Citibank U.S.A. to Launch Hilton HHonors Visa Platinum Card; Co-Branded Visa Card Delivers Wide Range of Benefits.

Business Editors/Travel Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 22, 2000

Citibank U.S.A. today introduced the Hilton HHonors(R) Visa Platinum card, which will deliver a wide range of benefits specially tailored for business and leisure travelers.

The card awards three Hilton HHonors points for each dollar spent using the Hilton HHonors Visa Platinum card at any of more than 2,000 Hilton HHonors hotels, or two points for each dollar spent at the 19 million merchants that accept Visa, the largest payments network in the world.

"Our partnership with Hilton HHonors allows us to deliver even more value to Citibank customers," said Thomas G. Anderson, president of Citibank U.S.A. "The program will enable Hilton HHonors Visa Platinum cardholders to accrue HHonors points quickly, not only at Hilton HHonors hotels but also via the vast network of Visa acceptance locations globally."

More than 2,000 hotels worldwide participate in the Hilton HHonors guest reward program, including Hilton(R), Conrad International(R), Doubletree(R), Embassy Suites Hotels(R), Hampton Inn(R), Hampton Inn & Suites(R), Hilton Garden Inn(R) and Homewood Suites(R) by Hilton hotels.

"Hilton HHonors is constantly seeking new ways to bring value to our members. Now, we're pleased to be working with Citibank to introduce the only Visa card to let travelers earn Hilton HHonors points for their charges," said Jeffrey Diskin, president and chief operating officer for Hilton HHonors Worldwide.

Citibank's Hilton HHonors Visa Platinum card has no annual fee and features an introductory zero-percent interest rate on retail purchases, which rises to the prime rate plus 5.9 percent after the introductory six-month period expires. Cardholders who take advantage of the initial offer also will receive 7,500 HHonors upon first use of the card and will automatically become Hilton HHonors Silver VIP members for their first year of card membership.

Hilton HHonors Visa Platinum cardholders have access to a wide range of benefits, including auto rental and travel accident insurance and round-the-clock travel assistance, such as medical and legal referrals, emergency card replacement and cash advances. A 24-hour service line, 1-800-Visa-911, provides customer support.

For more information on the Hilton HHonors Visa Platinum Card, call 888-601-7083.

Hilton HHonors is a guest reward program that gives frequent travelers a faster way to earn the rewards they want most. Enrolled members can earn HHonors points in addition to airline miles for the same stay, at nearly any rate, at more than 2,000 participating Hilton, Conrad International, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton hotels around the world.

HHonors is the only hotel program that allows its members to simultaneously accumulate both airline miles and hotel points for the same stay - a benefit Hilton calls Double Dipping(R).

Membership in Hilton HHonors is free. Travelers may enroll online by visiting www.hiltonhhonors.com. Or, to enroll instantly in the program and make reservations, consumers in the U.S. and Canada may also call 1-800-HHONORS. Outside the U.S. and Canada, travelers may call the Hilton Reservations Worldwide office in their area. Travelers also may pick up an enrollment form with a temporary membership card at any participating hotel.

Citigroup (NYSE: C), the premier global financial services company, provides some 100 million consumers, corporations, governments and institutions in over 100 countries with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, insurance, securities brokerage and asset management. The 1998 merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group brought together such brand names as Citibank, Travelers, Salomon Smith Barney, CitiFinancial and Primerica under Citigroup's trademark red umbrella. Additional information about Citigroup may be found at http://www.citigroup.com.

Visa U.S.A. is the leading payment brand and the largest payment system in the United States, with more volume than all other major payment cards combined. Visa plays a pivotal role in advancing new payment products and technologies to benefit its more than 14,000 U.S. member financial institutions and their cardholders. There are more than 345 million Visa U.S.A. credit, commercial and check cards, which generate more than $765 billion in annual transaction volume. Visa-branded cards are accepted at over 19 million locations worldwide, including some 643,000 ATMs in the Visa/PLUS Global ATM Network. Visa's Internet address is www.visa.com.