Aug 9, 2017, 11:10 am
Last edit by: SanDiego1K
This is a continuation of the original discussion HERE.
Book online at thankyou.com or by phone at 1-877-288-2484 7/24.
Starting September 1, 2019 the complimentary 4th night benefit can be used up to two times per calendar year. Bookings made prior to September 1, 2019, will not count toward your two-stay cap for 2019. Starting September 1, 2019 bookings for the 4th night benefit must be made exclusively by visiting thankyou.com or calling 1 800 THANKYOU. Citi Concierge will no longer handle new 4th night benefit bookings but will continue to support bookings made prior to September 1, 2019. To utilize your benefit through our online travel site, and/or have the option to use your ThankYou points, please visit thankyou.com, select travel in the top menu bar, select hotels, choose hotel designated as “Complimentary 4th Night Eligible”, book at least 4 nights, see savings at checkout. Starting for reservations made on or after July 23, 2017, this benefit will give you the average nightly rate on stays of 4+ nights, and will NOT include taxes.
Reimbursement times vary but seem to have improved in 2017, now about 2 weeks is most common. See this thread for details.
Book online at thankyou.com or by phone at 1-877-288-2484 7/24.
Starting September 1, 2019 the complimentary 4th night benefit can be used up to two times per calendar year. Bookings made prior to September 1, 2019, will not count toward your two-stay cap for 2019. Starting September 1, 2019 bookings for the 4th night benefit must be made exclusively by visiting thankyou.com or calling 1 800 THANKYOU. Citi Concierge will no longer handle new 4th night benefit bookings but will continue to support bookings made prior to September 1, 2019. To utilize your benefit through our online travel site, and/or have the option to use your ThankYou points, please visit thankyou.com, select travel in the top menu bar, select hotels, choose hotel designated as “Complimentary 4th Night Eligible”, book at least 4 nights, see savings at checkout.
Reimbursement times vary but seem to have improved in 2017, now about 2 weeks is most common. See this thread for details.
Citi Prestige 4th night free hotel benefit July 2017 - August 2019
Jul 27, 2017, 6:16 am
#31
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Not sure, but if the list of excluded lodgings mentions villas, and if the property calls these rooms villas, there could be difficulty, even if that's not the intent of the exclusion. I am not making a prediction, merely asking a question.
Jul 27, 2017, 8:39 am
#32
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
I have Starpoints too, and could swing a 5-nighter one of these years if I hit that annual award discount period for the ultra-premium properties, but I'm only SPG Gold these days...
Jul 27, 2017, 8:51 am
#33
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
Yep same excuse as last time they changed vendors. Got so bad i cancelled the card, more things change more they are the same
Jul 27, 2017, 10:59 am
#34
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 207
I guess I simply assumed (or most certainly hoped) that since a property is listed as eligible for the 4th night free benefit on Thankyou.com, and is bookable via convention channel (i.e. Conrad's website), there wouldn't be any reason for particular rooms to be excluded. And, I always had the assumption that the benefit exclusion applies to a property as a whole.
Digging a bit deeper, it looks like all the rooms for this Conrad property have "villas" in their names, even for those listed on Thankyou.com:
With that logic, it would be hard for Citi to argue that the benefit applies to some "villa" rooms while excluding some others within the same property.
Alas, nothing can be certain until a hard data point shows one way or the other.
p.s. I am secretly hoping that matrixwalker2012 will be our guinea pig to test this out.
Jul 28, 2017, 10:05 am
#35
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 9
I just booked a 4-night hotel stay on thankyou.com, and then called SPG to add my loyalty number to the reservation. They said they couldn't do it in the system and wouldhave to call the hotel front desk to ask them to do it - however, they also said I wouldn't get any stay credit or points, because the booking was made through "a third party". I think it's a reference to the Eligible Stay / Eligible Rate definition in SPG terms and conditions - but when I was making reservations through Concierge in the past (over the phone or e-mail), they would always be counted as eligible. Thoughts?
Jul 28, 2017, 11:10 am
#36
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 498
I just booked a 4-night hotel stay on thankyou.com, and then called SPG to add my loyalty number to the reservation. They said they couldn't do it in the system and wouldhave to call the hotel front desk to ask them to do it - however, they also said I wouldn't get any stay credit or points, because the booking was made through "a third party". I think it's a reference to the Eligible Stay / Eligible Rate definition in SPG terms and conditions - but when I was making reservations through Concierge in the past (over the phone or e-mail), they would always be counted as eligible. Thoughts?
Jul 28, 2017, 12:36 pm
#37
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 9
Happy to report - so far doesn't sound like good news, but I'll revert with any changes. Out of curiosity, can you point me to where Citi claims the booking should be eligible?
Jul 28, 2017, 12:45 pm
#38
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 207
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/07/750...-prestige-faq/
Better to contact Citi directly regarding your booking. I hope the Citi Concierge can step in, and add the loyalty number for you.
Jul 28, 2017, 1:51 pm
#39
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 9
Nothing official on Citi's website. The information was reported by The Points Guy though:
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/07/750...-prestige-faq/
Better to contact Citi directly regarding your booking. I hope the Citi Concierge can step in, and add the loyalty number for you.
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/07/750...-prestige-faq/
Better to contact Citi directly regarding your booking. I hope the Citi Concierge can step in, and add the loyalty number for you.
Jul 29, 2017, 12:13 am
#40
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, National EE
Posts: 1,204
Sure would be nice if Citi communicated clearly, directly to its customers, instead of through a credit card referral blog.
Jul 29, 2017, 4:26 am
#41
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Consider the possibility that this information is simply incorrect. The online travel bookings are outsourced to Connexions Loyalty, the same company that Chase uses for Ultimate Rewards. Many Chase hotel bookings are fulfilled through Expedia, and are not eligible for hotel program status benefits or rewards.
Citi could have arranged for Connexions to route some/all of their bookings through another channel, but I think we need data from actual stays rather than bland assurances from unnamed PR people at Citi.
Citi could have arranged for Connexions to route some/all of their bookings through another channel, but I think we need data from actual stays rather than bland assurances from unnamed PR people at Citi.
Jul 29, 2017, 8:43 am
#42
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: DFW - Fort Worth
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, 5yr CK, Flying Blue, Delta, Hyatt Explorist, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold Elite
Posts: 18
Hotel loyalty Specifics
Recently signed up for the card. Did my first 4th night free reservation yesterday, over the phone. They asked for and added my Hyatt number and the reservation showed up on my Hyatt account before I hung up. They also booked a Hyatt 4th night free rate and sent confirmation I will get statement credit for one night of the average nightly rate.
Jul 30, 2017, 9:03 pm
#43
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 552
So just tried to book the Intercontinental Moorea via the Prestige portal for six nights --- and the price is more than booking direct.
Jul 31, 2017, 9:10 am
#44
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
Are the prices spiky? Is there a way to book 4 contiguous nights through the portal and 2 directly and make it work out more in your favor?
Jul 31, 2017, 9:21 am
#45
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: PHL
Posts: 226