Best use of CitiRewards points

[alect]

I have accumulate just shy of 200k of Citi Rewards points (since cutting off QF earn). Thought I would use it for an upcoming trip to get airfares but give they want to charge 180k per fare (and there's 5 of us travelling) that ain't happening. Had a look around and there don't seem to be many good uses of Citi points? Most uses are under 1c per point which grates my FF-OCD core.

So any best uses of these? Just cashback - is it @1c?

 

[StevePER]

I think the best value for Citibank points is transferring to Velocity or Krisflyer.

Booking flights through them is expensive, and their booking system isn't great. I'm still trying to get them to deduct points for flights we booked in July (they took cash instead due to issues with the system).

 

[alect]

I think the best value for Citibank points is transferring to Velocity or Krisflyer.

Booking flights through them is expensive, and their booking system isn't great. I'm still trying to get them to deduct points for flights we booked in July (they took cash instead due to issues with the system).

I don't accrue into KrisFlyer - their fuel fees and redemption value is not great.

Have some points in Velocity - but didn't think their redemption is all that great - would it be above 1c per point?

I am assuming I can get 1c cash back into my account (without booking travel with Citi) - is that not right?

 

[dein_gesicht]

How do you get cashback of 1c?

 

[Beta4Me]

I don't accrue into KrisFlyer - their fuel fees and redemption value is not great.

You must be joking. Their value is excellent and availability of seats is great.

 

[cove]

Two glasses of Krug, two glasses of Dom plus a fine French red and the 12 and a half hour flight from SIN -LHR seems to be shorter on SQ Suites.

 

[alect]

How do you get cashback of 1c?

maybe i am wrong and thinking of another of my cards? Amex?

 

[alect]

You must be joking. Their value is excellent and availability of seats is great.

Well I am comparing to other *A FF programs - redemption miles are higher and fuels surchrges are high......eg MEL-LAX redemption in J is costing me 170k miles and $1300 in fuel surcharges...

 

[alect]

I think the best value for Citibank points is transferring to Velocity or Krisflyer.

Booking flights through them is expensive, and their booking system isn't great. I'm still trying to get them to deduct points for flights we booked in July (they took cash instead due to issues with the system).

Is there a way to estimate the surcharges for a MEL-LAX return award trip on VS (before transferring the points in)?

 

[alect]

BTW - does anyone know whether when transferring from Citi Rewards to a VA Velocity account, the name on the velocity account must be the same as on the Citi credit card?

My wife is a supplementary card holder and I would like to transfer to her Velocity account....will that work?

 

[DaveB]

All credit cards require the holder names to be the same. Not an issue given you can set up in VA family pooling of SC's and points. If you don't do this option, still able to transfer points 4 times a year.
SQ have similar charges to QF, however second to none in terms of J/F availability. VA charges approx. 70% of SQ & QF with seat availability in the middle. Only catch with SQ is points expiry, though who knows what value any points will have in three years time.

 

[gregff]

BTW - does anyone know whether when transferring from Citi Rewards to a VA Velocity account, the name on the velocity account must be the same as on the Citi credit card?

My wife is a supplementary card holder and I would like to transfer to her Velocity account....will that work?

I think you can authorise your supp holder to redeem Citirewards (I remember there is some way you can give authorisation online - or am I thinking of AMEX) and then she can redeem to her own VA account.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I don't accrue into KrisFlyer - their fuel fees and redemption value is not great.

Have some points in Velocity - but didn't think their redemption is all that great - would it be above 1c per point?

I am assuming I can get 1c cash back into my account (without booking travel with Citi) - is that not right?

What do you find is better value than KF?
* For me the Saver flights are fairly easy to get in J and F with good availability. Fuel fines are high but comparable to most program that I as an Australian Resident with my spend fly pattern can gain access to.
* Good options through *A and also some good partner airline redemptions for some destinations.

Now a big factor is how one earns ones points - flying, cc, hotel stays etc all have different ways of optimising and some can allow accrual of points into a program that may have low fuel fines.

* Another is what class you want to fly, and where you want to fy


MH, even though I am yet to redeem with them, offers very good value in J. Cheaper that Krisflyer, but with a product not as good. But certainly great value.

For me 1 cent would be very poor value.


Our circumstances are all different. With myself I basically only redeem (as in I do not buy fares) for J/F international flights and earn my points by Points Running (mainly cc promos, then normal cc earn...then a hodge podge of other earns including a few rare paid domestic flights)

If one only flies Y, then it is a different scenario as well, as Y redemptions are by and large poor value.

 

[alect]

What do you find is better value than KF?
* For me the Saver flights are fairly easy to get in J and F with good availability. Fuel fines are high but comparable to most program that I as an Australian Resident with my spend fly pattern can gain access to.
* Good options through *A and also some good partner airline redemptions for some destinations.

Now a big factor is how one earns ones points - flying, cc, hotel stays etc all have different ways of optimising and some can allow accrual of points into a program that may have low fuel fines.

* Another is what class you want to fly, and where you want to fy


MH, even though I am yet to redeem with them, offers very good value in J. Cheaper that Krisflyer, but with a product not as good. But certainly great value.

For me 1 cent would be very poor value.


Our circumstances are all different. With myself I basically only redeem (as in I do not buy fares) for J/F international flights and earn my points by Points Running (mainly cc promos, then normal cc earn...then a hodge podge of other earns including a few rare paid domestic flights)

If one only flies Y, then it is a different scenario as well, as Y redemptions are by and large poor value.

indeed I am comparing KF with USA program eg UA MP (as I have USA address, credit cards etc). Though it does sound like VA charges significantly lower surcharges on awards in J than KF (eg MEL-LAX approx $150)

 

[Beta4Me]

Well I am comparing to other *A FF programs - redemption miles are higher and fuels surchrges are high......eg MEL-LAX redemption in J is costing me 170k miles and $1300 in fuel surcharges...

That just means you're unlucky and looking at a standard not saver redemption.

 

[alect]

The more I find out about CitiRewards the more useless they seem. Decided to transfer to Velocity. Firstly you can only do multiples of 15k (incomprehensible to me given it's more than likely an electronic transfer - don't understand the need for round 1000s). Second they tell me it will take up to 28 days and has to coincide with my billing cycle (again non-sensical as points redemptions have nothing to do with my billing cycle) and "the receipt time at Velocity" (again are they sending the points via paper form attached to a homing pigeon)?

By the time they get there my award availability will likely be gone now. Fat lot of use they are....

 

[rweir]

(incomprehensible to me given it's more than likely an electronic transfer - don't understand the need for round 1000s

it's to devalue your points, of course.

Second they tell me it will take up to 28 days

anecdotally it actually only takes a couple of days.

 

[burmans]

The more I find out about CitiRewards the more useless they seem. Decided to transfer to Velocity. Firstly you can only do multiples of 15k (incomprehensible to me given it's more than likely an electronic transfer - don't understand the need for round 1000s). Second they tell me it will take up to 28 days and has to coincide with my billing cycle (again non-sensical as points redemptions have nothing to do with my billing cycle) and "the receipt time at Velocity" (again are they sending the points via paper form attached to a homing pigeon)?

By the time they get there my award availability will likely be gone now. Fat lot of use they are....

Really we are happy for you not to use CitiRewards without you having to tell us multiple times, if you dont want to use just stop using that card!

On the other though I transferred to Virgin recently, took two days and had nothing to do with my billing cycle.

 

[aerotravel]

BTW - does anyone know whether when transferring from Citi Rewards to a VA Velocity account, the name on the velocity account must be the same as on the Citi credit card?

My wife is a supplementary card holder and I would like to transfer to her Velocity account....will that work?

Consider using Family Pooling function in Velocity. Then your family can access the points for redemption.

 

[aerotravel]

The more I find out about CitiRewards the more useless they seem. Decided to transfer to Velocity. Firstly you can only do multiples of 15k (incomprehensible to me given it's more than likely an electronic transfer - don't understand the need for round 1000s). Second they tell me it will take up to 28 days and has to coincide with my billing cycle (again non-sensical as points redemptions have nothing to do with my billing cycle) and "the receipt time at Velocity" (again are they sending the points via paper form attached to a homing pigeon)?

By the time they get there my award availability will likely be gone now. Fat lot of use they are....

Consider transferring the points to Velocity when there is a promotion of 15% bonus points which statistically happens twice a year. One around March/April/May and the other around Sept/Oct. So, save up till then and initiate the transfer during the promotional period. Redeem them during Velocity promo of 15%-30% discount redemption which also about twice a year but I rarely use them since I'm an overseas traveller enthusiasts (redeem with partner airlines instead).
By then, you can really see your points being maximised for what it's worth.