FINALLY! - Citi launching Citi Prestige with Visa Infinite

[k3nnis]

Ok that sounds good. Should I tell them I am below the income requirements? I got a phone call the other day to increase my credit limit from 15k to 23k. I declined.

 

[diningdecadence]

Ok that sounds good. Should I tell them I am below the income requirements? I got a phone call the other day to increase my credit limit from 15k to 23k. I declined.

i believe min. credit limit these days is $30k, although i'm still on my citi select limit of $27k.

 

[k3nnis]

Ok thanks. Hopefully when I increase my signature limit to 30k they will let me upgrade to prestige even though I don't earn 150k

 

[VAG newbie]

My friend recently enquired Citi concierge for the 3nt + 1 for intercontinental in BKK. The quote came back more expensive than booking directly with ihg.com even factor in the 4th night free. He replied asking Citi concierge to price match ihg.com. The reply from citi concierge was, they don't price match ihg.com (which is the hotel's website!) or any other travel agents.

Has anyone experienced this? Before I applied the card I was told that there is a price guarantee. My friend actually showed me the email from citi concierge so he is not making it up.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

VAG I have never heard of a price guarantee - as for the 'Stay 4 - Pay 3' promo I have found they generally do come back initially more expensive then can be booked direct on hotel web site - but if you are persistent and keep asking them to re-price etc then success can be had.

 

[diningdecadence]

My friend recently enquired Citi concierge for the 3nt + 1 for intercontinental in BKK. The quote came back more expensive than booking directly with ihg.com even factor in the 4th night free. He replied asking Citi concierge to price match ihg.com. The reply from citi concierge was, they don't price match ihg.com (which is the hotel's website!) or any other travel agents.

Has anyone experienced this? Before I applied the card I was told that there is a price guarantee. My friend actually showed me the email from citi concierge so he is not making it up.

ask them to confirm the price post rebate of the 4th night too - they seem to quote the price of all 4 nights, and then make you subtract the 4th night rebate yourself to come to an 'average per night' figure.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

ask them to confirm the price post rebate of the 4th night too - they seem to quote the price of all 4 nights, and then make you subtract the 4th night rebate yourself to come to an 'average per night' figure.

Yes that is correct - rates I have received have always been total you will pay at check out - they then advise you will receive Statement Credit equal to 1 nts accom rate - that is accom rate only - does not include taxes or other incidentals - very good value can be had but be prepared to 'go into battle' to achieve end result - remember nothing with Citi is ever easy!

 

[VAG newbie]

Yes that is correct - rates I have received have always been total you will pay at check out - they then advise you will receive Statement Credit equal to 1 nts accom rate - that is accom rate only - does not include taxes or other incidentals - very good value can be had but be prepared to 'go into battle' to achieve end result - remember nothing with Citi is ever easy!

TBH, I don't know why my friend is experiencing such problem. (Maybe it doesn't work for ultra luxury hotel?) My experience has always been good. In fact, the rate they offered me so far is either the cheapest I can find online, or even cheaper before the discount! I never had to "battle" with them!

I enquired about a 4 night stay in Syd from 28/12 to 2/1, the most expensive period, the cheapest I could find online was $870. Citi came back with a quote of $700 including tax, and I can still gets 4th night free on top of that, ie. $525 after discount! A whopping $345 saving!!!

However, in the T&C, it says the 4th night credits will be credited in SGD equivalent. That's odd. The hotel charges in AUD, I paid in AUD, how did SGD come in? Did anyone experienced this? I wonder if it's because citi concierge is based in Singapore and all our transactions were processed in SGD? Considering that almost all agents I dealt with were Chinese? (I can't comment based on my other booking as that involves a 4 night stay in Singapore, so naturally I had to pay in SGD)

 

[coolkid101]

does anyone know if i can pre-pay my card to "top up" my credit limit before a large purchase?
i.e. can i manually transfer 5k into my prestige card account to temporarily increase my credit limit from 30 to 35k to make a single 35k purchase?

more importantly, will that 35k purchase accumulate points for the full amount?

i've been trying to get an answer from citibank but keep getting generic replies which seem to suggest that the points are capped at my credit limit

previously i've tried putting through a 30k purchase, paying 5k manually, then processing another 5k and i believe i got the full points

thanks!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

coolkid YES YES YES - I do that regularly and always get the points - and again do not waste you time calling Citibank - ask your questions here as plenty here know more about Citibank operations than Citibank employees.

 

[Kimster]

Can confirm you can "top up" and have the full points credited. My car purchase last year was on prestige and I had to credit my account to pay for it.

 

[coolkid101]

coolkid YES YES YES - I do that regularly - and again do not waste you time calling Citibank - plenty here know more about Citibank operations than Citibank employees.

wow thanks for the super quick reply CE

that was just the answer i needed instead of being given the run around from citi with a heap of generic answers to and fro . i swear half the time they don't even read what i'm writing in the email... they just see one or two words and send me a generic reply back... maybe they're all just bots... and not really mr patel, krishnan, singh, doni etc

 

[k3nnis]

Can I ask if the dealer add any surcharge for visa?

 

[Kimster]

Yup, he did. He rung the bank (in front of me) and charged me about $512 surcharge for a $75K spend.

 

[k3nnis]

Ok thanks. Not sure if I would do it for that amount. Hmm

 

[quokka77]

0.5 / 75 = 0.67% surcharge. I'd take that deal absolutely.

 

[leyy]

Why not? That is exceptional value 0.68% CC surcharge.

This would net 100682 KF points for $512.00 equivalent to circa 0.50 cents per point.

That is enough to go one-way in First/Suites to Europe zone 1 (Amsterdam,Athens,Copenhagen, Rome) + taxes from Syd/mel/bne

SO worth it

Ok thanks. Not sure if I would do it for that amount. Hmm

 

[cove]

Yes that is a good deal. 97,750 gets you PER - SIN in J and Suites SIN- LHR if you can get Saver (one way). Retail value is around $9K versus an all up cost of $1400 including taxes so that is a six timeser!

 

[DaveB]

Be careful about how far you load your card with Citi last year amending their Reward Terms & Conditions for Eligible Transactions to exclude points earn when the account is more than $10,000 in credit.
Don't know how closely they enforce this requirement. Have done the odd minor transgression being up to $20,000 in credit though can't say for sure whether I received the points.

 

[cove]

Thanks for the warning DaveB. I have a good sized credit limit so I don't need to put the card into credit now that the ATO is kerput. They have not shorted us on any points but it takes time to reconcile and there is no running sheet like others provide. I love these cards but Mrscove still thinks her credit limit should be the same as mine.