Citi AAdvantage Cards: Major Reductions as of 22 Sep 2019
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
Programs: Lifetime Executive Diamond Platinum VIP with Braniff, Eastern, Midway, National & Pan Am
Posts: 17,297
#77
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: Plat Pro AAdvantage, but defected to BAEC
Posts: 1,222
I have a whole bunch of personal car rentals in the fall that I had reserved with the Exec MasterCard just for the WW auto insurance. I guess as the cut off is Sept 22, I could in theory pre pay the rentals and be covered. I used the card to pay for all my flights, so I should still have the trip insurance.
I used to hammer the card a lot to get the 10K EQMs at $40K, but I travel a little more these days so don’t need the EQM and AA awards have been devalued so much, that I don’t care about accruing miles these days. I would have been lucky to put more than $1K on it last year and that included the $450 annual fee. The Costco card gets most of my spend these days to generate an annual cash back check. It will be interesting to see how long before the bennies on that card get eroded.
I used to hammer the card a lot to get the 10K EQMs at $40K, but I travel a little more these days so don’t need the EQM and AA awards have been devalued so much, that I don’t care about accruing miles these days. I would have been lucky to put more than $1K on it last year and that included the $450 annual fee. The Costco card gets most of my spend these days to generate an annual cash back check. It will be interesting to see how long before the bennies on that card get eroded.
#78
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: AA,UA,AS
Posts: 319
I have a whole bunch of personal car rentals in the fall that I had reserved with the Exec MasterCard just for the WW auto insurance. I guess as the cut off is Sept 22, I could in theory pre pay the rentals and be covered. I used the card to pay for all my flights, so I should still have the trip insurance.
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,625
Next I will see if DL and AMEX Centurion are at DFW (I believe so).
#80
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: Plat Pro AAdvantage, but defected to BAEC
Posts: 1,222
#81
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: MSP/DFW
Programs: Priority Club PLT, Marriott Titanium, AA EXP
Posts: 480
Ah that's right. And I have the silver. So much for avoiding it. Lol. I did get upgraded late enough though, that I had one more year of being able to get 6k EQD after 50k spend.
#83
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,546
I don't have any of these cards, but it seems more generic to MC World/World Elite. Some of the benefits are nice; I don't ever remember filing a travel interruption claim - but I would never use a card to rent a car that didn't have rental car protection. I've used that probably close to a half-dozen times over the years.
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,190
By this fall, that effectively will be true and required of any of the big "US3" airlines (AA,DL,UA) whether using paid membership or credit card access.
You DO have a guest allowance to Centurion Clubs (2 guests OR immediate family) and Priority Pass lounges (1 guest I think).
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,190
Somehow I missed that too. Yikes, that's crazy. But again, all my car rentals go on the Amex Platinum which I think has better-than-average coverage limits. Yes it's secondary coverage, but I don't own a car, so for me it's primary coverage.
#86
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MIA
Posts: 298
My guess is that all of these credit card devaluations are a direct result of AAdvantage devaluations. The credit card issuers can see which way the wind is blowing, and anticipate declining mile card revenue.
Last edited by SouthernCross; Jun 25, 2019 at 9:20 pm
#87
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 29,759
#88
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
There are people with 10+ Citi AA cards, each with a ~60,000-mile bonus, so Citi can't be too worried about AA miles or the profitability thereof.
#89
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 229
This sucks. I have the used the Citi Price rewind on both my AA Exec card and Costco, probably netted $500 over the past 3 years. The trip insurance sure provided some flexibility with flights where you just say eff it, I don't care about the ticket change fees knowing it will be covered by my credit card. Losing CDW sucks too. Hopefully someone will step up. I will keep the Exec card until they cancel the lounge access.
I wonder if one reason the trip insurance is going away is so that AA can sell more of the lousy Allianz trip insurance. I bought it once when my father was ill and it seemed like as soon as I completed one medical form, that they would ask for another. I eventually gave up, called AA and explained the situation, and AA kindly refunded my change fees.
Neil
I wonder if one reason the trip insurance is going away is so that AA can sell more of the lousy Allianz trip insurance. I bought it once when my father was ill and it seemed like as soon as I completed one medical form, that they would ask for another. I eventually gave up, called AA and explained the situation, and AA kindly refunded my change fees.
Neil
#90
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,490
All Chase Ink and Sapphire cards with AF continue to offer such benefits - hope they do not follow Citi's race to the bottom.
AMEX may just survive the attack on its premium card business.
AMEX may just survive the attack on its premium card business.