has anyone heard of american express gouging there customers.as of may 1/00 there going to charge 3500 points just to transfer your hard earned points into your frequent flyer plan, as far as i can understandthis was sent to me in canada so i dont know about anywhere else.also there raising the minimun you can transfer to 10000,,,any feedback

I have not seen this and have no idea if it is true, but it sounds similar to what appeared here last June (I believe it was June). At that time there was briefly information on the AMEX website about starting to charge $$$ for each transfer from AMEX to a FF program. (I saw this information myself so I know it was there.) The information disappeared in less than a day and AMEX never instituted the charges. Maybe they are bringing it back. InsideFlyer are you following up?

Haven't heard anything here in Toronto yet. I have got something saying that the cost of membership rewards program will increase.

Charging 3500 pts would be totally ridiculous. We are already paying them every year to accumulate points.

[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 03-09-2000).]

I have an Amex Corporate card in Australia. Here Amex has bought in an annual fee if you want the Frequent Flyer awards sytem - aprox A$40 per year. Alternatively, you can avoid paying that (EXTRA) annual fee, and instead they will deduct Bonus Points - they ripped me off 7,500 points (which has put me in the red) - if I'd realised, I would have transferred out my meager few thousand points BEFORE the deduction came through.

They charge 23.50 GBP per year for access to airline/hotel points with the UK issued card. It's free for Pt holders.

If they start charging points, rather than money, I will not be amused.

Here it is text included in my latest MR statement attached to the Platinum Card (Canada) bill:

Notice of Change: Effective May 1, 2000, each time you transfer points to a participating frequent flyer account, a fee of 3,500 points will be charged to your Membership Rewards account. Also, the minimum requirement of points for each transfer to a frequent flyer account will be increased from 5,000 to 10,000 points.

Notice of Change: Effective May 1, 2000, if you ask us to process a transfer to your participating frequent flyer account or hotel frequent guest account in less than the normal three business days, a rush points transfer fee of 3,500 points will apply and will be debited from your Membership Rewards Program account.

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This is total BS:

1. The only "valuable" FF account that Amex Canada MR can us is an airline that will soon go extinct.
2. Existing Canadian Airlines rewards has a 10% discount if you transfer in 5K points, I guess they're now raised to 10K points.
3. Considering that they are raising Amex Platinum card fee from CAD$ 350 to CAD$ 399, and not boosting any benifits (actually losing benefit as the 2-for-1 coupon is only good at Canadian Airlines).

I guess it is back to the CIBC AeroGold Visa. AMR, are you listing ? Why not get Citibank (which already offers various Visa cards in Canada) to offer your AAdvantage Visa here ? Otherwise, it is "Hello *A".

I just called membership rewards here in the United States (spoke with a supervisor) and the claim that that change is only for Canada! I expressed to her that I would be deeply upset if they also brought that charge here to the US. She gave me this address to write in to express my concerns:

American Express
General Correspondence
PO Box 27096
Greensboro, NC 27499-2746

Nah...If you write there, you'll get practically a form letter response. Then you'll probably get mad and write to their executive offices in NY. Your efforts will result in a response from the "Executive Consumer Relations" group which is in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (No, I don't get this either.)

Save yourself the extended effort, Just write to Florida directly:

American Express
Executive Consumer Relations
777 American Expressway
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33337

By the way, I have my doubts if this is an actual American Express office, or just some outsourced customer service operation. Maybe one of our Florida FT'ers can check if they're nearby.

NJDavid, it's a legit AmEx office.

I've got a friend who has worked in the MIS Dept. there for the past 12 years.

I also share the outrage of what AMEX Canada is doing. How can they charge their best customers 3500 miles as a fee to transfer miles? It's a bloody joke considering Canadian Airlines is defunct and we are left with redeeming miles on Continental!! Not exactly a huge range out of flights out of Canada and in my case none out of H.K. (if you don't consider the bomb 727 they use on the Guam Route).

AMEX programs worldwide seem to offer only what the local market can stand. In Canada, we pay $100 fee for Gold Charge and an extra $50 for membership rewards points accelerator. Not exactly a cheap program to be part of.
My suggestion is email and complain. CIBC VISA is starting to look good again.

[This message has been edited by davistev (edited 03-10-2000).]

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This is an unfortunate development, as I always thought Amex was a good competitor to the Aerogold card. As for me, I currently use a Diners Club/enRoute and President's Choice Visa combination to earn miles and points.
A good deal for $65 a year.

Besides these mileage earning cards, a good option might now be the CIBC Dividend Visa, costs $79 and gives back 2% on all spending over $5,000 in a year (a reduced amount on the first $5k). It also includes health insurance. My parents use this card.

Just another reason why I prefer Diners over AMEX. As soon as Diners expands more in the US to include more retailers, I willbe extrememly happy. For the mean time, I am using Diners with a Marriott Visa. I am thinking of getting rid of my Gold Rewards Plus American Express and going Starwood Amex.

Overall, Amex does not seem to be concerned with customer perception. Maybe this is a cost saving technique since their stock has been depreciated??