I have done exactly like you, downgrading CG to whatever it is that is no fee as long as you have something like $1500 in the checking account ... and downgraded from Premier to Preferred.

I have always found the CG "recognition" long after the fact to be strange, and have never understood why they are doing it. I'm pretty sure I've been labeled (still) "Citigold" since the Premier to Preferred downgrade, this summer.

Saving the best for last. Since then, on both my wife's and my Prestige cards, we've gotten the AF at $350 (our Citi checking is a joint account).

Sad when the 1.6x on AA and Admirals Club entry goes away next summer -- the CG + Premier + Preferred has been one heck of a parlay!