The "Where to from Citibank?" thread

[bismarck]

It is a bit difficult to work out where to go from here. I generally like to earn KF points and with CB Sig being fee free for life, the trade off to try and get a marginally higher earning rate (and usually pay a >$300 annual fee) is a tough proposition.

I might just have to swallow the reduced earning rate, but will definitely be erring against running up too high a balance in CB.

Where previously I was agnostic about using CB or Amex, I'll definitely be using Amex wherever possible.

 

[Colin 2905]

I see we've had a reprieve, but in case it doesn't last, here's how other non-direct earn cards compare, Velocity-wise.....

At the bottom of the pack, offering a measly 0.4 ppd we have:
CardServices Gold
CommBank Awards
CommBank Gold Awards
Suncorp Gold


0.444 ppd:
ANZ Business One Visa


0.5 ppd:
Bank SA / Bank of Melbourne / St George Amplify
Bank SA / Bank of Melbourne / St George Amplify - Platinum
CardServices Platinum
CommBank Platinum Awards
HSBC Platinum
Suncorp Platinum
Westpac Altitude
Westpac Altitude - Platinum


0.625 ppd:
CommBank Diamond Awards
HSBC Premier (tough eligibility criteria)
Westpac Altitude - Black


0.667 ppd:
BOQ Platinum


0.75 ppd:
ANZ Rewards
ANZ Rewards - Platinum
Bank SA / Bank of Melbourne / St George Amplify - Signature (the 10% "Birthday Bonus" gives an effective 0.825 ppd)


And at the top of the pack, at 1 ppd:
ANZ Rewards - Black (but usually has a $375 annual fee)


I'll post something similar for KrisFlyer in a little while.

 

[Colin 2905]

There used to be a couple of direct earn cards that are no longer available, but for non-direct earn to KrisFlyer there's....

0.25ppd:
HSBC Classic (appears to be no longer available, but who'd want it anyway?)


0.333 ppd:
ANZ Business One Visa


0.5 ppd:
ANZ Rewards
ANZ Rewards - Platinum
Bank SA / St George Amplify
Bank SA / St George Amplify - Platinum
Westpac Altitude
Westpac Altitude - Platinum


0.625 ppd:
HSBC Premier (again, with its tough eligibility criteria)
Westpac Altitude - Black (NOT 0.5ppd - sorry, my mistake)


0.667 ppd:
ANZ Rewards - Black


0.75 ppd:
Bank SA / St George Amplify - Signature (again, the 10% "Birthday Bonus" would make it 0.825 ppd)

 

[kpc]

There used to be a couple of direct earn cards that are no longer available, but for non-direct earn to KrisFlyer there's....



0.667 ppd:
ANZ Rewards - Black

Actually 0.74 ppd per dollar if you go via Velocity pts, and 0.85 ppd if you transfer to Velocity when there is a 15% TF to Velocity promo...the $375 pa fee is high but this card has another big advantage...it can be used to pay Scott Morrisson and co

 

[shan1983]

Do we know if Bank of SA / St George ever have any sign up bonuses for the Amplify Signature?

 

[N860CR]

There used to be a couple of direct earn cards that are no longer available, but for non-direct earn to KrisFlyer there's....

0.25ppd:
HSBC Classic (appears to be no longer available, but who'd want it anyway?)


0.333 ppd:
ANZ Business One Visa


0.5 ppd:
ANZ Rewards
ANZ Rewards - Platinum
Bank SA / St George Amplify
Bank SA / St George Amplify - Platinum
Westpac Altitude
Westpac Altitude - Platinum
Westpac Altitude - Black


0.625 ppd:
HSBC Premier (again, with its tough eligibility criteria)


0.667 ppd:
ANZ Rewards - Black


0.75 ppd:
Bank SA / St George Amplify - Signature (again, the 10% "Birthday Bonus" would make it 0.825 ppd)

I think Westpac black gives 0.625 for Krisflyer earn on the MasterCard. (1.25PPD that converts at 50%)

 

[Colin 2905]

I think Westpac black gives 0.625 for Krisflyer earn on the MasterCard. (1.25PPD that converts at 50%)

You're right, sorry. Since edited.

 

[lopes2017]

Hi, note response from the Citi Facebook Page

"Citi Australia Hi. We wanted to let you know that the conversion rate for the two airline programs will be returned to the rate that applied at 31 October. We appreciate your feedback. Thanks!"

 

[burmans]

Hi, note response from the Citi Facebook Page

"Citi Australia Hi. We wanted to let you know that the conversion rate for the two airline programs will be returned to the rate that applied at 31 October. We appreciate your feedback. Thanks!"

Personally am pretty confident this is a reprieve for a few months only so this thread is still valid, we just have a bit longer to review alternatives.

 

[andye]

I see we've had a reprieve, but in case it doesn't last, here's how other non-direct earn cards compare, Velocity-wise.....

At the bottom of the pack, offering a measly 0.4 ppd we have:
CardServices Gold
CommBank Awards
CommBank Gold Awards
Suncorp Gold


0.444 ppd:
ANZ Business One Visa


0.5 ppd:
Bank SA / Bank of Melbourne / St George Amplify
Bank SA / Bank of Melbourne / St George Amplify - Platinum
CardServices Platinum
CommBank Platinum Awards
HSBC Platinum
Suncorp Platinum
Westpac Altitude
Westpac Altitude - Platinum


0.625 ppd:
CommBank Diamond Awards
HSBC Premier (tough eligibility criteria)
Westpac Altitude - Black


0.667 ppd:
BOQ Platinum


0.75 ppd:
ANZ Rewards
ANZ Rewards - Platinum
Bank SA / Bank of Melbourne / St George Amplify - Signature (the 10% "Birthday Bonus" gives an effective 0.825 ppd)


And at the top of the pack, at 1 ppd:
ANZ Rewards - Black (but usually has a $375 annual fee)


I'll post something similar for KrisFlyer in a little while.

Diners MC earns 0.83 Velocity

 

[andye]

There used to be a couple of direct earn cards that are no longer available, but for non-direct earn to KrisFlyer there's....

0.25ppd:
HSBC Classic (appears to be no longer available, but who'd want it anyway?)


0.333 ppd:
ANZ Business One Visa


0.5 ppd:
ANZ Rewards
ANZ Rewards - Platinum
Bank SA / St George Amplify
Bank SA / St George Amplify - Platinum
Westpac Altitude
Westpac Altitude - Platinum


0.625 ppd:
HSBC Premier (again, with its tough eligibility criteria)
Westpac Altitude - Black (NOT 0.5ppd - sorry, my mistake)


0.667 ppd:
ANZ Rewards - Black


0.75 ppd:
Bank SA / St George Amplify - Signature (again, the 10% "Birthday Bonus" would make it 0.825 ppd)

Diners MC earns 0.78 KF via SPG

 

[albyd]

With the events of the past week, I'm going to drain my Citi rewards balance. With the dramatic cut in interchange this month, I don't blame Citi for their actions (but do for lack of notice) and suspect they won't be the last to devalue airline points conversion rates with cut in interchange income. With the designation of AMEX, likely to result in some regulation and reduction in its fees (unlike the regulators, I doubt merchants will be rushing to pass on the savings to consumers).

Assuming Citi re-implements adjustment to SQ & VA transfer rates and leaves the other airlines un-touched, they're still well-placed in the market - particularly before other issuers adjust their programs due to lower interchange. I'd be interested in others' thoughts on this - particularly as many of us on AFF accumulate in multiple programs like ANZ and AMEX MR. I'm considering whether to also drain these programs while the VA 15% bonus is still on as a pre-emptive measure. Maybe AMEX direct can absorb some cut without passing it on whereas bank Amex will need to reduce rewards as have been paying 50% more than Amex direct for most spend?

I'm going to stick with Citi but put it in the sin-bin and make Amex my first choice going forward.

 

[Isochronous]

I'm more interested in KF and the cut to KF transfer rates is more annoying to me personally than VFF. So now I'm looking at VFF earn in the context of then converting to KF:

if High Flyer is 1.25 VFF per dollar, then in KF terms that's 1.25/1.35 = 0.9259 KF per $1.

ANZ earning 1 VFF per dollar would be 1/1.35 = 0.74 so still marginally worse than Citi.

 

[Colin 2905]

Assuming Citi re-implements adjustment to SQ & VA transfer rates....

Just a matter of time, going by some of the reports in the other thread.

In my case, I don't pump enough spend through my (fee-free) Citibank card to justify the annual fees associated with the other cards that (currently) offer a comparable points earn rate.

 

[theblank]

And at the top of the pack, at 1 ppd:
ANZ Rewards - Black (but usually has a $375 annual fee)

[idiot]Its not $375pa, the annual fee is $420 in total for one cardholder, (+ $65 a year for every additional cardholder)[/idiot]
$375 annual fee, but
$55 rewards fee per additional cardholder)


Also If you have the Citibank Signature free annual fee for life, you are going to have to annual spend $160k at least (rough guess) to make up enough points earning to cover the Fee.

 

[Colin 2905]

Its not $375pa, the annual fee is $420 in total for one cardholder, (+ $65 a year for every additional cardholder)
$375 annual fee
$55 rewards fee (per cardholder)
$10 each additional card

If you have the Citibank Signature free annual fee for life, you are going to have to annual spend $160k at least (rough guess) to make up enough points earning to cover the Fee.

It says $375 in total on their web site....

ANZ Rewards Black | ANZ

 

[theblank]

It says $375 in total on their web site....

ANZ Rewards Black | ANZ

Ah yeah, sorry I read it again. You are right

I have the card myself but I dont pay the annual fee, just the $55 reward fee (home loan breakfree package benefit) so I ended up confusing myself.
Its definitely $55 extra for an additional card though.

 

[quokka77]

Re: big points stashes (not just city, but more generally): burn 'em if you've got 'em.

There is limited consumer protection, and almost certain devaluation across programmes. As we have seen, banks can also devalue their points, as airlines and hotel chains periodically do.

I wasn't playing the game when Ansett folded, but that is also possible.

 

[alect]

so in summary no good options in terms of FF earning cards.

Are there good other (eg cash rebate, balance credit, other) cards if one decides that 0.5-0.6 PPD is just not good value (and rely on cash and one's ability to buy good value fares)?

 

[theblank]

so in summary no good options in terms of FF earning cards.

Are there good other (eg cash rebate, balance credit, other) cards if one decides that 0.5-0.6 PPD is just not good value (and rely on cash and one's ability to buy good value fares)?

I think GO Mastercard, with no annual fee has one of the better cash or voucher points than any other card, its about $13000 spend for $100. Most other cards seem to have a spend of around 20,000 for $100 return.

There are better point earners, but they come at a cost with annual fees.