New AmEx Travel Website Layout

[SeaWolf]

So I visited the AmEx Travel site this morning and noticed that it has had a dramatic overhaul to the layout on the front page.
I've also noticed that some of the hotels are now showing much more detailed info about the rooms than before (though not all). There does seem to be a few bits not quite right yet (hotels missing pictures) but overall it seems like an improvement.

 

[Isochronous]

Is it just me or does it look the same as the American Airlines booking engine?

 

[Revolutionary String]

I'm seeing the hotel photos, it's a nicer layout but I'm not sure whether much functionality has changed (I booked flights through Amex Travel only a week or so ago).

 

[SeaWolf]

In a lot of ways I feel like the AmEx travel website in Australia is a bit of a wasted opportunity for the company. It doesn't cover some of the foreign airlines that fly to Australia (EVA Air, Vietnam Airlines, Air Niugini, China Airlines) and some airlines (SilkAir, AirNorth) only appear if they have a codeshare on airline that is covered. The hotels are usually more expensive compared to booking directly or with a competing online agent. There's also no incentive for AmEx card holders to book through the service, unlike the US which offers substantial bonus points.

Until now the site also looked quite outdated. With any luck they might start taking it a bit more seriously and we'll see some more improvements, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[daft009]

The only benefit I see is no Amex surcharge, unlike Qantas and Virgin sites.

They used to have bonus points but long gone now