Amex are changing how the annual travel vouchers/credit is redeemed.
https://www.americanexpress.com/en-au/travel/how-to-use-trav…
From the FAQs
There are no refunds, including cancelled bookings. If you cancel your travel booking after redeeming the annual Travel Credit, you will not be able to use it again in the same anniversary year.
I don't like this. Plans sometimes change, emergencies disrupt travel plans.
Wasnt there a loophole before some people would book a random (but 100% refundable) trip/booking then cancel it and that way extend the credit life?
I wish they still had the option to spend it at HN (yes, BOOO GERRY) like they did during all the lockdowns. But sometimes its just impractical to go for a trip
Wasnt there a loophole before some people would book a random (but 100% refundable) trip/booking then cancel it and that way extend the credit life?
Amex call centre was advising us to do that, it worked, and I never lost any travel vouchers.
If you cancel a booking e.g. a flight, wouldnt the airline be the one that you have to deal with rather than Amex Travel? I think they are just pushing the customer to deal with the airlines directly.
What happens to hotel bookings then?
It doesn't seem fair that if you cancel a refundable hotel booking, the credit/voucher is gone for that year. It would make more sense if they allow a rebooking without extending the validity of the voucher beyond the anniversary date.
Regardless of how many times you book and cancel, the credit will expire after 365 days.
not sure about hotel bookings. I would think amex travel as the booking agent, should refund you or rebook you for another day. If that's not the case, then the travel credit is useless.
I thought it has always been like this?
It was always like this, the travel credit was never refundable.
The actual change made is:
Beginning 1 May 2023, you will need to use the full value of your annual Travel Credit on a single travel booking using your eligible Card
So you gotta spend the whole $400/$450 in one go, rather than dividing it over multiple bookings (though TBH I didn't know you could even use it on multiple bookings beforehand…)
the travel credit was never refundable.
Not true.
What was it before? Any rush to use it before 1 May? I feel like most bookings would use the full $450 anyway?
Beginning 1 May 2023, you will need to use your annual $450 Travel Credit on a single travel booking of $450 or more on your eligible Card, made through American Express Travel Online. Your booking will be charged in full to your American Express Platinum Card and American Express will then credit $450 to your account within 3 business days but may take up to 30 days. You will still receive your $450 Travel Credit each year, and your Travel Credit anniversary will remain the same
This is what it says in my email, how was it before??
i booked 4 tickets using amex plat velocity travel credit and cancelled them since virgin changed times of flights. virgin rep said it would become travel bank credits and take a long time to process. havent heard anything from virigin and amex for a couple months now. how long should it take to show up on travel bank.?
Could be the start of phasing out these annual travel credits.
I’d rather get $0 annual fee.