Does anyone know if having the FMA account number with myFi SmithBarney is enough for 3x redemption or FMA checking account number and the FMA card number have to be issued before accessing 3x redemption. I am told that the checks and the FMA card will be issued only after they receive the signed documents back. But even before that, they have to mail out the documents for the signatures which may take 7-10 days. I tried contacting TYN and they cannot find my myFi SmithBarney FMA account although, it shows up online on SmithBarney.com.

It took about two days for my account conversion to show up as an FMA account on the Thankyou network. So if you set this up yesterday or today, you'll probably have to wait another day or two. But it worked fine for me and I still don't have an FMA card. In fact, I didn't have to get one at all, if I didn't want to, according to them.

My myFi FMA account is active on smithbarney.com and it also shows up as one of the linked accounts on the citibank online account. I called TYN and in turn, they transferred me over to SmithBarney. I gave the SmithBarney agent my FMA account number and she located my account but said that it cannot be linked to my TY account as she cannot find any TY account under my FMA account or FMA card (which has not yet been issued). She said I will have to wait until the FMA card has been issued and that it has to be enrolled into TY program for linking to my TY account.

At this stage, I am still waiting for my papers to arrive in the mail which I then have to sign and mail back to their back-office in NY.

Anyone has any suggestions? Can I just called the travel center at TYN and tell the agent who is helping me with the flight booking that I have a SmithBarney account?

Does anyone know if SmithBarney do a hard credit inquiry when you open a (1) brokerage account or (2) the FMA account? I've gotten mixed answers from the SB reps.

I'm thinking of doing this for the 3x TYP redemption but i'm also planning to refinance my mortgage soon and don't want to lower my credit score. Thanks.

If you still dont have FMA now, it may not be enough time to get everything processed. The new account takes 8 to 10 working days to become "ALIVE" per several posters on their actual experiences.

That's what I did and it worked ok. You might want to make sure that you're officially an FMA account. Call the FMA group at 800-634-9855. Ask them if your account is officially an FMA account. If it is, then you should be good to go, with or without the card.

If you don't have a previous relationship with SB, then they will do a credit check on you. If you do have a relationship with them (IRA account, etc.), then they don't run a check on you.

Did all this. Called FMA group and confirmed that I have an FMA account. Then called TY for the redemption but still no luck.

The TY travel agent contacted SmithBarney and they confirmed that I have an FMA account but he would not approve the higher redemption rate. He was arguing that I have to have a TYP earning SB credit card or debit card linked to the TY account. My FMA card has not yet been issued and am not sure if I have enough time. I am yet to receive the papers for signature, then have mail them. Then wait for them to process them only after that they will issue the FMA card which may or may not be linked to TY right away.

I would really appreciate any help or suggestions. Please feel free to PM me if needed.

My guess is, they are cramping down on the newly minted FMA owners...

just got off the phone with them. Here's the deal - apparently every few days they phase out another group. originally they said just having a SB FMA account or credit card was enough. Then they quietly dropped SB credit card holders. Now the new policy as of a couple of days ago is to have an FMA card that is enrolled in thankyou (probably because they know that by the time the card arrives, the network will already be closed). If that's not bad enough, they said in a couple of days ONLY Chairman cardholders will be able to redeem for the old rates.


So REDEEM RIGHT NOW.

Not surprising as they probably see a glut of new FMA applications, knowing fully they may never see any assets transferred over to SB for management.

Will they then differentiate Chairman MC and Chairman AMEX?

After this experience even if somebody was considering, s/he won't. Citi is really sleazy.

They demonstrate that when they devaluate the 3c ahead of the announced deadline.

So, it means that come next week and only Chairman card holders will be eligible for the higher cap, correct? If so, then I really have chance of being eligible for the higher cap. Didn't really expect such a behavior from them. They are playing dirty! I am loosing faith (whatever little was remaining) in them. I think I am done with them. I have given them enough business over last several years and its sad to see such a situation. Time to move on and look for another card provider that would value my business.

Although if you had pressed me I would have guessed they would have held the line on further instant devaluations, I have felt there was some significant risk nonetheless because of the way Citi runs their business and the panic among the bean counters with the high rate of redemptions now. That's why I booked as soon as I could get my ducks in a row, I recommend others do so as well. I chatted with a typ booking agent for a while about th extraordinarily high rate of redemptions they have had recently. Volume of calls is way up - hence the long hold times we are experiencing.

I've amended my viewpoint somewhat now, and I think there is a measurable risk they'll do some further devaluations or cut off the fixed point redemptions before Feb. 28. I also would recommend that if you don't get the answer you want hang up and call again; call during differnent staff shifts as well. If you get a 3x offer, book immediately, even if it's not an ideal value for you; when you find a flight that works well for you, call and book it immediately, don't wait.