Vasco

The travel credit has to be used by booking through the Platinum Card Travel Service. Basically, you need to call the PTS phone number and tell them that you want to book travel and apply the travel credit.

In my own experience, PTS has always matched or bettered any deal or rate I have found online. YMMV, but I have found them to be quite good so far. The only pain in the ... part is having to take the time to do it by phone.

ffsim

If you end up using one agent more often than others, you can do a fair amount of the preliminary work via email. I've got a "preferred" agent who takes care of me quite well. My requests are sent by email, I get a few options in a reply email, then we arrange a time for her to call me when I'm ready to book.

PreferBulkhead

Just to add another data point on this. I had my PTS agent book a hotel room for me, one that I could easily (and much faster) done myself on the web. When confirmed (and travel is not until mid 2013) she applied the travel credit to my AX Platinum account and two days later is shows up on my account online as

Platinum Annual Travel Credit $200.00

You do indeed need to tell them to apply the annual credit.

It was a painful experience as the PTS agent was IMHO not that interested in doing the booking and wanted to do communication via email rather than voice. In the end I had to have them call the hotel directly as they could not find the hotel package I wanted in their Sabre system. She was able to book exactly what I wanted and I called the hotel to confirm it had been done. I do miss my old PTS travel counsellor but she has moved onto better things

ffsim

Find another one. They can be hit-and-miss sometimes, but I deal with an absolutely wonderful counsellor on a regular basis. She checks up on me via email while I'm on my trips and recently covertly reseated Mrs. ffsim next to me for a return flight (adjacent seats weren't available at the time of booking).

Pseudo Nim

Hm. Can you refer me to her? I haven't had any outstanding PTS agents, and so don't bother calling them unless it's for the travel credit.

ffsim

Check your PM ^

PreferBulkhead

That sounds like the service my old one gave. When I next have to use (or choose to use AX PTS) I will definitely use another but so far the three I initially spoke to on the phone when calling in did not see top-notch ... given that first impressions can be deceiving.

I was going to ask also but for the foreseeable future I do not expect to need one... prefer doing my own bookings as they are almost always on reward points so why bother (or have to train!) an AX PTS counsellor to do that for me

CRAZYBUBBA

I find that it's easier for me to do the research and then tell them what I want for the best price. I had no problem booking a flight for the same price as AA. +1 PTS. I'll be using them more in the future.

mabramovich

What if you need something that's less than $200? Do you get the full credit? Do you get some of it and the rest when you spend the rest?

Vasco

That's an interesting question. You'll have to call PTS to find out. I imagine that it doesn't come up very often. Maybe a car rental? Or a 1-night hotel stay? Can't think of many things that would be under $200 that you would take the time to call PTS to arrange for you rather than just quickly book online.

mabramovich

It's more like there's only a couple of travel things we have left to book through end of December and I want to make sure to use the credit.

beep88

Please read T&C as clearly spelled out.

https://www.americanexpress.com/ca/e...platinum-card/

"You will have access to a $200 CAD Annual Travel Credit, compliments of your Platinum Card. Use the credit once annually towards any single travel booking of $200 or more charged to your Platinum Card through Platinum Card® Travel Service from Amex Canada Inc."

beep88

Really, there is nothing that's worth the time to call PTS, which I can't book myself online, other than FHR.

But a Via Rail discount return ticket between Toronto-Montreal will be under $200, for example.

jerryhung

To my surprise, my renewal fee is $399 instead of $699 (I applied Oct 2011)


I won't need it much really as I'll be *A Gold next year (to use the lounges) instead of PP, nor FHR, and I have AMEX Gold now to earn MR points

now, do I keep it for $200/year after $200 credit? ha ha..

armwinder

I have been a platinum member for many years. I just received the platinum Business card, (still $399:00 for now) and will more than likely cancel my old platinum card before the annual fee of $699:00 in January. The business card gives most of the benefits of the old card.