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Hi, is there a site that lists all the benefits of a chairmans card in detail?
Thankx
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10 second search on google and here it is.
http://www.getuniversalcard.com/us/cards/cardserv/premierpass/chairman/index.jsp
I received my card last week, but have no had a chance to use it or compare it to my AmEx Plat or ML+.
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I have not been that impressed with the card. I woud just as soon use the 500 annual fee for the card to buy a real lounge membership with a particular airline.
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More details here (http://www.smithbarney.com/pdf/chairmanbook.pdf) .
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I can explain how the chairman Card works as I used to have one and canceled it because Citibank only Waived the annual fee for the first year on it.
The airport access for chairman Card is provided by Priority Pass So you dont get access to some airlines lounges (CO, NW, DL) like you do with American Express Plat but this 3rd party company runs there own clubs in a lot of major airports. This is the same program they give you if you have the Diners Club Card which costs $95 a year. And Centurion Card($2500)
For the most part both chairman Card and Citi PremierPass Card - Elite Level $75 Annual fee has the same benfits. Both have the same Citibank "Thank You" reward program. Both earns points at the same rate. 1 point for every mile you fly on any airline. 2 points for every dollar you spend at supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, commuter transportation and parking merchants.1 point for every dollar you spend on all other purchases. chairman Card has no point limit but points can only be redem in equal amounts flown point to spent points just like the PremierPass Card which has 100,000 flown points + 100,000 spending point limit.
Now on the Complimentary companion tickets there are some differnces mainly Citi PremierPass Card - Elite Level you can only buy domestic coach tickets from a company called "Sprint Travel" who for the most parts tickets save you between $20-$50 vs buying 2 tickets direct from the airline without having the saturday night stay requirement. Chairman Card offers the same domestic coach tickets offer but expands it to includes first-class domestic and international first-class tickets. Again American Express Platium Card Internatinal first-class program seems to be slightly better as you can buy your ticket direct from any airlines without having to buy "Sprint Travel" overpriced ticket.American Express promo also does not require a Saturday night stay and does not need to start and end in the USA. So with American Express you can buy for example a London-Paris ticket but not with the chairman Card.
Chairman Card Personal Assistants can help arrange the perfect anniversary surprise party or family vacation - This is the same Diners Club Concierge Service as a matter of fact Citigroup uses the same call centers for both. Again Diners Club is $95 Vs chairman Card is $400
Now for the benfits you get with Chairman Card that no other Citigroup Card gives you but only Centurion Card($2500 Annual Fee) from American Express or American Express Platium gives you.
Gold VIP status in the Hilton HHonors - Same benfit you get from Centurion Card ($2500)
Leading Hotels of the World contracted 20% off of retail price. Both Chairman Card and Platium American Express($400) and Centurion Card($2500) offer this benfit.
On-Demand Air Chartering Privileges - Both Chairman Card And Centurion Card offer this benfit. Not like I think anyone who reads this forum will ever use this service but you still have the option to really over pay for a LA-NYC ticket if you want.
Granteed the American Express Centurion has many other benfits over the Chairman Card but for an extra $2100 a year. But you can get both a PremierPass Card - Elite Level + a Diners Club card for $170 and have more or less all the same benfits as Chairman Card for lot less except first-class companion ticket promo + some minor hotels benfits and an airline chater service.
Quoted from my post on Fatwallet.com
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<<airport access for chairman Card is provided by Priority Pass So you dont get access to some airlines lounges (CO, NW, DL) like you do with American Express Plat but this 3rd party company runs there own clubs in a lot of major airports. This is the same program they give you if you have the Diners Club Card which costs $95 a year.>>
Diners Club, in the USA, does not include Priority Pass. The Diners Club lounge network is smaller. In particular, it includes only two US airports (Miami and Newark), while Priority Pass advertises locations at over 50 US airports.
<<1 point for every mile you fly on any airline. 2 points for every dollar you spend at supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, commuter transportation and parking merchants.1 point for every dollar you spend on all other purchases>>
Chairman Card earns two additional Thank You points, for a total of three, at supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, commuter transportation and parking merchants.
Note that Hilton Gold status can also be obtained "free" by spending $25,000 per calendar year on the American Express HHonors credit card.
dennis
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<<Diners Club, in the USA, does not include Priority Pass. The Diners Club lounge network is smaller. In particular, it includes only two US airports (Miami and Newark), while Priority Pass advertises locations at over 50 US airports.
<<1 point for every mile you fly on any airline. 2 points for every dollar you spend at supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, commuter transportation and parking merchants.1 point for every dollar you spend on all other purchases>>
Chairman Card earns two additional Thank You points, for a total of three, at supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, commuter transportation and parking merchants.
dennis
Sorry about Airport access you correct about it. I think Diners at one point had more lounges. I normally fly on mileage first class tickets so I get access to airlines own lounges for free did not notice over the last couple of years Diners Club reduced there number of lounges in the USA.
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Sorry about Airport access you correct about it. I think Diners at one point had more lounges. I normally fly on mileage first class tickets so I get access to airlines own lounges for free did not notice over the last couple of years Diners Club reduced there number of lounges in the USA.
I upgraded from Premier Pass to Chairman. I also have an Amex Gold and was considering upgrading that to Plat. However, the flight bonuses through the Thank You program with PremierPass/Chairman blow Amex out of the water. My husband and I buy an average of 3-4 plane tickets per month and put them on the chairman card. I put almost all of our household expenses on the chairman card. So, we are racking up about 10-12K points a month on this card. Plus, you get Priority Pass and Hilton Hhonors Gold with Chairman. Yeah, Centurion is probably a better card, but, compare $400 a year to $2500 a year.
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My husband and I buy an average of 3-4 plane tickets per month and put them on the chairman card. I put almost all of our household expenses on the chairman card. So, we are racking up about 10-12K points a month on this card.
Only problem I noticed that was bad with both Chairman and PP cards is you can only redem points in equal amounts flight to purchases points. So if you do many long haul flights you could get many more flights points over purchases points a month.
Example LAX-CDG roundtrip ticket can be bought for as little as $500 but will earn you 11,340 flight points. So until you dont charge $11,340 dollars to your card you wont be able to redem thoses points. And bonus points from supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, commuter transportation and parking dont count towards flight points redemtion. So basically the program just gives you 1 extra point for all purchases if you happen to buy your ticket with the card.
And another side note I paid the taxes on free milage ticket was given the flight points. So flight points have nothing to do with purchase amount either. Taxes I paid on LAX-CDG ticket was $103.11
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Only problem I noticed that was bad with both Chairman and PP cards is you can only redem points in equal amounts flight to purchases points. So if you do many long haul flights you could get many more flights points over purchases points a month.
That is true. If you are putting tons of flight points on the card, you have to equal it out with purchase points. However, I don't seem to have a problem with racking up lots of purchase points too. Too much shopping, hehehehe!
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That is true. If you are putting tons of flight points on the card, you have to equal it out with purchase points. However, I don't seem to have a problem with racking up lots of purchase points too. Too much shopping, hehehehe!
I think points accumulation is better with the Diamond Preferred Credit Card, where you get up to 5 points per dolllar spent at supermarkets, gas stations, etc. Too bad you can't use those points and match the flight points on the Premier Pass or Chairman Card.
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I think points accumulation is better with the Diamond Preferred Credit Card, where you get up to 5 points per dolllar spent at supermarkets, gas stations, etc. Too bad you can't use those points and match the flight points on the Premier Pass or Chairman Card.
Were the Chairman and PP card make sense only if you purchase flights with your card then you really getting 1 extra point per dollar spent on the card. Ie 2 points per dollar spent anywhere which is much better than Diamond Preferred Credit Card. And most people will make most of there purchases at non 5% promo locations.
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The other thing that I don't think has been pointed out is that the primary cardholder can obtain an additional card (for a spouse or child) with no fee. With the Platinum card, American Express charges an additional $175.
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And bonus points from supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, commuter transportation and parking dont count towards flight points redemtion. So basically the program just gives you 1 extra point for all purchases if you happen to buy your ticket with the card.
This is absolutely not true. Any points that are not flight points can be matched. This includes the sign-up bonus points, the bonus points from supermarkets, etc., the points you can earn from ThankYou Merchants (at least under the old system--it's no longer clear whether the points still get credited to a specific credit card before going to ThankYou Network), even points that you purchase from Citi (again, under the old system; not sure if still true).
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The other thing that I don't think has been pointed out is that the primary cardholder can obtain an additional card (for a spouse or child) with no fee. With the Platinum card, American Express charges an additional $175.
I have 4 additional cardholders on my account; but I'm not sure if they qualify for any of the benefits. They do not get Priority Pass membership, for example. I signed them up for Hilton Gold a long ways back, but I'm not sure if they are technically eligible for that benefit. You'll have to read the fine print to see about additional cardholder benefits.
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This is absolutely not true. Any points that are not flight points can be matched. This includes the sign-up bonus points, the bonus points from supermarkets, etc., the points you can earn from ThankYou Merchants (at least under the old system--it's no longer clear whether the points still get credited to a specific credit card before going to ThankYou Network), even points that you purchase from Citi (again, under the old system; not sure if still true).
You might want to look at your latest statement begining with sept.On my CC statement my "Flight Points Transferred to ThankYou Account " now matches my "Purchase Points Earned" which always matches dollar amount spent my CC. The "Select Spend Points" = extra points for purchases at supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, commuter transportation and parking merchants that number + "Purchase Points Earned" ="Purchase Points Transferred to ThankYou Account".
Now my orginal 15K sign up bonus got credited as purchase points under lifetime points and not bonus points. I have yet to use there web shopping portal to make purchases so I dont at what rate or if they are even matched.
I was told by Citi and if you read TOS offically purchases points must be earned after flight points are credited to account. I understand Citi has never enforced this term but I guess they can choose to at any time they want.
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I have the Centurion, Chairman, and Carte Blanche. Here are the main benefits I use for each one (in addition to the standard benefits):
Centurion - 2 for 1 international business/first class, Fine Hotels and Resorts program, Priority Pass airport lounges, gold elite status with Delta, Continental, and US Airways airline, platinum elite status with Starwood and Intercontinental, and gold elite status with Hilton - $4,000/year ($2,500/year + $1,500/year for my wife's card)
Chairman - 2 for 1 domestic and international first class tickets and Leading Hotels of the World benefits including complimentary chauffeured airport transfers - $400, waived by Smith Barney as I have an account with them
Carte Blanche - Golf course access and additional hotel/airport lounge privileges/amenities - $300/year
I am debating on whether or not to back down to HSBC AMEX platinum, which is free each and every year (plus a free one for my spouse) if you spend $30,000/year, which, with my wife, just ain't a problem. If I did, I would go from Starwood platinum to gold, lose Intercontinental platinum, lose Continental, Delta, and US Airways Gold, and cruise onboard credits would drop from $500 to $300 (but I still get a welcome bottle of Dom Perignon). I would keep Hilton Gold and Priority Pass membership and international phone rental from the Chairman card.
So, I would get a whole lot of benefits for only $300/year as opposed to $4,300/year. If I didn't want the Golf course access and additional hotel benefits, it would only cost $95/year for all the AMEX platinum, Citicorp Chairman, and Diners Club benefits.
But, that black AMEX card sure does look impressive ;)
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I have 4 additional cardholders on my account; but I'm not sure if they qualify for any of the benefits. They do not get Priority Pass membership, for example. I signed them up for Hilton Gold a long ways back, but I'm not sure if they are technically eligible for that benefit. You'll have to read the fine print to see about additional cardholder benefits.
That is definitely true. Mostly I just got an additional card for my husband so that he could reserve flights with it and not have to always be borrowing my card. I have not checked into getting separate Gold status for him. I don't think that he even has an Hhonors account - he is a Motel 6 kind of guy! :)
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You might want to look at your latest statement begining with sept.On my CC statement my "Flight Points Transferred to ThankYou Account " now matches my "Purchase Points Earned" which always matches dollar amount spent my CC. The "Select Spend Points" = extra points for purchases at supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, commuter transportation and parking merchants that number + "Purchase Points Earned" ="Purchase Points Transferred to ThankYou Account".
Hmm, I actually don't earn any Select Spend points anymore as I charge all of that to my Diamond Preferred card (which earns 5 TY pts/$). The last statement in which I did earn bonus points was my September statement. In that I earned 17 Select Spend Points which were matched with 17 flight points. In addition to that, I earned 1806 TY Merchants points which were also matched with 1806 flight points. I guess it's possible they switched after my September statement as my statement closes on the 8th of the month. Guess I'll have to charge something on there and find out.
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[QUOTE=pterostyrax]Chairman - 2 for 1 domestic and international first class tickets and Leading Hotels of the World benefits including complimentary chauffeured airport transfers - $400, waived by Smith Barney as I have an account with them
You might want to double check with your FC about $400 annual fee. I was told very clearly by mine they SB will only waive the annual fee the first year. I canceled mine when they billed me the annual fee.
Btw "Leading Hotels of the World" is basically same benfit you get from FHR program of Amex.
Problem with 2-4-1 with Chairman card was you have buy the tickets from Sprint travel which many times end saving you no more $50 or so even on 2 FC domestic tickets.
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[QUOTE=pterostyrax
Btw "Leading Hotels of the World" is basically same benfit you get from FHR program of Amex.
It's similar, but not the same. Some deals are better, some are not and additional hotels are included. As such, I like the option of being able to pick and choose between the two programs.
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You might want to look at your latest statement begining with sept.On my CC statement my "Flight Points Transferred to ThankYou Account " now matches my "Purchase Points Earned" which always matches dollar amount spent my CC. The "Select Spend Points" = extra points for purchases at supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, commuter transportation and parking merchants that number + "Purchase Points Earned" ="Purchase Points Transferred to ThankYou Account".
Now my orginal 15K sign up bonus got credited as purchase points under lifetime points and not bonus points. I have yet to use there web shopping portal to make purchases so I dont at what rate or if they are even matched.
I was told by Citi and if you read TOS offically purchases points must be earned after flight points are credited to account. I understand Citi has never enforced this term but I guess they can choose to at any time they want.
Last time I read the small print in the TC nowhere did I find it saying 'purchases points must be earned after flight points are credited to account'. If it is the case and it's not in the TC then it's a very ugly catch and we should definitely fight it. Can someone please clarify on this point with his/her own experience?
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You might want to double check with your FC about $400 annual fee. I was told very clearly by mine they SB will only waive the annual fee the first year. I canceled mine when they billed me the annual fee.
Btw "Leading Hotels of the World" is basically same benfit you get from FHR program of Amex.
Problem with 2-4-1 with Chairman card was you have buy the tickets from Sprint travel which many times end saving you no more $50 or so even on 2 FC domestic tickets.
On certain accounts (Private Wealth Mangement) the annual fee is waived continuously. Prestige clients get the first year fee waived, and Select clients get their annual fee reduced by $100 the first year.
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How is one to obtain the Chairman Card? Is it possible to have the first year fee waived?
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How is one to obtain the Chairman Card? Is it possible to have the first year fee waived?
If you have a Smith Barney account, talk to your advisor. If you have enough money, they will waive part or all of the annual fee, at least for the first year. I had a Citibank Premier Pass and upgraded to Chairman. I don't think I got the fee waived, but have not been charged for it yet either.