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
May 30, 2018, 4:52 am
#406
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MD/DC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, TK Gold
Posts: 1,536
If memory serves me right they had a survey several months back in which they were asking about different benefits. Cannot remember the specifics, apart from the fact that every time they asked an open ended question about the benefits the answer was - the only reason to keep this card is the 4th night free. Take it away and there is no advantage of this card over any other "premium" cards which without the 4th night free are much more competitive.
May 30, 2018, 10:02 am
#407
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,833
I will second that it seems like the credits are coming a lot faster now, takes about a week.
I hate to even talk about it, but how long before this benefit goes away? How can Citi afford it? I know travel agents get a kickback when they book rooms, but its not 25% of the cost (nevermind the labor cost of booking the hotels), and on top of all that I get 3X TYP? Loving it while I can, but seems like "Fourth Night Half-Free" has to be around the corner...
I hate to even talk about it, but how long before this benefit goes away? How can Citi afford it? I know travel agents get a kickback when they book rooms, but its not 25% of the cost (nevermind the labor cost of booking the hotels), and on top of all that I get 3X TYP? Loving it while I can, but seems like "Fourth Night Half-Free" has to be around the corner...
May 30, 2018, 10:58 am
#408
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MD/DC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, TK Gold
Posts: 1,536
Also - they seem to be VERY strict about having to book the lowest rate available (INCLUDING MEMBER ONLY RATES) or they won't honor the 4th night free - well at least sometimes (that is I had one agent who was strict, but at another hotel I had booked a suite and they honored the 4th night)
May 30, 2018, 1:44 pm
#409
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: AA EXP, DL-Plat, WN-CP | Hotels: Choice-Gld, IHG-Plt, Rad-Gld, HH-Dia, Hyatt-Glob, Marriott-LtPlt
Posts: 2,889
They are supposed to book the lowest publicly available rate (but not including the member discount) for each room category. That is, they are not forcing you to use the benefit on the entry level room. You can use it on a suite without any problem, as long as you use the lowest available public rate (or cheaper).
Jun 1, 2018, 10:48 am
#410
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,940
Does anyone know if you can book Hyatt Prive via the Citi Concierge with the 4th night benefit?
Jun 1, 2018, 4:42 pm
#411
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,545
maybe review an existing Prive reservation at Hyatt.com to determine if there a code viewable that would allow either self-service modify of an existing Citi-booked reservation or call-in to Hyatt to change to the Prive rate.
my instinct is that it won't work as Prive is likely similar to Virtuoso rates where there is no code visible and Hyatt reservations agents can't seem to access themselves to edit
start with a Citi 4th standard reservation, then try all available methods to modify to attach the Prive rate plan is my advice (self-service, Hyatt reservations, Hyatt reservations late at night where you get EU agents who are more flexible, Twitter team, globalist concierge, self-service remove the Citi concierge travel agent id and then contact a Prive agent to takeover the existing reservation).
my instinct is that it won't work as Prive is likely similar to Virtuoso rates where there is no code visible and Hyatt reservations agents can't seem to access themselves to edit
start with a Citi 4th standard reservation, then try all available methods to modify to attach the Prive rate plan is my advice (self-service, Hyatt reservations, Hyatt reservations late at night where you get EU agents who are more flexible, Twitter team, globalist concierge, self-service remove the Citi concierge travel agent id and then contact a Prive agent to takeover the existing reservation).
Jun 3, 2018, 9:03 pm
#412
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,577
Anyone have experience paying for the entire room on the Citi card but the incidentals on another card on the same bill?
Jun 3, 2018, 9:08 pm
#413
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,636
Jun 9, 2018, 7:00 pm
#416
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
(and in case you are wondering, yes, you are complaining. You wrote "not sure they are supposed to do that")
Spoke too soon. Sent a request at 7AM Thursday and got a response they will get back to me in 3 days. Tried calling and have been on hold for 30+ minutes and counting.
Couple of upcoming insurance chances, it makes you wonder if Citi still wants to compete in the $450 AF segment.
Couple of upcoming insurance chances, it makes you wonder if Citi still wants to compete in the $450 AF segment.
Jun 9, 2018, 7:53 pm
#417
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,636
And that’s just it. You need to post this question to Prestige members who DON’T use this benefit. Why are they keeping the card? Without them, this benefit is not sustainable.
4th night being the only benefit means other charges such as air and rental car go on CSR/AMEX Platinum due to better partners, more points, better car rental insurance and/or possibly better trip delay.
Because the card is only appealing to those who use the 4th night free benefit, this concentrate card membership to those who actually use the benefit while losing members who don’t and that is not sustainable. I’m a loss for Citi because my effective AF is $150 and my 4th night benefit is in the thousands. There’s no way hotel commissions (majority of my bookings are non-commissionable rates) and merchant fees adds up to the benefit payout.
The more Citi cuts the offering, the more general members (those who don’t use 4NF) they lose and the more 4NF becomes non sustainable.
4th night being the only benefit means other charges such as air and rental car go on CSR/AMEX Platinum due to better partners, more points, better car rental insurance and/or possibly better trip delay.
Because the card is only appealing to those who use the 4th night free benefit, this concentrate card membership to those who actually use the benefit while losing members who don’t and that is not sustainable. I’m a loss for Citi because my effective AF is $150 and my 4th night benefit is in the thousands. There’s no way hotel commissions (majority of my bookings are non-commissionable rates) and merchant fees adds up to the benefit payout.
The more Citi cuts the offering, the more general members (those who don’t use 4NF) they lose and the more 4NF becomes non sustainable.
Jun 9, 2018, 11:42 pm
#418
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
And that’s just it. You need to post this question to Prestige members who DON’T use this benefit. Why are they keeping the card? Without them, this benefit is not sustainable.
4th night being the only benefit means other charges such as air and rental car go on CSR/AMEX Platinum due to better partners, more points, better car rental insurance and/or possibly better trip delay.
Because the card is only appealing to those who use the 4th night free benefit, this concentrate card membership to those who actually use the benefit while losing members who don’t and that is not sustainable. I’m a loss for Citi because my effective AF is $150 and my 4th night benefit is in the thousands. There’s no way hotel commissions (majority of my bookings are non-commissionable rates) and merchant fees adds up to the benefit payout.
The more Citi cuts the offering, the more general members (those who don’t use 4NF) they lose and the more 4NF becomes non sustainable.
In terms of benefits, I've never used the travel insurance or delay, but have used Price Rewind, which nobody else has. It was relatively easy, compared to how hard travel insurance is to claim (so I hear).
Amex still has the issue it isn't universally accepted, compared to Visa or Mastercard. Amex also has a super-hard to use airline credit.
Jun 10, 2018, 7:48 am
#419
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,636
Actually, I find it questionable that CSR has better partners. UR has Southwest (it is valued per point, so you cannot get much value out of it), United (horrible redemption rates for Star Alliance), Korean (very high redemption rates though good availability), Hyatt (at max 2 cents per point), BA (devalued short hauls, Alaska has better redemption values for partners). MR has Delta (which most people call "skypesos" for a reason, though I find some deals but you basically have to hunt for deals, like fare deals), plus Amex plat isn't good for earning points (5x on flights ONLY on personal, not business, Amextravel is more expensive most of the time and then you have to deal with an OTA if you have issues). Citi actually has decent earning, and while many of their transfer partners are available on the other point currencies.
In terms of benefits, I've never used the travel insurance or delay, but have used Price Rewind, which nobody else has. It was relatively easy, compared to how hard travel insurance is to claim (so I hear).
Amex still has the issue it isn't universally accepted, compared to Visa or Mastercard. Amex also has a super-hard to use airline credit.
In terms of benefits, I've never used the travel insurance or delay, but have used Price Rewind, which nobody else has. It was relatively easy, compared to how hard travel insurance is to claim (so I hear).
Amex still has the issue it isn't universally accepted, compared to Visa or Mastercard. Amex also has a super-hard to use airline credit.
As mentioned in prior post, what are the positive aspects of the Prestige which makes it desirable for customers who don’t use 4NF?
Jun 10, 2018, 11:35 am
#420
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
I noticed you pointed out the “negative” partners of UR and AMEX but never really pointed out the positive partners of Citi TY especially those unique to Citi.
As mentioned in prior post, what are the positive aspects of the Prestige which makes it desirable for customers who don’t use 4NF?
I mean, if you use your card to buy stuff ...