I am absolutely infuriated - this is not the first time I've had Amex travel quote a fare much higher for the same flights as I can book directly through my GDS or the airline website. Now I am gathering proof, but unless proven otherwise, I will be submitting the documentation to the CA state AG office, along with the FTC for investigation. I believe they are deliberately up-quoting the flights to get into commissionable fare classes per their airline contracts.

Here is my most recent experience, as I did not document the other episodes that required me to call Amex PTS and waste 1hr trying to get a US agent with GDS to get the correct fare booked for me. It's not the first time - but now it's happened so many times, my only conclusion is it must be deliberate.

24AUG ONT YYZ with the first segment to SFO operated and ticketed by UA and the connecting segment to YYZ operated by AC as a UA codeshare.

The flights are available in G class, and price out to $295 at the time of the booking, confirmed on ITA. I go to Amex to book the ticket so I can use MRs, and low and behold, the fare is now $500 for the same flights. How could that be? ITA is still confirming the lower fare. So, I get into my Apollo GDS account and sell the same flights in G class, which now price correctly at $295.

Screenshots below explain what is happening