Closed Diners Club after 10 years

[NRB525]

When I first joined MyFico ten years ago, it was just as the BMO Diners Club card was being offered. It would turn out to only be available to apply for about three months, in late 2014. At the time, it was interesting as a Chip+PIN card, and actually has a decent airport lounge access which I used a few times, such as in Amsterdam. 

Alas, ten years of $95 AF and limited earning, plus the low value of the points led me to push some charges / payments through the card to get to a redemption level, clear the points out to Alaska, then today call to close the card. End of an era I guess. But honestly, it was mostly a sad little "trophy card" and not much more than that. 

Also closed the AMEX Marriott card recently. These closures are because I've added the BofA Alaska card, and the AMEX Delta Reserve card. Those give more direct benefits for the airline travel, but they each really have a spend demand to make sense, so I have to reduce the number of low-value, distraction cards to keep things sane. For example, the Alaska card now requires $5k spend in a card year to earn the companion pass.

[TrapLine]

One haunting question?

Would the future of Discover and related partners ever enhance or improve the white elephant they issued as a Diners Club on the Master Card Network.

BMO has not been a shining star in the market place and it was sad when they took on the Diners Club. They did not get it.

My past tracks back to carrying Carte Blance and Diners Club (1972). They were real charge spending cards (no preset spending limits and they stuck to it). They carried respect and much of that was likely all marketing fluff but it sure worked for my travels! Sad when things started to slither away.

In backgrounding BMO and their handling of the Diners Club Card (as an old time former Diners Club Card holder) I could not bridge the gap in their view of Diners Club and running in on the Master Card Network. Never applied it just did not cut it (actually they appeared to roll out with a good roster of benefits). May it all rest in peace.

Will not close the door if we found Diners Club Card as it was, an exclusinve running on the Discover Card Network, might apply?

[CreditCuriosity]

'ya interesting time was still during my rebuild so never got that card.   Didn't they shut it down to MS issues or something?  Been so long sice I remember the short window for them opening applications.  Who owns it now BMO or Discover as believe it is Discover and Cap1 is likely to acquire Discover.  Be intersting if they ever open it back up but speculate that won't be the case.

[TrapLine]

BMO held the issuing rights. Owning it may be a more interesting path.

Believe there is still some hook into the Diners Club International. Now, does Discover own the international? Gets a little cloudy.

There may be ties to Discover Financial. Worldwide the only thing that is clear is it is not clear. Tried to weed and sort it out. Not clear yet?

[gregorius]

Clear skies here.

Since 2008, Discover owns Diners Club International, runs the network, issues franchise rights to banks worldwide, etc. Buying DCI got them an international credit card network which helped Discover cards gain 'worldwide' acceptance.

Since 2009, BMO owns the North America franchise. Citi, who previously owned both DCI and the NA franchise, switched the NA cards to the Mastercard network a few years before they sold DCI and the NA franchise rights off separately.

Short of Discover/Capital One buying the NA franchise from BMO, or DCI (as part of Discover/CapOne) eliminating the franchise business model, I doubt we'll see changes to Diners Club cards in the US from the acquisition. In the meantime, whoever owns Discover can issue cards that run on the Discover (domestic US)/Diners Club (international) networks.

[markhs777]

Hard to believe in the 80's and 90's Diners Club was more wildly accepted in Europe and elsewhere than Amex.

[TrapLine]

Gregorius

Good information and it lays out the complexities of the overall multiple involved particpants.

Too bad that BMO may have an exclusive on the US because as they have dropped real support. They have not continued what appeared to be a good start.

Also, common, running on MasterCard ... ? May see Cap1 looking at ways to capitalize on the many moving parts of what you just laid out and DiscoverFinancial.

[UncleB]

---

@TrapLine wrote:

One haunting question?

Would the future of Discover and related partners ever enhance or improve the white elephant they issued as a Diners Club on the Master Card Network.

BMO has not been a shining star in the market place and it was sad when they took on the Diners Club. They did not get it.

My past tracks back to carrying Carte Blance and Diners Club (1972). They were real charge spending cards (no preset spending limits and they stuck to it). They carried respect and much of that was likely all marketing fluff but it sure worked for my travels! Sad when things started to slither away.

In backgrounding BMO and their handling of the Diners Club Card (as an old time former Diners Club Card holder) I could not bridge the gap in their view of Diners Club and running in on the Master Card Network. Never applied it just did not cut it (actually they appeared to roll out with a good roster of benefits). May it all rest in peace.

Will not close the door if we found Diners Club Card as it was, an exclusinve running on the Discover Card Network, might apply?

---

I had one of the old Diners Club cards back in the 90s that was issued by Citibank.  The account number was 14 digits, and it was a true charge card comparable to the Amex Green, but Diners would give you two billing cycles to PIF rather than the one billing cycle Amex allows, which came in handy a few times. 

For me it was a rather niche card; the Discover acquisition hadn't taken place yet, so acceptance was rather limited around where I lived.  Generally speaking, I used it for airline tickets, hotels, gas/rental cars, and a few anchor stores at the mall took it if I remember correctly.  I also recall giving it to a waitress once who wasn't even aware her restaurant took it; I had to point out their signage, and sure enough, when she tried it, it worked. 

I would love to see Discover do something interesting with the brand (especially since it would now be accepted everywhere Discover is) but due to BMO having rights in North America I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[Anonymous]

---

@NRB525 wrote:

When I first joined MyFico ten years ago, it was just as the BMO Diners Club card was being offered. It would turn out to only be available to apply for about three months, in late 2014. At the time, it was interesting as a Chip+PIN card, and actually has a decent airport lounge access which I used a few times, such as in Amsterdam. 

Alas, ten years of $95 AF and limited earning, plus the low value of the points led me to push some charges / payments through the card to get to a redemption level, clear the points out to Alaska, then today call to close the card. End of an era I guess. But honestly, it was mostly a sad little "trophy card" and not much more than that. 

Also closed the AMEX Marriott card recently. These closures are because I've added the BofA Alaska card, and the AMEX Delta Reserve card. Those give more direct benefits for the airline travel, but they each really have a spend demand to make sense, so I have to reduce the number of low-value, distraction cards to keep things sane. For example, the Alaska card now requires $5k spend in a card year to earn the companion pass.

---

First, I hope that closing a 10 year old card doesn't ding your credit age too badly.

I had DC in the mid 80s for about a year, and found it wasn't accepted often enough so I cancelled it.  As a curio, I wish I hadn't.  I think BMO, or Discover, or whoever, is missing an opportunity given the pressure from some quarters to open up credit card payment systems to something beyond the big three (V, MC, AX).  If Discover took advantage of this, and possibly undercut the swipe fees, it could be a good bet.

[taxi818]

Sadly i also still have this card. Got itas well 10 years ago. 5k limit. Used the lounge in newark a few times and one in Hong Kong which was excellent. Most today never heard of it.  I just cant bring myself to close it.