Consumer complaint received 2025-05-15 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Problem with rewards from credit card
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: WI

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year>, I booked a hotel night through the American Express XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX  ) platform. The total charge was {$250.00}, which posted to my AmEx statement on XX/XX/year>. As part of the Platinum Card benefits, I was supposed to receive a {$200.00} statement credit for booking and paying in full through XXXX. 

About 30 days later, I contacted AmEx via Customer Support chat to check on the status of the credit. The agent confirmed the reservation details were correct and explained that it can take up to 90 days for the credit to appear. 

Roughly a month after that, I called AmEx for a follow-up as other statement credits had started posting but not this one. I was told the same thing again : that the booking was valid, and the credit should post soon. I was advised to wait and call back after 90 days if it still hadnt appeared. 

After the XXXX period passed, I called again on XX/XX/XXXX. Only then was I informedfor the first timethat the booking allegedly did not qualify because it had been processed as a " pay in full deposit '' instead of a " pay in full rate. '' This distinction had never been communicated before, and the terminology is unclear and misleading. 

Importantly, the hotel allowed free cancellations until XX/XX/XXXX, meaning that if AmEx had informed me of this issue during any of my prior contacts, I could have canceled and rebooked the stay in a qualifying format. By withholding that information until XX/XX/XXXX, they effectively blocked me from fixing the issue and securing the credit. 

I opened a Global Complaint case on XX/XX/XXXX and was told it would be reviewed. I then called back XXXX times to request status updates, but was not given any way to check the case online, nor was I ever sent an update via email or through my AmEx account. 

Finally, on XX/XX/XXXX, I called again and was told that the case had been closed in AmExs favor several days earlierwithout any communication or notification to me that a decision had been made. I was never told the exact date the decision occurred, nor was I provided with any reasoning or documentation. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, I was told one would call me back within XXXX minutes. It is now well beyond that, and I have still not received any follow-up. Despite likely having access to chat logs and possibly recorded calls that confirm I was repeatedly assured everything was in order, AmEx denied the credit and has never taken responsibility for their inconsistent communication or mishandling of my case. 

Despite likely having access to chat logs and possibly recorded calls that confirm I was repeatedly assured everything was in order, AmEx denied the credit and never took responsibility for their inconsistent and misleading communication.

Frustrated by this experience and the way the case was handled, I called to cancel my Platinum Card. However, I was informed that cancellation would take effect immediately, and I would lose all remaining benefits for the year, including all the points I have currently accrued and more. I asked if I could schedule a cancellation to align with my next renewal, since I had already paid the {$690.00} annual fee just two months earlier. I was told this was not allowed, leaving me with a lose-lose choice : keep a card I no longer trusted, or cancel and forfeit hundreds of dollars in value I had already paid for. This added to the feeling that AmEx was acting in its own interest at every stage of this process, while leaving the customer with no reasonable resolution.

This entire process has been frustrating, deceptive, and unfair. I followed the program rules in good faith, sought clarification multiple times, and was consistently misinformed or delayed until resolution was no longer possible.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief