A little over four years ago I first covered the City National Bank Crystal Visa Infinite Credit Card.
I think I was the first blogger to pick up on it, and remember scouring the benefits guide and making several calls to the bank to ask questions. The card was then picked up by Doctor of Credit and also by Frequent Miler.
At the time it was the only Visa Infinite card you could apply for in the United States. It was interesting because the card offered a $250 airline fee credit, not just to primary cardholders but also to no annual fee authorized users, and also because it offered a Priority Pass for lounge access without guest limits. It’s not a great card for spending but there are other rich benefits as well.
Several months later the card became even more interesting with a 100,000 point signup bonus. Several readers got the card, but it’s intended for a limited market. City National Bank focuses its business on high net worth individuals. The card was available only from its branches, and those have a limited footprint.
There’s no longer a 100,000 point bonus, that’s long gone. Indeed, the current 50,000 point offer is set to expire July 31. However as Doctor of Credit highlights the bank’s page for the card has intermittently shown an online application. It’s not clear what the approval path looks like, whether applying online especially from states where the bank lacks branches will work.
Nonetheless some will want to try if only for the curiosity factor, or for getting (4) $250 airline fee credits from a primary card and three authorized user cards.
Not the best card, but maybe the best all around card, with its decent multipliers, broad categories, and negative annual fee. If you only want to carry one card, this would be it.
Annual fee is $400
@Gary – How’s the trip cancellation/delay protection with the card, and do award tickets qualify? Thanks.
@Paul, offset by $250 fee credit x number of cards associated with your account (up to 4 incl primary + auth users). Fee credit is easy to use if you travel with any regularity – more restrictive than Chase/Citi (limited to ancillary/“fees”) but far less restrictive than Amex (any airline, more things count as fees, and GCs still work). You also get $100 off 2 rt domestic coach tickets purchased through the Visa infinite portal (unlimited).
And they occasionally run limited time extra bonus point promos that DO make it valuable to put spend on (usually 4x categories and you can cash out for travel at a redemption rate of 1.3).
All in all, one of the most lucrative cards in my wallet (or in my sock drawer normally, but still…)
Data point: CNB seems to have become more restrictive in terms of fees that get reimbursed, e.g. airline GCs.. Anyone else?
ABC— how so? Any specific examples?
Without going into the details, a charge for a $25 item purchased from WN posted but no statement credit was issued. CNB asked for a receipt or some sort of proof to issue a statement credit.
Is this a better card than Chase CSR for us Citi Prestige refugees?
What can you do with their points?
I did this a couple years ago when there was online access (from PA) and all it did was cause the bank to contact me and tell me they can’t issue cards to my state.