CitiBusiness Gold 'no longer available'

[Yoz]

I contacted them today, provided the ABN and business name and was told that I will be able to keep the CBG card.

Question now is.. Given the updates to the Qantas booking system and potential future scrapping of cheap ASAs is it better to be targeting another scheme like KrisFlyer?

Decisions, decisions...

 

[burmans]

Question now is.. Given the updates to the Qantas booking system and potential future scrapping of cheap ASAs is it better to be targeting another scheme like KrisFlyer?

Decisions, decisions...

Each to their own, I made that decision some years ago and have 600k+ points in KF having already had some good redemptions, but watching this latest I suspect some of you will start making my redemptions slightly harder!

 

[d00dz]

Did you guys get the letter before your June statements or after?

I havent gotten anything, just got June's statement in the mail today.

 

[Yoz]

Did you guys get the letter before your June statements or after?

I havent gotten anything, just got June's statement in the mail today.

June statements seemed slower. I've opted for email statements but even then the statement arrived about a week later than it normally does.

Strangely however, the statements seem to have been generated fine by the system (available in the statement section of My Citibank) but there seems to have been some lag between the generation of the statement and sending them out.

I'm in the same boat too. I'm yet to receive any notifications from Citibank about the Citibusiness card.. but if they looked they'd see all my purchases are business purchases

 

[mick]

I will be *fuming* if I get 'offered' the Platinum card...

I got rid of that card when the 'enhanced' it and got the CitiBusiness instead. If I don't get Signature then they can go stick it as the platinum card wouldn't even be useful if it was free

Well, I'm not sure that I am "fuming", but I was sent the letter that offered the switch from CBG to Platinum card at the same annual fee as the CBG ($149) and I can't for the life of me understand why that was offered and not the Signature - I'm a Citigold client and I can already get the Platinum for free if I wanted it, the Signature for $250 or the Select for $350. Of all of those options, only the Select vaguely interests me, but that annual fee is a little steep for what returns I can achieve by having it.

I used CBG for all those purchases where Amex wasn't accepted or the Amex surcharge was unpalatable. The card was good for warehousing points but now I need to decide whether I just sell my soul to QF and put up with the mandatory transfers from an alternative non-Amex card like EDR, or switch tactic altogether, eg. KF.

Decisions, decisions... :-|

 

[garyinoz]

Decisions, decisions... :-|

I made the decision yesterday and transferred my points to KF over Qantas. I'll now be looking for the highest earning card for KF.

 

[Yoz]

I made the decision yesterday and transferred my points to KF over Qantas. I'll now be looking for the highest earning card for KF.

In my mind it really depends on whether they completely remove the cheap JASAs or make them harder to book. If booking just requires a phonecall I'm fine.. if they're scrapped when I might end up going SQ.

I'm not sure about highest earning.. but just based on cove's posts I think the Select might be up there on the list.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Just rang up to cancel the card. After a lot of going through what the new platinum card offered and compared to the old card the operator finally said if I have an ABN I would be able to continue to use the Citibusiness card.

I provided them the ABN for my SMSF Trustee. Was advised they would do some checks and then let me know if acceptable.

So possibly that's a way for others to keep their card.

Will give them a call in a week or so if I don't hear back from them.

 

[greenfrog86]

Well, I'm not sure that I am "fuming", but I was sent the letter that offered the switch from CBG to Platinum card at the same annual fee as the CBG ($149) and I can't for the life of me understand why that was offered and not the Signature - I'm a Citigold client and I can already get the Platinum for free if I wanted it, the Signature for $250 or the Select for $350. Of all of those options, only the Select vaguely interests me, but that annual fee is a little steep for what returns I can achieve by having it.

I used CBG for all those purchases where Amex wasn't accepted or the Amex surcharge was unpalatable. The card was good for warehousing points but now I need to decide whether I just sell my soul to QF and put up with the mandatory transfers from an alternative non-Amex card like EDR, or switch tactic altogether, eg. KF.

Decisions, decisions... :-|

Fuming because $149 for a card that earns half a point is rediculous...

Fuming because I've been with Citi cards for 5 years and they've always been my 'go to' Visa option...

Fuming because I previously had Platinum and then they 'enhanced' it, which led me to get the CitiBusiness card...

 

[pangwen]

So I got my "you're card is changing to a Platinum card" letter today.

What's weird is that they said that they would offer the platinum for $149 (usually $199). However, I have a supplementary cardholder, so wouldn't that be 'usually $289"?

I might have to call them up to see what's happening. My supplementary cardholder has an ABN and uses the card for business transactions, so I might need to go for the CBG retention anyway.

 

[burmans]

Well, I'm not sure that I am "fuming", but I was sent the letter that offered the switch from CBG to Platinum card at the same annual fee as the CBG ($149) and I can't for the life of me understand why that was offered and not the Signature - I'm a Citigold client and I can already get the Platinum for free if I wanted it, the Signature for $250 or the Select for $350. Of all of those options, only the Select vaguely interests me, but that annual fee is a little steep for what returns I can achieve by having it.

I used CBG for all those purchases where Amex wasn't accepted or the Amex surcharge was unpalatable. The card was good for warehousing points but now I need to decide whether I just sell my soul to QF and put up with the mandatory transfers from an alternative non-Amex card like EDR, or switch tactic altogether, eg. KF.

Decisions, decisions... :-|

If I was in your situation and say essentially what you have said here. See if they offer something else.

 

[greenfrog86]

If I was in your situation and say essentially what you have said here. See if they offer something else.

It's confirmed I got platinum and I'm still grumpy...

I'm going to call and apply for a credit increase to the Sig minimum and ask for the free upgrade to that card.

Then after they waffle on about it not being possible I'm going to deal with the complaints department and see if they're will to lose my business over this.

Granted I don't spend $200k a year on the card but I'm in my mid 20s and WANT the Select... A bit of foresight can see that I'm a customer worth fostering

 

[burmans]

It's confirmed I got platinum and I'm still grumpy...

I'm going to call and apply for a credit increase to the Sig minimum and ask for the free upgrade to that card.

Then after they waffle on about it not being possible I'm going to deal with the complaints department and see if they're will to lose my business over this.

Granted I don't spend $200k a year on the card but I'm in my mid 20s and WANT the Select... A bit of foresight can see that I'm a customer worth fostering

I've found complaining that you are really annoyed and prepared to dump helps about 80% of the time, of course this involves a bit of brinkmanship and you have to actually be prepared (or at least for their retention dept to think you are prepared) to dump the card.

 

[wafliron]

Finally got my letter too - offered Platinum (not surprising - once I've maxed the CBG points each year I transfer all limit possible to Select, so only have $5k on CBG currently), new card arriving in September (which seems quite late compared to others)?

Time to ring them and provide an ABN...

 

[Yoz]

I'm going to call and apply for a credit increase to the Sig minimum and ask for the free upgrade to that card.

Granted I don't spend $200k a year on the card but I'm in my mid 20s and WANT the Select... A bit of foresight can see that I'm a customer worth fostering

I'd be interested to see whether you are able to get as high as the Select card from the Citibusiness Gold.

Just made the call to keep the Citibusiness Gold after being offered Platinum. However, I think had I been offered Signature I'd have considered it more seriously. Might be worth considering given the 'devaluation' of Qantas Frequent Flyer points and the 2x Lounge Passes are probably worth more to me than most given I don't have any airline status.

 

[Yoz]

	Citibusiness Gold	Citibank Platinum	Citibank Signature	Citibank Select
QF / $ (Domestic)	1.25	-	1	1
KF / $ (Domestic)	0.83	0.63	1	1.33
VA / $ (Domestic)	0.83	0.63	1	1.33
QF / $ (Int)	1.25	-	1	1
KF / $ (Int)	0.83	1.5	2.67	3.33
VA / $ (Int)	0.83	1.5	2.67	3.33
Other Benefits	+ Int. Travel Insurance + Purchase Cover + Guaranteed Pricing + Concierge Service	- Int. Travel Insurance - Purchase Cover - Guaranteed Pricing - Concierge Service + Transit Accident + Extended Warranty + Visa Plat Privileges	- Int. Travel Insurance - Purchase Cover - Guaranteed Pricing - Concierge Service - Transit Accident - Extended Warranty - Visa Plat Privileges + 2x Priority Pass	- Int. Travel Insurance - Purchase Cover - Guaranteed Pricing - Concierge Service - Transit Accident - Extended Warranty - Visa Plat Privileges + Unlimited Priority Pass + 1 Hotel Stay
Standard Annual Fee	$149	$199	$399	$700
Transferred Annual Fee		$149	$149	?

Whilst I don't have much knowledge when it comes to Credit Cards / Frequent Flyer Schemes I thought I'd do what I can to help out. So here's a comparison table for anyone interested. Couldn't find it neatly presented anywhere.

I've left a few tidbits out because they're hardly mentioned in the forum (Asia Mile redemptions and Citi Travel Airport Chauffeur come to mind).

 

[paulryan33]

I called today and gave them my ABN number, told them I trade under my own name and told them my business is contracting. She did tell me they do regulatory checks on the business. I have no idea what that means, but an only assume it is just a verification the ABN exists. I've had the ABN since 2008. Don't really do anything with it, but I've got the ABN. So I get to keep my CBG Card. Very pleased.

 

[greenfrog86]

I'd be interested to see whether you are able to get as high as the Select card from the Citibusiness Gold.

Just made the call to keep the Citibusiness Gold after being offered Platinum. However, I think had I been offered Signature I'd have considered it more seriously. Might be worth considering given the 'devaluation' of Qantas Frequent Flyer points and the 2x Lounge Passes are probably worth more to me than most given I don't have any airline status.

Didn't mean that I want a direct upgrade, more that they could groom me and in a few years ill hit the $120k mark and be eligible.

I'm not interested in paying $149 to have a card that earns as many Velocity points as the partner cards that go with bank Amex cards.

Citi - you've been fun but until you give me signature, I'm not interested

 

[Yoz]

Citi - you've been fun but until you give me signature, I'm not interested

Would think that you can push for a Signature card with the argument that you got the CBG for QFF earn and it makes no sense for them to transfer you onto a card that has no potential to earn QFF.

If they decline the Signature at $149 then perhaps ask to speak to a manager and ask outright what fee they could offer you on the Signature. Interested to know how far you get with it

 

[quokka77]

@greenfrog86 -- If it's VA points you're after, why not just get a citi / virgin money flyer / high flyer? Then later once you have the documented income, switch to Select (unless there's something better when the time comes)?

This is something I am contemplating, but I don't think it makes good sense at the moment because:
- I already have one expensive card which I try to channel towards (Amex Plat, which comes with Amex Plat edge) (virgin flyer for places where Amex not accepted or stupidly expensive)
- I haven't used the 2 for 1 offers up on my Virgin flyer card
- I don't want to destroy my credit rating in my first year playing the game
- I don't know if Citi will cough up the bonus points for an existing virgin money customer (given they provide the backend of the virgin flyer)

So, given the earnings rates helpfully tabulated by yoz above, even if Citi would let you keep CBG, I think you might be better off saving the card fee towards some flights?