findark

In the past, I HUCA until I get a competent agent who is willing to use DLTERM and their common sense.

The issue I had was nearly always the I versus Z issue, and it would usually take 3-5 calls to get someone who understood that the failure to price the lowest fare was a bug.

chipbennett

I would wait for the Cert to be deposited into my account. In what scenario is anyone forced to "just accept nothing"?

chipbennett

"Not available" is a temporary status. The Cert will be issued/deposited. The deposit date has simply changed (and apparently, for good reason).

Why are we pretending that the Cert is going to be "not available" permanently?

StSebastian

I had my annual fee on 8 Feb, and the cert appeared in my account on 13 Feb (which says it was issued 01 Feb). As noted by others, it is designated differently. The old cert just had an expiration date, but the new cert clearly denotes the date as a "Book By and Fly By", which I like to avoid some confusion I had with these the first time I tried to use one:



I did some tests using the new certificate from ATL:

• no First (even with I and Z availability), but could get Economy and Comfort+
  • ANC, FAI, HNL, OGG
• ALL classes of service available
  • SJO, LAS (testing the existing domestic option), MEX, UVF, PTY
• NO classes of service available
  • SXM, YYZ, YVR (Edit: Canada is not an option)

So it looks like some destinations are working, some are partial, and some not at all. I'm interested in using this to one of the new expanded destinations (and unfortunately, one that's not working properly right now) so that's something I'll have to pursue further.

sydneyracquelle

Canada (YVR/YYZ) was never supposed to work with the new certs.

lindros2

because some dimwit agent threw out the $200 credit to another member.
Thanks for gaslighting.

chipbennett

And the agent forced the member to accept the $200 credit? Or was it completely within the agency of that member to decline the offer?

The only gaslighting here is the suggestion that members are being forced to take a $200 credit in lieu of a Companion Cert.

TommyD2

Did my own testing with the new AMEX Reserve cert. Some observations:

(**Note: every destination I checked was a Saturday to Saturday in each of October, November, December. And all flights required two segments as we'd be flying from MKE. I did NOT check every possibility available for the cert - about 1/2 dozen I didn't try because have been recently or just tried to keep my effort somewhat simpler):

- Seems to be pretty closely tied to I/Z fares, but not exactly.
- Some destinations wide open in all classes, some showed nothing in any class.

Caribbean:
> Wide open: Cuba (HAV), Bahamas (NAS), Turks & Caicos (PLS), Jamaica (MBJ), St Lucia (UVF)
> Nothing available: USVI (STT), Antigua (ANU), Bonaire (BON)
> Mixed availability: SJU, Aruba (AUA), Bermuda (BDA)
> Didn't check: Grand Cayman (GCM), Dominican Republic (SDQ), St Kitts (SKB), St Maarten (SXM)

Central America:
> Wide Open: Belize (BZE)
> Nothing Available: None
> Mixed Availability: Guatemala (GUA), Panama (PTY), El Salvador (SAL), Honduras (both RTB and SAP)
> Didn't Check: All of Mexico, Costa Rica

Some FC cash prices were pretty high (AUA), some really cheap (<$900 including GUA and SAL)

Of course the couple that I am interested in are zero or low availability, but have no definite plans so will use for whatever makes sense when we want to go.

xliioper

Note that you can now use Flexible Dates search when using Companion Certs which should help finding dates with availability if you have flexibility. Don't be surprised if finding dates with I/Z bucket open in F (or L/U/T/X/V in coach) is going to be more challenging during popular travel times with depatures dates around weekends.

hurnik

Yes, although I think it basically gives you a +/- 3 days, but not a monthly calendar (which would be nice, IMO).
But it's better than nothing.

StSebastian

You’re right - I had North America in my head, but that’s not correct in regards to Canada. I was trying to test a variety of different airports in the expanded list. I’ll have to check again after giving a little time to iron out the inconsistencies I encountered, or for others to figure out the way to get those to work.

gkbiiii

How hard would it be, to get to MIA-HNL or MIA-ANC or Canada?

sg4515

Any recent DPs of when Reserve Companion Certificate and Skyclub Vouchers are posting?
My anniversary date is 2/7/2023. My annual fee of $550 should be posting on March 10, 2024. Still have not received Companion Cert or Skyclub Vouchers. I did have (1) Voucher expire 2/11/24. New ones have not posted yet.

sydneyracquelle

Technically Amex can give you the cert on or after 4/10 once the 30 days to cancel the card passes. But you will likely see it before then.

xliioper

Renewal fee is now $650. For the last several years, I've gotten the email for the companion cert on either the 8th or 9th of the month of my card renewal (the issue date says the 1st and expiration is the 30th of the following month -- it's not the same expiration as the Sky Club guest passes). The renewal fee has not posted until later in the month. I would wait a few more days for them to post.