tcl

It seems that Amex is sending out their 2011 batch of SkyGuide Club offers:

The intentionally vague email :
"Good news! You are among a select group of American Express Cardmembers specifically chosen to receive two $100 Restaurant Certificates* — worth a total value of $200 — just for trying the first 2 months of membership in the SkyGuide Executive Privilege Club. You’ll pay a one-time club processing fee of $2.99 to activate your membership. If you are 100% satisfied, do nothing and your membership will continue at special Cardmember rates."

"**Receive reimbursement for your purchase of daily guest passes up to 12 times per calendar year. Monthly or yearly airport lounge memberships are not eligible for reimbursement. Mail receipts within 30 days of use. Allow 4-6 weeks for receipt of check."

The restaurant certificates are Restaurant.com. What is interesting is that this email and its links say up to 12x per year and not 1/month max 12/year. It also doesn't say anything about what the max number of uses for the 2-month trial period is. The 1st year renewal rate is $29.99 and subsequent years "currently" $59.99

Does anyone have any specifics on the trial limits and program specifics for 2011? Thanks

mia

That is correct. Originally the reimbursement program offered 3 visits per month, then (briefly) one per month, now 12 per year which is more useful.

ccoulson

I too just received Amex's recent promotion of this - 2 $100 restaurant.com certificates. Has anybody had problems canceling this service?

mrkymark

Mia, when did they change the rule to 12/year vs 1/month?

I never get notified of anything!

MrHalliday

Today I received an offer to skyguide including a free Marriott night.
is this worth the trouble?

billatq

For a $30 offer, I figured I'd try the lounge reimbursement program. I just mailed off two separate reimbursements for lounges in different envelopes via first class mail with signature.

It's ever so slightly annoying to put their address in any type of online postage system, though I suppose the idea is to make it as difficult as possible to get reimbursed without actually making it impossible. I did finally get a label printed with signature confirmation though.

If you try to put the address they give you into the USPS web site, you'll find that you don't have nearly enough lines, and the ones that you can fit get truncated. Since I wasn't sure if they'd be super picky about that really being there, I printed out a label with just the c/o person and just the address, and hand-wrote the other two address lines above it.

As it also turns out, things like "19th Floor" are standardized to "Fl 19", so I hand-corrected that to match their format as well.

I noted that the offer is currently 12 visits per year, and visited these one after another, so I suppose I'll find out if there's some hidden rule about one per month that I'm missing anywhere.

boycruz

Are these restaurant.com certificates worth the trouble?

How long does it generally take to get them?


thanks

Spiffster

do your research at their website to see if there are restaurants that you'll go to. And stock up when they're $2 - they're good for a year (i think it's a year, don't have any handy right now).

when you buy them from r.c's website, you can print them out immediately. never bought them from an amex offer or whatever...

cswarthout

I threw out the mailing as it looked like a scam, any chance I could get in for the $29 offered?

Seems like it would be worth it for the club/gym reimbursements alone...

billatq

Well, I got a check in the mail today for a lounge visit exactly six weeks after mailing the forms. I'm happy that it actually panned out. I'm on the $2.99/$29.99 deal, so I'm already ahead. I have to admit that I'm slightly surprised that it worked. I'm also surprised that the check is cut from the AMEX accounts payable department.

SkyTeam777

So if I already subscribe annually to SkyGuide/Executive Travel magazine, does this mean I am an automatic member in Exec Privilege Club? or do I have to pay extra to join that as a SkyGuide subscriber...are there any special deals for current subscribers? Im especially interested in the one that included the free Marriott night mentioned earlier in this thread.

Anyone had luck purchasing a daypass for future use? or does that have your name on it? I know it says you cant use it for someone else, but if the day pass doesnt have your name on it, how would they know?

mia

I think not. Start here:

http://www.skyguideonline.com/

..and follow the link on the lefthand side for the Executive Privilege Club

http://www.skyguideclub.com/

chrisny2

I asked Skyguide/AmEx if online lounge passes (for future use) qualify. They told me yes. I purchased a Delta SkyClub pass online and was, in fact, reimbursed.

SkyTeam777

Did it have your name tied to it? If not, then technically you could give it to someone else (which according to the rules is not allowed), but not sure how they would know

chrisny2

Yes - the Delta pass had my name on it. However, I don't know whether the pass was non-transferable. I'm also not sure whether other airlines' passes have names on them.