Hilton Surpass Benefit - Priority Pass
Anyone have any real world experience with this?
I tried to use my new (6 week old) Surpass card to access a Priority Pass lounge (Alaska Board Room in Anchorage) and was denied because I wasn't holding an actual PP card. I showed them in my membership kit that my $27 fee was to be charged to the AMEX and they had no way to process that on their PP terminal.
Before entering the lounge I called AMEX to verify that I didn't have to do some magical enrollment with PP to get in and they told me no, all I had to do was show them my Surpass card.
So, since i had a plenty long wait for my flight I paid the normal admission price of $40 for a day pass and charged it to Surpass. Then I shot an email off to AMEX Customer Service from the lounge and asked what was up. I received a reply within 2 hours stating that I would receive a PP enrollment kit in the mail within 8 weeks of my first purchase. They had my first purchase date documented and told me when I should expect my enrollment kit.
Now, I've gone back over my enrollment materials, my benefit guide and NOTHING NOWHERE says that:
1) You have to separately enroll in PP
2) Your enrollment in PP is delayed until your first purchase activates the sending of your enrollment kit
So you're dangled a benefit that isn't even valid upon payment of your membership fee on this card.
Am I missing something or do I have a beef with AMEX over some false promotional positioning of Card benefits?