The beginning of the end of DC was when Citibank gutted Club Rewards, hiked membership fees, and spent millions marketing Montage and Carte Blanche -- "premium" DC variants with no premium value whatsoever.

The middle of the end was when they made DC into just another affinity Mastercard.

This is the end of the end.

The rocket scientists at Citi had the basis for a worthy alternative to (the IMO very vulnerable) Amex, but systematically destroyed the Diners brand instead. I loved DC for about five years, 1999-2004. Now it is nothing.