Amex travel booking site: bonus points, fees, and limitations [Consolidated]
Jul 13, 2011, 1:30 pm
#61
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 148
I just received this card 2 weeks ago and have booked 5RT flights through the AMEX travel site thinking I am racking up points. I was just on the phone with MR and the fellow tells me I am only getting credit for 2X points through the Amex travel site vs 3X points i could be getting booking directly though the airline or with a site like Travelocity.
Can someone shed some light on this topic?
Can someone shed some light on this topic?
Jul 13, 2011, 1:34 pm
#62
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,949
Welcome to Flyertalk.
americanexpress.com/travel is operated by Travelocity. When you book through this site you will earn a total of four points per dollar:
This assumes that the airfare is billed by the airline, and not by the travel agency. This is usually the case for flights, but not for packages.
americanexpress.com/travel is operated by Travelocity. When you book through this site you will earn a total of four points per dollar:
- 1 point for paying with the card
- 2 points for purchasing airfare
- 1 point for using American Express Travel
This assumes that the airfare is billed by the airline, and not by the travel agency. This is usually the case for flights, but not for packages.
Aug 1, 2011, 1:36 pm
#64
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: home base: SFO; living in: LHR
Posts: 89
I guess this is a slightly stupid question, but am I correct in assuming that it is NOT possible to book premium economy tickets on americanexpress.com/travel ? My family has a plat card so we're looking to get the 2x points.
Aug 1, 2011, 1:46 pm
#65
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AMEX PLAT
Posts: 52
You cannot book Premium Eco tickets on the Amex Travel Website (which uses travelocity). However, you can book Premium Eco tickets on the phone with Platinum Travel Services. There is a booking fee and you won't get 2x points...
I have shared my disappointment with Amex about this and am hoping others will too.
In the meantime, I book premium eco tickets with miles, directly on the airline's website, after having transfered MR points to my favorite airline's miles program.
Aug 1, 2011, 7:05 pm
#66
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: home base: SFO; living in: LHR
Posts: 89
You cannot book Premium Eco tickets on the Amex Travel Website (which uses travelocity). However, you can book Premium Eco tickets on the phone with Platinum Travel Services. There is a booking fee and you won't get 2x points... I have shared my disappointment with Amex about this and am hoping others will too.
Aug 6, 2011, 9:45 am
#69
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: home base: SFO; living in: LHR
Posts: 89
Amex travel site: why are the fares so different?
I'm trying to book business SFO-CDG-LHR-CDG-SFO on Air France; I've found that it is not more expensive to travel to LHR via CDG, so am trying to organize it so that I have some days in Paris in between each segment.
On both Travelocity and Kayak, the lowest fare for the specific set of flights I'm looking at is $2980.
When I go to search for this on Amex's site, it lists it at $4095.
When I do regular round trip SFO-LHR on both Travelocity and Amex, the specific flight I'm looking for is listed at $2870 on Travelocity but $4156 on Amex - although I could book a different arrival flight for roughly the same price on Amex. I'm trying to do multi-city, though, so that's not a viable option.
So it looks like Amex is giving out vastly different fares for the same tickets... any ideas on why? Does this often happen?
On both Travelocity and Kayak, the lowest fare for the specific set of flights I'm looking at is $2980.
When I go to search for this on Amex's site, it lists it at $4095.
When I do regular round trip SFO-LHR on both Travelocity and Amex, the specific flight I'm looking for is listed at $2870 on Travelocity but $4156 on Amex - although I could book a different arrival flight for roughly the same price on Amex. I'm trying to do multi-city, though, so that's not a viable option.
So it looks like Amex is giving out vastly different fares for the same tickets... any ideas on why? Does this often happen?
Aug 6, 2011, 10:37 am
#70
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,639
Are both quotes inclusive of all taxes and fees? Fuel surcharges in particular can add hundreds to a fare (at the whim of each airline) and departures from some European cities, especially in a premium class, likewise can be hefty.
(Waving the U.S. flag a bit, it costs relatively nothing to depart from our airports)
(Waving the U.S. flag a bit, it costs relatively nothing to depart from our airports)
Aug 6, 2011, 10:46 am
#71
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,949
The booking site at americanexpress.com/travel is operated by Travelocity, and should return the same prices, plus a booking fee which is no longer charged on travelocity.com . The booking fee would not account for differences of this magnitude. It is possible that Travelocity holds some inventory in a specific fare bucket and chooses not to release it on the co-branded American Express site. I would look at an unrelated site, such as Expedia, to see if the fare they offer is closer to the Travelocity or American Express quote.
Aug 6, 2011, 10:49 am
#72
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: home base: SFO; living in: LHR
Posts: 89
Yes it's inclusive of everything -- I went to the last stage of ordering with both and the final quote was $1000 different....
Aug 6, 2011, 10:52 am
#73
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: home base: SFO; living in: LHR
Posts: 89
It is possible that Travelocity holds some inventory in a specific fare bucket and chooses not to release it on the co-branded American Express site. I would look at an unrelated site, such as Expedia, to see if the fare they offer is closer to the Travelocity or American Express quote.
Aug 7, 2011, 11:20 am
#74
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: home base: SFO; living in: LHR
Posts: 89
I searched again this morning: now AmEx is indeed showing me my $3000 fare but with a connection at an inconvenient time -- if I want the ideal connection it becomes $1000 more. This system is so temperamental! I wonder if I could just buy the ticket and then call Air France and get it changed - seems doubtful though...
Looking on Expedia, it will not give me the exact fare I'm looking for at a cheaper price; Kayak is still showing it, however.
Looking on Expedia, it will not give me the exact fare I'm looking for at a cheaper price; Kayak is still showing it, however.
Aug 7, 2011, 11:24 am
#75
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
I'm trying to book business SFO-CDG-LHR-CDG-SFO on Air France; I've found that it is not more expensive to travel to LHR via CDG, so am trying to organize it so that I have some days in Paris in between each segment.
On both Travelocity and Kayak, the lowest fare for the specific set of flights I'm looking at is $2980.
When I go to search for this on Amex's site, it lists it at $4095.
When I do regular round trip SFO-LHR on both Travelocity and Amex, the specific flight I'm looking for is listed at $2870 on Travelocity but $4156 on Amex - although I could book a different arrival flight for roughly the same price on Amex. I'm trying to do multi-city, though, so that's not a viable option.
So it looks like Amex is giving out vastly different fares for the same tickets... any ideas on why? Does this often happen?
On both Travelocity and Kayak, the lowest fare for the specific set of flights I'm looking at is $2980.
When I go to search for this on Amex's site, it lists it at $4095.
When I do regular round trip SFO-LHR on both Travelocity and Amex, the specific flight I'm looking for is listed at $2870 on Travelocity but $4156 on Amex - although I could book a different arrival flight for roughly the same price on Amex. I'm trying to do multi-city, though, so that's not a viable option.
So it looks like Amex is giving out vastly different fares for the same tickets... any ideas on why? Does this often happen?
