Sep 22, 2022, 9:48 am
Last edit by: mia
Related discussion here: Report clawbacks of the FHR/THC $200 credit.
Terms and FAQ
Which charges are eligible?
Terms and FAQ
Which charges are eligible?
- Reservation must be pre-paid to be reimbursed.
- Pre-paids with a flexible cancellation policy are still eligible.
- Hotel rates under $200 are also reimbursed.
- If using Pay With Points, the cash portion of your charge is still eligible.
- Charges made at the hotel are not billed by Amex Travel and are not eligible.
- When checking in, the terms require payment with an Amex which need not be a platinum Amex.
- Browse Hotels here
- Benefit renews every January 1st.
- The $200 credit is based on the year you made the booking, not the year of the stay. You can use it this year to book a room for next year.
- Amex in general handles offers by the transaction date, not post date. For example, a 12/31/22 transaction date is eligible for 2022 credits even if posted in 2023.
- If you cancel a reservation, the $200 credit is reversed. The credit will be available to use again if you cancelled in the same year you paid.
- In general you can't modify reservation dates and need to cancel and rebook to change dates.
- "If you need to change your hotel booking, you must either cancel and rebook your reservation or call us for assistance."
- If you use the benefit for a future stay and cancel that Amex platinum card prior to your stay, Amex is not known to claw back the $200. You will still need to check-in with some other Amex.
- The $200 credit sometimes posts in a few days, but sometimes 3 weeks or longer.
To know your remaining $200 balance, ask Amex. There's no meter on the website.There is now a meter on the website which shows your usage against $200- If your platinum account has additional cardholders with a gold card, charges on the gold card are eligible. Not clear if they enforce the requirement that the platinum cardholder must be on the reservation.
- Terms of the FH&R $100 credit.
- Separate thread regarding elite benefits on stays.
Amex $200 Hotel Credit (FHR or THC)
Jan 27, 2022, 10:11 am
#378
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I rarely used to use FHR, but wanting to use this credit benefit just because it is there has sort of opened my eyes on how to play this to my advantage. Between the included breakfast, $100 food/drink credit, loyalty program benefits and being able to often get up to 30-33 hours of room use for a one-night stay even on sub-$250/nights, I have made it work for me. I just hope this doesn’t end up replacing the airline credit.
Jan 27, 2022, 10:48 am
#379
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,141
I rarely used to use FHR, but wanting to use this credit benefit just because it is there has sort of opened my eyes on how to play this to my advantage. Between the included breakfast, $100 food/drink credit, loyalty program benefits and being able to often get up to 30-33 hours of room use for a one-night stay even on sub-$250/nights, I have made it work for me. I just hope this doesn’t end up replacing the airline credit.
Jan 27, 2022, 11:15 am
#380
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
The way it works is basically getting to a property in the morning and leaving at 4/5/6 PM (as late as they will let you stay) the next day. FHR offers noon check-in ("when available") and gaurantees 4 PM check out; you can stretch that on both ends depending on how full the property is. As someone who lives in NY, this is a great way to visit DC for example (hop on an early flight/train, check in to hotel immediately, etc).
Jan 27, 2022, 12:07 pm
#381
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Jan 27, 2022, 1:06 pm
#382
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,141
Jan 27, 2022, 1:18 pm
#383
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AS 75K (OW), SK Silver (*A), UR, MR
Posts: 3,346
Jan 30, 2022, 10:35 am
#386
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Mexico
Programs: AM Plat, UA Plat, AA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Amex Plat
Posts: 238
I've had a terrible experience so far with the $200 credit / Amex Travel.
1. The interface does not allow you to change the name of your room booking. Unfortunately, the system is also broken. The system parsed my last name incorrectly (there's a space in my last name) so I get an error message when attempting to make a booking online or in the app - "your last name must be at least 2 letters". If you remove functionality from a system, also make sure the system works.
2. This means I have to call the terrible Amex Travel call center (why can't Platinum Travel Service make these bookings?!?!). The operators have a poor command of English and of hotels - I even had to spell out the word "Sofitel"
3. Then I needed to make a change of dates (cut two nights out of a stay). NOT POSSIBLE. Have to cancel and rebook. This means I lose my 2021 credit as the new booking will come out of the 2022 credit.
4. I called to cancel and rebook but the line was crackling so bad I had to hang up. Now I'm spelling everything out to the second agent to make the booking again.
What kind of person wants to stay at an FHR-level property but is also willing to put up with this quality of service?!?! How can this in any way compete with the Sapphire Reserve's extremely painless credit?
1. The interface does not allow you to change the name of your room booking. Unfortunately, the system is also broken. The system parsed my last name incorrectly (there's a space in my last name) so I get an error message when attempting to make a booking online or in the app - "your last name must be at least 2 letters". If you remove functionality from a system, also make sure the system works.
2. This means I have to call the terrible Amex Travel call center (why can't Platinum Travel Service make these bookings?!?!). The operators have a poor command of English and of hotels - I even had to spell out the word "Sofitel"
3. Then I needed to make a change of dates (cut two nights out of a stay). NOT POSSIBLE. Have to cancel and rebook. This means I lose my 2021 credit as the new booking will come out of the 2022 credit.
4. I called to cancel and rebook but the line was crackling so bad I had to hang up. Now I'm spelling everything out to the second agent to make the booking again.
What kind of person wants to stay at an FHR-level property but is also willing to put up with this quality of service?!?! How can this in any way compete with the Sapphire Reserve's extremely painless credit?
Jan 30, 2022, 10:41 am
#387
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
I've had a terrible experience so far with the $200 credit / Amex Travel.
1. The interface does not allow you to change the name of your room booking. Unfortunately, the system is also broken. The system parsed my last name incorrectly (there's a space in my last name) so I get an error message when attempting to make a booking online or in the app - "your last name must be at least 2 letters". If you remove functionality from a system, also make sure the system works.
2. This means I have to call the terrible Amex Travel call center (why can't Platinum Travel Service make these bookings?!?!). The operators have a poor command of English and of hotels - I even had to spell out the word "Sofitel"
3. Then I needed to make a change of dates (cut two nights out of a stay). NOT POSSIBLE. Have to cancel and rebook. This means I lose my 2021 credit as the new booking will come out of the 2022 credit.
4. I called to cancel and rebook but the line was crackling so bad I had to hang up. Now I'm spelling everything out to the second agent to make the booking again.
What kind of person wants to stay at an FHR-level property but is also willing to put up with this quality of service?!?! How can this in any way compete with the Sapphire Reserve's extremely painless credit?
1. The interface does not allow you to change the name of your room booking. Unfortunately, the system is also broken. The system parsed my last name incorrectly (there's a space in my last name) so I get an error message when attempting to make a booking online or in the app - "your last name must be at least 2 letters". If you remove functionality from a system, also make sure the system works.
2. This means I have to call the terrible Amex Travel call center (why can't Platinum Travel Service make these bookings?!?!). The operators have a poor command of English and of hotels - I even had to spell out the word "Sofitel"
3. Then I needed to make a change of dates (cut two nights out of a stay). NOT POSSIBLE. Have to cancel and rebook. This means I lose my 2021 credit as the new booking will come out of the 2022 credit.
4. I called to cancel and rebook but the line was crackling so bad I had to hang up. Now I'm spelling everything out to the second agent to make the booking again.
What kind of person wants to stay at an FHR-level property but is also willing to put up with this quality of service?!?! How can this in any way compete with the Sapphire Reserve's extremely painless credit?
IMO the hotel credit is a great addition, especially for short stats. Best to use it early in the year. The recent adds to the Platinum card (including this one) well outstripped the new fee for me, and the upgrades to Chase Sapphire Preferred made it less compelling to hold a Reserve. So for me the cards are moving in the opposite direction (Platinum more compelling, CSR less)
Jan 31, 2022, 2:27 pm
#388
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 4,867
I think AMEX has a wrinkle with the technicality of booking vs stay and year of eligibility for credit.
Jul 13 2021: book FHR (Stay Jul 23)
Jul 13 2021: book THC (Stay Jul 24)
Jul 16 2021: both discounts credited
Dec 30 2021: book FHR (Stay Jan 9)
Today: stay completed... no evidence of credit anywhere
I think they tagged the booking as calendar year 2021
Jul 13 2021: book FHR (Stay Jul 23)
Jul 13 2021: book THC (Stay Jul 24)
Jul 16 2021: both discounts credited
Dec 30 2021: book FHR (Stay Jan 9)
Today: stay completed... no evidence of credit anywhere
I think they tagged the booking as calendar year 2021
Jan 31, 2022, 2:45 pm
#389
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
I think AMEX has a wrinkle with the technicality of booking vs stay and year of eligibility for credit.
Jul 13 2021: book FHR (Stay Jul 23)
Jul 13 2021: book THC (Stay Jul 24)
Jul 16 2021: both discounts credited
Dec 30 2021: book FHR (Stay Jan 9)
Today: stay completed... no evidence of credit anywhere
I think they tagged the booking as calendar year 2021
Jul 13 2021: book FHR (Stay Jul 23)
Jul 13 2021: book THC (Stay Jul 24)
Jul 16 2021: both discounts credited
Dec 30 2021: book FHR (Stay Jan 9)
Today: stay completed... no evidence of credit anywhere
I think they tagged the booking as calendar year 2021
Jan 31, 2022, 3:12 pm
#390
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,188
I think AMEX has a wrinkle with the technicality of booking vs stay and year of eligibility for credit.
Jul 13 2021: book FHR (Stay Jul 23)
Jul 13 2021: book THC (Stay Jul 24)
Jul 16 2021: both discounts credited
Dec 30 2021: book FHR (Stay Jan 9)
Today: stay completed... no evidence of credit anywhere
I think they tagged the booking as calendar year 2021
Jul 13 2021: book FHR (Stay Jul 23)
Jul 13 2021: book THC (Stay Jul 24)
Jul 16 2021: both discounts credited
Dec 30 2021: book FHR (Stay Jan 9)
Today: stay completed... no evidence of credit anywhere
I think they tagged the booking as calendar year 2021