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Citigroup posted their Chairman Card on the Smith Barney website. For now only Smith Barney clients can apply. While nowhere near as nice looking as the Centurion Card, it looks good without the Mastercard logo (I presume the actual card has it on the front). I would definitely get one of these if I had an account with Smith Barney. Hopefully this will be rolled out to the public soon.
http://www.smithbarney.com/products_services/credit_cards/chairman.html?1
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The MasterCard logo is on the upper right corner on the back. ^
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For $400 you get a Priority Pass card and HHonors Gold, along with the standard "Thank You Points" you can get with other Citicards. Their press releases said the card was supposed to compete with AMEX Plat, but this doesn't even come close, and the Plat isn't even a very high standard!
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I like this benefit compared to the Plat Amex with domestic travel:
"Receive a complimentary companion ticket with a qualifying coach or first-class domestic ticket that meets minimum fare requirements of $359 or more for travel during low-season (Sept 16-Jan 14) or $379 for travel in high season (Jan 15-Sept 15), with a destination in the continental US. You also receive a complimentary companion ticket with the purchase of one adult roundtrip, non-restricted coach or first-class international ticket"
I wonder if there is a spending limit on this card?
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Citigroup posted their Chairman Card on the Smith Barney website. . While nowhere near as nice looking as the Centurion Card, it looks good without the Mastercard logo (I presume the actual card has it on the front).
Big "C" for "Commie" on the "Chairman" Card?
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No offense to you "Wall Street," but what gives with the big "C" and the "Chairman" name? It's sound like a card for Communist leaders and their sympathizers! When I think of Chairman, I think of Chairman Mao or other commie leaders. Alternatively, perhaps the big "C" on the card is just for "Crap." I'll pass on this card, and its Crummy benefits program!
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I like this benefit compared to the Plat Amex with domestic travel:
"Receive a complimentary companion ticket with a qualifying coach or first-class domestic ticket that meets minimum fare requirements of $359 or more for travel during low-season (Sept 16-Jan 14) or $379 for travel in high season (Jan 15-Sept 15), with a destination in the continental US. You also receive a complimentary companion ticket with the purchase of one adult roundtrip, non-restricted coach or first-class international ticket"
I wonder if there is a spending limit on this card?
This looks very similar to the premier pass companion ticket promise. IF it is the same, it is hard to use and doesn't actually save that much money... I've tried to use it a couple of times and spent many frustrating minutes with the reservation agents as they gave me really bad flight times/schedules.
Just a word of caution before you take the plunge...
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I have had the chairman card for a few months and love it...here is the deal:
If you travel a lot domestically, then the premier pass elite level would work as long as you do not earn 100,000 flight points in a given year....
if you travel intl, then the 100,000 point cap would be hit very soon..so therefore you would need to be able to earn unlimited points..
Now on the priority pass..I have done some checking around...
if you travel domestically...then an amex platinum is good since you get acess to NWA, DL and CO lounges...
if you travel intl, then get the chairman card as not every airport has a DL, NWA or Co airlines lounge....but with priority pass you are allowed acess to lounges at most of the airports in the world (go to prioritypasss.com) Also, if you are not a member of any of the airlines elite levels, then priority pass does come in handy.
The fee for priority pass - prestige level is 395--fee for chairman card is 400..what is $5?
Now the downpart---intl companion tickets are only issued with US based carriers and the last time I checked, none of the US baased airline (DL, AA, NWA, CO) cracked the top 10 in terms of service when flying intl in terms of economy, business or first.
So, if Citigroup is trying to attract certain customers (amex platinum), then it must be able to meet that expectation and this intl companion ticket is where it really falls short...
So, I love the card, but there are a few problems with it, which I hope citibank will correct.
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Anaggie
Inasmuach as you have the card, could you clarify how the Select Spend points earned when shopping at, say, a drugstore interact with the Flight Points?
To continue my example from above, let's say I buy a $500 ticket and fly 8,000 miles. Then I spend $100 at the drugstore but nothing else. I would have:
600 Purchase points ($500 + $100)
200 Select Spend points ($100 x 2)
8000 Flight points (8000 miles)
Would I be able to immediately redeem 1600 or would be only 1400?
I have had the chairman card for a few months and love it....
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I also have a Chairman card, and have had for about 3 months. I upgraded from the Premier Pass card.
The only problem is that somehow, the points between Citi and Thank You are not transferring correctly, they have shorted me 5000+ points on each statement, and I have had to call each month to get them straightened out. Also, every time you call, you get a different answer from a different person regarding how points accrue, how they transfer, and when you can use them. Apparently, we had 25,000 flight points in one month and only half as many purchase points and that was what started screwing everything up.
Even with the snafus, it is still a pretty good card though. I like the fact that I am earning enough for 2 free Mexico or Caribbean tickets every 4-6 months. We can run our business expenses through the card as well, running up the point totals faster.
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Anaggie
Inasmuach as you have the card, could you clarify how the Select Spend points earned when shopping at, say, a drugstore interact with the Flight Points?
To continue my example from above, let's say I buy a $500 ticket and fly 8,000 miles. Then I spend $100 at the drugstore but nothing else. I would have:
600 Purchase points ($500 + $100)
200 Select Spend points ($100 x 2)
8000 Flight points (8000 miles)
Would I be able to immediately redeem 1600 or would be only 1400?
You are only allowed to redeem 1 flight point per 1 purchase point..so if you accrue too manu flight points then I don't think you could redeem them...I could be wrong...also you get 3 points per dollar shopping at drugstores and so forth not the 2 points....
Since I have more purchase points that flight points, I have not had any problems redeeming...
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<<you get 3 points per dollar shopping at drugstores and so forth not the 2 points>>
Understood, but the guide shows that you receive these as two different types of points: one Purchase point plus two Select Spend points per dollar. I am trying to understand whether Select Spend points are treated the same as Purchase points in terms of matching up with Flight points.
dennis
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<<you get 3 points per dollar shopping at drugstores and so forth not the 2 points>>
Understood, but the guide shows that you receive these as two different types of points: one Purchase point plus two Select Spend points per dollar. I am trying to understand whether Select Spend points are treated the same as Purchase points in terms of matching up with Flight points.
dennis
I asked this question of the PremierPass card - and I assume the answer is the same for the chairman card. All other non-flight point categories are combined to offset flight points. So special bonus (like sign up bonus), select spend, or additional points earned at pharmacies and grocery stores are combined with purchase points. That grand total then is used to determine how many flight points you can use.
I hope that helps
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Any qualifications needed to get this card?
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<<you get 3 points per dollar shopping at drugstores and so forth not the 2 points>>
Understood, but the guide shows that you receive these as two different types of points: one Purchase point plus two Select Spend points per dollar. I am trying to understand whether Select Spend points are treated the same as Purchase points in terms of matching up with Flight points.
dennis
well...they add up the extra points with your purchase points and that way you can use them to offset your flight points...
I had a talk with chairman service today because I have had some flight points outstanding since Oct 2005 and he used the old routine "since you have more flight points than purchase points". I then proceeded to show him that in my lifetime point balance, I have way more purchase point than flight points which should according to his theory have been credited a long time ago to by Thank YOu Network. He immediately credited the points...so if you have the proof, then you should not have any problems.
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I called and inquired before, they said it was by inivtation only.
I mean c'mon...we are AMEX PLAT holders and downgrading ourselves, and they say I'm not qualified :(
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I called and inquired before, they said it was by inivtation only.
I mean c'mon...we are AMEX PLAT holders and downgrading ourselves, and they say I'm not qualified :(
to tell you the truth, I have had the AMEX patinum card and if you only travel domestic, it is a great card...if you travel intl and use a variety of airlines andn are not a part of any airlines elite level or lounge prorgram, then the chairman card is the way to go....
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My MRs are mostly domestic oen day turnarounds or same day...so its fine.
International I fly only to the largest airports, SFO, NRT, HKG and all have RCC.
BTW, your plat can get you into NW/CO/DL lounges without a BP for thier airline, I evn showed them my UA airline and then pleaded a little and it was fine :)
Those lounge must be getting quite a large kickback from AMEX for them to ignore thier own rules
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I called and inquired before, they said it was by inivtation only.
I mean c'mon...we are AMEX PLAT holders and downgrading ourselves, and they say I'm not qualified :(
No, it is not a downgrade to go from the American Express Platinum Card to the Chairman Card by Citigroup. I have both cards and I prefer the customer service and personal assistants of the Chairman Card. Even better one does not have to go through all those annoying promps to talk to a customer service representative or personal assistant. My Father who is a Centurion Charter Member and myself who is a Platinum Card holder prefer the Chairman Card's level of service over the American Express products.
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No, it is not a downgrade to go from the American Express Platinum Card to the Chairman Card by Citigroup. I have both cards and I prefer the customer service and personal assistants of the Chairman Card. Even better one does not have to go through all those annoying promps to talk to a customer service representative or personal assistant. My Father who is a Centurion Charter Member and myself who is a Platinum Card holder prefer the Chairman Card's level of service over the American Express products.
I agree; I do not know why the prior poster was declined though. I did not know you had to be "special" to get one. I had a Premier Pass for a year before I upgraded to Chairman, and a Citi Aadvantage card before that, I have a 760+ FICO now and I got the Citi Aadvantage card 6 or 7 years ago when my credit was in the toilet as a student, it was barely over 600. No one else would give me a regular credit card back then except for Citi, which is why I will always be loyal to them. I don't have a Smith Barney relationship, just a long one with Citi.
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Any qualifications needed to get this card?
According to the lady at Citibank I just spoke with the requirements are that you have "Between 1 and 5 million dollars in verifiable assets" and there is an income requirement "but the income requirement doesn't every really matter as long as you have the assets". She never did tell me what the supposed income requirement was. Finally she told me that I could not apply over the phone and she told me she has dispatched me a kit with all of the pertinent information.
I'm not quite sure why they put a top end ($5mm :confused: ) on the verifiable assets, I suppose if ou have more than that you can't apply. Perhaps they redirect you to the Amex Centurion desk...
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According to the lady at Citibank I just spoke with the requirements are that you have "Between 1 and 5 million dollars in verifiable assets" and there is an income requirement "but the income requirement doesn't every really matter as long as you have the assets". She never did tell me what the supposed income requirement was. Finally she told me that I could not apply over the phone and she told me she has dispatched me a kit with all of the pertinent information.
I'm not quite sure why they put a top end ($5mm :confused: ) on the verifiable assets, I suppose if ou have more than that you can't apply. Perhaps they redirect you to the Amex Centurion desk...
Let me try and help here. The requirements are that you have a Smith Barney Account with 1-5M in assets invested with the Smith Barney Account to reach the Select Level and over 5M is the Prestige Level. You are required to be Select, Prestige or have a Private Wealth Management account which is an old account that is no longer offered. If you meet these requirements you have the income.
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im a poor college student (relatively speaking) and i got one no problem. all i had to do was ask to upgrade from my premierpass card
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No, it is not a downgrade to go from the American Express Platinum Card to the Chairman Card by Citigroup. I have both cards and I prefer the customer service and personal assistants of the Chairman Card. Even better one does not have to go through all those annoying promps to talk to a customer service representative or personal assistant. My Father who is a Centurion Charter Member and myself who is a Platinum Card holder prefer the Chairman Card's level of service over the American Express products.
I have a Centurion card and I got my first year free on my Chairman Card and I cancel it after first year. Everyone in my Family got Chairman Card free first year based on our relationship with Citibank.
For you to even hint or say the Chairman Card is better than Centurion is a joke in itself. While I agree benfits from Centurion have been paired down a lot over the last 3 years the card still has by far the best benfits of any card on the market. If your father is a chater member like myself for $1K it will worth it weight in gold just because of the free US Airways domestic and transatlantic upgrade certs that can be used on the cheapest fair possible at the time of booking.
Or the current platium status at starwood which is good till feb 28 2007. I have been upgraded every time I stay at the St. Regis hotel in New York over the last 3 years from a standard room to a Jr. Suite. Savings there alone has been over $5K. I end up getting upgrade at almost all Starwood properties to either Jr. Suites or Suites. I cant remember the last time I did not get upgraded at a starwood property to be honest. So again the Starwood benfits alone make the Centurion card a much better choice.
Did I mention madrian stay 2 nights get a 3 night free program? Again that alone can be $600-$1000 if you use it.
The only advantage I can with the Chairman card is you earn flight miles except lets be honest here for a second. I dont know anyone who buys tickets really who has a Centurion Card except for maybe short haul flights which cost very little anyways. I earn over 1 million miles a year and I know people who earn over $5 Million points a year like my father. And if you compare the value of airlines miles redemed for First Class tickets vs value of "Thank You Points" then airline miles make "Thank You" look worthless.
For Example you know how many points you need for free first class ticket to europe in 3 class service? want to guess? 1 point = 1 penny towards the purchase price of the ticket.
So for example LAX-GDG on Air France cost $12,800 so with Amex you need 125K membership rewards points because you can transfer points into Korean Airlines to redem the ticket and with Chairman Card you need to 1.280 million points for the same ticket.
So I dont care how many flight points you get as you can only redem 1 extra flight point per dollar charge you would still need to charge atleast $450K at places like super markets + have 450K flight points just to get a free ticket. Where as with American Express you would only need to charge $62500 at super markets to get the same free airline ticket.
Now if you flying coach always that is a differnt story but how many people have Centurion cards or the assets needed to qualify for either card who only fly coach?
Just so you know not sure about Platium Amex on Centurion number if you hit 0 you get live person right away with no waiting time at all.
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Even better one does not have to go through all those annoying promps to talk to a customer service representative or personal assistant.
I just made my first call to them using the number on the back of my card and, much to my dismay, had to speak my credit card number and last 4 of the ssn into the machine before getting to a rep. I *hate* that. Ug. I understand that you can just say nothing and you'll eventually get connected to a live person but still.. that's just not good service IMHO.
If you call a *wood Plat concierge you get a person the first time. That's the way it should be.
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You can always just press in your account number and/or social# instead. speaking it annoys me as well. If you don't press in your number, the customer service rep will ask you for it anyway, so I don't find it all that annoying.