Several Prestige Credit Card Benefits to be Eliminated Jan 2020 (And I'm Not Happy!)

[deka2]

I have to keep track of all my purchases for Shop Small in Apple notes. With 6 cards I can't recall what I've spent and where, and if I've hit the 5 purchases yet. Surely those with 10+ cards need a spreadsheet? lol

Lucky you. How did you make it?

I use the Priority Pass and also the stay 4 pay 3. This saves me more than $350 per year, but when you include the tie up of $15K of credit card limit, to me its borderline.

 

[jakiman]

Yeah. No more Meet & Assist, Golf or Complimentary Night, as well as a heavily cut down airport transfer benefit, a frequency limited buy 4 get 1 free night, and reduced point earnings. It's getting worse every year.

 

[gregff]

Disappointing to see that Australia's first "VISA Infinite" branded card has effectively been turned into a "VISA Restricted Benefits" card. Come on Citibank, you used to be the market leader with your Card portfolio! The cancel and complaints line will be running hot....

 

[liveinsydney]

Disappointing to see that Australia's first "VISA Infinite" branded card has effectively been turned into a "VISA Heavily Restricted" card. Come on Citibank, you used to be the market leader with your Card portfolio! The cancel and complaints line will be running hot....

Seems they either don't care or well prepared for this.

 

[Netbiz]

Please be aware, that when you call Citibank Prestige on 02 8225 0042, and tell them your thoughts (which I did also), you are speaking to a third party company (Citibank Concierge), which is not actually Citibank. I only hope that they pass our complaints onto Citibank Australia head office.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

The ACCC loyalty investigation specifically mentioned bank credit cards that change the rewards proposition "mid contract" (ie changing benefits midway during your paid memebrahip year). Citi clearly didn't get the memo that this was being investigated.

Citi really should be reducing the annual fee to half of the current price.

What is the vibe like when calling Citibank?

 

[Emporium]

What blows my mind is there absolutely is NOT going to be a reduction in the annual fee (I've asked Citibank - it will remain $700). Besides Priority Pass and Insurance - EVERY other benefit has been either downgraded or eliminated - and they still have the nerve to demand $700.

When I called Citbank (not the third party concierge - but Citibank directly) the gentleman I spoke to actually agreed with me that Prestige cardholders where getting massively screwed over. The way that he spoke about this matter, it came across as If Citibank are purposefully screwing us over as some kind of test to see if cardholders are actually going to complain and do something about the multiple benefit downgrades/eliminations.

He told me that my feedback is important, and that he absolutely is going to advise his manager of my feedback.

That's why I think it's very important for everyone to call Citibank directly, and let them know how you feel - and that you are indeed seriously considering cancelling your card.

 

[dcooper]

Got my email today and I’m not impressed. Even the car service has been cut down to Australia only. What the? The customer service manager was telling me that they removed the benefits because no one was using them. Hogwash. Concierge told me the exact opposite. The call centre just tells you anything. It’s extremely disappointing and the card is now worthlessness. Highest commission rates for fx only 44 days interest free....

Everyone should ring and complain.

 

[GPH]

I don’t like Citibank full stop. I wouldn’t have one of their cards irrespective of the benefits.

 

[dcooper]

I was speaking to someone today and they meantioned that not only to raise a complaint but also to post your view on Facebook. That way it is visible to the general public. I posted mine and they said with all the cuts the card is still competitive so I’ve asked them to prove it.

 

[The Analyst]

Once my 2 year bonus points are up, i'm gone.

 

[Foreigner]

I have not received Citi's email about devaluation of benefits. I should have gone to hear of their newest ideas and picked up $400 Dear We are writing to you to invite you to apply and be part of our customer research to understand Prestige customers’ perceptions and attitudes towards the product's features and benefits as well as our service. We are also hoping to gauge your opinion on some of our newest ideas. Let us know if you would be willing to take part in a 45 minute one to one interview at the time of your preference. The interview will be conducted by an independent researcher and you will receive $400 as a thank you for your time. Interviews will run from 4 November - 15 November 2019 and will be held at a central location in St. Leonards. Please note that we can accommodate alternative arrangements for a meeting place and time, should this location not be convenient for you. If you'd like to be considered to be part of this research, please respond with your confirmation and preferred time via email to the research team here. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this study.

Please be aware that we have a pre-set number of spaces for participants. If you are selected to participate, one of the independent researchers will be in touch to advise on next steps.

 

[edman]

I got my fee reduced by 50% about 3 weeks ago, will be hard to justify this card next year. The PP is better than AMEX Charge as it doesn’t exclude restaurants but that’s a lot of meals I need to have. I’d switch to dragon but they aren’t as accommodating with supplementary cards

 

[avante]

[Edit: my bad — the Signature card is being upgraded to the Premier, not the Prestige]

I am wondering if this is due to the fact that the Signature card (which most people have held on to as they were giving these out free for life at one stage) will be upgraded to the Prestige to align with the other Citibanks around the world. If Citibank AU was forced to align, they might have had to account for a huge number of Prestige cards with no annual fees.

 

[Emporium]

My dad who is also a Citi Prestige cardholder called Citibank earlier this week to cancel his card.

The Citibank representative he spoke to on the phone said the reason Citibank discontinued a bunch of benefits, is because Citi Prestige concierge (a third party company) contacted Citibank directly and told them that Citi Prestige cardholders were complaining to them about how they don't want those specific benefits.

WTF?

Citibank is literally claiming that Citi Prestige cardholders were taking the time out of their day to call the concierge phone number and instruct them they don't want for example...a once a year complimentary night in a luxury 5 star hotel anywhere in the world (valued at at least $350). Thus Citibank was left with no other choice but to discontinue those benefits!

How stupid do Citibank think we are?

 

[Beefcake]

Just called up and cancelled. Very disappointed with Citibank -I've been a customer of theirs for 13 years. Did nothing to keep my business.

 

[woodborer]

Just called up and cancelled. Very disappointed with Citibank -I've been a customer of theirs for 13 years. Did nothing to keep my business.

If you ring up and say you want to cancel, they have little choice.

 

[dcooper]

My dad who is also a Citi Prestige cardholder called Citibank earlier this week to cancel his card.

The Citibank representative he spoke to on the phone said the reason Citibank discontinued a bunch of benefits, is because Citi Prestige concierge (a third party company) contacted Citibank directly and told them that Citi Prestige cardholders were complaining to them about how they don't want those specific benefits.

WTF?

Citibank is literally claiming that Citi Prestige cardholders were taking the time out of their day to call the concierge phone number and instruct them they don't want for example...a once a year complimentary night in a luxury 5 star hotel anywhere in the world (valued at at least $350). Thus Citibank was left with no other choice but to discontinue those benefits!

How stupid do Citibank think we are?

That’s exactly what I was told and then I rang concierge and they said the complete opposite that those benefits were used all the time... how stupid do they think we are?

 

[casanovawa]

Total bollocks for companies to say they are cancelling benefits because they aren't used, that's exactly the kind of benefits they want to advertise, makes it look like a whole heap of value they are offering and yet no one bothers to use any of them so its costs the company nothing...

Medibank private tried the same thing a few years ago, cut their two free dental check up visits a year down to only one free one because people weren't using it... Yeah sure.... I think its back up to two visits now, which kinda makes sense as the more proactive members are about checking up on their teeth's conditions less expensive claims down the track for dental work...

I have the fee free for life signature card and thinking of canning it pretty soon, couldn't ever justify the $700 price tag for the Prestige and even less so now....

 

[carls888]

I will be cancelling my card in January, the renewal is in February. I just called up to use my free night in December and got my hotel of choice, so that's good. I also have been receiving half fees for the last few years, but even with that it's no longer worth holding.
The PP is losing value too as many restaurants in the airports are leaving (for example, the PF Changs at LAX has left) and their lounges are truly average. (well any that I have used, anyway.) We are normally in J on long haul though so use the J lounge.
I will keep it until the end of the year and the lovely concierge also said that he would email through a list of the benefits that I haven't yet used for the year.