Major changes are brewing at Citi, and none are for the better. Come September 22, 2019, Citi will eliminate a slew of its top travel and shopping benefits. So many that it has us shaking our heads in disbelief!
We’ve often cited Citi Prestige Card as “Best in Class” for several cardholder travel and shopping benefits; and we’re also big fans of the Citi Premiere Card (which carries the same travel and shopping benefits as the Prestige). However, these upcoming changes will surely strip the cards of any top-tier status. Some of the benefits scheduled for elimination even include those customary with mid-range and elite credit cards.
Though the Citi cards never excelled in valuable airfare redemptions or cash back redemptions, their competitive advantage laid in prolific and generous travel and shopping benefits. Below are some of the changes you should know as a present (or soon to be past) Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere cardholder.
Travel benefits that will be eliminated on all Citi cards
Come September 22, 2019, say goodbye to these six great travel benefits when using your Citi cards for travel purchases.
Worldwide Car Rental Insurance
Future coverage: None
Current coverage: Rental Collision Damage protection covers up to $75,000 when charging a rental car to a Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere card. In addition, Roadside Assistance Dispatch Service and Travel & Emergency Assistance will be discontinued and will not be available on or after September 22, 2019.
Worldwide Accident Insurance
Future coverage: None
Current coverage: Cardholders are covered up to $1,000,000 for loss of life or limb for certain travel related accidents when charging travel to a Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere card.
Trip Cancellation & Interruption Protection
Future coverage: None
Current coverage: Cardholders and the cardholder’s family members are covered for travel loss due to certain sickness, injury, death, airline bankruptcy, or weather-related issues when charging the travel to a Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere card.
Trip Delay Protection
Future coverage: None
Current coverage: When charging travel to a Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere card, cardholders are covered for compensation if flights or common carrier travel are delayed more than six hours, up to $500 per ticket. Previously, we named Citi Prestige “Best in Class” for this benefit.
Baggage Delay Protection
Future coverage: None
Current coverage: When charging travel to a Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere card, cardholders are covered for compensation, up to $100, when bags are delayed in excess of six hours.
Lost Baggage Protection
Future coverage: None
Current coverage: When charging travel to a Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere card, cardholders are covered up to $3,000 per person per trip ($2,000 per bag for NY residents). For a trip with multiple bags lost over multiple Covered Persons, coverage maxes out at $10,000 per trip. Previously, we named Citi Prestige “Best in Class” for this benefit.
Shopping benefits that will be eliminated on all Citi cards
Come September 22, 2019, say goodbye to these two great shopping benefits when using your Citi cards for purchases.
Price Protection aka Price Rewind
Future coverage: None
Current coverage: When charging purchases to a Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere card and the item is later found at a lower price, price rewinds cover up to $200 per item and $1,000 annually. Previously, we named Citi Prestige “Best in Class” for this benefit.
Return Protection
Future coverage: None
Current coverage: When charging purchases to a Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere card and a merchant will not accept a return within 90 days of purchase, Return Protection covers cardholders up to $500 per item, and $1500 per year. Previously, we named Citi Prestige “Best in Class” for this benefit.
Will any major travel and shopping benefits remain?
Though many travel and shopping benefits will be discontinued, two important travel and shopping benefits will remain for cardholders. These are: medical evacuation insurance and extended warranty protection.
When you charge your trip to a Citi Prestige Card or Citi Premiere card (or use ThankYou® Points to book travel), you are automatically covered under the cards’ medevac insurance policies and up to $100,000 in evacuation costs per traveler.
Additionally, when you charge a purchase in part to a Citi Prestige or Citi Premiere card or use Thank You points, you are automatically entitled to the Extended Warranty protection of two years on eligible manufacturer’s warranties of five years or less. This card also provides an extra two years on customer-purchased extended warranties or service plans (with a total maximum coverage time of seven years). This remains an industry best.
Now, whether these two benefits alone are enough to keep you as a cardholder is up to you. For those of us who rely on Citi’s travel and shopping benefits, we are rethinking whether it’s worth keeping in our wallets.
