Rebooking the Amex Platinum Free Flight for later?

[beardoc]

Turns out that I'm not going to be able to take my Amex Platinum free flight to Perth before my renewal date (I joined just before they had the change to remove Perth from flights ex Sydney).

I'm wondering, is it possible to book something with QANTAS from Sydney to Perth and then pay the QANTAS change fee to sometime later in the year (say, November)? Or do they limit your latest possible change from your renewal fee (which for me is late May)?

 

[Homer]

I had a similar issue last year and inquired with AMEX at the time. The rep I spoke to said that you don't have to use the flight before your renewal date - you just need to make the booking before your renewal date and the flight can be up to 12 months from the renewal date. The flight date can be moved after you make the booking by paying a fee which from memory was above Qantas' standard fee for booking changes.

 

[beardoc]

IThe rep I spoke to said that you don't have to use the flight before your renewal date - you just need to make the booking before your renewal date and the flight can be up to 12 months from the renewal date.

Ah, so I can safely book a flight for November before my renewal date in May?

I was given the impression by the rep I spoke to that it had to be made for dates prior to my renewal date - this might be wrong - can others confirm this?

 

[straitman]

Ah, so I can safely book a flight for November before my renewal date in May?

I was given the impression by the rep I spoke to that it had to be made for dates prior to my renewal date - this might be wrong - can others confirm this?

Homer is correct.

 

[oz_mark]

Ah, so I can safely book a flight for November before my renewal date in May?

I was given the impression by the rep I spoke to that it had to be made for dates prior to my renewal date - this might be wrong - can others confirm this?

The impression was wrong. I have booked a flight two days before renewal for a time a few months down the track.

 

[Maca44]

On the same issue, but slightly different..since AMEX removed Perth from the routing of capitol cities where Platimun Credit Card members can fly from the east coast essentially leaving SYDMEL, SYDBNE or SYDADL as the main places one would possibly use the free flight.

I intend to revert back to a AMEX rewards maximiser card thereby saving $200 per annum, and you can pick up a flight between capital cities along the east coast for about that price in any event, so I was wondering if anyone else intends to cancel their Plat card and revert to another card after they have had their free flight, or if anyone has done so already.

 

[oz_mark]

On the same issue, but slightly different..since AMEX removed Perth from the routing of capitol cities where Platimun Credit Card members can fly from the east coast essentially leaving SYDMEL, SYDBNE or SYDADL as the main places one would possibly use the free flight.

I intend to revert back to a AMEX rewards maximiser card thereby saving $200 per annum, and you can pick up a flight between capital cities along the east coast for about that price in any event, so I was wondering if anyone else intends to cancel their Plat card and revert to another card after they have had their free flight, or if anyone has done so already.

Being in Perth, this issue hasn't affected me.....yet. There is, however, the chance that I may be relocating later this year to the east and at that point I will be reconsidering whether to keep the card or not.

 

[straitman]

On the same issue, but slightly different..since AMEX removed Perth from the routing of capitol cities where Platimun Credit Card members can fly from the east coast essentially leaving SYDMEL, SYDBNE or SYDADL as the main places one would possibly use the free flight.

I intend to revert back to a AMEX rewards maximiser card thereby saving $200 per annum, and you can pick up a flight between capital cities along the east coast for about that price in any event, so I was wondering if anyone else intends to cancel their Plat card and revert to another card after they have had their free flight, or if anyone has done so already.

I've considered however haven't gone all the way down the path as yet as my renewal is still some months away.

 

[Homer]

...I was wondering if anyone else intends to cancel their Plat card and revert to another card after they have had their free flight, or if anyone has done so already.

I would likely cancel my AMEX Platinum credit card too if I had to pay for it. The only reason I have one is that when AMEX launched the Platinum credit card, they gave a free one to Centurion card members. I have never used the Platinum credit card - it is sitting in a drawer - I only keep it for the free annual flight.

 

[mick]

I intend to revert back to a AMEX rewards maximiser card thereby saving $200 per annum, and you can pick up a flight between capital cities along the east coast for about that price in any event, so I was wondering if anyone else intends to cancel their Plat card and revert to another card after they have had their free flight, or if anyone has done so already.

I've only had the Plat card since January, after the Rewards Maximiser one year fee-free expired. I justified it seeing as the free flight was useful for my family's SYD/ADL trip next month and I have two supplementary cardholders on my account, to offset against the RM charge for additional cards. I'll also get a couple of good uses from the included travel insurance that the RM lacks.

Amex also throw in a Gold charge card for free to allow me to extend warranty on those goods I purchase on that card (albeit earn is only 1:1). Further, I'll never exceed spend of $100,000 in a year so I'm not worried about the capping on the Plat.

I doubt I'll cancel the Plat card when it comes due, unless benefits are seriously diminished or a better deal comes along.

 

[edman]

My experience was the they are very flexible with the flights, even the Perth route.

I thought my renewal date was late march but when i rang 16th March from the airport while waiting to get on a plane to HK, they told me it was in fact the 10th. They asked when i would be back then told me they would hold it open to the 28th to book my Perth flight. When i rang on the 29th it was outside office hours of the booking office, so it didn't get done until the 30th. but i asked them that seeing as they were honouring my 1st year flight and it was now the 2nd year, could i book 2 tickets to adelaide instead on the same day - no problem!!!

i thought later i should have asked whether i could book 2 tickets to perth, even if i had to pay the difference between the sydney-adelaide and sydney-perth for one of tickets. every time i have had to contact platinum service they have been absolutely faultless in the service, so i think you will find they have the discretion to bend the rules a little if they want to.