CNB Crystal Visa Infinite Card Taking a Big Hit

The City National Bank Crystal Visa Infinite Card is taking a big hit next year. One of the best perks the card has is the $250 Airline Incidental Fees statement credit. It applies to the primary cardholders and additional users. That means that you could get up to $1,000 or $1,250 per account. That’s being cut to $350. But there’s more bad news. Priority Pass lounge access is devalued for guests and Visa Infinite $100 discount is going away. And no more 3X on groceries.

They have also added language against non real spending, giving themselves the option to close accounts, take away points and more.

Airline Credit

That’s being cut to just $350 per account. This was rumored already, but now there’s confirmation from City National Bank.

Under the Airline Incidental Fees Statement Credit benefit, cardholders under the Crystal Visa Infinite Card Account (“Account”) may receive a statement credit of up to $350 per Account per calendar year for Qualifying Airline Purchases (as defined below) charged to the Account.

Priority Pass

Priority Pass membership benefit is also taking a hit. Guests will no longer be free, but will be charged $32 instead. Here’s the notice:

We are revising the Guide to Benefits (a) to change the Priority Pass Select program membership eligibility, enrollment, renewal and change processes and procedures; and (b) to reflect that we will no long cover the access charges for visits by accompanying guests of Members; instead, the Member’s Crystal Visa Infinite Card will be charged $32 per guest, per visit.

Visa Infinite Discount Air Benefit

You will no longer get a $100 Visa Infinite Discount on flights. Here’s the language regarding that change:

The Visa Infinite Discount Air Benefit is being discontinued. Accordingly, the section of the Guide to Benefits entitled “Visa Infinite Discount Air Benefit” is deleted in its entirety.

No More 3X on Groceries/Gas

And earning points is getting harder as well:

We are removing net purchases made at merchants that are classified as gasoline stations or groceries from the category of net purchases that accrue 3 Points for each one dollar spent.

 

New Anti-MS Language

Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules to the contrary, and in addition to and not limitation of any other rights and remedies available to us, if we determine, in our sole discretion, that you have engaged in improper use of the Program, we reserve the right, among other things, to take the following actions:

• Suspend or cancel your participation in the Program without notice
• Suspend or close your Account
• Stop you from earning Points
• Reverse any Points that have accrued and cause you to forfeit Point
• Seek to recover Awards redeemed using Points earned as a result of improper use of the Program and to recover our monetary losses including litigation costs and damages
• Refuse to open additional or new Accounts for you in the future

Guru’s Wrap-up

All these updates are going into effect on January 1, 2020. And there’s some huge perks and benefits that are being gutted partially, or completely.

The biggest one is the Airline Incidental Fees credit which is being cut from $1,000 or $1,250 to just $350 per year. Then the $100 Visa Infinite Discount Air Benefit is going away completely. And last but not least, Priority Pass lounge access is no longer free for guests. They’ll have to pay $32 starting next year. The card already had a depreciation of points recently, and now is even harder to earn points with gas and groceries no longer earning 3x. You can read more details on these changes here.

Is the card still worth the $400 annual fee? I would say NO in the long terms, and only worth signing up if there’s a big bonus. The perks no longer put this card ahead of other similarly priced premium cards.

Let me know what you think!

HT: reddit

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