topic Re: Diners Club Elite Decision in Credit Cards

Diners Club Elite Decision

CreditMagic7 — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 03:26:52 GMT

In about 90 days my Diners Club Elite card ($300 AF) will become due as will some others who got in around Oct 2014. Last year for some happy reason that many of us were glad to see, this FEE was Waived for both consumer cards for those who were lucky enough to get that pass.

In reviewing my current accounts a few of which are fairly recent, i just can't seem to justify anymore doing the AF on the Elite Card but i can still stomach the $95 AF for the Premier.

For those of you who are in this Diners Club group OR have dealings directly with BMO Harris card accounts, my question is how are they on retention offers for their AF cards, and namely with those who might have tried before with their Diners Club card?

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

-Cal- — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 04:05:14 GMT

What are the benefits for this card? Wasn't there a clever way to earn SPG points w/ this?

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 04:12:04 GMT

@-Cal- wrote:
What are the benefits for this card? Wasn't there a clever way to earn SPG points w/ this?

yup. 1250 points to 750 spg points.

"Conversion to Starpoints. Since Starwood Preferred Guest is one of the seven hotel programs that cardholders can transfer points to, it opens up a tremendous additional range of options. The transfer ratio is just 1,250 Diners Club Rewards points to 750 Starpoints, which works out to 0.6 Starpoints per Diners Club point. When you figure in Starwood’s 5,000 point bonus for transferring 20,000 points to miles, it works out to 0.75 miles per Diners Club point. While this seems like poor value at first, it becomes intriguing when you again factor in the Diners Club Elite spending bonus at gas stations, grocery stores, and drug stores. On those purchases you’re effectively earning 1.8 Starpoints per dollar, which works out to 2.25 miles per dollar when transferring Starpoints to miles in increments of 20,000."

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 05:19:04 GMT

@-Cal- wrote:
What are the benefits for this card? Wasn't there a clever way to earn SPG points w/ this?

The only real difference between this and Premier is the 3x gas/groceries and WEMC. Not worth $300 IMO unless you spend a ton of money on those two categories--and they terminated the accounts of those who tried to spend that artificially, too.

Personally, I'm justifying the $95 for my Premier with the lounge access and PIN support. However, the PIN support has been kind of a hassle in the US so I use my chip and signature cards 95% of the time.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

CreditMagic7 — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 12:54:27 GMT

Now that we have answered a question with a question that asked about the benefits of it, how about once again helping a fellow member answer his as originally put.

Again, my question is how is BMO Harris on retention offers for any of their AF cards, and chiefly someone who might have tried it before with their Diners Club card?

Any results? None at all? Thanks for any details worth mentioning.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

android01 — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 13:08:10 GMT

I haven't had any experience with their retention policies. I'd be inclined to try and merge the CL's and close the more expensive of the two. I have the $95 card and thought about getting the Elite but decided it wasn't worth the AF.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

CreditMagic7 — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 13:27:39 GMT

@android01 wrote:
I haven't had any experience with their retention policies. I'd be inclined to try and merge the CL's and close the more expensive of the two. I have the $95 card and thought about getting the Elite but decided it wasn't worth the AF.

That's one of the better plans IMHO and a good one no doubt, but i'm really apprehensive if BMO Harris is even about those such combos, or at least i've yet to run across any results to that effect.

I want to check on some suggestions coming thru here first before ringing them up next month and start pressing them over available options if any.

One thing is certain though, i'm not interested in another AF contribution to this current card despite the nice $20K line and APR.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 13:44:44 GMT

They won't merge limits as others have tried and given their reluctance to be very helpful with that and limit increases I wouldn't hold out much hope on getting any retention offer. I haven't read of anyone here or elsewhere getting one.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

CreditMagic7 — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 13:48:24 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
They won't merge limits as others have tried and given their reluctance to be very helpful with that and limit increases I wouldn't hold out much hope on getting any retention offer. I haven't read of anyone here or elsewhere getting one.

Neither have i Irish80.

And why this was a sort of last ditch call out to see if anyone else with an upcoming AF for the Elite has had any results with that.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 13:58:32 GMT

@CreditMagic7 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
They won't merge limits as others have tried and given their reluctance to be very helpful with that and limit increases I wouldn't hold out much hope on getting any retention offer. I haven't read of anyone here or elsewhere getting one.
Neither have i Irish80.

And why this was a sort of last ditch call out to see if anyone else with an upcoming AF for the Elite has had any results with that.

Wish you luck. I didn't try for one on my anniversary as I was one of the lucky ones that had their AFs waived. Let us know what happens.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

CreditMagic7 — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 15:55:53 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@CreditMagic7 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
They won't merge limits as others have tried and given their reluctance to be very helpful with that and limit increases I wouldn't hold out much hope on getting any retention offer. I haven't read of anyone here or elsewhere getting one.
Neither have i Irish80.

And why this was a sort of last ditch call out to see if anyone else with an upcoming AF for the Elite has had any results with that.
Wish you luck. I didn't try for one on my anniversary as I was one of the lucky ones that had their AFs waived. Let us know what happens.

I sure will. I dunno. Something tells me that there are not really THAT many consumer card holders in their roster because after all BMO Harris did sometime after launching brought the applications to a complete stop and they ceased to add anymore ever since.

Hardly doubt them losing some cardholders (like any lender) is going to really make much of if any difference but i'm guessing i won't be the only one to drop at least one card account of this consumers type with them should i do decide to cancel.

However you would think that they would have something in place in order to retain good paying card customers and especially where concerns Diners Club specifically.

We'll soon see i guess since i'm sure there will be a few others.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

baller4life — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 16:08:34 GMT

I'm in the same boat as you Magic. I'm dropping my Premier October before November annual fee. Sockdrawered card and just not worth the AF to me.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

CreditMagic7 — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 16:20:12 GMT

@baller4life wrote:
I'm in the same boat as you Magic. I'm dropping my Premier October before November annual fee. Sockdrawered card and just not worth the AF to me.

Many of us dodged a bullet with BMO Harris offering a pass last time but you know full well they are ready to make good on it this time around.

It's not that some useful benefits aren't there as well as supporting credit lines, but for some of us they just are not enough anymore to make the $300 AF worth keeping the account.

As far as the Premier is concerned with it's AF, it can stay another year on this end but in this breakneck fast pace of competition these days even that one is numbered and other cards are just too very easily available that can MATCH and/or exceed it minus any AF

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

baller4life — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 16:27:11 GMT

It really lost its appeal to me when it started reporting! 😡

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

android01 — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 17:31:56 GMT

@baller4life wrote:
It really lost its appeal to me when it started reporting! 😡

+1. I was so nice actually paying on the due date instead of before the statement cut!

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

DaJagman — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 22:47:34 GMT

I cannot give up 40K and true chip and pin... came in handy on recent trip to Seoul and Frankfurt.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 22:56:34 GMT

@DaJagman wrote:
I cannot give up 40K and true chip and pin... came in handy on recent trip to Seoul and Frankfurt.

Did you just have the "usual" problem of chip and signature not working in ticket machines, or was it another issue? I thought PIN was really only necessary for the former.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

CreditMagic7 — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 02:26:21 GMT

@DaJagman wrote:
I cannot give up 40K and true chip and pin... came in handy on recent trip to Seoul and Frankfurt.

Hah ha I wouldn't give up a $40K Premier with only a $95 AF either.

The Premier will most definitely be around on this end for awhile yet but i'm gonna miss the pair of $20K's with them.

And that Chip & Pin really is always a nice added plus.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

DaJagman — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 03:41:28 GMT

Ticket machine wouldn't take CSP or my Amex Platinum. Tried them just for the experience.

Re: Diners Club Elite Decision

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 03:58:30 GMT

@DaJagman wrote:
Ticket machine wouldn't take CSP or my Amex Platinum. Tried them just for the experience.

Not totally unexpected and could have been resolved with e.g. one of Barclay's cards. IMO, having a card that always asks for PIN may not be worth the money for most people and could actually cause issues if your use is mostly domestic. (Ask me how I know.)