AMEX travel disappointments

[lynnk]

I have found the deals for the amex hotels generally to be great, with the upgrade, early check in, late check out and a credit for in hotel food etc. I always compare first, but with high end hotels I have found it worthwhile, especially the upgrade. In Dubai got upgraded from second to bottom room to an amazing suite, as there wasn't a room the next category up available for us to be upgraded to. I have a platinum charge card, and a platinum credit card. We also got an amazing airfare through them. Pays to ring and ask if they can do better than what is on their website,

 

[Kremmen]

Yes, it's a massive disappointment. The free airfare on the Platinum Edge card used to be fantastic. Degrading it to a $200 travel credit was bad enough, but the value is almost never there.

The first thing I do each year when the credit becomes available is try to work out if there is any way to get 100% of its value. There seldom is, so I search for the least worst alternative. Last year I wanted to book a Scoot fare that was about $200 but, of course, Scoot isn't on their system. I eventually managed to find a hotel I wanted in Taiwan at similar cost to other booking sites.

This year, the first flight I wanted to book was Singapore Airlines business class between NZ and Australia. $500 on every other booking site. $800+ through Amex. Because not only do they not have all airlines, they don't even have all booking classes of the airlines that they do have! Totally a pain in the cough.

 

[MollyJones]

Agree with all the other bugbears.
Will add that they are set with their age for children being 12.
I was looking at a few Hotels that had the child age as up to 14, 16 or even 18 for some US hotels.
AMEX will not allow me to put a 13yo as a child even if the hotel allows it.

 

[gphamor]

Hi all - just wanted to check if anyone else has had disappointing experiences booking hotels with Amex travel to make use of the travel credits.

We were looking at accommodation in Japan and found that Amex travel rates were a lot higher (15-20%) than through Expedia but we wanted to use the credits so we went ahead anyway.

We have also on other occasions found that to be true for Australian hotels (Mel and Syd).

Also it seems that we get the “lowest” rate with Amex in that we get allocated less desirable rooms (lower floors, near the elevators). Booking through Expedia on a couple of times seemed to not give us this issue (in fact the rooms have been on higher floors on both bookings).

Anyone else experienced this? Tempted now to cancel my Amex as the points enhancement has made it less attractive, and the travel credits end up being used for inflated hotel prices.

I

 

[gphamor]

I have Amex Platinum, booked a superb hotel in Barcelona via Amex Travel, and we were very well looked after.
I would be happy to recommend them.
Have booked a number of hotels through Booking.com, also a good experience, but found Expedia truly horrible.

 

[GJL]

Hi all - just wanted to check if anyone else has had disappointing experiences booking hotels with Amex travel to make use of the travel credits.

We were looking at accommodation in Japan and found that Amex travel rates were a lot higher (15-20%) than through Expedia but we wanted to use the credits so we went ahead anyway.

We have also on other occasions found that to be true for Australian hotels (Mel and Syd).

Also it seems that we get the “lowest” rate with Amex in that we get allocated less desirable rooms (lower floors, near the elevators). Booking through Expedia on a couple of times seemed to not give us this issue (in fact the rooms have been on higher floors on both bookings).

Anyone else experienced this? Tempted now to cancel my Amex as the points enhancement has made it less attractive, and the travel credits end up being used for inflated hotel prices.

My experience is the opposite. I recently stayed at the Kyoto Tower Hotel, one of my favourites, at a competitive price booked through Amex and using my travel credit. My room was similar to those previously booked through online sites. In fact it was a corner room with additional windows.

 

[yoyo]

I have an explorer card and an edge card and I find it incredibly difficult to use the credits each year. In contrast to what another person posted, I stayed at a Hilton earlier this year using my credit and was told I would not earn any Hilton points for the stay as I had booked with amex and not direct with them. Same thing happened at Hyatt. But for me, the very, very worst thing is that you cannot change or cancel a booking. My plans change all the time and can only use the credit when I am 100% sure. Even then, last year the airline changed my overseas flight which affected my hotel booking and I almost lost lost the credit as a result.
I have never found it to be good value but as others have said, I'd be happy to get 70% of the value if only I could cancel or change a booking.
Even more infuriating is when amex does offer a good deal such as for the Fine Hotels, you can't use the credit on those offers.
Am seriously thinking about cancelling at least the edge card as the value is no longer there.

 

[Peter Hobbs]

Hi all - just wanted to check if anyone else has had disappointing experiences booking hotels with Amex travel to make use of the travel credits.

We were looking at accommodation in Japan and found that Amex travel rates were a lot higher (15-20%) than through Expedia but we wanted to use the credits so we went ahead anyway.

We have also on other occasions found that to be true for Australian hotels (Mel and Syd).

Also it seems that we get the “lowest” rate with Amex in that we get allocated less desirable rooms (lower floors, near the elevators). Booking through Expedia on a couple of times seemed to not give us this issue (in fact the rooms have been on higher floors on both bookings).

Anyone else experienced this? Tempted now to cancel my Amex as the points enhancement has made it less attractive, and the travel credits end up being used for inflated hotel prices.

Decided to cancel explorer card recently after finding the website difficult trying to book a weekend in Melbourne (took 2 calls and 90 mins). Also Prices are inflated. Anyone thinking of cancelling be careful because if you’re relying on the insurance on the card for a future trip booked before you cancelled - the insurance will be cancelled too

 

[DavidM1]

Yes, I've read and posted in a couple of threads about this. I find Amex travel for hotels to be such a waste, and I end up getting 60-70% of the actual value of the travel credit considering the rate difference!

Some people like using the credits for airfares as they apparently are on par with airline direct pricing.

But I've given up on Amex travel except for one or two night bookings using the credits, and even then I cringe.

Experience booking hotels through Amex?

Does anyone book personal travel through Amex? I've looked at booking things a few times on the Amex travel website (looking to use travel credits). I've always found their prices to be significantly more than booking direct, and the only reason I've still booked, is to use up travel credits...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[DavidM1]

I’ve used once for a hotel booking and it was pretty much the same price as with other booking sites like booking.com
I have however found the airline bookings poor. Many airlines, even full service ones, are not available, and they also have a very limited number of flight options.

 

[Flashback]

I've used them for flights in the past, always more expensive than booking direct but when I get £200 back from £600 spend it still works out worthwhile enough to do.

 

[theblank]

We were looking at accommodation in Japan and found that Amex travel rates were a lot higher (15-20%) than through Expedia but we wanted to use the credits so we went ahead anyway.

Its not reasonable to compare a real travel agent with an OTA like expedia. If you compare to the likes of Hello World or Flight Centre,you will likely find its the same pricing or close enough.

And Amex charges exactly the same prices as the Airline does, excepting for discount codes like Virgin offers.

Also it seems that we get the “lowest” rate with Amex in that we get allocated less desirable rooms (lower floors, near the elevators). Booking through Expedia on a couple of times seemed to not give us this issue (in fact the rooms have been on higher floors on both bookings).

that would have to be a coincidence, no way could that conclusion be drawn from such a small sample size.

 

[WWTFC]

Used to be great when you could ring and talk with Amex now with Platinum edge have to use website. Wanted to book for Portugal - dont service any hotels - cant use travel credit. Used for a night in Adelaide after theatre performance and then have down graded Amex to low rate card 14.9% Just for emergencies now.

 

[robtemt]

Yet another "great" experience.

Called the 1300 number on my Amex travel confirmation for a hotel booking we made in March. We needed to change a two night booking into a 2X1 night booking on each side of a villa rental we have.
- "Can I get your booking number", "Please tell me your card number", "can you confirm your date of birth and address". "Let me transfer you to the platinum travel desk"
- Platinum Travel Desk: "You booked this online, let me transfer you to the online desk"
- Online desk: "Can you confirm your card number?", "Can you confirm your date of birth and address"
- "You cant change this booking into two one night bookings, you used a travel credit". I asked to change the arrival and departure date (we land at 0600 in Costa Rica, so might as well have a guaranteed check-in if I cant change the booking into two single nights
- Told to make a new booking, and pay with card, and they would apply a credit to my card. The Amex rate for a Courtyard Marriott was $402AUD for the two nights, and the Marriott rate booking direct is $85USD a night incl tax or $170USD/$250USD!!!!!), and since I used a $400 credit previously, I had to pay the $2 difference!

It also took 26 minutes to make the change. Better than losing the booking all together, but:
- Transferred twice
- Poor flexibility despite the Ts&Cs on the booking saying changes and cancellations could be made, they don't include the terms for using the travel credit on your booking.
- Awful rates