Amex Free Flight Claim near anniversary date?

[joyceful]

Hi all,
I am new and need some advice. Browse through the forum, i knew some of you have been claim two free tickets near anniversary date. My doubts are
1) how long the grace period they will give when near the anniversary date. For example, if my free flight anniversary date is on 15 Jul, is that possible that i call near the date and book for the flight for dec?
2) since i call near the anniversary date, and i pay for the next year annual fees, can i claim both years free tickets at the same time?
3) If i can claim both free tickets, are those two tickets must be adults? If i would like to claim one for myself and another one for my kid (4 years old), is that possible?

Anyone have above experience and wanna to share will be much much appreciate.

Thanks.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I have booked 2 tickets on the one day.

There is not a lot of grace. So ring up say a week prior to explain that you are going to do it.

When I did that I was advised t ring up on my last day, and that they would then let me book two tickets. In my case for my wife and I.

I cannot see why they would not let you book one ticket for a child when they are travelling with an adult.

 

[Mal]

I've had Amex carry over previous flights for several months. Literally I could have booked last years and this years in the same call. However... You never know when they might tighten up the rules.
I find it annoying though that the anniversary date isn't online anywhere (or is it?) So I'm always getting confused as to the exact date ...

 

[AdMEL]

You only have to book the flight by your anniversary date - the flight can be up to 12 months away.

Tickets can be for anyone you choose.

 

[Cynicor]

You cannot book prior to your anniversary date, and as above you can book 2 tickets up to 1 year out. Never tried a child ticket but cannot see a problem with it.
the grace period is at least 2 weeks, but no longer IIRC.

 

[joyceful]

I have booked 2 tickets on the one day.

There is not a lot of grace. So ring up say a week prior to explain that you are going to do it.

When I did that I was advised t ring up on my last day, and that they would then let me book two tickets. In my case for my wife and I.

I cannot see why they would not let you book one ticket for a child when they are travelling with an adult.

Thanks Mate. That is nice. So, you booked both tickets date how far away from your anniversary date?

 

[joyceful]

I've had Amex carry over previous flights for several months. Literally I could have booked last years and this years in the same call. However... You never know when they might tighten up the rules.
I find it annoying though that the anniversary date isn't online anywhere (or is it?) So I'm always getting confused as to the exact date ...

Wow, Mal.. that is really wonderful if mine can carry forward for several months. Not sure i will have such luck or not.. beg for carry forward longer to plan a good trip with family...

 

[joyceful]

You only have to book the flight by your anniversary date - the flight can be up to 12 months away.

Tickets can be for anyone you choose.

Serious? You means if my anniversary date is 15 July 13, i even can book for next year 30 June flight?? That will make my day!! Any tips to do it??

 

[joyceful]

You cannot book prior to your anniversary date, and as above you can book 2 tickets up to 1 year out. Never tried a child ticket but cannot see a problem with it.
the grace period is at least 2 weeks, but no longer IIRC.

Em.. is that means if my ticket due on 15 Jul (Anniversary date), and my latest to fly out must be 29 Jul 13?? To book alone child ticket with my free flight, they are not allow, that is why i plan to book two tickets at once if possible :-(

 

[Ausbt]

I just cancelled my Velocity Platinum card as I wasn't prepared to pay the $349 fee again. In one year that card delivered a bonus 200 SCs, 80,000 Velocity Points and a SYD-MCY-SYD flight. I was tempted to go for a second flight, but decided to put a call in first to suss it all out. The helpful operator told me this: if I haven't already taken the flight (clearly he didn't know that I had) there would be a grace period of several months after anniversary that I could still take the first flight. However, if I had taken it and I booked another one, I'd be charged the next annual fee. Additionally, he claimed I'd need to be a current cardholder at the time I took the flight. This last point doesn't seem that credible. Ultimately I decided to cancel the card and not push the issue - figuring this piece of plastic delivered a pretty good result for me.

One other issue was, during the cancellation process, Amex's offer to convert it to a Qantas card. When I enquired about the possibility of bonus points on joining, the rep told me "once you have been an Amex cardholder you'll never be able to get a bonus offer again". Now I'm really doubtful about that one - as I used to have a Qantas Platinum card that delivered about 50,000 points on opening in 07. It is in fact still connected to my online Amex log-in and has (thanks to iTunes) an outstanding balance of $2.92 that I never seem to find the time to pay out. None of that stopped me collecting the sign-on bonus for Velocity though!

 

[Ausbt]

Oh yeah one more thing: Amex credited me with two lounge passes on my application date (apparently) even though the annual fee date (corresponding to first spend) was a solid month away. So now I have six Virgin lounge passes in my account that as a WP are sort-of hard to use actually.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I've had Amex carry over previous flights for several months. Literally I could have booked last years and this years in the same call.

However... You never know when they might tighten up the rules.
I find it annoying though that the anniversary date isn't online anywhere (or is it?) So I'm always getting confused as to the exact date ...

It's probably easier to call them rather than trawl back through the last 12 months worth of statements to find when you were charged your annual fee.

 

[joyceful]

I just cancelled my Velocity Platinum card as I wasn't prepared to pay the $349 fee again. In one year that card delivered a bonus 200 SCs, 80,000 Velocity Points and a SYD-MCY-SYD flight. I was tempted to go for a second flight, but decided to put a call in first to suss it all out. The helpful operator told me this: if I haven't already taken the flight (clearly he didn't know that I had) there would be a grace period of several months after anniversary that I could still take the first flight. However, if I had taken it and I booked another one, I'd be charged the next annual fee. Additionally, he claimed I'd need to be a current cardholder at the time I took the flight. This last point doesn't seem that credible. Ultimately I decided to cancel the card and not push the issue - figuring this piece of plastic delivered a pretty good result for me.

One other issue was, during the cancellation process, Amex's offer to convert it to a Qantas card. When I enquired about the possibility of bonus points on joining, the rep told me "once you have been an Amex cardholder you'll never be able to get a bonus offer again". Now I'm really doubtful about that one - as I used to have a Qantas Platinum card that delivered about 50,000 points on opening in 07. It is in fact still connected to my online Amex log-in and has (thanks to iTunes) an outstanding balance of $2.92 that I never seem to find the time to pay out. None of that stopped me collecting the sign-on bonus for Velocity though!

Thanks Ausbt. I am ever think to apply this velocity platinum card as currently they offer 50,000 bonus points... but as a current amex card holder, i believe i am out of this offer :-( 200SC means tha you must fly quite a lot in a year? em.. that is really good. You are lucky that they gave you several months grace period, how i wish i am that lucky too. See what will happend when near my anniversary date.

 

[joyceful]

Oh yeah one more thing: Amex credited me with two lounge passes on my application date (apparently) even though the annual fee date (corresponding to first spend) was a solid month away. So now I have six Virgin lounge passes in my account that as a WP are sort-of hard to use actually.

You are such a lucky person.. i am new in here and only start to find out all regarding travelling as i love travel. Never been in lounge yet.. hope i have that lucky one day. Cheers

 

[joyceful]

ya.. i think that will be the easier way ^^

 

[Ausbt]

200SC means tha you must fly quite a lot in a year? em.. that is really good. .

I do fly a lot yes, but just to clarify that 200 SC was actually a bonus applied by Amex to my account, none of the 200 SC was earned by flying at all. Even stranger, the original offer was 150 but 200 got credited. Hey, I'm not complaining! With family pooling and all my saver-lite flying it's kept me at Platinum Certainly an unusual offer that I've not seen occur again.

Never been in lounge yet.. hope i have that lucky one day. Cheers

I'd love to transfer over some lounge passes to you but it's sadly not possible with Virgin. However, keep an eye on the "Meetings and Social" thread here. Post up your details and let members know when you are travelling - hopefully someone can sign you in.

 

[joyceful]

I do fly a lot yes, but just to clarify that 200 SC was actually a bonus applied by Amex to my account, none of the 200 SC was earned by flying at all. Even stranger, the original offer was 150 but 200 got credited. Hey, I'm not complaining! With family pooling and all my saver-lite flying it's kept me at Platinum Certainly an unusual offer that I've not seen occur again.

Wow.. how come you can be so lucky I never come across any amex card offer SC.. must start to do a lot of homework now ^^



I'd love to transfer over some lounge passes to you but it's sadly not possible with Virgin. However, keep an eye on the "Meetings and Social" thread here. Post up your details and let members know when you are travelling - hopefully someone can sign you in.

Thanks for letting me know.. certrainly will try

 

[AdMEL]

It's probably easier to call them rather than trawl back through the last 12 months worth of statements to find when you were charged your annual fee.

My anniversary date and annual fee date are several months apart! If I remember correctly it took them many months after I received the card to charge the annual fee.

Serious? You means if my anniversary date is 15 July 13, i even can book for next year 30 June flight?? That will make my day!! Any tips to do it??

Yes. In your case, it would probably be best to ring before, but as close to as possible, your anniversary date and book one flight anytime in next 12 months, then immediately after anniversary date, ring and book second flight on same flight.

Whilst I too have been given a grace period, I was told it was a goodwill gesture and it does not normally apply.

 

[samas]

Oh yeah one more thing: Amex credited me with two lounge passes on my application date (apparently) even though the annual fee date (corresponding to first spend) was a solid month away. So now I have six Virgin lounge passes in my account that as a WP are sort-of hard to use actually.

I also was credited 2 passes on application date (october 2012) but then in Feb 2013 I was credited another 2 so now have 4. My first ever amex was taken out in feb about 5 years ago so I think the extra annual passes were tied into my amex anniversary date. Curious to see if they credit another two in october this year when the first two expire.

I still have 4 passes on my account and after just hitting platinum also will probably never use them.
I did try use one on two occasions (when the lounge was rather busy to add a +1 when I was already guesting one) but the lounge angels just granted me entry without even checking my entitlements on my card!).

When I got the passes I was not expecting to maintain gold so was going to be a useful way to get lounge access as a silver, but I then re-attained gold and climbed the ladder to platinum anyway.

 

[Ausbt]

I still have 4 passes on my account and after just hitting platinum also will probably never use them.
I did try use one on two occasions (when the lounge was rather busy to add a +1 when I was already guesting one) but the lounge angels just granted me entry without even checking my entitlements on my card!).

Actually as Plats we are both entitled to ourselves +3 guests. So that means if you and I head out to the airport together, we can go and round up 16 randoms and guest them into the lounge! (...just got to find the right-kind-of-randoms of course )