Best Credit Card for Frequent Flyers

[ramboflyer]

Unfortunately,the CitiBusinessGold Visa is not in that list.

Based on your post surely that is the card you are looking for? $149 annual fee is competitive and the extra points you get (1.25/$1 QFF) + 40,000 for signing up + other extras makes it probably the best going around for Qantas points right now.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Based on your post surely that is the card you are looking for? $149 annual fee is competitive and the extra points you get (1.25/$1 QFF) + 40,000 for signing up + other extras makes it probably the best going around for Qantas points right now.

especially now that they don't charge to have up to 4 extra cards on the 1 account, and you can spend up to 200K on the card before hitting the points cap of 250K.

Also it's the only card that lets you do QF and SQ/DJ/MH, tho QF offers the best reward rate.

 

[Jacques Vert]

It was helpful to read the threads of experiences by AFF members here toward mydecision on taking up the Citibank Visa Signature card. The Citi Platinum Visahas been great, at no charge these years, and finally got (I hope) thedefinitive Citibank response that I have been earning CitiRewards points, withpotential to translate into $1:1point with Virgin, or similar ratio if I chose topay the $49 annual QFF link.

As mypreference has been Qantas over Virgin, I had to resign my consideration ofthis Citi Signature Visa to be used for Velocity points only in future. At somepoint, I'll transfer the load of CitiRewards points I have banked over toVirgin, but with no Status Creds to be gained by that exercise, unfortunately.....

.......BTW, in myresearch, to cut through potentially inaccurate information, I referred to this page in Qantas:

qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/partners/card

Unfortunately,the CitiBusinessGold Visa is not in that list.

Cheers &Thanks!

If you prefer QF points, you could always try what I did successfully:

Ring Citibank and advise that you wish to change from the Platinum card to a CitiBusiness Gold card, but you don't want to loose your CitiRewards points. In my case, they offered to transfer the CitiRewards points to my new CitiBusiness card (ask them to confirm this in writing/e-mail).

Once the new CitiBusiness card is received and you activate it & spend some $, ring and ask to transfer your CitiRewards points to QF. For CitiBusiness, it is 1:1 transfer in multiples of 10,000 points.

For the future don't worry about QF not being on the list. It does not have a direct earn but you can transfer your CitiRewards points to QF at any time in mulitples of 10,000 as noted above. This has the advantage of keeping your options open but of course, it only works for those of us who put enough $ on the card.

Send me a PM if you need further information.

JV

 

[blu]

I was thinking of applying for a new Citibusiness Gold Visa.
I would keep my existing Citi Platinum CC (with free AF) but close the Qantas FF direct earn link after the next points transfer.
Would this be acceptable to Citibank or would they close the Platinum CC (obviously it wouldn't get much use).

 

[Stephen65]

I applied for a Citibusiness Gold card while holding a Citi Plat card and for a while I had both before closing the latter. A possible issue is that Citi may require you to allocate your existing credit limit across both cards when you open the second e.g. if you had $30,000 on your Citi Plat and you open a Citibusiness Gold card then you may only be allowed a total of $30,000 credit across both cards. However the only thing Citi do consistently is inconsistency so your experience may (and probably will be) different to mine.

 

[Jacques Vert]

I was thinking of applying for a new Citibusiness Gold Visa.
I would keep my existing Citi Platinum CC (with free AF) but close the Qantas FF direct earn link after the next points transfer.
Would this be acceptable to Citibank or would they close the Platinum CC (obviously it wouldn't get much use).

G'day Blu

It may be acceptable, maybe not. I suggest you re-read my post #43 above: I don't think you need to keep the Plat open until the next transfer IF you get them to agree to transfer your existing points to the CitiBusiness Gold. I my case they agreed to do this immediately upon request and there were no issues - but I would agree with others that the inconsistency of Citi would make it wise to get this confirmed before pushing the go button.

Feel free to send a PM if you wish to discuss.

JV

 

[blu]

Well, I lodged the application via service centre. The CSO informed me that the Citibusiness was a direct sweep to QFF. I queried that, but didn't go any further as I was only lodging the application. Have no problem with 10k transfers - from memory that's the way my CC used to be originally.
Guess I'll hold the Platinum up until April & reassess it's value.

 

[ramboflyer]

Well, The CSO informed me that the Citibusiness was a direct sweep to QFF.

If "direct sweep" means automatic transfers then the CSO is wrong. The cardholder must call up and request point transfers in 10,000 blocks. On a + note when I joined up a couple of weeks ago the 40,000 joining bonus points were in my account within days and I called and tranferred to QFF with no problem. You can accumulate points in "real" time so when you have 10,000 just make the call. I also have a Westpac Earth card and can't get the 33,000 bonus joining points for 3 months but it isn't a problem for me. I have found Westpac CSO's most helpful - pity Westpac accounts have zero details about reward points.

 

[whiteshark]

The Citi back office can give you three different answers if you ask the same question 3 times.
I find that a bit unusual and I hope it improves because their deals are very good.

Agree Citibank is a real painful experience but i put up with it when i get 1 QFF point per $1 spend. When this ends in April - i will leave Citibank after 10years of loyalty, screw them.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Not sure if the people you speak to with the Citibusiness card are the same as for all other cards, but generally I've found the staff to be OK.

I will admit that with some issues on a couple of transactions where the item was not what I bought, it took a bit to sort out, and it was very annoying that you can't actually be transferred to someone in the fraud section - bit of don't call us, we'll call you.

Still, the CB Biz card seems to offer the best deal for QF points, while keeping ya options open with SQ / Velocity at reduced rates.

4 supp cards at no cost is also a pretty good deal, as most other reward cards either charge you, or only give 1 for free.

 

[whiteshark]

Not sure if the people you speak to with the Citibusiness card are the same as for all other cards, but generally I've found the staff to be OK.

I will admit that with some issues on a couple of transactions where the item was not what I bought, it took a bit to sort out, and it was very annoying that you can't actually be transferred to someone in the fraud section - bit of don't call us, we'll call you.

Still, the CB Biz card seems to offer the best deal for QF points, while keeping ya options open with SQ / Velocity at reduced rates.

4 supp cards at no cost is also a pretty good deal, as most other reward cards either charge you, or only give 1 for free.

-----------------------------

They offer 1.25 reward points per $ spend when you use their rewards program. This does not translate to 1 point for $1, thats what i currently get by just being in their qantas program. You can do that too if you use that program, but not both you have to make a choice.

I dont want to keep options open - i am a Qantas FF. All that is ending next year though; they will change the program and it will be 1 reward point for $2 spend.

Their rewards program sucks. It cost you too many points to aquire anything.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

-----------------------------

They offer 1.25 reward points per $ spend when you use their rewards program. This does not translate to 1 point for $1, thats what i currently get by just being in their qantas program. You can do that too if you use that program, but not both you have to make a choice.

I dont want to keep options open - i am a Qantas FF. All that is ending next year though; they will change the program and it will be 1 reward point for $2 spend.

Their rewards program sucks. It cost you too many points to aquire anything.

I'm not sure what you mean by 1 reward point for $2 spend. Unless I've missed something in th way the Citirewards program will operate in the future my understanding is you earn 1.25 points / $ spend on the Citibusiness card, and QF points are at 1:1 ratoion s while SQ and Dj points are at 3/2 ratio.

 

[wafliron]

I'm not sure what you mean by 1 reward point for $2 spend. Unless I've missed something in th way the Citirewards program will operate in the future my understanding is you earn 1.25 points / $ spend on the Citibusiness card, and QF points are at 1:1 ratoion s while SQ and Dj points are at 3/2 ratio.

Ditto. Citi certainly haven't told me anything about the earn rate changing from 1.25 points / $1 spent to 1 point / $2 spent, and if they are I'd certainly like to know about it!

 

[Jacques Vert]

-----------------------------

They offer 1.25 reward points per $ spend when you use their rewards program. This does not translate to 1 point for $1, thats what i currently get by just being in their qantas program.

Actually it is better than 1:1! The normal Citi cards don't appeal to me but the CitiBusiness is a different animal. You get 1.25 points per $ and can convert to QF points at 1:1. Therefore in effect you get 1.25 QF points per $. (only catch is that you have to manually transfer to QF at 10,000 points at a time - not an issue for me.) Plus you can earn up to 4.25 points per $ with their bonus partners.

Given that the fee is reasonable ($149), no fee for QF direct earn, additional cards are free & the free wine offer (which you can use to offset the annual fee), this is a pretty good card for QFFers.

Given the changes coming with your existing card, look at transfering to the CitiBusiness card (and make sure they transfer your points). Many on this forum use the CB Gold Visa as a back up to their Amex or prefered card.

JV

 

[ferni]

Got declined for an woolworths CC - no reason why, bit shocked at that. Never been declined a CC/Loan before and my financial situation is more than good enough. I did apply for the citibank gold business a few days after and approved without issues. Very weird....

 

[serfty]

Welcome to AFF ferni.

That's unfortunate. Did you chase them up why?

 

[ferni]

Welcome to AFF ferni.

That's unfortunate. Did you chase them up why?

Thanks - I've been lurking for a while.

The letter specifically said they don't tell you why (in different words). It said I could call them to discuss but suspect I won't get far and it's not that important right now. The mrs applied so will be interesting to see if she gets approved.

 

[angusburns]

I also got turned down by HSBC/Woolworths a few months ago. I suspect that it was as I was going to cancel a credit card after I got the WW one so I did not list it on the form as thought they might not like me having all these credit limits.

I called them to ask why and they said that they could not tell me for privacy reasons or some such guff and try again in three months, which is about now, so might try again soon.

So no point calling them.

It is all a bit hard as I work for myself so can pay myself & my wife what I want in dividends out of retained earning etc so what is my income? What the company makes? What I paid myself last tax year? What I paid myself and my wife combined? Stupid forms!

Anyway, hope this helps.

 

[MAX_1]

It is all a bit hard as I work for myself so can pay myself & my wife what I want in dividends out of retained earning etc so what is my income? What the company makes? What I paid myself last tax year? What I paid myself and my wife combined? Stupid forms!

Same here.
I requested a $30k limit. Was asked for a copy of my income tax return. Was finally approved with a limit of $25K.
Just bear in mind that it takes 2 working days to get a Bpay payment into the account. A cash payment at Woolies is instantly added to the account.

 

[angusburns]

Same here.
I requested a $30k limit. Was asked for a copy of my income tax return. Was finally approved with a limit of $25K.
Just bear in mind that it takes 2 working days to get a Bpay payment into the account. A cash payment at Woolies is instantly added to the account.

Thanks. One question: When you say cash payment, do you actually mean cash? Or a personal or bank cheque?

Don't banks have anti-avoidance rules if you do large cash transactions?

Luckily bank and Woolies are across the road from each other but I could see it still being a pain...