American Express Card Members can book flights, hotels, and more through the Amex Travel portal. While you may be accustomed to booking directly with the airline or property, there are several benefits to using Amex Travel, particularly if you hold an American Express Platinum or Centurion card.
Many Amex cards also come with annual travel credits, which must be redeemed through the Amex Travel website. These travel credits can usually be used to discount flights, hotel bookings and car hire. Here’s our guide to understanding and using Amex Travel.
Many American Express cards come with an annual travel credit to offset the annual fee.
Using Amex Travel for flight bookings
American Express offers flight bookings for many major airlines, including some low-cost carriers. Within Australia, you can book Qantas, Virgin Australia and Rex flights online. Pricing is generally identical to what you’ll find directly on the airline websites for domestic flights, barring some occasional sale fares.
If you have an Amex Travel credit (such as a $400 credit from the American Express Explorer Card), flights are an easy way to use the entire amount in a single booking.
If you have a valid Travel Credit or would like to use your Membership Rewards points to offset some of the booking cost, these options can be selected during the online payment stage.
Note that American Express now applies travel credits as a statement credit after booking, rather than a direct discount during the booking process. The main implication of this is that your booking value must exceed the travel credit amount.
What fees should I know about?
American Express charges A$33 per change and A$55 per flight cancellation, per person. This is in addition to any airline-mandated change or cancellation fees, so bear that in mind in case of flight disruptions. You must contact Amex Travel to change or cancel any bookings, rather than directly with the airline.
Using Amex Travel for hotel bookings
Things get a bit more complex when using Amex Travel for hotel stays. There are three types of hotel bookings you can make: standard, ‘The Hotel Collection’ and ‘Fine Hotel + Resorts’.
Standard hotel bookings
If a hotel is bookable on Expedia, you’ll likely be able to reserve the same room and rate with Amex Travel and using your travel credits. Any Amex Offers you may have for hotel cashbacks will also be applied. So what’s the catch?
Any hotels booked through this method require upfront payments rather than payment at the counter. It also counts as a third-party booking from the hotel’s perspective. Therefore, if you have hotel elite status that offers perks with direct bookings, using Amex Travel will typically void those perks for that stay. Additionally, hotel points are typically not awarded for these bookings.
The Hotel Collection bookings
This is a curated collection of mid- to high-end properties. Only selected Card Members can access these special rates, including those with the American Express Explorer and Platinum cards.
It often costs the same as booking directly. But through Amex, you also get up to US$100 in hotel credit and a room upgrade on arrival. The only catch is that these benefits apply when you stay for two nights or more.
Payment is usually due on arrival for The Hotel Collection bookings. However, if the hotel and room rate you choose permits pre-payment, then you can redeem your Amex travel credits and/or Membership Rewards points.
Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings
Top-tier American Express Platinum and Centurion Card Members have access to Fine Hotels + Resorts. This is a collection of ultra-luxurious properties, offering unique property gifts, daily breakfast for two, guaranteed 4:00 p.m. checkout, room upgrade upon arrival, and more.
Payment is usually due on arrival for Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings. However, if the hotel and room rate you choose permits pre-payment, then Amex travel credits and/or Membership Rewards points can be redeemed. You can usually earn hotel loyalty program points and elite status credits for these stays.
What else can I use Amex Travel for?
You can also use Amex Travel to book car hire and holiday packages. These ‘bundles’ essentially just add the air, hotel and/or the car component into a single transaction. This could be handy if you were eyeing a $200 flight and $200 hotel, but wanted to book both together with a $400 travel credit.
Summing up
You will likely use Amex Travel at some point if you hold an American Express card, particularly one that offers a yearly travel credit to satisfy your wanderlust cravings. Just be mindful of the various fees in place and that you are adding a layer of complexity by booking through an online travel agent.
(A counterpoint for that argument is you might save time by only needing to call Amex Travel to change or cancel all your travel reservations, so ultimately it’s up to you).
Amex Travel has a straightforward booking interface, although it can be somewhat clunky. If your account is loaded with a travel credit, it’s also very easy to apply it to your bookings to get the statement credit later.
Quietly removed 🙁
Of course, the above assumes that the hotel’s website offers the room at the exact price as AMEX travel, which may not always be the case (as you have alluded to above).