AMEX Bonvoy Brilliant "forfeited" points!?
#16
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
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Posts: 7,954
I don't like autopay because I like to review my bill and make sure that I actually charged everything on there. More than a few times/year there are discrepancies and it's a lot easier to have the charge removed before you pay the bill, than to pay then try to claw back $ after the fact.
#17
Join Date: Jul 2008
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I don't like autopay because I like to review my bill and make sure that I actually charged everything on there. More than a few times/year there are discrepancies and it's a lot easier to have the charge removed before you pay the bill, than to pay then try to claw back $ after the fact. I always pay my balance in full.
FWIW, I have never had a problem disputing a charge after making payment. In AMEX's case, they have always removed the disputed transaction as soon as I filed the dispute, so the only difference is that it is credited if already paid.
#18
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Join Date: Aug 2005
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This is funny. The simple solution is automatic payments ... it will autopay on the latest date possible, I really see no downside in that ... that's why I have a 100% on-time payment record.
OP, you forgot to pay and Amex is clear about the rules ... not sure what you are complaining about.
OP, you forgot to pay and Amex is clear about the rules ... not sure what you are complaining about.
#19
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 539
I would agree with this suggestion while adding that your best approach is to recognize that all fees incurred are warranted and that you are asking them to reimburse the fee as a courtesy (You could even as others have suggested mention that you've even turned on autopay so that this will not happen again). BTW, this policy of charging to reinstate the points has been around for a long time so it's going to be hard to argue with them about the rationale of something that's been engrained in Amex's rule for quite a while.
#20
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I get that we're all numbers, I think the main thing is the policy itself bothers me. If you want to withold the points pending the bill and late fee being paid that's fine, but charging another fee on top of that just feels petty and like they're trying to take advantage of their customers.
#21
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: TPA/DFW/K15
Programs: AA EXP, Mar AMB, HH LT DIA
Posts: 1,646
I don't know the policy at Chase or Citi regarding late fees and or reinstatement fees, since I don't pay my credit card bills late, but I doubt AMEX is the only CC company with these charges.
#22
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 268
Autopay happens on the due date, which is never going to be before the day that you'd pay manually (unless you pay late, of course). Any credits that post to your account after the statement date but before the due date will reduce the auto-pay amount. "Pay in full" means the statement balance, minus any payments or credits received before the due date, which would include any interim credit issued for a disputed charge. So, nothing you mentioned is a reason to not have auto-pay turned on.
The default used to be like 7-10 days prior to due date, but when I did this for my new Delta Reserve, you choose how many days AFTER statement closing date.
There's no option to specify:
On due date
or 1 week before
I'm not sure (will have to check my 5 amex cards) if the due date is a consistent 21 days or whatever after statement closing date.
#23
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
Join Date: Jun 2003
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I have all of my accounts set to autopay "25" days after the statement date.
#24
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Posts: 6,798
I have no problem with a late fee for an overdue bill. Having the customer pay their bill in full, pay a late fee and then holding their points hostage unless they pay an additional fee to get them back feels like extortion. Certainly doesn't make me feel good about AMEX.
#25
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
When I was on the phone with AMEX, I asked to speak with a supervisor and was told that wasn't possible but they would totally call me back within 24 hours. 48+ hours and counting, still no contact from AMEX. Very clear that they simply don't care and hope if they ignore long enough I'll be exasperated enough to give up and just eat the $35. That's the kind of customer service that really engenders loyalty and makes me want to bring more business to AMEX. Well done!
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Not giving points if a minimum payment is missed is a horrible policy. Very few lenders still do that.
If the OP doesn't like the policy I don't see the problem with moving business elsewhere. It's not about the $35, it's about whether you want to do business with a company that is inflexible. I've given up on Amex for similar reasons -- I find them very customer-unfriendly in general (not just because of stuff like this). I stopped using Barclay for the same reason -- they are just a horrible company to deal with. I find Chase to be the best for actual products, benefits, and customer service, by far.
#27
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
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you'll immediately lose all your points if your account status changes, or your account is closed, for any of the following reasons:
you don't make the minimum payment on your account within 60 days of the due date...We won't reinstate points you lose, unless we've made an error.
you don't make the minimum payment on your account within 60 days of the due date...We won't reinstate points you lose, unless we've made an error.
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
This seems to be Chase's corresponding policy, with a longer grace period, but the entire points balance at risk, and no reinstatement option:
https://ultimaterewardspoints.chase...._ltg=UR2Footer
https://ultimaterewardspoints.chase...._ltg=UR2Footer
Amex will also take your entire point balance if your account is closed so there's no difference there (I keep an everyday card that I rarely use just to keep my MR points alive)
#29
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,954
Missing a payment by 1-2 days won't forfeit points with Amex. Read the above-quoted terms carefully. The late payment fee kicks in the day after the payment is due, but the points forfeiture happens only if the payment isn't received by the next statement. So the payment has to be more than 5 days late in order for points to be forfeited.
#30
Join Date: May 2006
Location: KSNA/KLAX
Programs: IML GOLD, Bonvoy LTPE, WOH Globalist, AAEXPLT
Posts: 645
I get that we're all numbers, I think the main thing is the policy itself bothers me. If you want to withold the points pending the bill and late fee being paid that's fine, but charging another fee on top of that just feels petty and like they're trying to take advantage of their customers.