American Express Travel - Why is it so expensive?

7 replies

lkennedy

Member since 16 Dec 2011

Total posts 41

One of My AMEX cards gives me $200 travel credit to use as long as I book through AMEX Travel. But the fares it offers are at least 1/3 higher than everywhere else I look (in this case i've looked at Virgin fares syd-ool and syd-bnk).

Does anyone have any experience with this? Is it normal?

mspcooper

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 09 May 2013

Total posts 457

It almost always is more expensive, because they only get "deals" on higher class/bucket fares. However, a simple online search may give you a lower bucket fare. Amex has this mindset that its customers would pay for comfort and flexibility rather than the cheapest airfare. I dislike it, because it does not give us a choice. I have only once (ever) had a ticket cheaper via amex. SQ Business Class it was.

lkennedy

Member since 16 Dec 2011

Total posts 41

Shame. Makes the 'benefit' pretty worthless.


Firstworldissues

Member since 02 Mar 2019

Total posts 15

I have previously contacted them with the deal i have found through the airline direct and they have "found" it in their system. always good to try.

Notso Swift

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 06 Oct 2016

Total posts 32

I tend to use the credit on a hotel room, not used it on a flight in 10 years

sydney slug

Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer

Member since 27 Feb 2015

Total posts 13

Useful for hotel and rental car bookings, rarely worth using for flights.

RickBlain

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 21 Jul 2014

Total posts 2

It took me some time to realize they are charging FULL price on tickets, a total waste of time and my so called $450 credit was wasted a few times. Now I realize it has to be cars and perhaps hotels. Very annoying.

sanj747

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 01 Nov 2016

Total posts 148

I had a positive experience with my $450 credit yesterday. I was looking at flight to London on Cathay and across OneWorld carriers and got the same price on Amex as I did on the Cathay Pacific website and was able to use the credit. I have every year used the credit for airfares predominantly and some hotel bookings and found them to be worth it.

Last editedby sanj747 at Mar 31, 2023, 10:19 AM.

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