Using Amex rewards for hotel...

[indimom]

I'm a little confused on how this works and hope someone has used them and can explain it a little better.

We are planning to take a trip to Orlando in July. Part of that trip, we are spending two nights at the Royal Pacific at Universal. I am hoping to book one night on DH's card and one night on my card (separate accounts). Then each night will be reimbursed by the rewards.

I feel like I need to book these rooms early, the trip is in July, and I want to make sure we get the room. But, you are charged one night when you book. So, essentially, I will be paying for our stay right now.

So, how does the reimbursement work. Do I wait until after our stay and submit for that. Or do I do it now. Or will that NOT work at all??? Hmmm, color me confused (I think Disney rewards are sooo much easier, get gift card and spend.... )

 

[hsmamato2]

not sure what your question is, when I booked a rewards weekend at HRH using points (different card) I booked thru their rewards portal,using the points I had,and was never charged anything. I have gotten Uni tix thru the AMex site,same thing- use your points thru the MR site to get it

 

[hsmamato2]

...then they deduct the points used from your account.....

 

[pklein09]

I just booked 5 nights at Bonnet Creek for our upcoming July trip. Log into Amex and to over to travel, book hotel. Type in the hotel you want and it should pop up. Enter all the pertinent information and click "book." You will get to a screen that says use points - click that. The ratio of points to dollars is 133 points = $1.00. If you have any questions, call Membership Rewards and they can help you out.

Have a great vacation!

 

[indimom]

Okay, somehow I missed that when I signed up. What I read sounded like you had to be reimbursed (like a credit) after the purchase and since this was a hold/not a genuine purchase (at least in my opinion), I wasn't sure how that worked. Thanks so much. That sounds so much simpler. lol.

 

[girli565]

You just go to their travel site once you're logged in to your account and book through them. They will give you the option of paying with points or paying with your card at the end.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Okay, somehow I missed that when I signed up. What I read sounded like you had to be reimbursed (like a credit) after the purchase and since this was a hold/not a genuine purchase (at least in my opinion), I wasn't sure how that worked. Thanks so much. That sounds so much simpler. lol.

Are you trying to use the points earned from the hotel "purchase" to get the hotel free?? I think I am confused. Typically to pay for something using points you must have those points available in your account.

If you do a purchase on the hotel and then earn points for that purchase and then try to apply those points retroactively to the hotel purchase for reimbursement than the credit card company would not have recieved any cash from you. It
Would be loss to them.

If I am understanding what you are trying
To do

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[indimom]

Are you trying to use the points earned from the hotel "purchase" to get the hotel free?? I think I am confused. Typically to pay for something using points you must have those points available in your account.

If you do a purchase on the hotel and then earn points for that purchase and then try to apply those points retroactively to the hotel purchase for reimbursement than the credit card company would not have recieved any cash from you. It
Would be loss to them.

If I am understanding what you are trying
To do

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

No, I am already using the card to earn the rewards.

I just wasn't sure how you redeem your rewards for travel expenses (hotel, flights, whatever).

I was under the impression that they credited you after the charge (so on my August bill or whatever). And I didn't know how that would work if I had paid off the hotel in February. Did that make sense??

I get it now. I'm not sure how I missed that I make the booking through their website?? I don't remember reading that anywhere in the forms I got.

Thanks again everyone for explaining.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

No, I am already using the card to earn the rewards.

I just wasn't sure how you redeem your rewards for travel expenses (hotel, flights, whatever).

I was under the impression that they credited you after the charge (so on my August bill or whatever). And I didn't know how that would work if I had paid off the hotel in February. Did that make sense??

I get it now. I'm not sure how I missed that I make the booking through their website?? I don't remember reading that anywhere in the forms I got.

Thanks again everyone for explaining.

Okay

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[kristenrice]

I think it depends on what kind of card you have. My card is the Blue Sky card which does not participate in the Membership Rewards program. With this card, I earn 1 point for every dollar I spend. When I accumulate 7500 points, I can request $100 reimbursement for travel-related expenses.

I believe you have up to 3 billing cycles after the expense posts to request reimbursement. If this is the card you have, then your charge will go through now but you will have 3 months to request reimbursement. Your points earned this month will not be available until next month, and so on.

 

[indimom]

I think it depends on what kind of card you have. My card is the Blue Sky card which does not participate in the Membership Rewards program. With this card, I earn 1 point for every dollar I spend. When I accumulate 7500 points, I can request $100 reimbursement for travel-related expenses.

I believe you have up to 3 billing cycles after the expense posts to request reimbursement. If this is the card you have, then your charge will go through now but you will have 3 months to request reimbursement. Your points earned this month will not be available until next month, and so on.

Ahhhh. That explains it. It is a Blue Sky card. So, basically I have to wait until three months out, book my stay, then put in the request for reimbursement after. That's not too bad. I just want to make sure I can get a room, and get the reimbursement. Thanks for the information.

 

[hsmamato2]

I just booked 5 nights at Bonnet Creek for our upcoming July trip. Log into Amex and to over to travel, book hotel. Type in the hotel you want and it should pop up. Enter all the pertinent information and click "book." You will get to a screen that says use points - click that. The ratio of points to dollars is 133 points = $1.00. If you have any questions, call Membership Rewards and they can help you out.

Have a great vacation!

I didn't realize BC was in there,thanks for the heads up!

 

[pklein09]

I didn't realize BC was in there,thanks for the heads up!

Oh, the Disney owned resorts are on there too, but they're 98,000+ points per night versus 32,500 (or so) for Bonnet Creek. Oh, and I think the cabins at Fort Wilderness are just over 43,000 points per night. Search "Disney World" and then sort by distance. They all pop up!