Citi Signature Transfer Rate

[SYDreamer]

What is this to AsiaMiles and KrisFlyer?

How does this compare to other cards?

Still can't decide on a replacement for Plat Amex Charge...

 

[wafliron]

What is this to AsiaMiles and KrisFlyer?

I'm 99% certain that only CitiSelect cardholders can transfer to AsiaMiles - and for them the rate is 2 CitiRewards points = 1 AsiaMile (an effective 1 AsiaMile per $1 spent). Ditto Enrich - available only to Select cardholders at the same earn rate as AsiaMiles.

For KrisFlyer, the rate (same all cards I believe) is 3 CitiRewards points = 2 KrisFlyer points (an effective 1 KrisFlyer point per $1 spent on Signature, 1.33 KrisFlyer points per $1 spent on Select).

How does this compare to other cards?

Depends what you criteria are. I can't comment on non-rewards-scheme perks, but comparing Signature to other options I'd say:

1) If you can route all your spend through an Amex card without incurring surcharges, etc, then a couple of other cards are probably marginally better. e.g., IIRC, Westpac Altitude Platinum earns 1.5 Velocity / AsiaMiles / KrisFlyer / Enrich miles per $1 spent on the Amex card with no points cap, and allows flexible redemptions amongst those four programs. Amex Plat Reserve is also possibly better depending on your spend level, although I'd be worried about the 0.5 MR points per $1 spent on utilities/telcos/government charges change being applied to that card too.

2) Given "route all your spend through an Amex card without incurring surcharges" in #1 is unlikely, Citi Select also deserves a look. It earns 2 CR points per $1 spent (so an effective 1.33 KrisFlyer / 1 AsiaMile / 1.33 Velocity / 1 Enrich mile per $1 spent), and, like Signature, is a Visa card (no / low surcharges) and has no points cap. It also has the possibility of being an effective 2 QFF point per $1 spent card via Citi Travel's Qantas Price Match - see http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ram/citibank-price-match-guarantee-35663.html for more info on this, but tread cautiously as no one seems to have actually used the price match service yet to see if it actually works the way it sounds (I'm going to try to soon - subscribe to that thread for updates if you're interested).

All-in-all I'd say you should strongly consider the Select card - just do the math to figure out if it's worth it for you over the Signature. The annual fee is ~$300 more than Signature but it earns 0.33 more KrisFlyer points per $1 spent (plus allowing redemptions to AsiaMiles and Enrich), so working on an assumption that 1 KF point is worth about 3 cents (apply your own rate when you figure it out) you'd only need to spend about $30,000 on the card per annum for Select to be better value ($300 (fee difference) divided by $0.03 (value of one KF point) divided by 0.33 (extra KF points per $1 spent)).

 

[Foreigner]

Doesn't Citi expressly say what the reward points' transfer rates to various partner airlines are?

I'm confused as many others would be, I reckon.

 

[cove]

So far I have only used points transfers to Kris Flyer with SQ as they have had the goods for travelling and the true 1.33 points earning and 3.33 for international expenses has been a winner using Select.