Citi Select (post March 2013) - ? worth $700 annual fee

[Cruiser Elite]

Just received the Select annual statement..........................Does anyone actually make use of the Select benefits besides the lovely points??

I was only thinking last day or so where this annual statement had gotten to - later than normal this year isn't it? I am not game to try to trust the Select insurance with pts coming from various CCs - so no on that front. YES I do use the PP occasionally when I take odd flts on odd carriers - but apart from that NO - have never even used the free bottle wine offer caper.

 

[cove]

I guess that makes 3 of us who are there for the points.

 

[Kimster]

I am in just for the points too. Funny thing is Citi never got around to sending me PP ever since got Select. I might have used the wine offer - 1 times on whole FY13!!!.

 

[tharaka]

I've been with select since 11 and loved it! Was disappointed when they scrapped the free hotel night offer having used it 3 consecutive years! Have used PP at least three-four times a year for the past 3+ years and the free wine a couple of times a year!

I've also used the Travel program a few times when it used to be better with 100=10000 points! They no longer can match the value elsewhere available in the market.

I also "use" their travel insurance, domestic one specially as I haven't come across another card that offers this. Said that I haven't had a claim with Zurich yet - touchwood!

 

[Hammando]

Never used PP, never redeemed the free bottle of wine. Card is getting plenty of use though annual statement arrived today and is 32 pages!

 

[tharaka]

This card is probably the best available Visa card in Aus, falls well behind Amex Plat Charge card, which comes in at $1200 a year.

But I think when you pay a card more than $500 a year you don't really care about if it's 700 or 1200. What matters is the benefits!

They really need to negotiate an Australian Lounge benefit IMHO. This is one of the biggest pain points of this card.

 

[albyd]

I did use the priority pass this year a couple of times traveling with the family. Nothing special but a nice to have with a young family.

Would be nice if they had some domestic Aussie presence but I guess their target market is international travelers.

I think it's all about the points with Select. Other benefits are a nice to have but not worth a lot (can't can count on one hand how many bottles of wine I've claimed). Doesn't look like they took any notice of our survey results sometime back (unless I was the only customer who asked for QF or VA lounge passes instead of priority pass).

 

[tharaka]

PP used to have Virgin lounges but Virgin pulled out after the re-branding and started competing with Qantas rather than Jetstar/Tiger.

Anyway.. I don't see PP adding any 24/7 Australian lounges to its list unless an independent lounge manager enters the market. What I had in mind is something like a discounted Qantas club, Virgin offer, or two passes to Qantas/Virgin etc.. to be added on top of the PP.

 

[DeKa]

I am in just for the points too. Funny thing is Citi never got around to sending me PP ever since got Select. I might have used the wine offer - 1 times on whole FY13!!!.

You have to apply for it.

 

[Kimster]

Applied, Chased them around a couple of times but to no avail. In fact I did not even have the sign-up bonus points (60,000 from memory) awarded, until I threatened to cancel my card. The points arrived a whole year late although I should admit, right in time for a family holiday.

You have to apply for it.

 

[wafliron]

Does anyone actually make use of the Select benefits besides the lovely points??

The much-better-than-normal customer service reps And they send me a free bottle of wine every 12-18 months.

I think that's it for "current" benefits. I might've used PP once, but I'm not sure. I used to make use of two now-gone benefits: the free hotel night, and the Citi Travel Price Match Guarantee (oh how I miss this one - it was never going to last, but it was great while it existed).

 

[infinity]

I have been thinking about applying for the card but understand the T&C's exclude earning points on Insurance payments.

I place a large amount of Insurance transactions through Visa/MC credit cards to earn points and wanted to ask from members experience if they do earn points on Select for insurance payments and if any transactions have been queried?

Also If I do get the card the transactions will all be north of $20k each on a monthly basis so they will stand out?

Would be a shame to spend $700 for the card and it wont work for me, as I currently use Westpac Altitude Black and want to better the earn rate

 

[asg29e]

I have been thinking about applying for the card but understand the T&C's exclude earning points on Insurance payments.

I place a large amount of Insurance transactions through Visa/MC credit cards to earn points and wanted to ask from members experience if they do earn points on Select for insurance payments and if any transactions have been queried?

Also If I do get the card the transactions will all be north of $20k each on a monthly basis so they will stand out?

Would be a shame to spend $700 for the card and it wont work for me, as I currently use Westpac Altitude Black and want to better the earn rate

It is a bit haphazard. I have had an insurance payment not earn points, not a huge one so no big deal. I have also had other insurance payments which have earned points. These days I put my insurance payments elsewhere. I would be wary of putting 20K per month of insurance on it as you may be disappointed.

 

[infinity]

It is a bit haphazard. I have had an insurance payment not earn points, not a huge one so no big deal. I have also had other insurance payments which have earned points. These days I put my insurance payments elsewhere. I would be wary of putting 20K per month of insurance on it as you may be disappointed.

I estimate that the extra earn on say SG points over a year is worth about $3k to me @ 3c/point value.

$700 seems a lot to spend to test say $50k per month of insurance payments?

I'm sure it would get hammered at some point and be excluded from earning

 

[cove]

Tomorrow I start on a round the world trip from these points plus my US Citi miles and yes I am at the pointy end. Not sure but it may be a retail value of about 40 times this annual fee of the Select card.

 

[infinity]

Tomorrow I start on a round the world trip from these points plus my US Citi miles and yes I am at the pointy end. Not sure but it may be a retail value of about 40 times this annual fee of the Select card.

If I could get certainty about using the card with insurance payments then I agree, without the insurance payments then i'll stay with Altitude Black

 

[cove]

Yes Citi is unreliable on insurance and Government anything so Westpac Black is a better choice.

 

[infinity]

Cove, I hope you are starting in suites!

I have suites for my January ski trip to France and return.

Will be well overdue for the Krug by then!!

 

[cove]

It is J then Suites and Suites then First and First then Suites and finally J because we start from Perth for the round the world.

 

[infinity]

I hope you have a great journey