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Citi Prestige benefit and reward changes effective July 23, 2017

Old Jul 25, 2016, 12:23 pm
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Last edit by: oopl
7/16: New changes that will take effect on 7/23.
  • 4th night free bookable online at thankyou.com (benefit applied as discount at checkout)
  • Cash out TY at 1 cpp
  • metal card
  • 75,000 TY for $7,500 spend signup bonus

1. The following benefits will be changed effective July 23, 2017:

- Loss of AA Admirals Club Access (Effectively immediately if the account is opened on or after 09/01/2016. See Post 296.

- $0.0125 per each TY points for airfare redemptions at thankyou.com.

- Loss of Complimentary International & Domestic Golf

- 4th Night benefit will be based on the average nightly rate of your complete stay for reservations made on or after July 23, 2017. Taxes will no longer be included within the statement credit.

2. $100 Annual Fee Reduction will be extended to Citi Priority if you are currently a Citigold client and you are impacted by the increase in minimum balance and downgrade.
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Citi Prestige benefit and reward changes effective July 23, 2017

Old Mar 23, 2017, 5:42 pm
  #421  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Originally Posted by krazieman
... 3x dining is great ...worth eliminating is really the CSR. Unless that 3x UR pts > 2x Citi Thank You Pts + $150 a year.
Do you only care about the 3X dining, not on travel (other than airfare)?

Do you have other cards that earn Ultimate Rewards?

Do you have another card that allows you to transfer UR to airline or hotel programs?

If you also have Chase Freedom are you likely to use it at restaurants one quarter of the year?
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Old Mar 23, 2017, 5:57 pm
  #422  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, National EE
Posts: 1,202
Depends on your usage pattern. There was a long, wordy podcast on this 3 days ago if you want some suggestions and ideas: http://saverocityobservationdeck.com...d-annual-fees/

My personal take:
1. CSR - travel credit is easy to use, so I'd consider it like cash. I like it because it makes Chase points easy to liquidate at 1.5c a piece, and I generate tens of thousands of Chase points a year through business spend. Hyatt is also a good redemption. If you are not generating Chase points anyways, this isn't really a benefit.

2. Citi Prestige - travel credit is easy to use, so I'd consider it like cash. Make or break is 4th night free. TYP are useful to me through CX.

3. AmEx Plat - travel credit is annoying to use, uber credit is hard to use (and I don't want to use uber that much), so I discount them heavily. One possible alternative is the business plat at $450 fee and no uber stuff. I would consider this fee to still be $450 - $200 travel credit + $100 hassle of getting reimbursed/tracking gift cards = $350. This makes it the most expensive card to have. I have never stepped foot inside a Centurion Lounge. But if I took a lot of uber anyways and if I happened to fly out of airports from gates next to Centurion lounges, I would change my tune. MR also usable on CX. Pay with points is interesting value, but having to choose one airline for economy is frustrating. I don't think it's a good value on premium redemption because I only value premium redemption transpac/transatlantic.

Last edited by ralphs; Mar 23, 2017 at 6:02 pm
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Old Mar 23, 2017, 6:28 pm
  #423  
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Originally Posted by ralphs
I think the breakeven on this is only 1-3 fourth night free, depending on the cost of the of property you stay at (and any tradeoffs you make). I'm surprised that Citi hasn't put in a limit for folks like you that are getting outsized value from this.

Utilization of the fourth night free is the premier reason to have this card. It would be interesting to see this benefit increase in scope to cover serviced apartments and more non-hotel accommodations in the future.
I'm not outsized usage. I know a a independent contractor who travels weekly to a high rate city like SFO and NYC on a weekly basis and utilizing this benefit.
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Old Mar 23, 2017, 6:50 pm
  #424  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 292
Originally Posted by krazieman
I'm undecided here.
I have the CSR, Amex Plat, and Citi Prestige. Every single card gives priority pass so that's a push.
1. CSR = $450 - $300 travel credit = $150 card, the benefits are redundant. 3x dining is great - and Chase pts are more valuable than Citi or Amex pts.
2. Citi Prestige = $450-250 airfare credit = $200 card. 4th Night makes up for it if I use it once or twice a year.
3. Amex Plat = $550 - $200 AA gift card - $200 Uber = $150 card. Centurion lounge is well worth over $150. Also Amex offers are useful.

It seems like the one that's worth eliminating is really the CSR. Unless that 3x UR pts > 2x Citi Thank You Pts + $150 a year.

Thoughts?
I have all 3 cards as well. I have not found the Citi 4th night benefit to be useful. Reasons :
- Citi concierge only goes by the rates on the hotel web site, not Expedia or other aggregators. And you can often find much better rates there for the same room / same type of rate (refundable/breakfast/etc), frequently 15-20 percent off . The 4th night benefit would save money, but it only ends up being $10 - $20 per reservation due to this.
- You have to call the Citi concierge, and it takes a looong time to make/cancel bookings through them on the phone
So for me, I'm leaning towards cancelling the Prestige card.

CSR has 1.5 cent per point redemptions when you book travel through Ultimate rewards portal, but again, you often don't get the best rates through that portal. Also, there are many options that you just can't book through that portal at all (some hotel rooms). In which case, redemption is 1 cent per point (cash) . Which is still better than Citi cash back redemption (0.8cpp pay with points) and Amex cash (0.6 cpp statement credit).
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Old Mar 23, 2017, 6:57 pm
  #425  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, National EE
Posts: 1,202
Originally Posted by madbrain
I have all 3 cards as well. I have not found the Citi 4th night benefit to be useful. Reasons :
- Citi concierge only goes by the rates on the hotel web site, not Expedia or other aggregators. And you can often find much better rates there for the same room / same type of rate (refundable/breakfast/etc), frequently 15-20 percent off . The 4th night benefit would save money, but it only ends up being $10 - $20 per reservation due to this.
- You have to call the Citi concierge, and it takes a looong time to make/cancel bookings through them on the phone
So for me, I'm leaning towards cancelling the Prestige card.
I have had success in asking the Citi concierge to find AAA rates or apply rate codes for SPG properties (e.g. Z3R).

YMMV of course.
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Old Mar 23, 2017, 7:21 pm
  #426  
abk
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Programs: AA LT Plat/8.1mm now with 1350 miles left in my account and proud of it.. SPG LT Titanium.
Posts: 3,073
I have all three cards also and when my renewal comes in July I am going to get rid of the Citi Prestige because I want Admirals club membership. I have two questions regarding changing back to the Citi Executive card which I had before applying for the Prestige card:
1. I don't want bonus miles for a new application, I just want to convert to the executive card. Would that be considered a new card for the so called card limits that chase has?
2. Do you think I could get a retention bonus for changing as opposed to just cancelling? Meaning a credit against the Executive card fee
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Old Mar 23, 2017, 9:40 pm
  #427  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 207
Originally Posted by madbrain
I have all 3 cards as well. I have not found the Citi 4th night benefit to be useful. Reasons :
- Citi concierge only goes by the rates on the hotel web site, not Expedia or other aggregators. And you can often find much better rates there for the same room / same type of rate (refundable/breakfast/etc), frequently 15-20 percent off . The 4th night benefit would save money, but it only ends up being $10 - $20 per reservation due to this.
Also, just in case it's not already known, Citi Concierge can also submit best rate guarantee claims for hotel bookings and combine with the 4th night free benefit, e.g. SPG BRG.
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 9:32 am
  #428  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: US
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, Starwood Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,017
Originally Posted by mia
Do you only care about the 3X dining, not on travel (other than airfare)?

Do you have other cards that earn Ultimate Rewards?

Do you have another card that allows you to transfer UR to airline or hotel programs?

If you also have Chase Freedom are you likely to use it at restaurants one quarter of the year?
I have Chase Ink as well for the UR transfers. That card easily pays for itself because my business pays for a lot on godaddy (Microsoft Office and Mail and web hosting) and I buy giftcards that categorizes as utilities.
I don't have the freedom - It just doesn't make sense when the max is only $1,500 per category.
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 9:34 am
  #429  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: US
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, Starwood Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,017
Originally Posted by madbrain
I have all 3 cards as well. I have not found the Citi 4th night benefit to be useful. Reasons :
- Citi concierge only goes by the rates on the hotel web site, not Expedia or other aggregators. And you can often find much better rates there for the same room / same type of rate (refundable/breakfast/etc), frequently 15-20 percent off . The 4th night benefit would save money, but it only ends up being $10 - $20 per reservation due to this.
- You have to call the Citi concierge, and it takes a looong time to make/cancel bookings through them on the phone
So for me, I'm leaning towards cancelling the Prestige card.

CSR has 1.5 cent per point redemptions when you book travel through Ultimate rewards portal, but again, you often don't get the best rates through that portal. Also, there are many options that you just can't book through that portal at all (some hotel rooms). In which case, redemption is 1 cent per point (cash) . Which is still better than Citi cash back redemption (0.8cpp pay with points) and Amex cash (0.6 cpp statement credit).
Here's a suggestion to maximize the Citi 4th night free. Call concierge and use a corporate rate. Obviously this is only good for SPG/Hyatt/Hilton/Etc. They can apply the same corporate you can online. This gets me rates that usually beat aggregators.
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 9:35 am
  #430  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 97
Does Opening Priorirty give $100 off the Prestige card still? So basically 50K in a brokerage account w/ citi? Or does one now need Citigold.

I was reading the thread commentary and couldn't quite follow.
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 9:47 am
  #431  
mia
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Originally Posted by gadgetfreaky
Does Opening Priorirty give $100 off the Prestige card still?
See this post:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27377902-post29.html

...and follow the link to the Citi FAQ document.
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 11:38 am
  #432  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 97
Originally Posted by mia
See this post:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27377902-post29.html

...and follow the link to the Citi FAQ document.
thanks a ton- so no extra incentive for a citi gold? It says priority gets teh same benefit as it did before so I am assuming there is no incremental benefit.
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 11:57 am
  #433  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,878
Originally Posted by gadgetfreaky
thanks a ton- so no extra incentive for a citi gold?...
It isn't clear to me if the Prestige fee reduction applies to new Citi Priority clients, or only to prior Citigold customers who were downgraded, but I have not followed this topic closely. I imagine there are differences between Citigold and Citi Priority, but they may not be in the area of credit card fees. That would be a topic for the other thread.
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 5:30 pm
  #434  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 97
Hey I've got a question on the lost card benefit- if you are travelling in Europe and lose your card- will they send you a new one there? or does it have to go to your home address?
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Old Mar 24, 2017, 8:10 pm
  #435  
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 165
Originally Posted by abk
I have all three cards also and when my renewal comes in July I am going to get rid of the Citi Prestige because I want Admirals club membership. I have two questions regarding changing back to the Citi Executive card which I had before applying for the Prestige card:
1. I don't want bonus miles for a new application, I just want to convert to the executive card. Would that be considered a new card for the so called card limits that chase has?
2. Do you think I could get a retention bonus for changing as opposed to just cancelling? Meaning a credit against the Executive card fee
1. Likely will not be considered a new card for 5/24 purposes bc your account open date will remain the same on credit report. You are not applying for a new card; just doing a product change.

2. Highly unlikely, but asking is free...and so is the refusal!
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