Last edit by: mia
Accepting applications as of 1.31.2019 50,000 points for $4,000 spend in 90 days:
https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/credit-card-details/citi.action?ID=citi-prestige-card#ddl-pricinfo
Bonus ThankYou Points are not available if you received a new cardmember bonus for Citi Rewards+℠, Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi ThankYou® Premier/Citi Premier℠ or Citi Prestige®, or if you have closed any of these cards, in the past 24 months.
https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/credit-card-details/citi.action?ID=citi-prestige-card#ddl-pricinfo
Bonus ThankYou Points are not available if you received a new cardmember bonus for Citi Rewards+℠, Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi ThankYou® Premier/Citi Premier℠ or Citi Prestige®, or if you have closed any of these cards, in the past 24 months.
Citi Prestige USA refresh: 5X Air,Dine; 3X Hotel,Cruise; Hotel 4NF capped 2X/yr; $495
#76
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, DL PM, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,305
I think that Prestige becomes better than both CSR and Amex Platinum. It's $100 more expensive than CSR, but you get more points for airfare, dining and travel agencies, and the same for hotels and cruise lines. But you get 2 free nights, which is definitely more than $100.
Compared to Amex Platinum, it wins everywhere, because Amex perks are harder to use. I'm planning to get my Prestige out of sock drawer and start using it for dining, airfare, and travel agencies, and planning to dump my Platinum.
Compared to Amex Platinum, it wins everywhere, because Amex perks are harder to use. I'm planning to get my Prestige out of sock drawer and start using it for dining, airfare, and travel agencies, and planning to dump my Platinum.
Where Amex wins is Centurion lounges, FHR, better value for MR (at least for me), and better customer service. The one card that I absolutely don’t care for going forward is CSR. I will earn my points with Freedom, Unlimited Freedom and Ink. For car rental, I will either use the City Crystal or get the premium insurance from Amex.
#77
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Which INK card do you use?
#78
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: TYS/BNA/ATL
Programs: UR, TYP, MR, C1, AA, UA, WN, BA, AS, AV, AC, Choice, Hyatt, IHG, Hilton, Wyndham, Marriott
Posts: 1,970
I think you are missing the bigger picture on the "free nights". Citi's 4th night free is essentially a 25% discount. Chase's 50% bonus is a 33% discount. Is 8% a game-changer? No, but it sure doesn't make Chase's benefit inferior. Now for the real difference maker here, Chase gives you the freedom to book whatever you want with those points, to get the bonus. 1 night, 4 nights, 6 nights, any duration, all 33% off, and with no limit. Citi makes you do 4 nights, can use it twice. For Citi to win here, you need a very specific profile. One that is very high on airfare and dining, and two, four night stays, at a very expensive resort.
But I do agree with you that this is more of a spending card than the Platinum.
But I do agree with you that this is more of a spending card than the Platinum.
#79
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: TYS/BNA/ATL
Programs: UR, TYP, MR, C1, AA, UA, WN, BA, AS, AV, AC, Choice, Hyatt, IHG, Hilton, Wyndham, Marriott
Posts: 1,970
Could not agree more! If I had to have just one card, it would be Prestige. Their trip insurance is better than Chase, extended warranty is also the best among the three, fourth night free for two uses a year that no one else offers, more points per $$ spent on average, much better price protection and better roadside assistance (i.e. no cap on annual use).
Where Amex wins is Centurion lounges, FHR, better value for MR (at least for me), and better customer service. The one card that I absolutely don’t care for going forward is CSR. I will earn my points with Freedom, Unlimited Freedom and Ink. For car rental, I will either use the City Crystal or get the premium insurance from Amex.
Where Amex wins is Centurion lounges, FHR, better value for MR (at least for me), and better customer service. The one card that I absolutely don’t care for going forward is CSR. I will earn my points with Freedom, Unlimited Freedom and Ink. For car rental, I will either use the City Crystal or get the premium insurance from Amex.
#80
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MD/DC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, TK Gold
Posts: 1,536
I think you are missing the bigger picture on the "free nights". Citi's 4th night free is essentially a 25% discount. Chase's 50% bonus is a 33% discount. Is 8% a game-changer? No, but it sure doesn't make Chase's benefit inferior. Now for the real difference maker here, Chase gives you the freedom to book whatever you want with those points, to get the bonus. 1 night, 4 nights, 6 nights, any duration, all 33% off, and with no limit. Citi makes you do 4 nights, can use it twice. For Citi to win here, you need a very specific profile.
But with Citi you can use special rates and special promos that would stuck to the 25% off which potentially will be much more. With many hotels offering buy 3 get 4, which can be combined with the the 25% off you get effectively 44% off, as one example. Use corporate rate and you can get more than 25% off.
Of course the personal circumstances will differ as well as taking into consideration the discount on taxes with Chase and not with Citi.
#81
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, DL PM, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,305
#82
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,635
Prestige auto collision has a higher limit.
Prestige still offers a price match.
Prestige extended warranty is two years vs one for CSR.
I have both CSR and Prestige. Been keeping Prestige due to 4NF. On the fence on renewing it. The changes (other than 4NF) are compelling but Prestige is lacking transfer partners. I’m not keeping the card just because it breaks even.
#83
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: HHonors, TrueBlue, Delta SkyMiles, Hyatt Discoverist, Starwood Preferred Guest, American Airlines.
Posts: 2,035
...
On the surface, these changes to Prestige are smart. 5x on dining and air = more than Chase's 3x. 5 is more than 3, right? They clearly took the battle to Chase, which was unexpected. However, on the back end, are you REALLY getting that much more? Is the average person really benefiting that much more from the extra 2 TYP on airfare and dining to more than pay for the extra $45 in AF? At $2250 in additional airfare and dining spend, you have broken even with the new AF difference. What about the background devaluations?
On the surface, these changes to Prestige are smart. 5x on dining and air = more than Chase's 3x. 5 is more than 3, right? They clearly took the battle to Chase, which was unexpected. However, on the back end, are you REALLY getting that much more? Is the average person really benefiting that much more from the extra 2 TYP on airfare and dining to more than pay for the extra $45 in AF? At $2250 in additional airfare and dining spend, you have broken even with the new AF difference. What about the background devaluations?
The Prestige is becoming more of a benefits card, even with the increase in dining and flight earnings - which I think is fine for many. Redeeming for two free nights at a $400 value plus $250 towards other travel as credits, is certainly great for a $495 AF.
#84
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Western US
Programs: Costco Executive Member, Amazon Optimus Prime
Posts: 1,251
People just have to accept that Citi is making a weak effort to keep the TY points program running. Cutting the portal redemption to 1 cpp, which is most likely equal to the price they pay for miles from their partner airlines, is all Citi wants to pay. It looks like they no longer want to pay 1.25 cpp or 1.66 cpp to redeem for flights. It wouldn't surprise me if the program as an entirety didn't exist within the next five years.
The Prestige is becoming more of a benefits card, even with the increase in dining and flight earnings - which I think is fine for many. Redeeming for two free nights at a $400 value plus $250 towards other travel as credits, is certainly great for a $495 AF.
The Prestige is becoming more of a benefits card, even with the increase in dining and flight earnings - which I think is fine for many. Redeeming for two free nights at a $400 value plus $250 towards other travel as credits, is certainly great for a $495 AF.
TYP or any of these bank / loyalty programs are not real wealth that is going to be grow if carefully invested.
Use them while they are available, squeeze them as hard as you can.
People on these kinds of boards are always going to be able to adapt to whatever the rules of the game are in the future.
Let's just keep hoping that all these benefits continue to be subsidized by
a) those who pay cash
b) those who carry interest bearing balances
At some point if the US becomes more like a cashless Sweden, and interchange is crushed/regulated, the card gamers / churners / optimizers would really face a cruel new world.
#85
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA/NYC/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 1,915
I wish the Prestige would come with hotel status of some kind. If I'm holding a card for the benefits and not the spend, it has to at least meet what the Amex Plat is offering.
#86
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: Virgin Atlantic Silver, IHG Diamond, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Diamond, AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 1,386
True, but even in regulated countries (e.g. Australia), they still manage to offer cards with 1 point per dollar accrual, as well as bonus categories even with >1 point per dollar. So who knows... with $1 trillion in balances being carried, I would hope that there'd be enough money still being made to support rewards even with less interchange in the picture...
#87
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 777
True, but even in regulated countries (e.g. Australia), they still manage to offer cards with 1 point per dollar accrual, as well as bonus categories even with >1 point per dollar. So who knows... with $1 trillion in balances being carried, I would hope that there'd be enough money still being made to support rewards even with less interchange in the picture...
This leaves CC issuers to come up with ways to get card the more desired credit demographics to use their product. Sub-prime card holders may generate interest each month from all that unpaid carry over balances, but they also represent a higher default risk. As you move up the food chain from that group to the better cards the array of *rewards* or whatever increases. Again all to get holders to use that particular card, even if they pay off the balance each month.
#88
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Western US
Programs: Costco Executive Member, Amazon Optimus Prime
Posts: 1,251
For Citi - very rough numbers - but balances carrying are like 10% of holders for Prestige, 40% at Double Cash.
I guess Citi grand strategy is going to be competing less on perks / rewards, and more on balance transfer offers up front.
For most of the FT types I think that is not as attractive as I think people are less inclined to take those balances and put them in 2% savings accounts for a the year or whatever.
My belief is that folks prefer getting a simple miles/points bonus and moving on, and not have to manage borrowing/lending type of stuff.
Of course there are people who are willing to do that work, and as interest rates rise just a little, it becomes more doable.
A 10k 0% interest rate offer for a year could be basically $200-$300 pre tax as rates normalize.
Not the lowest hanging fruit on the tree, but perhaps other stuff is picked over, and for some people, this might be what's left.
I hope Citi considers making Prestige a contactless card; they've done it with the Costco Visa so it should be doable if they want.
I guess Citi grand strategy is going to be competing less on perks / rewards, and more on balance transfer offers up front.
For most of the FT types I think that is not as attractive as I think people are less inclined to take those balances and put them in 2% savings accounts for a the year or whatever.
My belief is that folks prefer getting a simple miles/points bonus and moving on, and not have to manage borrowing/lending type of stuff.
Of course there are people who are willing to do that work, and as interest rates rise just a little, it becomes more doable.
A 10k 0% interest rate offer for a year could be basically $200-$300 pre tax as rates normalize.
Not the lowest hanging fruit on the tree, but perhaps other stuff is picked over, and for some people, this might be what's left.
I hope Citi considers making Prestige a contactless card; they've done it with the Costco Visa so it should be doable if they want.
#89
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 777
For Citi - very rough numbers - but balances carrying are like 10% of holders for Prestige, 40% at Double Cash.
I guess Citi grand strategy is going to be competing less on perks / rewards, and more on balance transfer offers up front.
For most of the FT types I think that is not as attractive as I think people are less inclined to take those balances and put them in 2% savings accounts for a the year or whatever.
My belief is that folks prefer getting a simple miles/points bonus and moving on, and not have to manage borrowing/lending type of stuff.
Of course there are people who are willing to do that work, and as interest rates rise just a little, it becomes more doable.
A 10k 0% interest rate offer for a year could be basically $200-$300 pre tax as rates normalize.
Not the lowest hanging fruit on the tree, but perhaps other stuff is picked over, and for some people, this might be what's left.
I hope Citi considers making Prestige a contactless card; they've done it with the Costco Visa so it should be doable if they want.
I guess Citi grand strategy is going to be competing less on perks / rewards, and more on balance transfer offers up front.
For most of the FT types I think that is not as attractive as I think people are less inclined to take those balances and put them in 2% savings accounts for a the year or whatever.
My belief is that folks prefer getting a simple miles/points bonus and moving on, and not have to manage borrowing/lending type of stuff.
Of course there are people who are willing to do that work, and as interest rates rise just a little, it becomes more doable.
A 10k 0% interest rate offer for a year could be basically $200-$300 pre tax as rates normalize.
Not the lowest hanging fruit on the tree, but perhaps other stuff is picked over, and for some people, this might be what's left.
I hope Citi considers making Prestige a contactless card; they've done it with the Costco Visa so it should be doable if they want.
OTOH Capital One has several good cash back cards and many come with attractive balance transfer offers, but their APR for good to excellent credit customers is on average far lower than most Citi cards.
#90
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: HHonors, TrueBlue, Delta SkyMiles, Hyatt Discoverist, Starwood Preferred Guest, American Airlines.
Posts: 2,035
While often attractive, thing about Citi's various zero percent offers is sums truly need to be paid off within that period. This because from what one has seen many Citi cards have very high APRs, this even for those who supposedly had good to excellent credit in order to obtain.....