NatWest - black card - worth it????
Discussion
cramorra said:
Sorry if it's been asked b4 but can anybody enlighten me if the so called benefits are worth the 160 quid a year (current discounted offer)
Or is it just a way of paying stating "I am a stinking rich b
t"- please cheat me???
Really depends if you are going to use them doesn't it. Many of the benefits are the same as with the Premier account anyhow. I've found the service is very good when you need to ring up with a query. I travel a lot so the Priority Pass comes in useful. Or is it just a way of paying stating "I am a stinking rich b
t"- please cheat me???Its 99% as good as Amex Black but doesn't have the >£1000 fee for it. Concierge is very good, Travel insurance is incredibly comprehensive, Breakdown covers Europe, Home Emergency cover does two houses and you get a Priority Pass. Best of all the customer service is actually good!
If you travel a lot, have little time and look at value over cost then it can be worth its weight in gold. If you don't do the above you may do better to look at the Private account.
Willy waving part is futile as you don't hand your card over like you used to.
If you travel a lot, have little time and look at value over cost then it can be worth its weight in gold. If you don't do the above you may do better to look at the Private account.
Willy waving part is futile as you don't hand your card over like you used to.
Merlot said:
VX Foxy said:
51.8% APR?! 
How can they justify that?
The APR includes the annual fee, IIRC. How can they justify that?In practice, the minimum credit limit is £15k and usually more, so the effective interest rate is much lower.
Personally I think the lounge access, breakdown cover, travel insurance, concierge service etc make the card reasonable value for money.
Sidicks
I've had one for a few years and have found it really useful
Used Green flag twice - both times in Mrs's car when I least expected it (eg once she left the inside light on overnight when we at a hotel)
Airport lounge access - used that a couple of times - always handy to have if you travel on economy a lot but not the best lounges in the world
Travel insurance – I never need to bother looking at a 3rd party policy whenever I travel
But best of all is the concierge service - I got caught in bad weather flying down to the South of France last year and had to land at an airfield in the middle of nowhere. Cranked the PC up to find local taxi service and hotels. All hotels where full (it was summer holiday season) and with my limited French I was struggling to find a cab.
Fast forward an hour and it's raining, the Mrs is having a sense of humour failure and it looks like I'm sleeping in a four seater plane for the night. Then I remember the Black Card
Called them up, explained my situation and left it with them. Within 30 minutes I had a taxi which took me to a decent (and inexpensive) hotel about 30 minutes away. When I got there, the hotel staff took my bags, told me they'd take them to the room and had already checked me in, then gave me a map to a very good seafood restaurant they had booked me a table at.
It was great service and just what I needed at that point in time
When I checked out the next day, I noticed the bill was made out to 'Sir Jason', I'm not sure what Black Card had told them, but it worked!!!
That was worth the fee for that year on its own
Used Green flag twice - both times in Mrs's car when I least expected it (eg once she left the inside light on overnight when we at a hotel)
Airport lounge access - used that a couple of times - always handy to have if you travel on economy a lot but not the best lounges in the world
Travel insurance – I never need to bother looking at a 3rd party policy whenever I travel
But best of all is the concierge service - I got caught in bad weather flying down to the South of France last year and had to land at an airfield in the middle of nowhere. Cranked the PC up to find local taxi service and hotels. All hotels where full (it was summer holiday season) and with my limited French I was struggling to find a cab.
Fast forward an hour and it's raining, the Mrs is having a sense of humour failure and it looks like I'm sleeping in a four seater plane for the night. Then I remember the Black Card
Called them up, explained my situation and left it with them. Within 30 minutes I had a taxi which took me to a decent (and inexpensive) hotel about 30 minutes away. When I got there, the hotel staff took my bags, told me they'd take them to the room and had already checked me in, then gave me a map to a very good seafood restaurant they had booked me a table at.
It was great service and just what I needed at that point in time
When I checked out the next day, I noticed the bill was made out to 'Sir Jason', I'm not sure what Black Card had told them, but it worked!!!
That was worth the fee for that year on its own
Silver993tt said:
Lounge access is restricted though. For example, if you're flying from Terminal 5 at Heathrow, it won't get you into any of the various lounges there.
Yes, the lounge access is a 'Priority PAss' which gives access to hundreds of airport lounges across the world, but I agree that these are not as good as the business lounges you get with BA, Virgin etc.Having said that, free food, free drink, newspapers and magazines, TV / Internet access, comfy seats and room to relax. It's good enough for me, when I'm travelling economy!!
Sidicks
IMHO Its a bargain, I never have to think about travel insurance, I can use the breakdown service if need be (if Im in any car), the airport pass is well worth it and the lounges are ok. They also have a great home breakdown that has got us plumbers when we couldnt get a plumber.
I think its a no brainer
DS
I think its a no brainer
DS
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