gleff wrote:
There are reports on this in the Hilton forum but it's clearly not a documented benefit of the card ... and there aren't enough reports to suggest to me that this is standard or a defined benefit for X amt of spend. I have the card and am not directing enuf $$ to it to find out, since I'm not confident enough in receiving the benefit. Now, if this were a published benefit for say $125k in spend I'd do it.

gleff, I am surprised *one* of the more innovative cards out there have not added this to their perk...for a high-level of spending grant a specified-elite level outright. spg tap-dances around this by tying SPG/PLAT to CENTURION cardholders, but don't know of any affinity card that grants an outrigth highest-level tier to high-level spending. As you know, some of the airlines are allowing a very low amount of charging to count towards elite, but not enough inducement and always towards second-level tiers (typically). So, non-starter for me and definitely not enough inducement to d r a g me away from my spg/AMEX accumulation. From my vantagepoint, the spg/AMEX card is by far stronger than any other out there. I think we are all in agreement here.

mileking wrote:
I just received and started using the AA Mastercard because of the 15K bonus miles and no annual fee for first year. Have not seen the 1% cash back offer you mention, but 1% + AA miles still does not come close to 5% cash back on the grocery, drugstore, and gas purchases from the Citi Dividend Platinum card. We only use the AA Mastercard when AMEX is not an option. I know you continue to report problems with AA MileSaaver, but AA availability still looks very good to me, especially in comparison to most other airlines.


mileking, this was definitely targeted...as my spouse got the invite while I did not, and our cards are essentially the same duration (over 10yrs) and volume (especially in past 2 yrs - semi-dormant). So it was puzzling to me why she got one and I did not for the exact same card w/ very similar spending patterns. But - the novelty was profound, in that Citibank has never so much as added any sort of bonus or higher-ratio (double miles for example) to their Aadvantage affinity card in all the years I've held them...and now to be adding this 1% cashback "concurrent" perk on a airmiles affinity card. BTW - it is capped at $1000/for this promotion.

Finally, re: milesaaver...I have concluded that many of the posters who maintain that milesaaver works for them are likely obtaining 1-2, maybe 3 seats...whereas I am routinely needing 5-6 seats for my family, and I openly acknowledge I typically need an Orlando or Anaheim-type city (domestic only), so if AA has declared "open season" on family travel (which otherwise is usually cheap to find tix for) then I will continue to take my business elsewhere and let the Citibank/Aadvantage card collect dust. IOW - I am beyond the frustration and recognize it is what it is = A bad program for a family that needs 4-6 seats to a popular domestic destination. Oh well.