July 23, 2017 has been a daunting date for many Citi Prestige cardholders for about a year, since over a year ago, Citi announced the (mostly negative) changes that would come to Citi Prestige as of this date.  Now the changes finally kicked in: (1) American Airlines Admirals Club access is gone; (2) ThankYou (TY) points fixed value flight redemption has gone down from 1.6 cents per point (cpp) on American flights and 1.33 cpp on other airlines to 1.25 cpp across the board; (3) three rounds of free golf is gone; (4) 4th Night Free feature is based on the average rate over the entire stay rather than the actual rate of the 4th night (taxed will also be excluded in the statement credit), and you may now book hotels through ThankYou.com, in addition to calling Citi Concierge.  Citi threw in some enhancements: a new metal card design (everyone else in the high-end market has had this for a while), increased cash rewards from 0.5 cpp to 1 cpp (cashing out is not the best option to redeem TY points anyway), and the best ever signup bonus of 75,000 points (we don't know how long it will last though).

Obviously, we consider this as a major devaluation of this once dominating player in the high-end card market. It drops out of the Top 10 Best Card for Rewards (previously #9; our valuation of TY points earned from Citi Prestige has gone down from 1.6 cpp to 1.5 cpp, as the flexible feature that allows points to be transferred to frequent flyer programs such as Cathay Pacific, Singapore, Flying Blue, Etihad, etc. remains untouched).  Citi Prestige's position on the Top 10 Best Cards for Perks also changes from #3 to #7.  As a result, even the increased signup bonus doesn't prevent Citi Prestige from dropping one position on our Top 10 Best Credit Card list, surpassed by U.S. Bank Altitude Rewards.

At the same time, another Citi card - ThankYou Premier is gaining ground with the increased signup bonus from 30K to 50K.  ThankYou Premier is now #4 Best Credit Card by Dr. Credit Card, right behind its big brother.

Here are the snap shots of our Top 10 list before and after the changes.

We have been continuing to make updates throughout the site.  Here are the highlights of the week.

• Effective June 1, 2017, Amex Business Platinum has reduced the 50% rebates to 35% for its fixed-value redemption option when you use "Pay with Points".  Amex introduced the 50% rebate feature back in October 2016, essentially making the Membership Rewards (MR) points worth a fixed value of 2 cents each, when buying First or Business Class tickets with any airline through amextravel.com, and Economy Class tickets with your selected airline also through amextravel.com.  We wrote, "This makes Business Platinum Card a 2% & 10% rewards card, for general purchases and airfare, respectively.  In addition, it opens up opportunities for other MR cards to become more valuable, at least on paper.  For example, when paired with Business Platinum Card, EveryDay Preferred will return stunning 9%, 6%, and 3% rewards for grocery, gas, and general purchases; the personal Platinum Card will return 10% rewards for airfare; Amex PR Gold will return 6% and 4% rewards for airfare and gas/grocery/dining."  Amex has come to the conclusion that this feature is too generous and thus decided to kill it.  Now with the reduced 35% rebates, MR points will be worth 1.54 cents each when you use the "Pay with Points" option, and this value is actually similar to our valuation of MR points when you transfer points to the 21 partner airline or hotel programs.  If you applied the card between October 5, 2016 and May 31, 2017, you are allowed to keep the 50% rebates for a full year.
• Chase has brought the best ever signup offers for its Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa cards, you will receive 60,000 points (~$840 in travel rewards) on each of the three cards: Southwest RR Premier Visa, Southwest RR Premier Business Visa, and Southwest RR Plus Visa.  This is the highest signup bonus on these cards.  Please see our review for details and the signup links.  When you sign up two of these cards, you will receive 120,000 points which more than gets you the very lucrative Southwest Companion Pass status.  After you receive the signup bonuses, you will be upgraded to Companion Pass status for the rest of 2017 all the way to February 2019.
• Amex has another round of limited-time offers for its Delta SkyMiles cards: 70,000 miles on Delta Platinum Amex (both personal and business) and 60,000 miles on Delta Gold Amex (both personal and business).  Please see our review for details and the signup links.

Amex Blue Business Plus now replaces Amex Blue Business as the entry level Membership Rewards (MR) business card, with no annual fees.  Not only does it offer better rewards for most consumers - 2x (up to $50K spent per year) vs. 1.3x MR points, but it allows points to be transferred to frequent traveler miles/points without another premium MR card.  Amex Blue Business Plus is the first card ever that returns 2x points for general spending while allowing frequent traveler miles/points transfer.  Previously, the best cards of this type (earning SPG, MR, UR, TY, etc.) "only" return 1.5x points: Freedom Unlimited (no annual fee) returns 1.5x UR points but requires another premium UR card to allow miles/points transfer; Amex EveryDay Preferred ($95 annual fee) returns 1.5x MR points with a requirement of at least 30 transactions per month.  Based on our current valuation of MR points at 1.5 cents a piece, the Blue Business Plus returns an impressive 3% travel rewards for general spending; the only downside is that the 2x applies to the first $50,000 spent each year.  Please see our Amex Blue Business Plus review for details.  We are now even calling this no-fee card the "King of Business Cards" due to its lucrative rewards potential.

UBS has joined the already (over) heated high-end credit card market, with its Visa Infinite credit card.  Its 3-2-1 rewards structure competes well with its competitors, and while the maximum value is 1.8 cents per point (cpp), our more realistic valuation is around 1.5 cpp.  However, bear in mind that these points can not be transferred to frequent traveler points/miles, as in the case of its major competitors, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Prestige, Amex Platinum.  Please see our UBS Visa Infinite review for details.  While it could be potentially rated high on our Top 10 Best Credit Cards list, as UBS's intention is to cater for its ultra affluent clients, we need more time to evaluate how easily accessible it is to regular consumers.  Now if you are not a UBS client, you have to call the 800 number and request an application to be mailed to you.

We have been continuing to make updates throughout the site, including an updated review for Delta SkyMiles Amex Cards with enhanced signup bonus (60K for Gold versions, 70K for Platinum versions)

© 2017 DrCreditCard.net  All rights reserved.

It is obvious that U.S. Bank learned a lot from the success of Chase Sapphire Reserve Visa Infinite, our #1 Best Credit Card.  Intentional leaks a few weeks before the official launch of its high-end Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite have already made many super excited.  On May 1, 2017, with the introduction of Altitude Reserve, most of the rumored details were confirmed true - Altitude Reserve offers a 50,000 points signup bonus (=$750 in travel rewards), $325 annual travel credits that are easy to recover, 3x points on travel and mobile pay spending (=4.5% travel rewards), Priority Pass Select membership with four free visits each year, hotel privileges through Visa Infinite, primary rental car collision coverage, and the highest level of travel/consumer protection among all U.S. Bank credit cards, all come with a $400 annual fee.  As you may have noticed, many of Sapphire Reserve's winning features are found here; however, we do welcome the competition it brings to the already heated high-end card market.  Please see our review for detailed facts and analysis of this card.

It comes no surprise that Altitude Reserve scores high in all four "P"s we evaluated - Promotion (#15 Best Card for Signup Bonus), Points (#2 Best Card for Rewards), Perks, and Protection.  Overall, it is now rated #3 Best Credit Card by Dr. Credit Card, right behind Sapphire Reserve and Citi Prestige.  As a result, our #1 Best Card for Rewards, Amex EveryDay Preferred, previously #10 Best Credit Card by Dr. Credit Card, falls off the Top 10 list.

During last couple of weeks, we continued updating the website.  You probably don't want to miss out the enhanced signup bonus on Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select MC (60K each, for personal and business) and BofA Alaska Visa (30K + $100 credit + one free companion certificate).
​
© 2017 DrCreditCard.net  All rights reserved.

As discussed before, Amex's iconic Platinum Card has several changes effective March 30, 2017.  We will recap the changes below:
​
Personal Platinum Card: (1) the annual fee is increased by $100 to $550; (2) free additional Gold Cards (used to be $45 for up to five additional Gold Cards); (3) receive up to $200 in Uber credits each year (limited to $15 per month plus a bonus $20 in December); (4) receive 5x Membership Rewards (MR) points on prepaid hotels and travel packages booked through amextravel.com (airfare booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel has been earning 5x since last October); (5) its complimentary Priority Pass Select membership now allows two guests for free (used to be $27 per guest); (6) a new metal card design to rival Chase's Sapphire Reserve and Ritz-Carlton Visa; (7) the regular signup bonus is also increased from 40,000 points (after $3,000 spending) to 60,000 points (after $5,000 spending).  

Business Platinum Card: (1) the annual fee is kept at $450 and there won't be any Uber credit; (2) receive 5x points on airfare, prepaid hotels, and travel packages booked through AmexTravel.com; (3) its complimentary Priority Pass Select membership now allows two guests for free.

Even with a $100 increase in annual fees, the increased signup bonus and enhanced travel perks obviously makes the personal Platinum Card better than ever before.  It now overtakes JPM Ritz-Carlton Visa as the #1 Credit Card for Perks.  More significantly, the personal Platinum Card jumps from #8 to #5 on the list of Top 10 Best Credit Cards by Dr. Credit Card.  Chase Sapphire Preferred, Citi ThankYou Premier and Chase United MP Club Visa all drops by one spot as a result.  We also want to mention that Chase Sapphire Reserve still firmly holds the #1 position, even after the recent decrease in signup bonus (from 100K to 50K), as the gap was just too wide for the runner-up Citi Prestige.

If you have a small business, we argue that the business Platinum Card is probably even more attractive.  First of all, you essentially trade $200 Uber credits for the $100 difference in annual fees.  As the Uber credits are $15 per month (with a $20 bonus in December) and expire at the end of each month, most consumers probably won't be able to come out ahead with the $100 increase in annual fees on the personal card.  Secondly, even though the business version's 5x airfare is limited only to purchases made through amextravel.com while the personal version allows airfare booked directly with airlines, as there is no booking fees and the price is essentially the same and you could still earn miles on tickets booked via third parties, we feel that the business version comes very close in this area.  Of course, you need to consider the fact that some airlines such as Southwest can not be booked through Amex.  Also note that we don't consider 5x prepaid hotels and travel packages a major enhancement, because hotels booked via amextravel.com (and in fact most third parties online travel agencies) are not eligible to earn hotel points, stay credits, or elite benefits.  Lastly and perhaps the most importantly, while both cards allows MR points to be transferred to frequent travelers miles/points and our value for MR points redeemed this way is 1.5 cents per point, the business version offers another unique redemption option essentially returning a fixed value of 2 cents per point when redeeming MR points for airfare through Amex.  This unique option makes the business version a 2-10% rewards card, for general purchases and airfare, respectively.  It also opens up opportunities for other MR cards such as Amex EveryDay Preferred and Amex PR Gold to return higher reward value, at least on paper.

© 2017 DrCreditCard.net  All rights reserved.

We have been continuing to make updates throughout the site.  Here are some highlights.

• Chase has brought to us the best signup bonus on its Marriott Visa personal card.  You will receive 107,500 Marriott Rewards points after you spend $5,000 and add an authorized user within 3 months of  new account opening.  As the Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) programs are on the way to integrate and allow points transfer between linked accounts at a ratio of 3:1, our valuation of Marriott Rewards points is now 0.75 cent per point, exactly a third of that of SPG points.  The $85 annual fee is not waived, so this signup bonus is worth ~$720 in our book.  107,500 Marriott points can be transferred to 35,833 SPG points, and this offer is similar in value to Amex SPG which offers 35,000 SPG points with an annual fee waiver.
• Amex has upped signup bonus of its Amex Hilton Surpass (annual fee $75) and regular Amex Hilton (no annual fee): Surpass offers 100K points upon signup plus a free weekend night at select Hilton Worldwide hotels after you pay the second annual fee; the regular Hilton Amex offers 80K points on signup.  As our valuation of Hilton points is 0.4 cent per point, the signup bonus is worth $325 for Surpass and $320 for regular Hilton Amex, respectively.  For the second year after paying the $75 annual fee, Surpass also gives a free night, which can invaluable.  Both signup offers are the best in history.

© 2017 DrCreditCard.net  All rights reserved.

We have been making updates throughout the site and this post highlights some of them plus some recent news.

• We have reviewed Cathay Pacific Visa Signature, a new product by Synchrony Bank with an annual fee of $95.  The signup bonus is 25,000 miles after spending $2,500 within 3 months of new account opening and is worth about $230 in our booking considering the first year annual fee.  It did not make to our Promotion page because we only list deals that are more than $300 in value.
• Singapore Airlines is devaluating its KrisFlyer miles as of March 23, 2017.  The redemption value will increase for premium cabin travel and they also remove the online redemption discount; however, they will also remove the fuel surcharges associated Singapore Airlines redemption.  This is to encourage more economy class redemption versus business class or first class.  Our valuation of KrisFlyer miles will be adjusted slightly from 1.5 cents a piece to 1.4 cents.  Citi ThankYou points, which allow transfer to multiple programs including KrisFlyer, will also be worth around 1.4 cents in our book, as KrisFlyer offers the best value among ThankYou's transfer partner, in our book.  As always, your milage may value.
• Between March 2 and April 30, 2017, you will receive 50% bonus when you transfer Citi ThankYou points to TrueBlue points, the frequent flyer currency of JetBlue.  Normally ThankYou points transfer to TrueBlue points at a 5:4 ratio, so with this promotion they transfer at a 1:1.2 ratio.  TrueBlue points are loosely revenue based and the redemption value ranges from 1 to 1.8 cents a piece; our value is 1.4 cents.  When you take advantage of this limited time promotion, your ThankYou points can be worth 1.68 cents, slightly higher than our normal value of ThankYou points at 1.4 cents.  We recommend using this promotion only when you have a plan ready and have an idea of how many TB points you will need for your travel.
• Amex promised more changes to its iconic Platinum Card when it enhanced this product back in last October.  Now the changes are finally coming effective March 30, 2017.  Personal Platinum Card will have the annual fees increased by $100 to $550, and receive 5x on prepaid hotels booked via AmexTravel.com, $200 in Uber credits annually (limited to $15 per month plus an additional $20 in December), free additional Gold Card, enhanced Priority Pass Select guest policy (two free guests per visit versus none before), and finally a new metal card design to rival Chase's Sapphire Reserve and Ritz-Carlton Visa .  Business Platinum Card will keep the same $450 annual fee and receive 5x points on airfare and prepaid hotels booked via AmexTravel.com and enhanced Priority Pass Select guest policy.  Looks like Amex will continue to differentiate the personal and business version of this card.  We will update our review after the changes kick in.

© 2017 DrCreditCard.net  All rights reserved.

Amex SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest), the No.3 Best Credit Card by Dr. Credit Card, has come back to give the 35K offer once again.  This is the best signup bonus on this card in terms of total points; however, the spending requirement is a little higher than the similar offer that came out about a year ago.  If you open both personal and business SPG Card, you will receive a total of 70,000 points.  Keep in mind that you can only get the signup bonus when you have never received bonus on the specific card before.  For example, if you received bonus on the personal SPG Card before you are not eligible for the 35K on the personal card, but if you never received bonus on the business card then you are still eligible for the 35K on the business card.

With the merger between Marriott and Starwood, you can now link your SPG account to your Marriott / Ritz-Carlton Rewards account and transfer SPG points to Marriott / Ritz-Carlton Rewards points at a ratio of 1:3.  Thus the signup bonus of 35,000 SPG points equals to 105,000 Marriott points.  If you open both personal and business cards, you can transfer 70,000 SPG points to 210,000 Marriott points.  As we expect at some point, Amex SPG Card will be gone, it is your best chance of getting a boatload of SPG/Marriott points if you have never had SPG Card before. 

Personal Amex SPG Landing Page: you will receive 25,000 points after spending $3,000 within 3 months of new account opening, and another 10,000 points after spending an additional $2,000 within 6 months, thus a total of 35,000 points with $5,000 spent.

Business Amex SPG Landing Page: You will receive 25,000 points after spending $5,000 within 3 months of new account opening, and another 10,000 points after spending an additional $3,000 within 6 months, thus a total of 35,000 points with $8,000 spent.

There have been quite some updates throughout the site and these are the highlights for the past week.

• Chase United MP Explorer is offering a public 55K miles bonus, without an annual fee waiver.  For quite some time, the same offer is targeted to many United MP members, and of course the public offer is always better.  Note that the business version still offers a 50K mile bonus with the first year annual fee waiver.
• We noticed the landing page for JPM Ritz-Carlton Visa's three Tier 1-4 free night offer was dead and re-directed to the new (and reduced) offer of two free nights.  The old application link was kept alive for a few days before pulled.  However, there is a landing page for three free nights that indicates an expiration date of November 30, 2016.  You may try it at your discretion, with the worst scenario being you just receive two free nights instead of three.  Note that Ritz-Carlton Visa is currently exempt from the infamous Chase 5/24 rule which disqualifies you from getting a new Chase card if you have opened five or more credit card accounts in the previous 24 months.  As long as you did not receive a signup bonus on the Ritz-Carlton Card within 24 months, you are eligible for the new signup bonus.  Keep in mind that you can't redeem the free Tier 1-4 certificates at 13 top-tier (Tier 5) properties including The Ritz-Carlton in New York Central Park, Bachelor Gulch, Naples, Miami South Beach, Miami Bal Harbour, Miami Key Biscayne, Grand Cayman, St. Thomas, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hong Kong, Shanghai Pudong, and Dubai.  However, there are still some amazing properties that are Tier 1-4, such as the ones in Half Moon Bay (rates from $599 per night), San Fransisco (from $399), Laguna Niguel (from $479), Los Angeles (from $409), Washington DC (from $329), Georgetown Washington DC (from $409), Boston (from $345), Dallas (from $399), Charlotte (from $399), Reynolds Lake Oconee (from $309), Maui Kapalua (from $399), Cancun (from $299), Aruba (from $299), Hotel de la Paix in Geneva (from $475), Vienna (from $360), Herzliya (from $395), and Macau (from $460)
• We discovered the website for Visa Infinite Hotels that is available to any U.S. issued Visa Infinite card.  Visit VisaInfiniteHotels.com to book a hotel - you have to type in your Visa Infinite card number before start searching for hotels.  Visa Infinite Hotel Collection covers a subset (~200) of Visa Signature hotels (900+ luxury hotels and resorts worldwide) but offers an extra perk such as a $75 dining credit or $100 spa/hotel/rate credit per stay, in addition to Visa Signature Hotel Collection's 7 perks (guaranteed lowest rates, daily complimentary breakfasts for two, room upgrades upon availability, late checkout upon availability, $25 food and beverage credit per stay, free room wi-fi, and VIP amenities).  Currently, the only three U.S. issued Visa Infinite cards - CNB Crystal, Chase Sapphire Reserve / JPM Reserve, and JPM Ritz-Carlton Card - participate in both programs.

We have been making updates throughout the site and this post highlights some changes:

• We finally reviewed the new Avianca LifeMiles credit cards which was introduced last November.  Banco Popular in Puerto Rico is the issuer of these new cards.  You can earn a 60,000-mile signup bonus when you use a special promotion code in the application of Avianca LifeMiles Vuela Visa.
• Amex has reduced the amazing signup bonus on its Business Platinum Card from 100,000 points to 75,000.  This signup bonus is still worth a lot - $1,250 in our book.  The requirement to receive the full bonus was also increased from $15K to $20K.
• Amex has changed the signup bonus on its SimplyCash Plus Business Card to $400 with a spending requirement of $15K.  This is a non-fee business card and normally doesn't offer a signup bonus.
• Southwest Airlines changes how the potentially lucrative Companion Pass is earned.  Points transferred from hotel or rental car programs no longer count toward annual Companion Pass qualification.  However, points earned from the co-branded credit cards, including the signup bonus, continue to qualify.