Amex Travel Credit - covid implication

[HSB44]

Has anyone got any advice about booking a QF flight through the travel credit, vs booking directly via Qantas? In general - Which way is going to be the least risky in terms of customer service experience if my flights get cancelled, missed connections, or I need to make changes? Does booking it through Amex make life smoother or harder?

 

[SOPOOR]

Not that I've done this myself, but I was told buy a phone rep that this is the method to use if you do want to use two credits for one booking.

I have finally/just used this technqieu and the phillipines call centre easily approved the second travel credit on my booking,

Very happy!

 

[Brooksnk]

Does anyone know if you can still get 12 month extensions on travel credits by cancelling a refundable booking?

I currently have two credit expiring in a week and have no use for them right now. Can I book a refundable flight/hotel and get them extended?

 

[tinkybelle]

I cancelled a Qantas almost full price they put it in escrow but said I have to buy same class of ticket or above that’s a bit of a scam

 

[neeyuese]

Does anyone know if you can still get 12 month extensions on travel credits by cancelling a refundable booking?

I currently have two credit expiring in a week and have no use for them right now. Can I book a refundable flight/hotel and get them extended?

not longer after Oct 2022. same policy as before covid-19. If you cancel your booking, the Travel Credit portion is not refundable and will be forfeited in the relevant anniversary year

 

[wsthong]

not longer after Oct 2022. same policy as before covid-19. If you cancel your booking, the Travel Credit portion is not refundable and will be forfeited in the relevant anniversary year

Post automatically merged: Nov 7, 2022

Do you have the source for that information.

 

[SeaWolf]

That's a quote from the travel credit terms and conditions.

https://www.americanexpress.com/australia/platinumtravelcreditterms

 

[tinkybelle]

Well I was not aware of that at all I was under the impression charge fees were applicable

 

[wsthong]

not longer after Oct 2022. same policy as before covid-19. If you cancel your booking, the Travel Credit portion is not refundable and will be forfeited in the relevant anniversary year

I tried cancelling but the Travel Credit is non refundable.
They will be many of us being caught by the reversal to the pre-covid policy out there I guess.

 

[afpaff]

Can we break up the $450 travel credit into multiple uses? or have to use the full amount in 1 booking?

 

[daft009]

Can we break up the $450 travel credit into multiple uses? or have to use the full amount in 1 booking?

1 booking

But you can do flights + car rental or flight + hotel etc

 

[ChrisFlyer]

1 booking

But you can do flights + car rental or flight + hotel etc

If it's the Qantas $450 credit, it can only be used on QF-coded flights. The other credits from the MR cards can be used towards an overall booking, though.

 

[tinkybelle]

Or more people or multi flight booking just need to use or loose the balance

 

[afpaff]

If it's the Qantas $450 credit, it can only be used on QF-coded flights. The other credits from the MR cards can be used towards an overall booking, though.

Is it possible to use $450 qantas credit (Qantas Ultimate Card) and pay the remaining balance with a different amex (platinum charge) my partner has?

For better insurance and points purposes.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Is it possible to use $450 qantas credit (Qantas Ultimate Card) and pay the remaining balance with a different amex (platinum charge) my partner has?

For better insurance and points purposes.

Unfortunately not, as to use the credit, you have to first select which card or card group you'll be booking with. Qantas cards sit on their own - when I use my credit, the balance always has to be paid on the Qantas card. At times where you can switch cards for payment, they still have to be of the same cardholder and product set. (E.g. When I use my Plat Travel Credit, I can pay with the Plat card, the Reserve, or whatever other MR cards I have, but not Qantas as it's separate. The reverse is true with Qantas cards.)

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Definitely the case that Travel Credits are forfeited if you cancel a booking.

In fact, it seems a mission to get a Travel Credit returned even if your booking is cancelled by the airline.

I had a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Honolulu a few months ago that Jetstar cancelled the night before due to issues with their 787s. I'd paid using a Travel Credit and cash for the excess via AMEX. Jetstar immediately offered a full refund and even sent me confirmation it had been processed, but this never appeared back on my AMEX or as a Travel Credit.

When I followed up with AMEX, they insisted it would take 8-12 weeks to return the cash (even though I had confirmation the refund had been processed back to AMEX by Jetstar) and that the Travel Credit was forfeited even though the cancellation was involuntary and from the airline's side.

After speaking to several AMEX reps and questioning this, I was finally told the Travel Credit would be returned "as a courtesy" as if I'm to be very grateful for their generosity. It has not been, even though the cash portion of the ticket did finally go back on my card two weeks ago. I've followed up several times again and each time the entire experience is like speaking to robots. I'm told to wait "8-12 weeks for the refund to be processed" and each time it's stressed that it's a "courtesy" I'm getting the Travel Credit back at all. It's as if speaking to a wall when I point out Jetstar has already refunded the value and/or ask how it's possible that the cash refund has come back but the Travel Credit hasn't. Clearly the cash coming back indicates the refund has been confirmed and processed even on AMEX's end.

It doesn't matter whether I take a very self-deprecating, kill-them-with-kindness or a more blunt, no-nonsense approach, I get nowhere. I generally like to imagine I manage to maintain my composure and patience with these kinds of things, especially after Covid, but this one has tested me --- perhaps not least given the high cost of the card.

I am closely reassessing whether to renew my Platinum in February.