Amex Platinum Edge Complimentary Flights - Worth It?

[Renato1]

I have had great success in booking my complimentary flight with my Amex Platinum Edge over the last few years. The call centre has always been very helpful and I have managed to get the flight times I wanted when booking anywhere from about 2-6 weeks out, normally BNE-ADL. For the most recent one I booked a Virgin Award ticket for my wife and the complimentary Amex flight for my daughter. I got them both on the same flight and, as my daughter would have been an unaccompanied minor if travelling alone, the call centre managed to link their bookings to ensure they were seated together. I called them back with my wife's seat number (selected when booking the award flight) to make sure. Nothing was too much trouble, so I was impressed with seat availability and service.

Thanks, that's good to know that the staff are very helpful meshing the complimentary flight with an awards flight, and that you had no issues with availability.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[morfergus]

True, but they were on separate PNRs and their seat allocations could have been changed before check in. So the linking of PNRs by the call centre, and their ability to book an unaccompanied minor, was what I appreciated.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

and that you had no issues with availability.

If there is a Saver Seat, you can book it. So I always just look at the Virgin site first.

 

[flydoc]

Spoke to an Amex rep today and discovered destinations other than regional WA have been added as destinations from Perth for the return complimentary flight. Adelaide and Sydney are now options Q class only). Also a couple of east coast regional port destinations removed.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Spoke to an Amex rep today and discovered destinations other than regional WA have been added as destinations from Perth for the return complimentary flight. Adelaide and Sydney are now options Q class only). Also a couple of east coast regional port destinations removed.

I swear PER-MEL-PER was an option once?

 

[Renato1]

I had forgotten about this thread from back when I first joined.

As it turned out a few months back I booked a return flight for my wife to Brisbane and picked a seat numbers. Then I rang Amex for my free flight and booked it in the seat numbers next to her.

All was well on the flight to Brisbane.

But on the flight back, they downsized the flight to a smaller plane - and my wife an I were split apart, as we were not on the same booking. Fortunately we got to the airport early and were able to have this remedied and sat together on the way back - but I think it was only possible because there were some empty seats on the flight, else we may have had to fly in separate seats.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Happy Dude]

I think the value of the free flight has diminished. I recently tried to book flights with departure dates within two weeks. Computer said no. There's a cutoff in the cheapie fare classes at the three week mark, apparently. It's akin to getting a reward seat. This means that if you book early, you'll probably get what you want. But then, the paid fare might be pretty cheap then too thus diminishing the benefit. In previous years I had been able to redeem at very short notice, when only fully flexible fares were available, thus saving quite a good amount, but that it over now.

There's some reasonably good value to be found in the table posted by flydoc.

 

[jbman]

Two weeks ago I called on a Wednesday and make two bookings with the Edge from BNE>MEL for the following Sunday. No problems at all with availability. I guess it's just luck for whats on offer and the days you are choosing.

 

[jetpack]

I booked today for a flight on Christmas Day. Definitely no issue in booking at short notice and plenty of availability too with Virgin.

 

[Happy Dude]

Two weeks ago I called on a Wednesday and make two bookings with the Edge from BNE>MEL for the following Sunday. No problems at all with availability. I guess it's just luck for whats on offer and the days you are choosing.

I booked today for a flight on Christmas Day. Definitely no issue in booking at short notice and plenty of availability too with Virgin.

I'm gonna guess that both these flights/days had plenty of availability anyways and you could have booked getaway fares.

I was trying to book CBR-OOL vv and MCY-MEL at short notice where no getaway fares were available. BNE-MEL-SYD flights I would not expect availability issues unless you want Friday/Sunday evenings - but if you book early enough even then no issues.