Tag Archives: Citi Bank

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False Alarm: Citi Forward Card is not going to 2x and Citi Business Thank You Card is not Available

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(Hat Tip to Travel Codex for the inspiration)

Good morning everyone, happy Super Bowl Sunday.  Before the Big Game kicks off, let’s examine the recent changes to the Citi Thank You Points program terms and conditions.  If you like long, boring posts about Citi credit cards, this post is for you.  I know Travel Codex covered this topic on February 2, but my letter arrived late (a recent change of address is causing all my mail to arrive late).  Anyway, in the letter, Citi announced 4 changes:

  1. Auto-enrollment in Shop with Points at Amazon.com
  2. Pay with Points
  3. Treatment of Points Balances Upon Death
  4. Points Expiration

I will go super in-depth to cover each of these topics and share some interesting findings regarding the Citi Prestige, Citi Premier, Citi Forward, and Citi Business Thank You Card.

Citi Thank You Point Changes Letter

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2016 Eurotrip Travel and Expense Summary

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Good afternoon everyone, here is a summary of my 2 week trip to Europe from January 2016.  Here is my planning and booking process: Hotel & Flight Bookings for LHR, CDG, NCE, MUC, VCE, and DUB.  Here is a visual representation of my intra-European flights.  I also flew from SFO-LAX-LHR on American Airlines and DUB-SFO on Aer Lingus (not pictured).

GCM Eurotrip 2016

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Hotel Review: Hilton Molino Stucky Venice (Diamond Status & Lounge Access)

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Good evening from Dublin (and my last night in Europe).  Here is a hotel review for my second to last hotel in Europe… the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice.  Before I show you pictures of the hotel room and canals of Venice, I will show you how to get from the airport to the hotel.  First things first, all the info I used was found here.  You need to take the ATVO airport bus to the “water bus terminal” (P.le Roma).  The airport bus costs €8 one way or €15 round trip per person.

Venice ATVO Sign

Here are driving directions, but the bus takes the same route.  The trip takes around 25 minutes and the ATVO bus leaves the airport and “water bus terminal” pretty frequently.

VCE TO Venice Bus Route

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Hotel Review: Hilton Munich City as Diamond Elite Member (Executive Lounge + Nearby S-Bahn Station)

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Good evening everyone, greetings from Venice, Italy.  Here is a quick hotel review from my short 2 night stay at the Hilton Munich City.  After we landed, we took the S8 S-Bahn train from the airport to the hotel.  The Hilton is within steps of the Rossenheimer Platz station (Google Maps) and costs €10.80 for a one way trip.  I used Hilton HHonors points for one night and my Hilton Free Weekend Night Certificate for the other night (thanks to the Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Credit card and the $10,000+ spend I put on the card).  Check-in was very easy and I was excited to see what being a Hilton Diamond felt like for the first time.  I got a nice room on the 5th floor and access to the executive lounge on the 6th floor.

Munich Airport to Hilton City S Bahn Map

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Chase Freedom + Uber in Europe = 5x Chase Ultimate Reward Points + Foreign Exchange Fees

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Good morning everyone, I’m here in Munich, Germany, today and flying to Venice, Italy, this evening.  I’ve had a few chances to use Uber in Europe (UberX both times) and wanted to share my thoughts.  Unfortunately, Uber is not as widespread as it is in the United States and is only available in a few European cities.  I have only taken UberX rides in Nice, France, and Munich, Germany.

UberX is always cheaper than traditional taxis (excluding surge pricing) and it can sometimes be cheaper than public transportation (buses and trains).  For short trips with multiple people, I would use UberX every chance I can.  Unfortunately, you need WiFi/data to access the Uber app.  I don’t have an international data plan, but I can connect to various free WiFi hotspots in airports, hotels, and cafes.  As long as you can request an Uber pickup, you do not need WiFi/data for the duration of the trip.  Your credit card will automatically be charged when your ride is over and you will receive an emailed receipt, like the one below.

Uber Receipt Munich

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