Comments on: Reader mail: How can I upgrade flights using American Express? http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/ Living the first class life -- at coach prices Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:30:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Mark http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-16662 Mark Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:17:27 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-16662 And if for any reason you don't pay that bill on time, even if there is a valid unexpected reason beyond your control and you pay them a couple of days later they turn on you immediately .... And if for any reason you don’t pay that bill on time, even if there is a valid unexpected reason beyond your control and you pay them a couple of days later they turn on you immediately ….

]]> By: Mark http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-16661 Mark Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:17:12 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-16661 And if for any reason you don't pay that bill on time, even if there is a valid unexpected reason beyond you pay them a couple of days later they turn on you immediately .... And if for any reason you don’t pay that bill on time, even if there is a valid unexpected reason beyond you pay them a couple of days later they turn on you immediately ….

]]> By: Mark http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-16660 Mark Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:11:20 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-16660 I held one of these cards for many years before giving it up as quite honesty I was getting very little. Often when using the card you have to put up with stupid 'millionaire's card' comments from restaurant/shop staff or else they take it and show it around the shop 'hey ... have you seen one of these before ...' No airline ever offered me an upgrade based on possession of this card The truth is that upgrades are arranged when travelling as a full fare passenger (ie. the highest possible business class fare if you hope to get into first) and booking through Amex travel Service. If your company uses different travel agent, tough. Was promised things like Hilton Gold Card (never arrived), Priority Pass Lounge Card (never arrived until after much argument with Amex) The Centurion Card travel service made so many mistakes (ticket to one country with pm arrival and hotel reservation in a different country without even thinking to double check that that is actually what I wanted ..) that I stopped using them especially after they decided to charge for issuing full fare tickets on which they were receiving $100's of commission already .. The credit is not really unlimited; like all charge cards they won't let you go too crazy .. I held one of these cards for many years before giving it up as quite honesty I was getting very little.

Often when using the card you have to put up with stupid ‘millionaire’s card’ comments from restaurant/shop staff or else they take it and show it around the shop ‘hey … have you seen one of these before …’

No airline ever offered me an upgrade based on possession of this card The truth is that upgrades are arranged when travelling as a full fare passenger (ie. the highest possible business class fare if you hope to get into first) and booking through Amex travel Service. If your company uses different travel agent, tough.

Was promised things like Hilton Gold Card (never arrived), Priority Pass Lounge Card (never arrived until after much argument with Amex)

The Centurion Card travel service made so many mistakes (ticket to one country with pm arrival and hotel reservation in a different country without even thinking to double check that that is actually what I wanted ..) that I stopped using them especially after they decided to charge for issuing full fare tickets on which they were receiving $100’s of commission already ..

The credit is not really unlimited; like all charge cards they won’t let you go too crazy ..

]]> By: Reader mail: Can I convert an existing credit card to a rewards card and still get the big bonuses? » Upgrade: Travel Better http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-16536 Reader mail: Can I convert an existing credit card to a rewards card and still get the big bonuses? » Upgrade: Travel Better Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:49:29 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-16536 [...] credit card is best? - Use a credit card internationally? The banks owe you a refund. - Reader mail: How can I upgrade flights using American Express? - American Express Starwood Card (aff) - American Express Hilton HHonors Card [...] […] credit card is best? - Use a credit card internationally? The banks owe you a refund. - Reader mail: How can I upgrade flights using American Express? - American Express Starwood Card (aff) - American Express Hilton HHonors Card […]

]]> By: Chi http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-14833 Chi Wed, 23 May 2007 19:20:48 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-14833 Yup, the article is right in terms of both the spending qualifier (more than a quarter of a million dollars a year) and annual fee ($2500) attached to this card. My boss just got one a few months ago because he had the entire company charge everything business related through his account and accrued the spending qualifier. But yes the card is quite heavy as it's coated in Titanium. However, according to the perk booklet, the $2500 actually pays for it self if you do any sort of flying where you can get that free upgrade to 1st class. The "no-limit" feature is kind of interesting and scary at the same time. On one hand you can literally buy an island, provided you can pay for it all by the end of the month... Yup, the article is right in terms of both the spending qualifier (more than a quarter of a million dollars a year) and annual fee ($2500) attached to this card.

My boss just got one a few months ago because he had the entire company charge everything business related through his account and accrued the spending qualifier.

But yes the card is quite heavy as it’s coated in Titanium. However, according to the perk booklet, the $2500 actually pays for it self if you do any sort of flying where you can get that free upgrade to 1st class.

The “no-limit” feature is kind of interesting and scary at the same time. On one hand you can literally buy an island, provided you can pay for it all by the end of the month…

]]> By: Mark Ashley http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-14822 Mark Ashley Wed, 23 May 2007 00:17:56 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-14822 Thanks, Richard. I've received a couple e-mails correcting me on this, so I've edited the post to reflect that US Airways elite status is still in the mix. Thanks, Richard. I’ve received a couple e-mails correcting me on this, so I’ve edited the post to reflect that US Airways elite status is still in the mix.

]]> By: Richard Brodie http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-14821 Richard Brodie Tue, 22 May 2007 23:59:14 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/05/22/reader-mail-how-can-i-upgrade-flights-using-american-express/#comment-14821 US Airways has not dropped out. You still get Gold. US Airways has not dropped out. You still get Gold.

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