Citi TYP closing gap on amex and chase?

[dilettante]

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@mongstradamus wrote:

I was just curious about overall thoughts of the citi premeir card. Since it doesn't look like I will ever get an decent signup bonus from amex anytime in the near future, i may try to diversify with citi instead. I know Citi TYP are still probably 4th behind SPG,UR, and MR, but are they closing the gap ? 

On a side note would closing my BCE increase chances of an potential PRG or SPG offer down the road? I don't think i would ever use my BCE , once i get the SM. 

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IMO, the Citi TY points have become valuable now with the transfer ability to the airlines and Hilton.  That's why I app'd for the Prestige recently.  I'll be transferring points mainly to Singapore, Flying Blue and CX and with the Prestige 3X on travel, 2X on dining, it'll be an easier way to get extra points to transfer.  I think TY points will be a good complement to SPG, UR, and MR (though this is one program I'm not entrenched in since I only have the Plat.).  

And on the Prestige, I like that you can use it for airfare purchase (after Oct. 18) and not just incidentals, as well as the other perks and with the bonus categories, I found it to be a better fit for me than the Premier though the AF is higher than the Premier.

As far as the SPG, what type of offer are you looking for?  I got the pre-public 30K sign up offer email through SPG, not Amex.  I'm SPG gold through Amex Plat and don't know if that's why I was sent the offer before it was made public.

[Jlu]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Jlu wrote:

I have the Citi TYP with a 50,000 point sign up bonus that gives you 20k points in the first year (granted you meet spend requirements) and an additional 30k points in the second year (granted again that you meet the spend requirements). There is a $125 AF that is waived for the first year. I was given a $5700 initial CL back when I had a 707 FICO.

The advantage of this card is that it is a true Visa Signature so you have access to a flexible spending line. You also get a Citi concierge service that is superior to Visa Signature's concierge. The points are great if you redeem for travel since it gives you a 20% bonus on travel booked through Citi's TY Reward program. I got a roundtrip non-stop flight from Boston to Seattle for < 25,000 points. Of course you also get superior protection when traveling and making purchases through their various insurance programs.

Nonetheless I will likely not cancel after the first year because the 30k point bonus is enough to justify the $125 AF. I will call and pretend to cancel to get an additional 10-15k point bonus from their customer retention department.

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I assume this is the Premier (TYP usually refers to the Preferred).   So would you keep it after the bonus?  If you don' transfer points, don't think the AF is justified.

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Sorry, yes, I was referring to my TY Premier card. I will not keep it after the 30k point bonus that comes next year. I will pay the $125 AF next year, but the 30k point bonus (potentially 40k+ points if I threaten to close) more than offsets this.

[mongstradamus]

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@dilettante wrote:

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@mongstradamus wrote:

I was just curious about overall thoughts of the citi premeir card. Since it doesn't look like I will ever get an decent signup bonus from amex anytime in the near future, i may try to diversify with citi instead. I know Citi TYP are still probably 4th behind SPG,UR, and MR, but are they closing the gap ? 

On a side note would closing my BCE increase chances of an potential PRG or SPG offer down the road? I don't think i would ever use my BCE , once i get the SM. 

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IMO, the Citi TY points have become valuable now with the transfer ability to the airlines and Hilton.  That's why I app'd for the Prestige recently.  I'll be transferring points mainly to Singapore, Flying Blue and CX and with the Prestige 3X on travel, 2X on dining, it'll be an easier way to get extra points to transfer.  I think TY points will be a good complement to SPG, UR, and MR (though this is one program I'm not entrenched in since I only have the Plat.).  

And on the Prestige, I like that you can use it for airfare purchase (after Oct. 18) and not just incidentals, as well as the other perks and with the bonus categories, I found it to be a better fit for me than the Premier though the AF is higher than the Premier.

As far as the SPG, what type of offer are you looking for?  I got the pre-public 30K sign up offer email through SPG, not Amex.  I'm SPG gold through Amex Plat and don't know if that's why I was sent the offer before it was made public.

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there was an spg 35k offer an while ago i would be ok with that, PRG offer would want at least 50k. I am kind of stickler on these two since its once in a life time deal. I want to try premeir first, if i think i like it then i may apply for prestige down the road. 

[dilettante]

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@mongstradamus wrote:

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@dilettante wrote:

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@mongstradamus wrote:

I was just curious about overall thoughts of the citi premeir card. Since it doesn't look like I will ever get an decent signup bonus from amex anytime in the near future, i may try to diversify with citi instead. I know Citi TYP are still probably 4th behind SPG,UR, and MR, but are they closing the gap ? 

On a side note would closing my BCE increase chances of an potential PRG or SPG offer down the road? I don't think i would ever use my BCE , once i get the SM. 

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IMO, the Citi TY points have become valuable now with the transfer ability to the airlines and Hilton.  That's why I app'd for the Prestige recently.  I'll be transferring points mainly to Singapore, Flying Blue and CX and with the Prestige 3X on travel, 2X on dining, it'll be an easier way to get extra points to transfer.  I think TY points will be a good complement to SPG, UR, and MR (though this is one program I'm not entrenched in since I only have the Plat.).  

And on the Prestige, I like that you can use it for airfare purchase (after Oct. 18) and not just incidentals, as well as the other perks and with the bonus categories, I found it to be a better fit for me than the Premier though the AF is higher than the Premier.

As far as the SPG, what type of offer are you looking for?  I got the pre-public 30K sign up offer email through SPG, not Amex.  I'm SPG gold through Amex Plat and don't know if that's why I was sent the offer before it was made public.

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there was an spg 35k offer an while ago i would be ok with that, PRG offer would want at least 50k. I am kind of stickler on these two since its once in a life time deal. I want to try premeir first, if i think i like it then i may apply for prestige down the road. 

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I guess I missed out on the extra 5K points! That's okay, I don't seem to have a problem spending 5K on the SPG lately.  Sounds like you have a good plan.  Might as well take advantage of multiple sign up bonus offers!  Citi has been good for me as far as initial CL's (I had opened a Citi card for the 100K AA offer) and liking their CS so far, so I may think about their other cards next year after I think out my game plan for travel.

[jamesdwi]

is it only the signing bonus keeping you from getting the PRG?  Your scores look good enough for it, I have seen many approvals with 650 EX scores and yours is 100 pts higher.  

Signing bonuses are cool, but if the card suits your needs you may want to take the plunge and AP for it. The AF is waived, if that isn't good enough reason, how will you justify keeping it next year when their isn't a signing bonus and the $175 AF hits. 

[Jlu]

OT but I found out I can earn over 6k starpoints for a 3 night stay at a Sheraton by using my SPG to book. Those 6k starpoints can then be used for 3 free nights.

[mongstradamus]

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@jamesdwi wrote:

is it only the signing bonus keeping you from getting the PRG?  Your scores look good enough for it, I have seen many approvals with 650 EX scores and yours is 100 pts higher.  

Signing bonuses are cool, but if the card suits your needs you may want to take the plunge and AP for it. The AF is waived, if that isn't good enough reason, how will you justify keeping it next year when their isn't a signing bonus and the $175 AF hits. 

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yes the signup bonus is holding me back since its once in an life time. 

[lg8302ch]

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@mongstradamus wrote:

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@Closingracer99 wrote:

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@mongstradamus wrote:

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@Closingracer99 wrote:

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@mongstradamus wrote:

I was just curious about overall thoughts of the citi premeir card. Since it doesn't look like I will ever get an decent signup bonus from amex anytime in the near future, i may try to diversify with citi instead. I know Citi TYP are still probably 4th behind SPG,UR, and MR, but are they closing the gap ? 

On a side note would closing my BCE increase chances of an potential PRG or SPG offer down the road? I don't think i would ever use my BCE , once i get the SM. 

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If the BCE is your only Amex card ( I mean Amex not the Fidelity amex or Bank of America Amex) I would keep it imo the  benefits like extended warranty is superior with Amex then MC, Visa or Discover so if you need to buy a big purchase i would use an Amex card for that perk alone since I view Amex as superior for those perks. 

Also I pretty much don't care about the Citi TYP but the premier card is decent since you get that Travel Credit per year so it isn't a terrible card even with the points being meh 

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Well do have some interesting partners now with Cathay and Etihad being the two big ones that i wouldn't mind flying on. BCE is my only real amex card. If they would give me signup bonus for prg and spg they would be only cards i would be using. PRG would be gas and groceries and SPG everything else. I would may be still use CSP for dinig but thats it. They are losing out an fair amount of my spending because they don't look at me as a customer worth keeping.

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IF you never get the PRG offer and don't get the SPG I would say just semi sock drawer the BCE and use it for purchases you want the extended warranties or other perks since I do think Amex extended warranty perk is better then the rest. 

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The thing is as long as i have an BCE i don't think i will ever get any offers for either PRG or SPG, they only want new customers. I still am an AU on costco amex so i still have access to warranty program that way?

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I only have the BCP and normally only get tons of offers for Business cards from Amex. But  about a month ago I did get a nice offer for SPG but it was bad timing for me. Should this offer get back to me in early 2015 I will jump on it. So you might get offers keeping the BCE as well.

[mongstradamus]

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@lg8302ch wrote:

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@mongstradamus wrote:

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@Closingracer99 wrote:

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@mongstradamus wrote:

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@Closingracer99 wrote:

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@mongstradamus wrote:

I was just curious about overall thoughts of the citi premeir card. Since it doesn't look like I will ever get an decent signup bonus from amex anytime in the near future, i may try to diversify with citi instead. I know Citi TYP are still probably 4th behind SPG,UR, and MR, but are they closing the gap ? 

On a side note would closing my BCE increase chances of an potential PRG or SPG offer down the road? I don't think i would ever use my BCE , once i get the SM. 

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If the BCE is your only Amex card ( I mean Amex not the Fidelity amex or Bank of America Amex) I would keep it imo the  benefits like extended warranty is superior with Amex then MC, Visa or Discover so if you need to buy a big purchase i would use an Amex card for that perk alone since I view Amex as superior for those perks. 

Also I pretty much don't care about the Citi TYP but the premier card is decent since you get that Travel Credit per year so it isn't a terrible card even with the points being meh 

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Well do have some interesting partners now with Cathay and Etihad being the two big ones that i wouldn't mind flying on. BCE is my only real amex card. If they would give me signup bonus for prg and spg they would be only cards i would be using. PRG would be gas and groceries and SPG everything else. I would may be still use CSP for dinig but thats it. They are losing out an fair amount of my spending because they don't look at me as a customer worth keeping.

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IF you never get the PRG offer and don't get the SPG I would say just semi sock drawer the BCE and use it for purchases you want the extended warranties or other perks since I do think Amex extended warranty perk is better then the rest. 

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The thing is as long as i have an BCE i don't think i will ever get any offers for either PRG or SPG, they only want new customers. I still am an AU on costco amex so i still have access to warranty program that way?

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I only have the BCP and normally only get tons of offers for Business cards from Amex. But  about a month ago I did get a nice offer for SPG but it was bad timing for me. Should this offer get back to me in early 2015 I will jump on it. So you might get offers keeping the BCE as well.

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hmmm that is interesting maybe i should wait and stop being so impatient and just keep my BCE. I just got put off by amex because other people geting offers with lower fico scores and thinner files. 

[lg8302ch]

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@mongstradamus wrote:

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hmmm that is interesting maybe i should wait and stop being so impatient and just keep my BCE. I just got put off by amex because other people geting offers with lower fico scores and thinner files. 

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Believe me I know how you feel.  I think the nice SPG offer came from SPG  and not from Amex because I normally do not get any personal card offers only business offers from Amex.  May your wishes come true