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
#616
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,297
any reports on buying an AA gift card and getting the $250 back? do you guys buy exactly $250 gift card or a different denomination?
Tia
Tia

#617
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador, Amtrak S+, AA Gold, UA*S, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 628
From https://online.citibank.com/US/JRS/p...TermsBenefits:
Airline Fees are defined as purchases made with airlines including Air fares, baggage fees, lounge access and some in-flight purchases. Please allow 1-2 billing cycles after the qualifying air travel expense is charged to your Card Account for statement credit(s) to be posted to the account.

#618
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 920
I thought charges had to be <$100 to count?
I got 2x$100 and 1x$50 which worked for me.
I got 2x$100 and 1x$50 which worked for me.

#619
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: BA Gold, Aeroplan 50K, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,141

#620
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 141
anybody used the card for airfare and got $250 back? Does any airline qualify?

#622
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: BA Gold, Aeroplan 50K, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,141
I had to make some route changes to an Thank You award flight(international) -
I just asked if they could waive the $50 change fee that Connexions charges for Prestige holders and they said yes its waived for them. Super - saved me $100 (on an already reduced $350 annual fee) - never hurts to ask!
I just asked if they could waive the $50 change fee that Connexions charges for Prestige holders and they said yes its waived for them. Super - saved me $100 (on an already reduced $350 annual fee) - never hurts to ask!

#623
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 141
Trying to convert from Premier card to Prestige. Two call, two reps saying airline credit is only $200, one person got upset when I mentioned citigold having $100 less AF saying he only does credit card and not checking account.
Ugh.
Ugh.

#624
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,131
Interesting and annoying data point. I'm planning to apply for the Prestige in a few months and Citi is in the process of shutting all its branches in my home state, Texas. When my Gold account then flops over to goodness knows what kind of on-line status early next year -- the formal how-to-transfer letters haven't gone out yet -- there's going to be more than a little bit of a mystery in how you walk into a branch to get the $350 annual fee. All the Texas branches will be gone. I may just have to apply early, before they close up shop.
Another annoyance is that the local in-branch staff here don't have a clue about anything beyond true base-level consumer banking. Even the Prestige falls outside their comfort zone. But now I'm just ranting . . . .
Another annoyance is that the local in-branch staff here don't have a clue about anything beyond true base-level consumer banking. Even the Prestige falls outside their comfort zone. But now I'm just ranting . . . .

#625
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 141
I was just in a branch and opened a citigold with no min balance req because it was connected to a business flex acct with at least $10k avg balance. I also hear your concern about staff not having a clue because one rep told me $15k, while 2nd one told me $10k..
Just transferred to Prestige card over the phone. It was like reps were just reading a prompt. All 3 reps I talked to replied same, word by word. I felt like I was begging for the transfer as reps were continuously asking me in-middle...i.e. annual fee is $450, "do you still want to make the trasnfer", "If you do not meet requirement by Jan 31st 15, you will be transferred back to your original card.. do you still want to make the transfer?" Most frustrating part was when I asked them what the req of keeping the card was, and the rep said "I don't know". I asked them again and the rep said firmly and even proudly, "I don't know." Amazing.
I shall see.
Just transferred to Prestige card over the phone. It was like reps were just reading a prompt. All 3 reps I talked to replied same, word by word. I felt like I was begging for the transfer as reps were continuously asking me in-middle...i.e. annual fee is $450, "do you still want to make the trasnfer", "If you do not meet requirement by Jan 31st 15, you will be transferred back to your original card.. do you still want to make the transfer?" Most frustrating part was when I asked them what the req of keeping the card was, and the rep said "I don't know". I asked them again and the rep said firmly and even proudly, "I don't know." Amazing.
I shall see.

#626
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,131
You surely already know, but for Golds the annual fee is $350, not $450. This is an in-branch thing, which is why the closure of all the Texas branches is annoying.
Another hint: make sure that every month you do (i) an automatic deposit, (ii) an on-line bill pay and (iii) an "auto-save" checking-to-savings transfer. You get 975 Thankyou points per month for all this; and then all 11,700 points-per-year benefit from Prestige's extra 0.6% multiplier for American Airlines ticket purchases, i.e., $70.20. After the $250 airline credit, that makes your net yearly cost $30.
Another hint: make sure that every month you do (i) an automatic deposit, (ii) an on-line bill pay and (iii) an "auto-save" checking-to-savings transfer. You get 975 Thankyou points per month for all this; and then all 11,700 points-per-year benefit from Prestige's extra 0.6% multiplier for American Airlines ticket purchases, i.e., $70.20. After the $250 airline credit, that makes your net yearly cost $30.

#627
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 333
Out of curiosity, and I may have missed this elsewhere... Why are all Citi branches in TX closing?

#628
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,131
They sold to BB&T last September. Bank deals always take a while to close on account of regulatory approvals, and this one should close sometime in the first quarter. Later rather than sooner would be my guess. Citi says they're redeploying assets elsewhere. They never did get much traction in Texas, and bricks-and-mortar branches are expensive.

#629
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 186
I am Citigold and live in a state that has never had Citi branches. My annual fee has always invoiced at $350 without any action on my part.

#630
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,131
That would be great. My concern is that there're all sorts of grandfathered fee reductions and waivers in place, and with Citi I'm always concerned with what the future may bring.
