points equal 2000 airline miles.

My experience also is that for charges (transactions which are not considered cash advance) Diners Club is comparable to Visa/Mastercard for foreign currency transactions.

Everything said above is ok. Even in Europe you need (in add to Diners or Amexco) either VISA or Mastercard/Eurocard.

For me the best thing about Diners is the (European and Brazilian Lounge access, and in Brazil the free Limousine from Airport to Downtown and back in Rio and Sao Paulo).

Most credit cards take the interbank exchange rate and add a ~2% commission. This is standard practise, and gives you a better exchange rate than using cash would. The difference between 'buying' and 'selling' prices for cash/travellers cheques can be as much as 10% - just check the rates at any bureaux de change. So you're better off using credit cards.