Originally Posted by iahphx
Does DC still provide int'l lounge privileges? That was a good benefit, but now that the various alliances provide that free to mid-tier elite members, it's less useful.
Personally, it's been awhile since I've had a DC card (I think I signed up for a promo about 5 years ago). Surprised they haven't even solicited me since the change to Mastercard. I've got the Starwood AMEX card and, other than the modestly annoying $30 annual fee, I'm quite happy with it (although I now charge my gas & groceries to one of those new 5% rebate cards).
I'm surprised they haven't solicited me, either. Oddly enough, I don't get anything from Citibank, while I'm barraged by every other bank on the planet with credit card offers.
I had Diner's for years, as they were our primary corporate card. I used the card extensively for both biz and personal expenses - about $60k a year - because at the time I felt Club Rewards was the best thing going. I had to fly several different airlines at the time, and enjoyed being able to do small "top-off" transfers at the time I needed to redeem an award.
Then our company switched everything over to Amex, and Diner's Club converted all existing accounts over to personal Montage cards, with a one-year free extension for both the card itself and membership in Club Rewards. But by then, the conversion fee effectively drove the redemption under 1-to-1. At the end of the free year, I would have been willing to pay the fee for the mainline Diner's card (Montage doesn't have primary rental car insurance), but DC refused to allow me to do that. My credit report was fine and I had 8 years of history and probably $250k in total spend with DC, but they expected me to pay for the Montage card. So I switched to SPG Amex and looking back I can't believe I didn't do it years earlier.
I just have to, uh, be as careful with rental cars as I am with my own car.
