Confirmed: Changes to Citi ThankYou and Premier cards 10.20.2013
Jul 15, 2013, 12:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, TY, UR, UA, US, WN, MR, SPG
Posts: 1,453
Confirmed: Changes to Citi ThankYou and Premier cards 10.20.2013
Hey FT,
There are some changes coming to the Citi ThankYou and ThankYou Premier cards, effective on new applications on July 28th, 2013. Existing cardmembers will receive notification in late August, and changes will go into effect October 20th, 2013.
ThankYou Premier
Positive changes:
Negative changes:
Regular ThankYou
Positive changes:
Negative changes:
You will earn flight points on any tickets PURCHASED by October 19, 2013.
You will have access to booking through Spirit for the companion airfare through October 19, 2013.
Any flight points you have will remain until you convert them with matched spend.
There are some changes coming to the Citi ThankYou and ThankYou Premier cards, effective on new applications on July 28th, 2013. Existing cardmembers will receive notification in late August, and changes will go into effect October 20th, 2013.
ThankYou Premier
Positive changes:
Negative changes:
Regular ThankYou
Positive changes:
Negative changes:
You will earn flight points on any tickets PURCHASED by October 19, 2013.
You will have access to booking through Spirit for the companion airfare through October 19, 2013.
Any flight points you have will remain until you convert them with matched spend.
Jul 15, 2013, 12:51 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, TY, UR, UA, US, WN, MR, SPG
Posts: 1,453
Personally, this is a bigtime deal breaker on the Premier. Seems they're trying to match up to the CSP in terms of value, but they don't realize TYPs are worth much less than UR points. Seems they're trying to widen the gap between the Premier and Prestige, to make the Prestige more attractive despite the higher fee. Seems like what they've done instead is simply make the Premier less attractive. They're making a huge mistake in not dropping the annual fee to match the CSP, too, though.
Jul 15, 2013, 1:12 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 19
thanks for the heads up
i have had a TY Premier card for a while. the way i look at it, the flight point program was in effect spend $1 and get 2 TY points back.
most of us who have the card have a large flight point balance that you need regular spend dollars to transfer to the main thank you pot.
the devaluation from 1.33x to 1.25 sucks, but 3x at restaurants can be big.
sounds like i will need another card for stuff like groceries and everyday spend.
any you guys will recommend?
most of us who have the card have a large flight point balance that you need regular spend dollars to transfer to the main thank you pot.
the devaluation from 1.33x to 1.25 sucks, but 3x at restaurants can be big.
sounds like i will need another card for stuff like groceries and everyday spend.
any you guys will recommend?
Jul 15, 2013, 1:38 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,486
Wow, in spite of the new category bonuses, this sounds like a major gutting of the Premier card. Unfortunately, in spite of all the rumors of airline and hotel transfer partners for the Thank You program, all we've seen is the addition of Hilton HHonors, and with that program's devaluation this year, the transfer ratio isn't very attractive.
With the companion ticket gone, I can't see how Citi can justify an annual fee that is higher than the CSP.
With the companion ticket gone, I can't see how Citi can justify an annual fee that is higher than the CSP.
Jul 15, 2013, 1:45 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, TY, UR, UA, US, WN, MR, SPG
Posts: 1,453
Speculation: Changes to Citi Prestige cards to parallel Premier card downgrades?
I foresee most people manufacturing spend/focusing spend on burning through their flight points and canceling before the next annual fee comes up.
Jul 15, 2013, 2:23 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA, BA Avios, AMEX Plat
Posts: 497
Yep, time to start burning the TYP - although the combo with the citi forward for 5x dining might still be attractive even with the 1.25x burn devaluation.
Jul 15, 2013, 2:30 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Although with 2x dining added to Thank You (and Preferred/Premier) and Forward going away for non-students, it wouldn't be a total surprise to see the 5x go from Forward.
Jul 15, 2013, 2:39 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA, BA Avios, AMEX Plat
Posts: 497
Jul 15, 2013, 2:39 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MKE
Posts: 56
Bummer, the combination of flight points and 1.33x back for travel were what made this card my main go to. Especially with the bump for grocery spend, which thankfully has continued to work even though I'm abroad most of the time these days.
While the 3x for restaurants is nice, it'll just be a way for me to clear out my flight points faster before my anniversary date comes up again. Time to burn 'em.
While the 3x for restaurants is nice, it'll just be a way for me to clear out my flight points faster before my anniversary date comes up again. Time to burn 'em.
Jul 15, 2013, 2:47 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 432
Terrible change, crap rewards program, lackluster options. Now if they added AA/SQ/BA, then it would be fine 
$125 is expensive, needs a lower price but I still think flight points should stay. Maybe if enough feedback, they will reconsider. Certainly can't hurt to express disappointment with some or all of the changes.
$125 is expensive, needs a lower price but I still think flight points should stay. Maybe if enough feedback, they will reconsider. Certainly can't hurt to express disappointment with some or all of the changes.
Jul 15, 2013, 3:09 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, TY, UR, UA, US, WN, MR, SPG
Posts: 1,453
Terrible change, crap rewards program, lackluster options. Now if they added AA/SQ/BA, then it would be fine $125 is expensive, needs a lower price but I still think flight points should stay. Maybe if enough feedback, they will reconsider. Certainly can't hurt to express disappointment with some or all of the changes.
$125 is expensive, needs a lower price but I still think flight points should stay. Maybe if enough feedback, they will reconsider. Certainly can't hurt to express disappointment with some or all of the changes.
Jul 15, 2013, 3:19 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: UA nothing (former multi-year CO Platinum), AA 1M Gold, HH Diamond, National Executive
Posts: 449
Hey FT,
There are some changes coming to the Citi ThankYou and ThankYou Premier cards, effective on new applications on July 28th, 2013. Existing cardmembers will receive notification in late August, and changes will go into effect October 20th, 2013.
ThankYou Premier
Positive changes:
Negative changes:
Regular ThankYou
Positive changes:
Negative changes:
You will earn flight points on any tickets PURCHASED by October 19, 2013.
You will have access to booking through Spirit for the companion airfare through October 19, 2013.
Any flight points you have will remain until you convert them with matched spend.
There are some changes coming to the Citi ThankYou and ThankYou Premier cards, effective on new applications on July 28th, 2013. Existing cardmembers will receive notification in late August, and changes will go into effect October 20th, 2013.
ThankYou Premier
Positive changes:
Negative changes:
Regular ThankYou
Positive changes:
Negative changes:
You will earn flight points on any tickets PURCHASED by October 19, 2013.
You will have access to booking through Spirit for the companion airfare through October 19, 2013.
Any flight points you have will remain until you convert them with matched spend.
A few questions.
1. How do you know this?
2. So the flight points earned by everything booked by October 19 will remain until matched by spend?
3. Is there any limit on how long we will have to match the flight points?