Citibank Prestige Card

[Kyo]

ANZ despite this? (and in spite of Prestige's higher earning rate with relationship bonus? Notice you've not mentioned what feedback you were seeking...)

Anyone received their ANZ Travel Card June statement and saw this?

With effect from 11 July 2014, 2.8 Travel$ per S$1 spent on direct fight bookings with Qantas and Jetstar only (no more with any airline and a wide range of online travel agents, Hertz, Australian International School, etc.) and for purchases made in Australia and New Zealand (no change).

Worse still: All other purchases will earn 1.4 Travel$ per S$1 CAPPED for the first S$10,000 spend and thereafter a very paltry 0.5 Travel$ per S$1.

Saw from: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22992499-post3029.html

It's for the first S$10,000 spend per calendar month. So it's ok. Phew!

[sabian]

Well I use my EzLink at Cold Storage (linked to Maybank Horizon - I have RI) which also yields 4mls/S$. Otherwise for local spend I use the Citi PM Amex for 1.4mls/S$ and the Citi Plat for the groceries or department stores (except Taka for up to 50$ still use EzLink).

I got a Citi Prestige invite but passed on it.

I don't have any UOB cards and really don't like that bank But then 4mls/S$ is a good argument to overcome that animosity and I do shop at FairPrice now as there is a new Finest one nearby these days.

Just to get this right, with the UOB PPV new rules as of Jul 1, 2014 I can spend basically around 2.4K SGD per year on PayWave or online transactions for the 4mls per dollar right? After that not that interesting I gather.

Thanks.

12K per year. $UNI 24K or 48K air miles max.

[sabian]

Then I've got no idea which card to turn to... (what exactly were you seeking feedback for, anyway?)

I've gotten quite a few freebies from the card, and I thought I was getting more miles too due to relationship history

Which card depends on what you spend on.

[Kyo]

In Singapore, restaurants (alot, but don't think there's any particular card that is heads and shoulders above the other), cinemas, car and airlines, misc. Overseas, restaurants, hotels and the occassional airplane ticket. I mean, the amount spent is probably huge enough that even though we shop at Cold Storage, it wouldn't make a huge difference if we changed to NTUC. We use PremierMiles for the occasional grocery bill thanks to the Visa Paywave, and everything else goes on the Prestige Mastercard.

Will look into ANS Travel Signature but it seems like it's about to be neutered.

[sabian]

In Singapore, restaurants (alot, but don't think there's any particular card that is heads and shoulders above the other), cinemas, car and airlines, misc. Overseas, restaurants, hotels and the occassional airplane ticket. I mean, the amount spent is probably huge enough that even though we shop at Cold Storage, it wouldn't make a huge difference if we changed to NTUC. We use PremierMiles for the occasional grocery bill thanks to the Visa Paywave, and everything else goes on the Prestige Mastercard.

Will look into ANS Travel Signature but it seems like it's about to be neutered.

If the restaurants you dine at are not hotel restaurants and they accept AMEX, go for UOB Preferred AMEX. 4 miles/ $ is a good enough reason for me to.

For cinemas, if you are a regular GV non-3D patron and have a HSBC credit card, go get the $85 HSBC GV movie card (loaded with 10 tickets) from any GV cinema.

Air tickets, it used to be ANZ (2.8 miles). But you can still get 2.8 miles at these travel related merchants. https://sg.anz.com/apps/anz-travel-c...iles-partners/

Or you can use UOB Prvi if you don't have any avenue that beats 8 miles/ $5 (or 1.6miles/ dollar).

Another useful card to have: DBS WORLD (not Plat) Woman's MasterCard. 4 miles/ $ for online spend. (Beware that most official hotel chains are not online, your booking is still manually processed. It just looks like it is an online purchase)

Citi Rewards: 4 miles/ $ if the merchants is a department store (Takashimaya/ Isetan/ Metro etc) or if their main business is selling clothes/ bags/ shoes.

UOB Preferred Platinum VISA for paywave at Fairprice/ Sheng Shiong (Not Cold Storage/ Giant/ Dairy Farm related)

If you visit China often where DCC is a !#%@$ of a problem there. Use UOB AMEX Prvi bec:

Visa/ Mastercard non-DCC forex < AMEX forex < Visa/ MasterCard DCCed forex

[Kyo]

That's a very useful snapshot. It seems the Citi Prestige is not even mentioned as a preferred card of yours. I will have to re-evaluate everything.

Frankly, I'm tempted to ask for a UOB Preferred Amex just for the restaurants.

Regarding cinemas, unfortunately I spend 99% on the reclining variety, which renders the HSBC GV card rather pointless, I believe.

Air tickets, don't use any of those websites save for Hertz and Avis (and even those, they charge only at the rental stations mostly, never immediately for any of my bookings). So, it won't count as an online/website reservation. It will count, however, as an overseas transaction. Due to having to maintain status in various hotel status programs, I also book directly with relevant corporate code on the hotel website. Third party website rates don't end up counting, most of the time. I also don't find them any cheaper. Far from it.

Will need to compare Citi Prestige earn rate vs UOB PRVI earn rate, but I thought someone here already did that a year ago... maybe vsepr?

DBS World, will keep in mind for online spend. Don't do much online shopping except for aforementioned airline tickets purchase (does that count?). This can be significant at times.

Citi Rewards, not so useful - we almost never shop in department stores.

UOB Preferred Plat vs UOB Direct (since we shop at Cold Storage which is nearest to our house), I will be looking into UOB Direct as a result. Again, does it handily beat Citi Prestige with relationship bonus?


What's DCC? Debit/Credit Card? In China I also use the Citi Prestige Mastercard most of the time... so have I been losing out all this time?

[Nick C]

What's DCC?

Dynamic Currency Conversion.

[sabian]

That's a very useful snapshot. It seems the Citi Prestige is not even mentioned as a preferred card of yours. I will have to re-evaluate everything.

Frankly, I'm tempted to ask for a UOB Preferred Amex just for the restaurants.

Regarding cinemas, unfortunately I spend 99% on the reclining variety, which renders the HSBC GV card rather pointless, I believe.

Air tickets, don't use any of those websites save for Hertz and Avis (and even those, they charge only at the rental stations mostly, never immediately for any of my bookings). So, it won't count as an online/website reservation. It will count, however, as an overseas transaction. Due to having to maintain status in various hotel status programs, I also book directly with relevant corporate code on the hotel website. Third party website rates don't end up counting, most of the time. I also don't find them any cheaper. Far from it.

Will need to compare Citi Prestige earn rate vs UOB PRVI earn rate, but I thought someone here already did that a year ago... maybe vsepr?

DBS World, will keep in mind for online spend. Don't do much online shopping except for aforementioned airline tickets purchase (does that count?). This can be significant at times.

Citi Rewards, not so useful - we almost never shop in department stores.

UOB Preferred Plat vs UOB Direct (since we shop at Cold Storage which is nearest to our house), I will be looking into UOB Direct as a result. Again, does it handily beat Citi Prestige with relationship bonus?

What's DCC? Debit/Credit Card? In China I also use the Citi Prestige Mastercard most of the time... so have I been losing out all this time?

Ok. For overseas spend, UOB Visa Signature offers 4 miles/ $ if you spend a minimum SGD 1k but not exceeding 2K within your STATEMENT MONTH. (Foreign currency spend at a local SG merchant does not count)

For DBS Woman, also capped at 2k per CALENDAR month.

DCC= Dynamic currency conversion=SCAM. Only happens on VISA/ MasterCard network.

Merchants colludes with the Banks that provides them with credit card swiping terminals that shows you the exact amount in your credit card's home currency.

(meaning if your card is issued in SG, the terminal will convert the foreign currency you are suppose to pay into SGD. They are just preying on some folks who cannot deal with not knowing the exact rate at the point of purchase.)

That leads to 3 problems:

1. The DCC conversion rate will ALWAYS be higher than Visa's or MasterCard's exchange rate.
   
2. If your card offers better point accumulation for forex transaction, you lose out as the transaction will be reflected as an SGD transaction.
   
3. The bank that issued you your credit card will tack on a surcharge (small %) to claw back the forex gain that would have otherwise been earned to compensate Visa/ Mastercard.

These 2 sites has yielded some decent rates from time to time.

http://visa.neatgroup.com/visa/CPMer...Framework=true

http://www.hotels.com/

For Citi Rewards, it works for branded boutiques too.

I know TPR is your benchmark but I'll stick my neck out, for the rare occasions where you aren't booked in a forward cabin (horrors!), ANZ's Travel Visa allows you to access the Skyview lounge in T1/ DNATA in T3 with no conditions attached but you'll need to have a Changi departure boarding pass.

That will allow you to use your Priority Pass at other lounges not within the ANZ Visa Travel Card's network (Veloce). Unfortunately, there are no TPRs overseas.

[KC*]

Why I hold back from ANZ is that they only have access to Veloce lounges now and there are just so few of them.

Like Kyo, the bulk of my spendings go onto my Citi Prestige and a small number of random transactions to my PremierMiles.

Kyo - is there additional benefits of using Pay Wave as opposed to the standard PM card?

[Kyo]

It's faster to wave and go?

Will look closer at Veloce's network, thanks sabian! I found your post interesting and useful nonetheless and mat tweak my spending soon to match. I never use the DCC after getting conned the first time in 2009, I think

All of $41 that was, so no harm done. No probs in China where I use the MasterCard...

[YK@HKG]

My credit card usage in Singapore:
1. Air tickets
Values > S$5k - Citibank PM AE (S$1=2.5 miles; there was a promo of S$1=3 miles sometime this year)

Values between S$2k-5k (per calendar month) - ANZ Travel Visa Signature (S$1=2.8 miles, up to a maximum of S$5k or 14k miles)

Values <=S$2k (per calendar month) - DBS Women's World Master Card (S$1=4 miles)

2. Shopping centres, bags, clothings (both local and overseas; and also in Changi Airport)
Citibank Rewards Card (S$1=4 miles)

3. Grocery shopping and restaurants & shops that accept PayWave
UOB Platinum Preferred Visa (S$1=4 miles) - new rulings on the PayWave transaction may alter my spending pattern for this card.

4. Online transactions (including PayPal, Apple Shop, etc)
Values <= S$2k (per calendar month) - DBS Women World's Master Card (S$1=4 miles, also for air-tickets but not for hotels)
May also use UOB PPV (S$1=4 miles, if not travel-related)

5. Local and overseas transactions that can not covered under the above 3
Those that accept AE - UOB PRVI (S$5=8 miles for local and S$5=12.5 mils for overseas)

Those that do not accept AE - ANZ Travel Visa Signature

6. Bills payment (currently Starhub and SP Services only)
DBS Altitude Visa Card (S$5 = 6 miles)

That should pretty much cover most transactions. I also have the HSBC VI Card which I applied for just to buy miles (45k miles for S$535). I was also offered the Citibank Prestige card but declined as the rate is pretty much the same as the other cards I have.

[Nick C]

That leads to 3 problems:

1. The DCC conversion rate will ALWAYS be higher than Visa's or MasterCard's exchange rate.
   
2. If your card offers better point accumulation for forex transaction, you lose out as the transaction will be reflected as an SGD transaction.
   
3. The bank that issued you your credit card will tack on a surcharge (small %) to claw back the forex gain that would have otherwise been earned to compensate Visa/ Mastercard.

I prefer using DCC whenever possible for work claims as the forex rate is pegged to IATA's (which is really bad )

[sabian]

I prefer using DCC whenever possible for work claims as the forex rate is pegged to IATA's (which is really bad )

You mean Visa/ MC forex rate are pegged to IATA's?

http://usa.visa.com/personal/card-be...calculator.jsp

[sabian]

Why I hold back from ANZ is that they only have access to Veloce lounges now and there are just so few of them.

Like Kyo, the bulk of my spendings go onto my Citi Prestige and a small number of random transactions to my PremierMiles.

Kyo - is there additional benefits of using Pay Wave as opposed to the standard PM card?

If you are flying out of SIN most of the time, you've got the departing lounge covered (but in T1 and T3 only).

That allows you to use your P. Pass on your return leg (unless your P. Pass allows unlimited free entries).

No difference for paywave and non-paywave if you are not referring to UOB's PP Visa.

[demue]

My credit card usage in Singapore:
1. Air tickets
Values > S$5k - Citibank PM AE (S$1=2.5 miles; there was a promo of S$1=3 miles sometime this year)

Values between S$2k-5k (per calendar month) - ANZ Travel Visa Signature (S$1=2.8 miles, up to a maximum of S$5k or 14k miles)

Values <=S$2k (per calendar month) - DBS Women's World Master Card (S$1=4 miles)

2. Shopping centres, bags, clothings (both local and overseas; and also in Changi Airport)
Citibank Rewards Card (S$1=4 miles)

3. Grocery shopping and restaurants & shops that accept PayWave
UOB Platinum Preferred Visa (S$1=4 miles) - new rulings on the PayWave transaction may alter my spending pattern for this card.

4. Online transactions (including PayPal, Apple Shop, etc)
Values <= S$2k (per calendar month) - DBS Women World's Master Card (S$1=4 miles, also for air-tickets but not for hotels)
May also use UOB PPV (S$1=4 miles, if not travel-related)

5. Local and overseas transactions that can not covered under the above 3
Those that accept AE - UOB PRVI (S$5=8 miles for local and S$5=12.5 mils for overseas)

Those that do not accept AE - ANZ Travel Visa Signature

6. Bills payment (currently Starhub and SP Services only)
DBS Altitude Visa Card (S$5 = 6 miles)

That should pretty much cover most transactions. I also have the HSBC VI Card which I applied for just to buy miles (45k miles for S$535). I was also offered the Citibank Prestige card but declined as the rate is pretty much the same as the other cards I have.

That's impressive and well planned. Not sure I can be bothered to be so dilligent. One thought if you want to improve your earning from your Starhub spend. I have it linked to my Citi PM Amex and it generates 1.4mls/S$. MY SP Power also goes to DBS Altitude, the only thing I used that card for these days.

Personally I think I will replace the Citi Plat now with the Citi Rewards and get a UOB Visa PPV (for my NTUC groceries & online shopping). BTW, Redmart online shop for groceries would count as online shopping? Anyone knows? That would be good use for UOB Visa PPV too.