The Citi Prestige® Card comes with 40,000 bonus ThankYou Points after $4,000 in purchases made with your card in the first 3 months the account is open.
My review of the Citi Prestige Card explains its many benefits like $250 in airfare or airline fee credits per calendar year, access to the Priority Pass lounges, the fourth night free on hotel stays, and 3x points per dollar on air travel and hotels.
Last month I mentioned that the $250 Air Travel Credit, which is supposed to offset airfare and airline fees, resets whenever your December statement closes. Mine closed on December 3, so I had almost all of last month to spend my $250 credit for 2016, and I did just that., booking AirAsia flights, an Avianca award, and a Jetstar flight.
My January 2016 statement closed, and I had earned the entire $250 credit. (If I had spent less than $250 on airfare and airline fees, I would have earned the amount I spent on airfare and airline fees.)
That means, in addition to the bonus points from opening the card and lounge access I’ve enjoyed in the last nine months, I have also profited $50. I got the card in April 2015, and I paid a $450 annual fee on my first statement. In the first month I had the card, I earned my 2015 Air Travel Credit, and I just earned my 2016 Air Travel Credit. That’s $500 in credits for $450 in annual fee.
That is why I think everyone should get the Citi Prestige® Card. If you got the card today, you could get a $250 Air Travel Credit in 2016 and another in 2017. That more than offsets the annual fee, and you also get 40,000 bonus points, 3x points on hotels and airfare, the fourth night free on hotel stays, and amazing airport lounge access for you and guests.
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It has posted for me too – amazingly for a purchase I canceled and refunded within 24 hours of booking.
Thanks for this post! I wonder if it makes sense to wait a bit to get the credit card to allow time for the 2017 credit to post. If I apply now and then have to close the card within 12 months, wouldn’t it leave too little time in Jan 2017 to get the credit?
There is often a grace period to cancel a card and get the annual fee back, but you could also wait to give yourself more time to get the 2017 Air Travel Credit.
Mine posted too. I used it to buy LifeMiles when they were super cheap, hehe.
Is it worth keeping the card after first year? I got the card last April in 2015 and got the credit posted for Jan statement as well. I have also used Admirals clubs and other lounges which was great for my family during layovers. I don’t have any travel plans before April 2016 so I was thinking of cancelling the card in March.
https://milevalu.wpengine.com/should-i-keep-this-card-whether-to-hold-or-cancel-a-rewards-card-when-an-annual-fee-is-due/
Scott,
I am not sure it is worth keeping after the first year. Here is my thinking: the golf sites are limited and many of us don’t play golf enough to make it worth searching out a place on their list. The 4th night free must be booked through them at rack rates which was several hundred dollars more than a recent rate I got even with the free night. Lounge access with the Platinum Amex isn’t too bad. Points with Chase are better points to get in my estimation. No argument about what a good deal it is for the first year. I’m interested in your thoughts too.
You get $250 back in Air Travel Credit, so effective annual fee is $200. If you use the lounges (especially guest access) a bit, play golf, or the bonus categories a lot, you come out way ahead. If you don’t, you should cancel because you won’t be using the card’s benefits very much.
Scott,
Thanks! Great response.
Even better cost proposition for those with Citigold accounts.
Annual fee is reduced on Prestige to $350. Net of $100 with air travel credit. Well worth it for TYP value/transfer partners, lounge access, etc.
Are there any benefits similar to the CSP card such as primary Auto rental insurance? I need to make a couple of large “pre paid” auto rentals that would make a big dent in the required spend, but I usually use my trusted CSP card for the “safety”
I just booked my 37 day car rental in Costa Rica with my Starwood Amex Card. I decided to use my Amex card in lieu of my CSP because Chase only covers for 31 days. I would have needed 2 separate contracts. Amex does cover lost possessions and CSP does not. There is a one time membership fee with AMEX. I believe it was $29.00. I never put in a claim so I have no idea who is the best to work with.
[…] The schedule change never came, so about a month ago, with a week until departure, I called in to cancel. The agent asked took my credit card for the $150 cancellation fee. To avoid paying that out of pocket, I gave my American Express Platinum number, since the card has a $200 Airline Fee Credit each year. I could also have used the $250 Air Travel Credit on my Citi Prestige® Card, but I had already used that for 2016. […]
[…] paid for the award with my Citi Prestige® Card. If I hadn’t already used my $250 Air Travel Credit for 2016, I would have had the $37 in taxes refunded as a statement credit. Since I have, I will just earn […]
[…] Here are my experiences getting my $250 Air Travel Credit in 2015 and in 2016. […]
[…] Here are my experiences getting my $250 Air Travel Credit in 2015 and in 2016. […]
Will seat upgrade charge from AMerican Airline trigger Prestige Air Travel credit? Thanks
It should. Check this Flyertalk thread for more info: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/citi-thankyou-rewards/1719557-report-citi-prestige-success-fail-250-airline-expense-reimbursements.html