Explorer Travel Credit - pay more to use it?

[Aus ATC]

I've been looking to book a London Hotel for a couple of nights, but am consistently finding the AMEX Travel site is more expensive than other alternatives. This of course diminishes the benefit of the $400 travel credit - in some cases by ~$20 per night, in others up to ~$100 per night - and these are for moderate 4 - 4.5 star hotels - nothing fancy.. Previously I have found AMEX Travel to be competitive with alternatives, but at the moment it seems they are pricing higher - maybe I have not found the "sweet spots" yet, but it is frustrating that I probably won't get full value from my Explorer credit.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Yes they can be more expensive.

But I also find that sometimes they are almost the same, and when they have an amex special going cheaper. A couple of time this has been when they have had free bonus night deals.

So yes I do mainly book via other channels. BUT it is only $400 and so over the course of the year I always find somewhere quite good value to use it on. This year it was in Athens. Last year it was on Koh Samui.

 

[Skyhawk]

Apparently airfares can be reasonably priced.

 

[Lynda2475]

Why not put it towards a flight? When booking qanatas fare the price on amex is the sam as qantas.com

 

[LadyC]

I have found hotels more expensive on AMEX travel but airfares the same price.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

I also use it for airfares - and, unlike hotels, you also earn loyalty points when booking through a third party site.

Just make sure it's for a flight that you won't need to change, as the additional agent charges are a downside.

 

[Aus ATC]

Thanks - will expand my options to look at airfares - but keep checking hotels too as that is my main objective at the moment. Original post was mostly a (mild) rant.....