New Citi travel portal operated by Booking.com (Open 19 March 2023)
Feb 21, 2023, 10:40 pm
#32
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: IAH
Posts: 488
So, still no sign of this and we're now in late February. I'm holding onto the prestige in the hope that a new booking portal will make it easier to get value out of the 4th night free, but this roll out it ridiculous. I work in project management, I know stuff like this is hard but this has been very dissappointing.
Feb 23, 2023, 10:54 am
#33
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,222
So, still no sign of this and we're now in late February. I'm holding onto the prestige in the hope that a new booking portal will make it easier to get value out of the 4th night free, but this roll out it ridiculous. I work in project management, I know stuff like this is hard but this has been very dissappointing.
Regards
Feb 23, 2023, 1:06 pm
#34
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: Virgin Atlantic Silver, IHG Diamond, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Diamond, AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 1,394
I was unable to make use of the benefit on any of my trips last year. In some cases, literally zero hotels on offer, and these were tourist destinations - not remote villages.
Feb 23, 2023, 6:23 pm
#35
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: IAH
Posts: 488
Right now, a large proportion of hotels are unfindable. I've had off chain stays where I don't have to worry about losing benefits where I just can't find the hotel at all. THose would have been perfect. I'm hoping that with Booking.com having a better search and overall inventory I can drive more value out of it.
Feb 24, 2023, 6:58 am
#36
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,222
I also believe this. The portal will be serviced by Booking, which has a much larger inventory of properties and (hopefully) prices more in line with typical OTA pricing vs. the current portal.
I was unable to make use of the benefit on any of my trips last year. In some cases, literally zero hotels on offer, and these were tourist destinations - not remote villages.
I was unable to make use of the benefit on any of my trips last year. In some cases, literally zero hotels on offer, and these were tourist destinations - not remote villages.
Right now, a large proportion of hotels are unfindable. I've had off chain stays where I don't have to worry about losing benefits where I just can't find the hotel at all. THose would have been perfect. I'm hoping that with Booking.com having a better search and overall inventory I can drive more value out of it.
I guess we will see what happens...
Regards
Feb 24, 2023, 1:49 pm
#37
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: JFK / LGA.. EWR is not part of NYC!
Programs: Brand loyalty is for suckers
Posts: 1,050
Front page article from The Points Guy basically stating the portal is delayed with no estimated launch date:
https://thepointsguy.com/news/citi-t...rtal-overhaul/
https://thepointsguy.com/news/citi-t...rtal-overhaul/
Mar 19, 2023, 6:29 am
#40
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 775
i WAS LOCKED OUT OF THE OLD TRAVEL SITE FOR ABOUT A YEAR ( because of the Citi system)- THE NEW SITE I CAN NOW GET IN--SORRY ABOUT CAPS
I tried it today -many of my hotel's poor value . Many with very hi "EXTRA" $ COST ADDED TO POINT COST
I tried it today -many of my hotel's poor value . Many with very hi "EXTRA" $ COST ADDED TO POINT COST
Last edited by mia; Mar 19, 2023 at 8:06 am Reason: Combine consecutive replies.
Mar 19, 2023, 10:37 am
#41
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco
Programs: DL DM, 1MM AA PLT 2MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, and...Smiles Diamante
Posts: 2,784
Here are a few anecdotal early data points from four properties I enjoy in Brazil that were not on the old portal. Relatively promising.
All four properties appear on the new booking.com based portal, but two of them did not show availability on the Citi-based portal despite being available on booking.com. Perhaps this can be resolved with an agent.
Rates appeared higher on the Citi portal, but not at the ludicrous levels of the past. Here are some examples for four night stays for the two available properties referred to above and another random one:
Property 1: $975 on booking, $1000 on Citi ($731 after 4th night)
Property 2: $912 on booking, $949 on Citi ($712 after 4th night)
Property 3: $778 on booking, $831 on Citi ($623 after 4th night, although they also had a lower rate for an "assigned on arrival" room not on booking)
It's exciting that higher end independent properties that didn't see the light of day in the past are now bookable. If it persists, the outsized value of trusty old Citi Prestige may return to the glory days for me.
All four properties appear on the new booking.com based portal, but two of them did not show availability on the Citi-based portal despite being available on booking.com. Perhaps this can be resolved with an agent.
Rates appeared higher on the Citi portal, but not at the ludicrous levels of the past. Here are some examples for four night stays for the two available properties referred to above and another random one:
Property 1: $975 on booking, $1000 on Citi ($731 after 4th night)
Property 2: $912 on booking, $949 on Citi ($712 after 4th night)
Property 3: $778 on booking, $831 on Citi ($623 after 4th night, although they also had a lower rate for an "assigned on arrival" room not on booking)
It's exciting that higher end independent properties that didn't see the light of day in the past are now bookable. If it persists, the outsized value of trusty old Citi Prestige may return to the glory days for me.
Last edited by snorkmaster; Mar 19, 2023 at 10:50 am Reason: added one more property
Mar 19, 2023, 10:50 am
#42
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Signatures.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: HH & IHG Gold; Marriott & AA Perpetual Platinum
Posts: 49,216
Mar 19, 2023, 11:14 am
#43
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 238
Phantom availability? Cross check with hotel site.
Hmmm...I do see more listings than before but I'm wondering if Booking.com's inventory is updated quick enough. Yesterday, I booked one of 3 rooms remaining at a Malaysian hotel for Easter weekend from the hotel's official site. I've been tracking availability for several weeks and the place has been almost fully booked for that holiday weekend.
And as of this morning, the hotel's site only have their multiple-room estate villa available for my dates. However, the Citi portal and Booking are both still showing my room is still available (even though it had been last one), as well as the other room that had also been snapped up overnight. Not sure if this is a temporary glitch, but I would recommend cross checking with the hotel's sites to make sure Citi/Booking isn't showing phantom availability.
Another possible (but positive glitch): I used 1 of my two 4th Night Free benefits for 2023 in January. The travel portal now says I still have 2 out of 2 available
And as of this morning, the hotel's site only have their multiple-room estate villa available for my dates. However, the Citi portal and Booking are both still showing my room is still available (even though it had been last one), as well as the other room that had also been snapped up overnight. Not sure if this is a temporary glitch, but I would recommend cross checking with the hotel's sites to make sure Citi/Booking isn't showing phantom availability.
Another possible (but positive glitch): I used 1 of my two 4th Night Free benefits for 2023 in January. The travel portal now says I still have 2 out of 2 available
Mar 19, 2023, 11:41 am
#44
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,968
Hmmm...I do see more listings than before but I'm wondering if Booking.com's inventory is updated quick enough. Yesterday, I booked one of 3 rooms remaining at a Malaysian hotel for Easter weekend from the hotel's official site. I've been tracking availability for several weeks and the place has been almost fully booked for that holiday weekend.
And as of this morning, the hotel's site only have their multiple-room estate villa available for my dates. However, the Citi portal and Booking are both still showing my room is still available (even though it had been last one), as well as the other room that had also been snapped up overnight
And as of this morning, the hotel's site only have their multiple-room estate villa available for my dates. However, the Citi portal and Booking are both still showing my room is still available (even though it had been last one), as well as the other room that had also been snapped up overnight