Question
I'm US citizen living in US.
(obviously other than buying/renting a foreign residence)
im getting tired of AMEX and MC (probably VISA too) having great offers, partners, priority pass, etc in other countries, and not getting it in the US.
while concierges like quintessentially and bluefish etc add more, and ill be signing up for some in the future, they still dont have that extensive of a network AFAIK.
i guess the one good thing is whatever they(credit card or concierge) officially offer always works.
unlike for example status with SLH or LHW.
just found a new somewhat similar program Chic Retreats. seems like 10% rate discount would always work, which isnt bad, certainly better than SLH and LHW. but they also advertise "upgrades, transfers, dinners, massages, etc" but only a very small portion of their members offer those things.
Answer
Move or get a secured card.
There are NOT any better offers overseas.
APR's are in excess of 25% except for a few EU countries.
Benefits are only useful if you are a resident: like travel insurance and discounts at Tesco or such. The other benefits will not help you unless you are there a lot.
Answer
thank you for your response, what is a secured card?
also, sorry but you are incorrect that there are not better offers. i explained plenty in my post.
Answer
A secured card is one which requires a security deposit, for example deposit $600 in a savings account to obtain a card with a $500 limit. These cards typically do not offer rewards.
Aside from Priority Pass, what are the specific benefits or rewards that you know are offered by a foreign card but not available to US cardholders? I'm afraid I could not follow your discussion about concierge services.
Answer
main thing im interested in = hotel upgrades.
so, hotels that are partnered with certain credit cards, or concierge services, or airline frequent flyer programs.
im presuming secured cards are special cards, and you cant get an amex plat or high end MC in that format.
unfortunate :(
thank you for the responses!
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hotels that are partnered with certain credit cards, or concierge services, or airline frequent flyer program
Can you mention examples of hotel chains or airlines which interest you that have relationships only with foreign cards?
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Where do you travel to?
What hotel are you wanting comp status with?
Give me all of the details and I can give you information on any of them. Not going to be too specific but my business allows me the ability to know the benefits of most cc's. So without your specifics, I can't be sure, but for most people the foreign cards are a joke to US citizens.
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my business allows me the ability to know the benefits of most cc's
What business is this? Flyertalking?? :D
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2 examples =
mastercard moments for southeast asian and pacfic cardholders
SLH AMEX rates for Plat holders outside the US
i dont care about the actual card, all i care about is the partnerships. for the mastercard moments, it is a regional thing, they include an asian resort im interested in that is not yet a member of other things.
for SLH AMEX i have no clue.. for swedish and german cardholders can do amadeus searches online. and it shows the SLH AMEX rate. when i call US PTS, they say they cant see it. its not like amadeus shows different things depending on what country you are in does it? does US PTS not use amadeus, instead using some other system? giving european cardholders things like kempinski or sofitel status is one thing, because they dont have those hotels in the US really, but not having a standard contracted rate available to a certain country seems absolutely bizarre..
i have one idea to get the SLH AMEX rate im going to try. if it works i will post about it.
Answer
2 examples =
mastercard moments for southeast asian and pacfic cardholders
SLH AMEX rates for Plat holders outside the US
i dont care about the actual card, all i care about is the partnerships. for the mastercard moments, it is a regional thing, they include an asian resort im interested in that is not yet a member of other things.
for SLH AMEX i have no clue.. for swedish and german cardholders can do amadeus searches online. and it shows the SLH AMEX rate. when i call US PTS, they say they cant see it. its not like amadeus shows different things depending on what country you are in does it? does US PTS not use amadeus, instead using some other system? giving european cardholders things like kempinski or sofitel status is one thing, because they dont have those hotels in the US really, but not having a standard contracted rate available to a certain country seems absolutely bizarre..
i have one idea to get the SLH AMEX rate im going to try. if it works i will post about it.
Luxury Hotels of the World is a benefit of Chairman.
Answer
never heard of it?
small luxury hotels of the world ("the club" status, no props recognize it)
leading hotels of the world ("leaders club" status, very few props recognize it)
SLH has contracted amex rate for non US cardholders
many SLH and LHW are members of virtuoso (free to use)
maybe chairman is like diners club and uses virtuoso agencies for travel arrangements. at first i thought virtuoso was a members only thing, but subsequently learned it is not, so no reason to pay for a credit card for it.
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I see the program that you are looking for. Maybe you should post a thread asking if anyone knows a way to get a discount in the program. I don't see a need to have the program offered as a benefit of a card. It would be like the cellphone programs IMHO not much benefit that you could not do direct.
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if you could get a fine hotel and resort rate without having an american express card, what would be the point in having an american express card? ;)
with that said, i think i have a solution to the SLH AMEX rate, because its simply not being seen by PTS.
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if you could get a fine hotel and resort rate without having an american express card, what would be the point in having an american express card? ;)
with that said, i think i have a solution to the SLH AMEX rate, because its simply not being seen by PTS.
Let us all know when you find a way to do this.
Answer
Maybe a private banker would be able to get a foreign credit card in this instance? I have been considering asking mine to research Hong Kong MasterCard options -- I am loyal to MC. I don't travel there all that often, but I have found that the MasterCard products based there are second to none in thier benefits --- mostly shopping and hotels in and out of HK. Private bankers would be helpful given that one may not have a credit profile or job in that foreign country or city i.e. me for HK or London for example.
I have found that the UK banks' credit card products for consumers are not to hot, and the best I have seen from MasterCard is via Coutts & Co -- the exclusive private bank and even that is just World level, but with a few issuer add-on benefits.
Australia might be pretty up here do, but I am not sure on the scope. You really have to think of first rate economies that have a market for transaction processing whereby the bank would want to issue credit card products to exclusive clients.
In the end I think a US based private banker (not Citigold, but more like HSBC Private Bank, particulary for Hong Kong) is the way to go to even get a thourough reply on a foreign credit card application.
good luck.
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do HK MCs have even more specific benefits? i was looking at the MC site for asia/pacific, and they had tons of great partners listed. mastercard moments partners i noted above.
thanks for the suggestion ill check into that and post an update.
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do HK MCs have even more specific benefits? i was looking at the MC site for asia/pacific, and they had tons of great partners listed. mastercard moments partners i noted above.
thanks for the suggestion ill check into that and post an update.
I had HSBC --Hong Kong credit product website--- in mind when typing the above. HSBC adds on alot of thier own benefits above and beyond those that MC offers. I think Citi in HK also has some interesting products --like thier Centurion/Chairman appearance like IT Visa ---- though I stick with MC.
Moments is akin to Premium Collection or Premium Offers from MasterCard USA/ N. America.
Also keep in mind some institutions require that payments for charges and fees be drawn on a local bank -- at least that is the way it is in the USA, and I wouuld suspect HK as well --- so you might do well to open a basic checking account and just fund it with enough to cover the cards charges -- any good private banker could help with that --- a HKD denominated checking account at the HK branch of the bank.
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I had HSBC --Hong Kong credit product website--- in mind when typing the above. HSBC adds on alot of thier own benefits above and beyond those that MC offers. I think Citi in HK also has some interesting products --like thier Centurion/Chairman appearance like IT Visa ---- though I stick with MC.
Moments is akin to Premium Collection or Premium Offers from MasterCard USA/ N. America.
Also keep in mind some institutions require that payments for charges and fees be drawn on a local bank -- at least that is the way it is in the USA, and I wouuld suspect HK as well --- so you might do well to open a basic checking account and just fund it with enough to cover the cards charges -- any good private banker could help with that --- a HKD denominated checking account at the HK branch of the bank.
U can get the AF euro denomination CC as long as u have a bank acct in eurozone.
Pymts and charges are done via your EU financial institution.
Now that u have brought it back to my mind, i thnk i will look into it.
more info here;
http://www.airfrance.fr/FR/fr/local/voyageurfrequent/paiement/american_gold.htm?BV_SessionID=@@@@1666377690.1162 118920@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdaddjefffgmgcefecekedgfndfnj.0