Oct 28, 2014, 2:34 pm
Last edit by: tonei
Transition-Related Notes
• Members are starting to receive Priority Pass Select cards in the mail. These are sent by Collinson via USPS, separately from the rebranded Prestige cards.
• There was a decimal rounding error in the ThankYou point accounting on October statements. Remove a 0 from each of the totals reported - it should then match
• Members who signed up prior to 10/18 still only receive a $250 airline credit for the year; if you previously used the $200 incidental credit, you can get another $50 in airline purchases reimbursed through December.
• If you signed up before 10/18/14 you are eligible to receive the 15% discount and companion benefits for a year after your signup date. Call Citi at 877-288-2484 and ask to speak with a travel specialist, rather than letting them send the information to Spirit Incentives for an email quote. There are mixed reviews as to the efficacy of this service.
• Members are starting to receive Priority Pass Select cards in the mail. These are sent by Collinson via USPS, separately from the rebranded Prestige cards.
• There was a decimal rounding error in the ThankYou point accounting on October statements. Remove a 0 from each of the totals reported - it should then match
• Members who signed up prior to 10/18 still only receive a $250 airline credit for the year; if you previously used the $200 incidental credit, you can get another $50 in airline purchases reimbursed through December.
• If you signed up before 10/18/14 you are eligible to receive the 15% discount and companion benefits for a year after your signup date. Call Citi at 877-288-2484 and ask to speak with a travel specialist, rather than letting them send the information to Spirit Incentives for an email quote. There are mixed reviews as to the efficacy of this service.
CITI Prestige changes effective 10-18-14
Jun 26, 2014, 12:11 pm
#31
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Jun 26, 2014, 12:24 pm
#32
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,523
Presumably they have to shell out real cash for the 15% discount and companion benefit. (Although OTAs may receive a discount on airfare, I can't assume it's that large. Anybody know?)
As for the flight points combined with the 1.6 cent/point value on AA/US flights, this is obviously more than they receive on card fees but I wouldn't put it past them to have negotiated a discount with AA given their strong relationship.
As for the flight points combined with the 1.6 cent/point value on AA/US flights, this is obviously more than they receive on card fees but I wouldn't put it past them to have negotiated a discount with AA given their strong relationship.
Jun 26, 2014, 1:03 pm
#33
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 258
I know I've gotten a card in the mail before (TJMaxx MC) that I didn't want. I have merely a store card. They told me simply don't activate it.
Jun 26, 2014, 4:06 pm
#34
Join Date: May 2013
Location: LHR
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,032
This was inevitable. A mere question of when and not if. The economics of this benefit were simply not sustainable. Having said that, I feel terribly disappointed that these valuable benefits are going away.
Lets hope Citi clears the air and officially communicates with card members about these changes in detail.
Lets hope Citi clears the air and officially communicates with card members about these changes in detail.
But do we know how effective of a loss leader it is? E.g. I book a good amount of my travel through Spirit Incentives and put a lot more spend on my Prestige than I otherwise would because of the Flight Points feature that makes this card effectively 3.2% back for travel. Am I a profitable customer to Citi overall because I put way more spend on this card than I would otherwise, even if the cost of making me do so is the 15% discount and companion ticket? If not, what if they only offered me e.g. 15% off but no companion pass? Or vice versa?
Jun 26, 2014, 4:19 pm
#35
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
There's no way that Citi or Spirit Incentives is funding anywhere near the full 15% discount, it must come -in some form- from the airlines. Simplified: the fares offered are the lowest available on the route. If you are offering the lowest price it usually means that you have excess inventory to sell. Spirit Incentives helps you sell it without a publishing a lower fare.
Nonetheless, Citi has to pay Spirit for administering the program, and Spirit may be finding it more difficult to contract attractive rates due to airline consolidation. If I recall correctly, Delta flights are no longer available.
Nonetheless, Citi has to pay Spirit for administering the program, and Spirit may be finding it more difficult to contract attractive rates due to airline consolidation. If I recall correctly, Delta flights are no longer available.
Jun 26, 2014, 6:13 pm
#36
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 258
My friend received her card today in the mail. The booklet still shows the companion benefit. She called Citi and they said it was not going away. Her login is already active on thankyoucompanion. We'll see. I think we will go ahead and book our tickets to Hawaii before they change their mind.
Jun 26, 2014, 6:29 pm
#37
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,523
There's no way that Citi or Spirit Incentives is funding anywhere near the full 15% discount, it must come -in some form- from the airlines. Simplified: the fares offered are the lowest available on the route. If you are offering the lowest price it usually means that you have excess inventory to sell. Spirit Incentives helps you sell it without a publishing a lower fare.
Jun 27, 2014, 12:20 am
#38
Join Date: May 2013
Location: LHR
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,032
That's always been the case, at least with AA/US/UA. Similar to booking on a "regular" OTA e.g. Expedia/Orbitz -- you see the full ticket price, but the OTA has taken an unobservable chunk of that for themselves. In this case, Spirit/Citi are passing some fraction (possibly > 100%?) of that chunk back to us, but the airline's website doesn't distinguish Spirit Incentives from other OTAs or tell us what cut of the fare the airline actually got.
Jun 27, 2014, 11:48 am
#39
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
I am so relieved to learn that it was all a false alarm for Prestige cardholders ^^^^
Whew, dodged a bullet here didn't we
Whew, dodged a bullet here didn't we
Jun 29, 2014, 1:08 am
#41
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,523
I called customer service and the agent there basically said they weren't typically aware of changes until we were, and that those changes may have been "announced prematurely."
Jun 29, 2014, 9:04 am
#42
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Los Angeles, AA Plat 2MM, DL GM
Posts: 131
For what it's worth, a change in the Amex Platinum marketing materials appeared months before their announcement that they were dropping their Admirals Club benefit.
Jun 30, 2014, 9:50 am
#43
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: World
Posts: 1,647
Anyone have any experience with an in-branch application for this card to get the better Citigold offer (lower $350 fee +30k/$2k/3mo +30k/$15k/1yr)? Total shakedown or pretty straightforward?
Jun 30, 2014, 9:51 am
#44
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador, AA Plat Pro, DL Gold, UA*S, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 631
Similarly, any success getting the in-branch $350 annual fee when upgrading a Premier card? (I do not have a Citi checking account at all.)
Jun 30, 2014, 11:49 am
#45
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: World
Posts: 1,647
New question now that I’ve managed to get paper/digital copies of the in-branch offer 
.
Better to apply for the 30k offer online and then attempt to match to the in-branch 30+30k offer using secure message -or- call into citi, inquire whether one could apply for a credit card offer over the phone that was originally extended to you in-branch and then submit an application that way?
.Better to apply for the 30k offer online and then attempt to match to the in-branch 30+30k offer using secure message -or- call into citi, inquire whether one could apply for a credit card offer over the phone that was originally extended to you in-branch and then submit an application that way?