Earlier this month Citi updated their applications to say that if you have opened or closed a card within a brand family (like American consumer cards, Hilton cards, or ThankYou cards) that you can’t get a bonus on another card within that family for 24 months.
DoC notes that Citi’s media team confirmed that these new rules actually go into place effective Sunday, 8/28, so you can still apply today under the old rules.
Additionally the Citi Prestige card is ending several benefits on 7/23/17, but if you apply by 8/30 you can still get AA club access until 7/23/17. Applications made afterward won’t get club access.
You can view credit card offers by clicking on the “Other Credit Cards” tab on top of the DansDeals banner to view links for card offers. You can click on the link that says “View all card offers by issuing bank” and scroll down to view all card offers from the bank of your choice.
What cards should you get before Sunday?
The Hilton cards are part of one card family, so effective Sunday you won’t be able to get a bonus for either if you have either opened a new Hilton card or closed a Hilton card within 24 months:
-The Citi Hilton HHonors card is offering 75K Hilton points for spending $2K in 3 months for a limited time only. There’s no annual fee. You’ll also get Silver elite status for as long as you’re a cardholder. If you spend $20K/year you’ll get Gold status.
There’s no limited time offer for the Citi Hilton Reserve card, but it’s a great card as it which gives 2 free nights at any Hilton in the world (including the excellent Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem). It also gives Gold elite status for as long as you’re a cardholder, which gets you free breakfast, including the most over-the-top breakfast I’ve had in my life at the Waldorf Jerusalem. If you spend $40K/year you’ll get top-tier Diamond status, which confirmed room upgrades and space available suite upgrade at hotels like the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem. This card has a $95 annual fee.
The American consumer cards are part of one card family, so effective Sunday you won’t be able to get a bonus for either if you have either opened a new AA consumer card or closed a AA consumer card within 24 months:
You can view credit card offers by clicking on the “Other Credit Cards” tab on top of the DansDeals banner to view links for card offers. You can click on the link that says “View all card offers by issuing bank” and scroll down to view all card offers from the bank of your choice.
-The Citi AAdvantage Executive Mastercard is offering 60K AA miles for spending $5K in 3 months for a limited time only.
Cardholders can save up to 7.5K off round-trip awards to rotating destinations. With the card, discounted short-haul awards are just 6.5K miles one-way. After spending $5,000 on the card you’ll have 65K miles, or enough for up to 10 short-haul flights.
The card carries a whopping $450 annual fee, though it’s refundable if you close it within 37 days of that being billed. Sometimes the fee is billed on the first statement, sometimes its on the second statement.
Cardholders receive a full Admirals Club membership which allows you to bring your entire immediate family or 2 guests into the lounge. Up to 10 additional cardholders are free and they can also can access AA lounges and bring in their own guests or families for free as well. Membership alone is normally $550/year and this is the only card that gives a full Admirals Club membership that works for access even when you’re not flying on American (The Citi Prestige card doesn’t give access if you’re not flying American and Prestige cardholders will lose access to AA clubs effective 7/23/17).
Admirals Club members can also access partner lounges from Alaska, Qantas, and other airlines.
There are no foreign transaction fees with the card. You and 8 companions get a free bag when flying on American as well as priority checkin, security, and boarding. You’ll also get 25% off in-flight food, beverages, and headsets.
If you spend $40K on the card in a calendar year you’ll get 10,000 bonus elite qualifying miles.
The card also offers free Global Entry or Pre-Check membership, which are amazing time savers for even infrequent flyers.
The Citi ThankYou cards are part of one card family, so effective Sunday you won’t be able to get a bonus for either if you have either opened a new ThankYou card or closed a ThankYou card within 24 months.
You can view credit card offers by clicking on the “Other Credit Cards” tab on top of the DansDeals banner to view links for card offers. You can click on the link that says “View all card offers by issuing bank” and scroll down to view all card offers from the bank of your choice.
-The Citi Prestige card offers 40K ThankYou points for spending $4,000 in 3 months. The points are transferable to several airlines and hotels or 40K points can be used for a $400 gift card, $532 of airline purchases at a value of 1.33 cents per point (this will be lowered to 1.25 cents per point or $500 on 7/23/17), or $640 of travel on American (this will be lowered to 1.25 cents per point or $500 on 7/23/17).
The Prestige card offers 3 points per dollar on airfare, hotels, and travel agencies, and double points on dining and entertainment.
There is a $450 annual fee. However the Prestige card comes packed with awesome benefits:
1. $250 annual air travel credit. No need to pick an airline. Just a straight credit for up to $250 of whatever you spend from any airline including tickets, bag fees, seat fees, etc. In your first cardmembership year you can get $250 back in 2016 and $250 back in 2017, which more than covers the annual fee.
2. Free American Admirals Club lounge access for you and your family or you and 2 guests when flying American. This applies for cards that are applied for by 8/30. AA club access is ending for all cardholders on 7/23/17.
3. Priority Pass lounge membership with free guest access for your family or 2 guests when flying any airline. Additional Prestige cardmembers are just $50 and they also get their own Priority Club lounge membership with free guest privileges. Click here to search for lounges in airports across the world.
4. Global Entry or Pre-Check reimbursement. A 5 year Global Entry membership is normally $100 but will be free when paid with the Prestige card. Skip the lines when returning to the US and get Pre-Check included as well. Pre-Check allows you to keep your shoes and jacket on, skip the nude-o-scope, and leave your laptop in the bag. It makes traveling a whole lot easier.
5. A 4th night free on all paid hotel stays. When you make a hotel reservation of 4 or more nights you’ll get the 4th night of the reservation rebated back to your for free. The rates will be the same as on the hotel website and the rates do qualify for hotel elite status and points. Note that the 4th night of the stay will be the rebated night. In some cases the 4th night may cost significantly more or less than the rest of the nights, so always check to see the actual rate for each night. There is no limit to how many times you can take advantage of this offer. You need to use your Prestige card, but you get triple points for hotel spending, so that’s not a bad thing. Effective 7/23/17 the average nightly rate excluding taxes will be refunded on 4+ night stays.
6. 3 free rounds of golf per calendar year. You can search for courses here and make reservations here. That’s 6 free rounds of golf in your first cardmembership year. This benefit will end 7/23/17.
Getting more than one Citi card and repeat bonuses:
Citibank doesn’t generally allow 2BMs anymore, though some people have reported success. You can apply for one card, wait 8 days, and then apply for another Citi card. You would have to wait 60 days from the date of your first card application before you can apply for a 3rd Citi card and 60 days from the date of your second card application before you can apply for a 4th Citi card.
Most Citi card applications now require an 24 month waiting period from when you last had that exact card before you can get the signup bonus again.
Citi phone reconsideration (888-201-4523) can be tough if denied, but many people (myself included) have had great luck reconsidering via snail mail! Just write a short letter explaining why you want the card to: Mr. Ken Stork, Office of the President, PO Box 6000, Sioux Falls, SD 57117
i applied for prestige on friday but won’t be approved till sometime this week. will they count me as cardholder from approval date and hence ineligible for the 40k points (given that i opened a thank you premier last year) ?
@moishy:
There are 50 k links out there. You can get the bonus if you haven’t got that card for 24 months
I’m trying to recall why I stopped signing up for the Citi AA Executive cards in the first place. This has me wanting another but not sure it will work. There was a period where everyone was doing them on day 1, day 8, day 65, etc. I think I got 4 of them before some rule changed but now can’t recall what that change was. Anyone recall?
Dan,
Is it possible to apply for the Citi /AAdvantage Platinum Select MasterCard and earn the 30k points even though i have an account that already received the bonus in the past?
When you say the card offers $250 back in 2016, and $250 back in 2017, can I buy tickets in 2016 for 2017 – get $250 back, and then again buy tickets in 2017 for 2017 – get another $250 back? Or do tickets purchased in 2016 have to be for a flight in 2016?
So i acn reapply for a citi thank you card even if i have one already an opened it less then 1 year ?