Amex Travel Credit - covid implication

[Daver6]

is it currently allowing due to covid etc? or is this a hush hush loop hole?
and I assume its for platinum charge card only? qantas credit?

I believe its an offer to Plat card holders due to Covid via the Plat Travel line.

 

[TravellingSquid]

is it currently allowing due to covid etc? or is this a hush hush loop hole?
and I assume its for platinum charge card only? qantas credit?

I don't know if it's platinum charge only. But it's temporary because people were accumulating tons of travel credit (due to the extensions and also not using them as frequently during covid)

 

[Formal Hall]

Looking to change dates or cancel Virgin flights to Melbourne in a fortnight - lockdown will be over but still not keen to travel. Is Amex waiving its $35 change fee or $55 cancellation fees? Otherwise most the credit will be chewed up in fees even if returned. Grateful for some data points.

 

[Spongbob]

With the Melbourne lockdown for another 7 days, the hotel will be closed.
My Amex "executive" said the Travel Credit will be reinstated if we cancel.

Happy to report the hotel cost was refunded and the Travel Credit was reinstated for 12 months.

 

[Madamelulu]

Happy to report the hotel cost was refunded and the Travel Credit was reinstated for 12 months.

Good news but I wonder if the Travel Credit will be reinstated because of lockdown if the hotel booking was non-refundable... does anyone know?

 

[Spongbob]

I think it would be unwise to make a non-refundable hotel booking in the present circumstances.

 

[Chicken]

Good news but I wonder if the Travel Credit will be reinstated because of lockdown if the hotel booking was non-refundable... does anyone know?

Very risky, don't do it unless you are prepared to lose the money. From ACCC:

My travel arrangements and bookings have been impacted by COVID travel restrictions. What are my rights to a refund or credit?

The consumer guarantee provisions of the Australian Consumer Law are unlikely to apply to cancellations as a direct result of government restrictions. This may impact the remedies available to consumers.

 

[glasszon]

Got a travel credit expiring in two weeks, given Melbourne is still in lockdown, is the best way is to book a refundable hotel booking and cancel them later on to get the credit reinstated with a new validity date? If yes, can I cancel it online or do I need to call in?

 

[Infrequent traveller]

Got a travel credit expiring in two weeks, given Melbourne is still in lockdown, is the best way is to book a refundable hotel booking and cancel them later on to get the credit reinstated with a new validity date? If yes, can I cancel it online or do I need to call in?

From experience, you will have to contact Amex Travel to cancel. I usually do it via online chat. Make sure you log on to the account that the travel credit was used for the booking, and navigate to Booking Travel online before clicking the chat button (otherwise it goes to the card services only). The chat button may not appear from time to time but when it's available, normally you will be connected to someone in a few minutes.

 

[VPS]

Got a travel credit expiring in two weeks, given Melbourne is still in lockdown, is the best way is to book a refundable hotel booking and cancel them later on to get the credit reinstated with a new validity date? If yes, can I cancel it online or do I need to call in?

or book a flight you know Qantas will substantially change or cancel and then you can change it for free

 

[glasszon]

or book a flight you know Qantas will substantially change or cancel and then you can change it for free

But which flight? Wouldn't that be a gamble since Qantas is already down to running a minimum schedule?

 

[Kremmen]

An Amex Travel agent tells me that credits which are due to expire soon will not be lost if they are not used and that an announcement will be coming soon about what will be happening. (He said he couldn't give me any more details until the announcement is made publicly.)

 

[VPS]

But which flight? Wouldn't that be a gamble since Qantas is already down to running a minimum schedule?

It may be a gamble but from my experience in the last few months people have rarely gone on the flight they had planned - there are so many changes

 

[Infrequent traveller]

But which flight? Wouldn't that be a gamble since Qantas is already down to running a minimum schedule?

I had my hotel refunds (credit reinstatement) within a week of cancellation but am still waiting for my Qantas “refund” after 3 weeks of flight cancellation as advised by Amex Travel (typical Qantas I reckon?!)

 

[glasszon]

An Amex Travel agent tells me that credits which are due to expire soon will not be lost if they are not used and that an announcement will be coming soon about what will be happening. (He said he couldn't give me any more details until the announcement is made publicly.)

Thanks, hopefully an announcement will come soon, I only got just over a week left on the travel credit, I doubt they will make the announcement retrospective to credits that are already expired.

 

[kyle]

Good news but I wonder if the Travel Credit will be reinstated because of lockdown if the hotel booking was non-refundable... does anyone know?

I used my travel credits to make a non refundable hotel booking for Nov. Doesn't look like Qld is opening to Vic. I wonder if The Star will allow me to cancel or change dates.

 

[zig]

I used my travel credits to make a non refundable hotel booking for Nov. Doesn't look like Qld is opening to Vic. I wonder if The Star will allow me to cancel or change dates.

I have a non refundable hotel booking coming up in Hobart that I will have to cancel in a few weeks. When I spoke to Amex travel about this last week when cancelling a different booking, they said they would speak with the hotel and try to negotiate a refund or change of dates, but that the final decision was the hotels.

 

[kyle]

I have a non refundable hotel booking coming up in Hobart that I will have to cancel in a few weeks. When I spoke to Amex travel about this last week when cancelling a different booking, they said they would speak with the hotel and try to negotiate a refund or change of dates, but that the final decision was the hotels.

Good to know Amex will be proactive about it. Please update us.

 

[daft009]

The last time I booked Amex travel said to go for a hotel that offered no fuss cancellations

I ended up booking one with 24hrs to cancel before check in for any reason.. got all my money back as I had to cancel due to Sydney lockdowns

 

[Infrequent traveller]

The last time I booked Amex travel said to go for a hotel that offered no fuss cancellations

I ended up booking one with 24hrs to cancel before check in for any reason.. got all my money back as I had to cancel due to Sydney lockdowns

Apparently non-cancellable rates, where available, would bring some savings. However, I reckon under the current conditions, last minute booking rate may not go up as all?! Always an option to cancel on cancellable bookings and rebook at the most competitive rate when the trip can go ahead (you can even book with any other hotels offer great last minute deals?)