Citi Hilton Honors cards going away by end of 2017
 

See here:
And here:
(I started this new thread because the existing thread doesn't make it clear in the title that Citi HH cards are going away by the end of this year, and I thought that was very important for people to see.)

Hmmm...my citi renewal is up at the end of June. Wonder if it's even worth it to renew or just cancel.

This really sucks seeing how many places don't accept Visa.

ANd I just reallocated most of my Hilton credit line to my Delta Am Ex credit line:( Hopefully Am Ex will issue new cards to existing Citi holders so that won't be an issue but it is going to suck losing the free night.

The Citi Hilton was great for overseas Hilton stays as well with no foreign transaction fee.

Yea, but I assume the Hilton Amex doesn't have a foreign transaction fee either, correct?

For me it's a chance to reapply with a new bonus. Never had the Amex version so I can get those points. And will cancel Citi when they try to swap me to some Citi travel version.

Unfortunately, both AMEX cards (the free and AF versions) have FTF. The hope is they add that and the anniversary night (with $10k spend) to the AMEX, even if the AF goes up to match the Visa.

I also heard from one site that Citi will not sell the portfolio to AMEX, rather a new Citi card will be issued (my guess is a Thank You point product).

This (FTF) seems is a big issue as well in the other thread started by Lauren. But I'm confused. I hold a personal Platinum card and don't pay foreign transaction fees. It is clearly listed in the benefits. Since this is my only AMX card I've never given it much thought.

It this something to do with the co-branded cards? Or is it hit and miss by the product?

FWIW
DLM

Different cards even from the same card issuer can have different features. The Amex Plat card has no foreign transaction fees. The SPG Amex also has no forex fee. The Amex Honors cards both have a foreign transaction fee of 2.7%.

As a consequence, my Amex Honors card never leaves the country with me.

I don't think my Hilton Am Ex has been used since Costco stopped accepting it. After my spend on my Delta Am Ex cards was meant for the MQM boost the only time I used the card was at Costco because they only took Am Ex and I considered the HH points to be more valuable than Skypesos.

I think all the big credit card issuers (except discover where none of their cards have FTF's) have cards that contain fees and that don't contain FTF's. The Citi Hilton reserve doesn't but the free Citi Hilton does and my Citi double also has FTF's. With Chase the Hyatt and Saphire reserve have no FTF's but the Chase freedom does.

Quite surprising to see one Hotel card (Starwood) not have FTF and the Hilton one to have it. That makes this card significantly less valuable imo. Hopefully Amex removes it next year.

I have the Citi Reserve Hilton Card. Do you think it is worth putting enough spending ($10K) on the card this calendar year to get the free night? My anniversary is in November and I get the award certificate in December. If the card is replaced before the end of the year, would I still get the Free Night? If not, I'm gone now.

According to the thread Lauren started the certificate will still be issued with the same expiration date as it would normally have and if someone puts $1K in Hilton spending on their citi card this year they still get the 10000 bonus points.

I'm hoping that Am Ex enhances their card next year to offer this benefit. Seeing I have always had good luck using them at either the Bentley in Miami Beach when the rates were high or expensive Hiltons overseas this was great benefit to me.

Some history: Until a couple years ago, the Starwood card has a $65 annual fee and FTF. Then they raised the annual fee to $100 and got rid of FTF. So they charged you $35 just to have no FTF essentially.

If you use a card for more than $1300ish in foreign purchases annually, you, would you accrue more than $35 in FTF charges (at 2.7%).

But if you prefer to put all your foreign purchases on another card anyway, you may consider the $35 a waste. (For comparison, Chase has no FTF on their hotel cards with annual fees between $49 and $85, and those hotel cards come with an annual free night certificate, in one case uncapped, in other cases capped. Perhaps Amex should worry less about competing with a hotel card from the past at Citi and worry more about competing with existing hotel credit cards from Chase?)

So if Amex raises the annual fee on the Surpass just to add 0% FTF, they may find it makes some people happy but other people unhappy. If they leave the annual fee where it is and add not only 0% FTF and (IHG style) an uncapped free night certificate annually, I think they'll make almost everyone happy. But would that require too much imagination on Amex's part?

I don't want to see them raise the annual fee just for no FTF. I won't have an issue with the fee being raised on the Surpass to match the citi reserve though if they provide the other benefits like the free night and the 10,000 bonus HH points with $1k in Hilton spend. If I don't have much Hilton activity next year I'll put $40K in spend on it for the diamond status and then it just gets used for Hilton stays. My Citi card only gets used for Hilton stays right now but if I had to pay a FTF you better believe it wouldn't be used in Hiltons outside the USA, no FTF is a bigger benefit for me than the Hilton bonus points

I just use my CSR for Hilton stays abroad (3X UR); I would not be interested in a fee increase for the Amex Honors cards in exchange for 0% FTF. In fact, I canceled my SPG Amex when they raised the AF a few years ago as it didn't make any sense for my use.

According to my message with Citibank's customer service, as long as you spent the 10k before 12/31/2017, you will get the anniversary bonus even if your anniversary is in the following year "after the conversion".

So it sounds like they will be converting these accounts to the AMEX card.