Does anyone hold both Amex Plat & Citi Pristige or..

[KingHuang]

Hey everyone,

I would like to know if anyone has had experience holding both the amex platinum charge and the Citibank prestige card at the same time (or another premium non Amex)

- what was your reasoning to get both?
- how did you justify the fees?
- any perks that compliment each other?
- any double up in perks that didn't matter which card you used
- which card did you use for booking travel costs for the insurance perk (or which insurance is better in your view)
- which card did you end up using when overseas - or any alternatives that you did use instead of the 2

 

[Quickstatus]

I have a Amex Explorer and Citi prestige

Citi prestige earns QF points
Amex Explorer earns Amex points which can be converted to other airlines such as SQ
Travel insurance is booked directly not via cards.

Amex used where merchants allow Amex otherwise Citi

Best credit cards to use overseas

 

[RealtimeY]

Nice post to remind me to re-assess whether I really need both, and I'm really not sure I can justify keeping the card for year two.

I originally got mine to churn, but my favourite feature is probably the Priority Pass restaurant credits.

For travel insurance purposes, I usually pay for my outbound flight with my Amex, but if I'm using points which didn't come from the Amex (i.e. most of my QFF points), then the Citi is a good catch-all for the remaining bookings as it's automatic with all QF reward bookings or >$500 spend which is easy.

And with the 3.4% overseas transaction fee, I wouldn't even consider using Citi card overseas. It's cheaper just to buy QF wine.

 

[KingHuang]

Nice post to remind me to re-assess whether I really need both, and I'm really not sure I can justify keeping the card for year two.

I originally got mine to churn, but my favourite feature is probably the Priority Pass restaurant credits.

For travel insurance purposes, I usually pay for my outbound flight with my Amex, but if I'm using points which didn't come from the Amex (i.e. most of my QFF points), then the Citi is a good catch-all for the remaining bookings as it's automatic with all QF reward bookings or >$500 spend which is easy.

And with the 3.4% overseas transaction fee, I wouldn't even consider using Citi card overseas. It's cheaper just to buy QF wine.

do you mean citi prestige you are questioning re year 2? And Amex plat is a definite keep?

Ya that’s the annoying thing about the Amex insurance if it’s points based - how do you find the insurance for citi vs Amex?

You looking at any alts for either overseas or to replace prestige?

 

[RealtimeY]

do you mean citi prestige you are questioning re year 2? And Amex plat is a definite keep?

Yes that's right.

The limits for the Amex insurance are generally higher across the board so I'm more inclined to keep it for that reason too.

For overseas spending I just pay with a debit card because I don't think it's worth it to pay the overseas commissions.

 

[Kimster]

Amex for everything else - for its good Insurance coverage and earn ratios (importantly conversion to other than Virgin and Qantas) and FHR benefits. Citi for PP, Stay 4 Pay 3 and Uber Benefit. Easily pays back the Annual Fee.

Essentially $1050 fee for Amex and most benefits at Citi easily recoups the $700 fee

Both useless overseas due to the conversion fee, although Mastercard acceptance is better than Amex

 

[Steady]

Citi for Uber Benefit.

Can you please elaborate?

 

[Kimster]

Can you please elaborate?

The $100 Uber premier credit (once per year). Although some of us received Uber one for free having the Citi Mastercard - so added benefit there. There is also Lux+ membership ($500 + $249 fee) which was offered a while ago - although that benefit is questionable.

 

[burneracc]

on this note - what cards are people using as a companion to the plat (other than debit), if any? Debating just eating the 3% overseas for an upcoming trip I have, but obviously it's unpleasant.

 

[asterix]

on this note - what cards are people using as a companion to the plat (other than debit), if any? Debating just eating the 3% overseas for an upcoming trip I have, but obviously it's unpleasant.

I have the Amex Platinum and Citi Premier cards. Citi Premier is fee free for life (not sure how much longer that will last). I use my CBA Smart Awards card for overseas spend as it doesn't charge overseas currency fees and is fee free if I spend $2000 a month.

 

[Viridis]

I have the Amex Plat and had the Citi Prestige. Citi card was a decent enough card but I found most of the benefits overlapped with the Plat but at a lower level. So got rid of it a few years ago. Have the QF Premier Titanium now. I want to like this card but really struggle with the inability to transfer the First Lounge pass to my wife when she's not on the same booking

I'm looking for a non-Amex keeper post retirement in a few years and that's one that i'm evaluating. I have a great credit limit and the cash withdrawal facility can be useful. QF points are good but we tend not to travel QF . But the card is generally more 'complimentary' to the Plat than the Citi Prestige was. I'm just hoping that it gets better benefits before I make the decision to cancel it.

I have a UK based HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard which is actually pretty decent but I don't think I'll be able to retain Premier after retirement as I won't be prepared to tie up that much cash to do so. Benefits tend to overlap

Lastly I have the CBA Ultimate - but the points earning in Oz is woeful so it hardly gets used. Comes into its own when spending abroad but other than that its pretty rubbish. The no forex fees appears to be the only useful benefit, if I'm honest and that does compliment the Plat (but I have the US Plat if the merchant abroad takes Amex)

I just wish someone - anyone really - would introduce a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve card into Australia. The non-Amex premium cards are pretty poor and offer the Plat no competition whatsoever. So nearly all of my spending (a god 90% I reckon) goes on the Plat.

I can't justify the fees? I never try to. If you want the card(s) and can afford the fees, that's good enough in my book

Nearly always use the Aus Plat for travel bookings although used the US Plat last time for the 5pts.

Use the Plat in Aus, the US Plat abroad or the Ultimate if the don't take Amex. If I'm in the UK I use the HSBC card

 

[burneracc]

I have the Amex Platinum and Citi Premier cards. Citi Premier is fee free for life (not sure how much longer that will last). I use my CBA Smart Awards card for overseas spend as it doesn't charge overseas currency fees and is fee free if I spend $2000 a month.

My issue is that the CBA cards irritate me with their stupid monthly fees. If I want to keep the card open and not use it I understand that I might have a yearly fee, but having to allocate that much extra headspace to making sure I pay off the fee each month is meh. Thanks anyway though I’ll just keep looking.

 

[KingHuang]

I have the Amex Plat and had the Citi Prestige. Citi card was a decent enough card but I found most of the benefits overlapped with the Plat but at a lower level. So got rid of it a few years ago. Have the QF Premier Titanium now. I want to like this card but really struggle with the inability to transfer the First Lounge pass to my wife when she's not on the same booking

I'm looking for a non-Amex keeper post retirement in a few years and that's one that i'm evaluating. I have a great credit limit and the cash withdrawal facility can be useful. QF points are good but we tend not to travel QF . But the card is generally more 'complimentary' to the Plat than the Citi Prestige was. I'm just hoping that it gets better benefits before I make the decision to cancel it.

I have a UK based HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard which is actually pretty decent but I don't think I'll be able to retain Premier after retirement as I won't be prepared to tie up that much cash to do so. Benefits tend to overlap

Lastly I have the CBA Ultimate - but the points earning in Oz is woeful so it hardly gets used. Comes into its own when spending abroad but other than that its pretty rubbish. The no forex fees appears to be the only useful benefit, if I'm honest and that does compliment the Plat (but I have the US Plat if the merchant abroad takes Amex)

I just wish someone - anyone really - would introduce a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve card into Australia. The non-Amex premium cards are pretty poor and offer the Plat no competition whatsoever. So nearly all of my spending (a god 90% I reckon) goes on the Plat.

I can't justify the fees? I never try to. If you want the card(s) and can afford the fees, that's good enough in my book

Nearly always use the Aus Plat for travel bookings although used the US Plat last time for the 5pts.

Use the Plat in Aus, the US Plat abroad or the Ultimate if the don't take Amex. If I'm in the UK I use the HSBC card

Really good point on the CBA Ultimate - I am looking at the Bankwest or the NAB Signature both with no FX fees - but once again not that much benefit outside of that I don't think.

For the HSBC - wouldn't you be able to maintain premier just by transferring in and out to HSBC $9k AUD/month? I did that just to quickly get premier in Australia, but since it's premier for HK might be different conditions?

Maybe the keeper as an alt to Citi/Qantas premium cards would just be a FX free card.. although in your situation the US Plat can cover that. Don't you feel like most of the Qantas Titanium features is also quite similar to Amex Plat?