New Policy in re:AMEX Platinum $200 airline fee reimbursements

I just got off the phone with AMEX where I changed my preferred airline (once again) in order to maximize my fee reimbursement. Until this year, all reimbursements had to be from the same airline in any given calendar year. The very nice CSR I spoke to told me that as of this year, we could COMBINE airlines to make up the $200 fee. He said that AMEX realized that as frequent fliers we utilize more than one program. Has anyone else heard this or tried it?

 

That would be QUITE a significant change, particularly for people who actually use the benefits when traveling rather than just for gift certs.

 

i just got off the phone with my centurian concierge and asked about the deal with airline reimbursements for my plat biz and asked if there was a change and can list multiple airlines and he checked and i asked him to double check and it seemed like there was no change. maybe my account just sucks.

 

The guy I spoke to was "Eddie", and I could hear the beeping sounds of the conversation being recorded (not that I would pin them to it). Seth, do you have an "in" at AMEX to check the policy with? (or maybe we need Gary or someone with lots of card contracts to ask for us).

 

I may be paranoid, but you may want to take his name out of your post, in case he gets in trouble for this.

 

If he is giving mis-information, he should be advised otherwise (or are you worried he would be seriously compromised or fired?). He certainly got me excited about the options.

 

I just scoured the AMEX website and the web for an official announcement of this change that would allow some us to finally take advantage of this benefit, but found none, including in blogs by "experts" posted just a few hours ago...

This would be a clear money-draining proposition for AMEX, so I doubt that they will make this change, but we'll know soon enough...

 

Wouldn't be the first time someone got in trouble for letting information get out before an official release date, or for giving out false information (knowingly or unknowingly).

Agreed. It would be great if they did this, but I don't know how the finances would work. I'm generally skeptical of information from frontline CSRs. I wouldn't believe they'd actually do this until we see something official, or from one of the more knowledgeable blogs (and even in the latter case, I'd be skeptical).

 

That would be an enlightened policy change-something Amex used to be known for...

 

I can't seem to find where to change the airline. I recall in the past coming across it just by stumbling around. Can anyone point me to it or should I just call CS?

Thanks!

 

Easiest to just call

 

I think that one is allowed to choose the airline to associate with the $200 fee reimbursement only once per calendar year. If you have not yet selected your airline or want to see if the choice can be changed, go to this link.

P.S. I just try to change my airline choice and got the following message:

 

Thanks for the link, it was as you said though I'll have to call and try that way.

I have no Delta flights scheduled for the rest of the year so I may have to chance buying Delta GCs. I know some have had success in the past even though the T&C say otherwise.

Thanks again!

 

I haven't asked Amex about this, but pretty clearly the reason for limiting you to one airline and not letting you change except once per year is all about breakage. It lowers Amex costs.

Letting you switch airlines, or just applying the reimbursement to all airlines, increases the likelihood that more of their customers hit the full $200.

Right now the benefit doesn't actually cost them $200 per cardmember since many many don't ever use it or fully utilize it. This change would mean many many more do = much higher costs for the benefit.

 

That makes a lot of sense and I may be part of that statistic if they don't let me switch.

I have a good feeling they will let me, I'm military deployed overseas right now since last July and haven't had a chance to use it. I have been pleasantly surprised this time around how well corporate America is accommodating our unique challenges

 

Thank you for your service. I am glad to hear that people, in general, are recognizing that your "unique challenges".

 

looks like you can get it for $200 worth of amazon gift cards through united shopping: http://therewardboss.com/2015/10/30/amex-airline-fee-credit-amazon-gift-cards/

 

Good to know!