New Airfare Amex Offer Is a Moneymaker
This morning I awoke to a deal alert from Slickdeals about a new targeted Amex Offer. As has been the case with a lot of these targeted offers lately I didn’t get any love, but I thought I would share the offer and break down a little of how it can be maximized.
The Offer
Get a one-time $75 statement credit by using your enrolled Card to spend a total of $300 or more on purchases made directly with any airline by 9/15/15. (There is also a version of this offer giving a $50 statement credit on $300 in spend.)
This offer is only available on the Amex website in the “Offers for You” tab and cannot be loaded via social media or other channels.
Key Terms
- Offer valid only to eligible US Card Members for purchases made directly with passenger airlines.
- The following do not count as qualifying purchases and are excluded from the offer: (i) Charter flights and private jet flights; (ii) any flight purchased as part of a vacation package or through a third party (including agents for travel suppliers); (iii) Sky Mall purchases and (iv) Boingo wireless internet purchases.
- When you make a qualifying purchase in a foreign currency, the applicable statement credit will be credited in your local currency using the exchange rate at the date the statement credit is applied.
How to Maximize
Book Flights
If you don’t have any upcoming flights, there is always the possibility of booking ahead. Do you have any flights that need to be paid for within the next year? I know most of you try to pay for flights with miles so lets look at option “B”.
Before we go to option “B”, there is something I know you will ask about. There may be a possibility of booking a refundable ticket and then cancelling it after receiving the credit. I personally wouldn’t do this and if you do, be fully prepared for Amex to take back the credit.
Gift Cards
So lets say you don’t have any immediate plans to travel, but want the credit. Then how about purchasing some gift cards? Sure you can use those gift cards yourself at a later date, or you can possibly sell them for some sort of a profit. The first thing to do is make sure gift cards are sold directly by the airlines.
- American Airlines Gift Cards
- Southwest Airlines Gift Cards
- United Airlines Gift Cards
- Delta Airlines Gift Cards
I didn’t go through all of the airlines, by I can confirm that American Airlines, Delta, United & Southwest all sell gift cards directly through their websites and thus should qualify based on the terms. The offer only states that a purchase needs to be made with the airline and gift cards are not excluded. (With that said, it is probably a good idea to test this before making multiple purchases.)
Selling Gift Cards
If you decide not to use the gift cards for future flights, you could sell them to a reseller. Several companies will pay 81% for American Airlines cards, while Southwest cards go for about 82% and Delta cards hover around 80%. I found Gift Card Granny had a more consistent list of airline card rates than GiftCardWiki. (GCW didn’t have United, Delta or SW listed.)
Another good option is United Airlines at 79%. That is less than the others, but there is one important thing to consider. SaveYa will purchase these cards digitally at that rate, meaning you could make an easy $12 without needing to mail anything. I know for some this will be the most attractive option.
Conclusion
If you received this offer then you are definitely a winner. Whether you use it to save 25% on your airfare or just to make a few bucks on airline gift cards, you should come out ahead either way. Did you receive it on one or more cards? Let us know in the comments!
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That’s a great guide on gift cards. Unfortunately, I don’t see this in my offers.
Does anyone know what AMEX uses to decide who gets what offers or how to increase your chances of getting more of the offers???
No. It is a big mystery.
Im pretty sure its just a complex AI SkyNet algorithm feeding you deals to spend more with AMEX. For example, I get way way way more deals on my platinum that I use very often. All other AMEX have basically NO offers at all.
Thanks! Found it on my Old Blue Cash which normally gets just the crap offers. Planning to buy gc’s to get the credit.
New offers over on the Facebook Amex app. Total of 24 on the list. Both the $600 and Qantas are there. Best of the bunch are Puritan Pride.com spend $50 for $15 off and wine.com spend $100 for $30 off.
Also got the same offer as NinjaX and others. I’m too cheap for a fancy hotel.
No bro. You are just too IQ smart to actually pay retail for high society when you can get deeper discounts compared to a measly stupid $100 off $600.
Although $100 a lot, but not when you have to spend $500 on restricted AmexTravel.com unless you are actually travling or flying anytime soon. Not valid on Fine Hotels & Resorts makes it crappy.
Shawn, I am a fairly newbie at this, but I have the offer of $400 back on $2000 qualifying with Quantas if booked through Quantas USA. Do you think this is one similar to that and would it work the same, do you know?
Can anyone confirm that buying a gift card works for the airline offers?
i supposed buying from airline site that sells miles directly (not thru points.com) is eligible?
@ Shawn
Not $75 off $300. Should be $100 off $600…..at least that’s what I got……how to maximize this offer?
I vote for NinjaX comment above, if there is any way to maximize this offer it would be greatly appreciated and I am sure many readers do too because most of them most likely get $100 off $600 as us.
The $100 off $600 is a completely separate offer for hotel bookings through AmexTravel. I didn’t cover that offer, because there really isn’t a way to maximize it other than to book a hotel through them.
I see, thanks Shawn…hope the offer $75 off $300 will pop out sooner in oure Amex Offers.
Damnit. Empty Handed here too. But I do get the one-time $100 statement credit by using your enrolled Card to make a single purchase of $600 or more for a hotel booking at AmexTravel.com by 9/30/2015. BUT offer not valid on Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collections bookings. So whats the point of this? Anyone with pro tip to let me know how to maximize this?
Yeah I received the $100 offer on a number of cards. It really isn’t very good since you have to book directly through them. I really don’t spend $600 on hotels anymore out of pocket.
Appreciate the response man. Damnnit! Such a shame!
Received $50 off $300 on my amex Hilton .. No $75 though
I got zilch on four accounts. Sure wish AmEx would wake up and allow open registration for the offers people REALLY want in their accounts.