[Update] Citi Removing Most Benefits From All Cards (Trip Cancellation & Delay, Ticket & Return Protection, Car, etc.)

Update 11/8/22: Costco card is also losing Extended Warranty in January

Update 1/29/21: Citi is now removing from the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Mastercard a number of benefits beginning March 21, 2021, including: Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, MasterCoverage, MasterAssist, Travel Accident Insurance & Medical Protection, and VAT Reclaim Service. Card still has primary car rental insurance. Hat tip to Dansdeals

Original Post: 

Citi is informing customers via a popup in their login that their cards are having numerous benefits stripped away beginning September 22, 2019. The following benefits are being discontinued on all Citi cards, including the Prestige card:

  • Worldwide Car Rental Insurance
  • Trip Cancellation & Interruption Protection
  • Worldwide Travel Accident Insurance
  • Trip Delay Protection
  • Baggage Delay Protection
  • Lost Baggage Protection
  • Medical Evacuation
  • Citi® Price Rewind
  • 90 Day Return Protection
  • Missed Event Ticket Protection
  • Roadside Assistance Dispatch Service
  • Travel & Emergency Assistance

One other important change on some cards:

  • Double Cash and Dividend cards will have Extended Warranty and Purchase Protection benefits removed in September. (Purchases made until that day will get the benefit for the entire benefit length, even past September.)
  • All other cards will retain Warranty and Purchase Protection benefits.

[Some have reported that the Costco cards retain all their benefits. It’s true that the Costco card retains Warranty and Purchase Protection. It’s not true that there was no change in benefits as things like Trip Cancellation and Price Rewind have been removed. I guess the Costco cards still have Return Protection and Car Rental Insurance, but not positive.]

Login here and see the particulars on each card you have. Here’s the what shows on the Prestige card, for example:

Effective September 22, 2019, Worldwide Car Rental Insurance, Trip Cancellation & Interruption Protection, Worldwide Travel Accident Insurance, Trip Delay Protection, Baggage Delay Protection, Lost Baggage Protection, Medical Evacuation, Citi® Price Rewind, 90 Day Return Protection, and Missed Event Ticket Protection will be discontinued and will no longer be provided for purchases made on or after that date. Coverage for purchases made before that date will continue to be available, and you may continue to file for benefits in accordance with the current benefit terms. Roadside Assistance Dispatch Service and Travel & Emergency Assistance will be discontinued and will not be available on or after September 22, 2019.

You will continue to have Extended Warranty and Damage & Theft Purchase Protection on this account…As a cardmember, you will also continue to receive a range of other card benefits including FICO®Credit Score, Citi® Identity Theft Solutions, and Citi Entertainment.

We reported earlier today on the Price Rewind benefit being removed, but it’s apparently part of a broader benefit strip-down. It’s pretty crazy that they are even removing standard benefits which most other credit cards have, like car rental insurance and return protection. It’s not just the elite benefits being stripped down.

Benefits still remaining:

Hat tip to reader DT and xfisgsm
    Chuck
  • On January 29, 2021, 14:34

View Comments (249)

  • as far as i can tell my old expedia premierpass world mastercard still has extended warranty, return protection, etc. benefits. anyone else still have this card kicking around? citi still mails me the bonus 5% back offers (up to 2500 bonus points (on up to $500 spend)), so i keep it around..plus using it on expedia now and then.

  • My speculative opinion? This benefits purge is fallout from the Costco credit acquisition. Citi loses sooo much money on that they're looking to cut back wherever they can.

  • So just less reason for me to use my citi cards other than on things that I can maximize my point returns.

  • @will @chucksithe here is the reason according to Bloomberg - https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2019-07-15/citi-leans-on-cost-cuts-and-consumers-as-trading-sputters-again

    "The situation in the consumer business improved in the second quarter as it added $3 billion in deposits and as cardholder spending jumped 6%. Altogether, revenue from consumer banking climbed 3% to $8.51 billion, surpassing analysts’ projections. Revenue in those operations had stagnated in this year’s first three months."

    Pressure to cut costs.

  • I'm not surprised they cut the benefits. I think most ppl focus on the multiplier for the card. 5x on dining isn't sustainable for them. I know I'm only charging dining on that card with some trips (for trip insurance) and all other spend goes on other cards. With that said, them losing 3-4% on each dining transaction must be costing them a lot. 4th night free must cost them at least $150 per use and twice a year. I know for me, I've got 2 set up for this year. For total value, even with the $500 AF I'll come out ahead with the 4th night free alone. The 5x dining is gravy....But each person's use for the card is different. It's definitely a waste for me to have the CSR and the Prestige, but It's still ok for me now.

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