A couple of days ago I wrote about lounge access changes for Citi Prestige cardholders. They’ll be losing access to American Airlines Admirals Clubs in late July 2017.
I shared details of the change from Citibank, and it raised some reader questions.
Cardmembers will still have complimentary and unlimited access to over 850 Priority PassTM Select Lounges and Citi® Proprietary Lounges and we continue to explore ways to enhance the Citi Prestige experience.
Several of you wanted to know what ‘Citi® Proprietary Lounges’ refer to.
There are four airports with Citi Proprietary Lounges where Prestige cardmembers receive complimentary access.
- Mexico City
- Guadalajara
- Monterrey
- Jakarta
jediwho suggested that there’s also a Prague lounge (which was well regarded) however I’m told that — although it’s reflected on Citi’s Czech website — the lounge has been rebranded as a Raiffeisenbank Lounge, is no longer a Citi Gold lounge, and does not accept Citi Prestige cards for entry.
Many readers are familiar with American Express Centurion lounges in Dallas Fort-Worth, Las Vegas, Miami, New York LaGuardia, San Francisco, Houston and Seattle (studio).
Bar at the American Express Centurion Lounge Houston
Citibank does offer its own lounges. The network isn’t as extensive (American Express has international lounges too and those are gradually converging with US lounges in terms of standards, design, and offerings). You’re not going to get celebrity chef buffets. And the network is small. But it’s useful information to be aware of for sum. As they say, “now you know.”
Hope they open some at new Delta terminals 2 and 3 at LAX…
Hi Gary where did you find the information about the 4 Proprietary Lounges? It took me quite a while searching but nothing came up.
I failed to get into the Citi lounge recently at CGK. The dragons said that it was only for Indonesian issued Citi Cards.
Hi @Ricky I asked a Citi exec.
@Gary Thanks Gary no wonder I couldn’t find anything online. Hopefully they could build some more rather sooner than later since right now they almost are not worth mentioning… The locations of these 4 are really off and not mention there are data points people get rejected with US issued cards.
Curious on what Citi will do to keep the value proposition for the Prestige card. Because of the $250 travel reimbursement, I think of it as a $200 AF, which is absolutely worth the Admirals Club access, but without the club, I will likely switch to the Citi Premier and save a hundred bucks on annual fee. The 4th night hotel reimbursement on Prestige is cool, but I’ve only ever been able to use it once–I just don’t often stay in one place for 4 nights on paid travel.
Official changes coming July 27th to Prestige:
*Removal of AA benefits (lounge access & higher value on AA redemptions using TY points)
*Removal of the 3 complementary rounds of golf
*The 4th night free benefit will now be based on the average nightly rate of the complete 4 day stay and taxes will no longer be included.
*The TY points value on all airline redemptions will be reduced to 25%
The TY points value on all airline redemptions will be reduced to 25%
Say what?
Is this in addition to the MasterCard World Elite Lounge?
Some clarification: I am 99% sure the lounges in Mexico refer to the Banamex Beyond Lounges, as Citi owns them, and Banamex issues their own Citi Prestige card.
https://www.banamex.com/es/tarjetaspremium/platinum/salas_vip.htm
In addition, there is a Mastercard World Elite lounge in terminal 1 which should probably accept the Prestige Card as well.
Coincidentally, those same airport have Amex Centurion Lounges, and have had them for 10_ years, well before they opened in the US.
Citi Prestige just change the bonus!
Earn 40,000 bonus points
after making $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/credit-card-details/citi.action?ID=citi-prestige-card&category=view-all-credit-cards&afc=1C2&intc=7~7~67~1~MCT~1~CMSDefaultOffer~4KMZ13P671C2L10101W
Gary,
I just had the same experience at Jakarta airport as Meow above, and the dragon showed me the access chart which shows only Indonesian Citibank Prestige cards get access- here’s a link to what she showed me- https://www.citibank.co.id/english/credit_card/ann_airprtLnge.htm
So I think your Citibank contact is mistaken, or else has not informed the Jakarta lounge properly.
Where are MasterCard World Elite Lounges?
Clearly Indonesia lounge staff are mistaken, that chart refers to what Citi-issued cards in Indonesia get which includes other lounges. Only Jakarta has the Citi-owned lounges, and those are the only ones US Prestige cardmembers can access. Need to follow up.
Gary, George, and Meow,
I just had the same exact experience at the Jakarta Citi Lounge. The representative refused to let me, my wife and son in on July 13. She pulled the chart out on her counter which said Citi Indonesian cardholders only, ignored any further conversation, and went back to playing a game on her iPhone.
We were trying to disagree with her but she wouldn’t change. Any thoughts on what we should do be compensated for such an act. Please help all of us with your thoughts or maybe 50k points each 🙂
Same experience regarding CGK Citi Lounges. Dragons would not let me in using the US Citi Prestige Card. Only Indonesian Citi Prestige Cards can get in 🙁
To all wondering about the status of the Citibank Lounges at CGK – they’ve removed the perk (for foreign cards) as of 2016 I’m afraid. As per what George has posted on top, all references to foreign issued cards have been removed (used to be that foreign cards got access to “Citibank Exclusive Lounges” i.e. Citibank-owned). Got in quite a few times back in 2014/15 with my Singapore-issued PremierMiles (VS platform). Travel companion got access through his generic Platinum card. Didn’t even need to have Prestige. Was good while it lasted.
HI Gary,
I think you need to post a clarification, as I was just refused entry to the CGK lounge, just as the others above. Indonesian Prestige card holders only, I was told.
Thanks,
John