Citigroup Amex Chairman Confirmed brochure with Benfits

Brochure

Chairman 2.0 will be a Citi AMEX card

The annual fee will be roughly $495, although it may be reduced for certain customers.

The card will include Hilton Gold status.

Priority Pass benefits will be roughly the same as before, including free guests.

There will be some sort of high end concierge service (not sure to whom they're farming that out).

Unlike all other Citi cards, purchases in foreign currencies will be charged at the actual exchange rate without any forex fees until Dec 31, 2008.

I'm surprised the rewards for these high end credit cards seem so crappy. For a $500 annual fee, you'd think Citi/AMEX would be able to do a bit better than 1% back on all purchases in TY points and 1 TY point per flight point earned. Hell, PremierPass Elite with an $85 annual fee has twice as good rewards from a TY points accumulation POV. Absent the prestige factor and/or access to airport lounges, this looks like a raw deal.

Pooch123 said: I'm surprised the rewards for these high end credit cards seem so crappy. For a $500 annual fee, you'd think Citi/AMEX would be able to do a bit better than 1% back on all purchases in TY points and 1 TY point per flight point earned. Hell, PremierPass Elite with an $85 annual fee has twice as good rewards from a TY points accumulation POV. Absent the prestige factor and/or access to airport lounges, this looks like a raw deal.

I'm not sure about twice as good, sounds like exactly the same to me. Anyway I'm sure these will be "prestige" TY points or something.

Meh, even if I was the FF type I'd rather have PPE for $85. If I desperately wanted "free" booze I'd probably go Am.Ex platinum for $450.

1 thing I left off tho Citibank will waive the annual fee for people with "Reserved" Status at any Citigroup venue. Reserved Status required $500K cash/brokers balances and is avalible via Citibank(brokerage Balance), Smith Barney or Citigroup PB.

Sorry for the multiple posts. I tried posted it and it keep timing out so I thought the problem was on my end. It would time out right after I hit post.

adiganifatwallet said: any idea how much do they charge for an additional cardmember?
and what kind of "special customer" got the reduced rate from the annual of $495?
Does having Citi Gold account qualifies?

Was my post 2 posts above you confusing? Link

Reserved Status required $500K cash/brokers balances and is avalible via Citibank(brokerage Balance), Smith Barney or Citigroup PB.

Just to make sure you understand this time. Cash/brokerage balance at Citibank(Brokerage Balance) means retail bank accounts. Citigold will not get you a fee waiver on this card because Citigold counts loan and mortgage balances vs Reserved status which is given to people with brokerage accounts at Citibank retail banks, SB Brokerage offices and via PB on brokerage accounts only looks at cash/brokerage balances ie counts only assets held at Citigroup towards the qualification vs Citigold also counts liabilities towards the balance requirements.

I'm sure Dolmar will correct but this is the same Priority Pass as Am.Ex Plat. Priority Pass?

If it is then it can be had for $375 elsewhere. Throw in PPE for TY points and there isn't much reason to pay for this card.

If you can get it for free I wouldn't turn it down but I wouldn't pay full price.

I'll wait for the $200 bonus with the first year annual fee waived link...

dolmar said: ScootyPuffSr said: I'm sure Dolmar will correct but this is the same Priority Pass as Am.Ex Plat. Priority Pass?

If it is then it can be had for $375 elsewhere. Throw in PPE for TY points and there isn't much reason to pay for this card.

If you can get it for free I wouldn't turn it down but I wouldn't pay full price.

AMEX PLT does not give Priority Pass at all. AMEX PLT gives you access to Delta, NW and CO lounges and only if you are flying one of thoses airlines while PP gives you access to lounges no matter what airlines you are flying.

My apologies, as usual I've have to continue supplying my own booze. I still can't believe how this card is no better than PPE for TY points.

If you can get it free great but I think $495 isn't worth it for free booze and getting to sit with some rich old dudes instead of the general riff raff.

To each their own.

markkundinger said: If you spend enough time in airports, the urge to get away from the "gate lice" can be pretty damn strong.

And to be fair to the Chairman card, the AMEX PLT is pretty crap as far as membership rewards points, too. Plus, to some people (me included) one TY point is more useful than one membership reward point

I dont think anyone can claim I am a Citigroup hater but I am sorry I have to disagree with your claim that membership rewards is bad. First off via membership reward you can basically redem a free ticket on almost any airline as membership rewards has atleast 1 partner from all 3 of the major airline alliances. Yes understand upgrades can not be had via partner airlines only free award seats and if you want to fly 1st class in 3 class service this is only way to do it. Yes Starwood program is more flexable as it wil transfer directly into more airlines than membership rewards but Starwood has a limit of 100K points that can be earned via AMEX card. While it seems Starwood does not enforce this policy they could choose to do so in the future at any time without notice.

With all of the above said TYP still have a value and could really be a better value for many who tend to redem for coach awards as thoses awards are super hard to snag via the airlines own rewards programs as so many people are going after the coach awards. TYP awards are really only limited by space avalible on the airline as Citi will buy a seat as long as one is avalible for sale. TYP short coming tho is you can not do upgrades or redem via fixed point option for 1st class on 3 class service.

markkundinger said: ScootyPuffSr said: If you can get it free great but I think $495 isn't worth it for free booze and getting to sit with some rich old dudes instead of the general riff raff.
If you spend enough time in airports, the urge to get away from the "gate lice" can be pretty damn strong.

And to be fair to the Chairman card, the AMEX PLT is pretty crap as far as membership rewards points, too. Plus, to some people (me included) one TY point is more useful than one membership reward point

I do not begrudge any millionaires buying luxury items.

However, I just can't see myself buying a first class ticket when a coach ticket gets me to my destination at the same time. For the difference in price on an international flight, I could buy myself a laptop, use it on the flight, throw it away when I get there and still come out ahead! Or I could enjoy the laptop on the flight and for the next several years.

I have flown some, but not "a lot" buy most of your measures. I don't know, I carry my 12 inch laptop with me which is very lightweight to carry and fits in my lap or in the airline seat very comfortably.

I don't know what airports you guys use or what airlines you guys fly..........but I get to my gate........

1) make sure everything is on time
2) use restroom if I need to
3) sit down with my laptop....work....watch a movie....surf the web...play a game...
4) wait until I hear boarding being called

I've never had trouble with "riff raff" and in fact sometimes I so zone in on my laptop that I become paranoid I won't hear the boarding call so I nervously look around every 10 minutes to make sure people are still standing around.

If you sit in your seat quietly working on your laptop or reading your newspaper I don't know why the "booze lounge" is so necessary. I've never had "gate lice" pester me when I was just keeping to myself and sitting in my seat.

To each their own.

Another nice benifit of the card is the 30K TYP sign up bonus and if you get the annual fee waived that is like getting $300 sign up bonus. Only bad thing about the card is lame APR which is 16.24%

dolmar said: ScootyPuffSr said: I'm sure Dolmar will correct but this is the same Priority Pass as Am.Ex Plat. Priority Pass?

If it is then it can be had for $375 elsewhere. Throw in PPE for TY points and there isn't much reason to pay for this card.

If you can get it for free I wouldn't turn it down but I wouldn't pay full price.

AMEX PLT does not give Priority Pass at all. AMEX PLT gives you access to Delta, NW and CO lounges and only if you are flying one of thoses airlines while PP gives you access to lounges no matter what airlines you are flying.

They added AA lounges recently, too: thread link

ScootyPuffSr said: I'm sure Dolmar will correct but this is the same Priority Pass as Am.Ex Plat. Priority Pass?

If it is then it can be had for $375 elsewhere. Throw in PPE for TY points and there isn't much reason to pay for this card.

If you can get it for free I wouldn't turn it down but I wouldn't pay full price.

This is not 100% true...

a. AMEX Platinum provides access to AA, NW, DL, CO lounges. However you have to travel on the same airline that operates the lounge. This can be better than Priority Pass for some travellers.

b. Citi Chairman's Priority Pass benefit is not the same at the generally available $395 Priority Pass offering. The $395 offering provides unlimited lounge visits per year, but guests are $24 per visit. Chairman's Priority Pass offers unlimited lounge visits AND 2 guests can accompany the Chairman/Priority Pass member for FREE. Further, authorized users on the Chairman Card can get the same Priority Pass benefit for $100 per year.

I'm NOT impressed with this card. Go with best of breed. If you wish to make a statement and have the cash to back it up, then go with AMEX CENTURION. Cards like AMEX Platinum and Citi Chairman are simply wannabes.........

LustfortheMoment said: I'm NOT impressed with this card. Go with best of breed. If you wish to make a statement and have the cash to back it up, then go with AMEX CENTURION. Cards like AMEX Platinum and Citi Chairman are simply wannabes.........

How is AMEX Platinum a "wannabe" when it came before AMEX Centurion. That simply does not make sense...

hows this compare to the citibank platinum American Express for $99/year?

Hi Dolmar:

Called my SB broker today. My wife has "Reserved Status" with them.
Told him she wanted the card and the first year fee waiver.
He said "OK"....
Five minutes later....he calls back.....
...tells me that he put a call in to get the card application ("invitation") for me and inquired about the first year fee waiver.
The rep. he spoke with.....said that the only fee waiver he was aware of was the "lifetime" fee waiver for Private Wealth Clients ($5 million)
Can you please tell me where you saw the fee waiver for RESERVED CLIENTS ????
Would love to have that as ammunition.
Thanks

..maybe different strokes 'fo different folks?

...thought there was something in print I could waive in front of them!

thanks

GroveStreetOG said: awake said: The Citi Platinum AMEX offers Priority Pass but you have pay $24 per visit and $24 per guest. This is waived for 3 visits per year upon renewal. If you do not use the lounges frequently the Platinum AMEX may be a better deal.


Also, I agree about the no ForEx comment on Capital One.

One thing to note about the Citi Platinum is that the fee is waived the first year, PLUS they give you 15,000 ThankYou points, PLUS they give you 5 TYP on EDP/3 TYP on all other purchases for the first 2 years.

awake, do you have the card? Because looking at the web page it isn't clear to me that the $24 fee is waived for 3 visits only upon renewal, it looks like it might be waived the first year too. If you have better information, I will defer to it, of course, and even if the $24 fee isn't waived for any visits the first year, it's a great card.

I didn't apply for it yet because I wanted some of my inquiries to age a bit before getting new Citi cards. I applied for this thing called the World Elite MasterCard, the only one issued so far is associated with Saks, it also has basic PriorityPass, but doesn't have any fee ever. It doesn't have the points that the Citi Platinum has, but getting the World Elite thing of course doesn't keep you from getting the Citi Platinum.

I thought I was instantly approved, but in reality I was only instantly approved for some stupid Saks store card which I don't want; on the World Elite MasterCard, they will "send me a letter with their decision" within 30 days. I was thinking, maybe I won't be approved it because I'm not quite in the "elite" demographic they say they're targeting, but then I thought, well, I bet I do get it, because if it was REALLY limited to "elite" people, it wouldn't have "elite" in the name. If you're really elite, you don't go around saying it.

I think the more spectacular the card, the less fancy the name.

----------->---------->-------------->
Elite, Accolades, Chairman, Centurion. Centurion, way above the others, doesn't have a name that really goes out of its way to say "wow, look at me", it's only your knowledge of the card itself that makes it impressive.

I do not have the Citi AMEX Platinum. I have the Chairman AMEX. I received a Charter Member offer to convert from my Chairman MC for 30,0000 bonus TY points which became 60,0000 TY points after flight points were matched.

The following link http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=721401 provides a discussion on the Citi AMEX Platinum. There are some comments which indicate that the three free visits are available upon renewal. However this has not been substantiated. The best thing to do is call.

I have a Saks World Elite MC. It came with a Priority Pass card. Frankly, I think that I will cancel my Chairman Card next year. I have an Fidelity AMEX Platinum that gives me lounge access most of the time. I really do not need unlimited Priority Pass. The Saks World Elite Priority Pass would work for me. I probably will never spend a dime on the Saks card unless I use some of the travel benefits.

Your applicatin situation with Saks World Elite is normal. I applied for Saks World Elite online on a weekend. I immediately got approved for a Saks Store Account. On Monday I was approved for the World Elite card. What the website does not tell you is that you will be issued two credit accounts. (If it does say this, its in the fine print.) One is a Saks Account. One is a MasterCard account. If you make purchases at Saks they go on your Saks Account. If you make purchases outside of Saks, they go on your Mastercard account. You will end up with two accounts on your credit report. If you got approved for the WorldElite card, you should have received an email.

If you do not have the Citi AMEX Platinum, it sounds like a good deal...especially given the 3-5 pts per $ for the first few years.

I agree with you about World MC, Visa Signature, and World Elite. They do not seem to enforce the spending and income requirements that they advertise. Their existence appears to be a way to get higher fees from merchants and lure non-affluent customers into believing that spending more money with a fancy card makes them special, i.e. appear to be rich.

Example... Use your World Mastercard to have a unique experience with blah blah blah...after all our research says that most people in the affluent category value experiences more than other types of rewards. Translated: You poor soul, we approved you for a 10k limit on a World Mastercard so that you can run up the credit limit and pay us 25% interest buying "experiences" that you cannot afford.