Consumer complaint received 2026-04-12 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
I am an American Express XXXX XXXX filing this complaint regarding two related issues : ( 1 ) discriminatory treatment I experienced while using a premium cardholder benefit at XXXX American Express XXXX XXXX, and ( XXXX ) American Expresss inadequate handling of my subsequent complaint. INCIDENT : On XX/XX/year>, at approximately XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, I was at the XXXX American Express XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX After confirming that no one was behind me in line, I stepped slightly forward to view the drink menu at the bar. Within approximately one minute, two other guests joined the queue behind me ; the customer standing behind me was a white male. There was sufficient space between us to allow at least two adults to pass without obstruction. Despite being first in line and ready to order, a bar staff member singled me outan XXXX customerand instructed me to return to the back of the line. I expressed confusion and explained that I had been first in line and was ready to order. When I asked for clarification, the staff member did not explain and instead dismissed me by shaking her head. As a result of being denied service at the main bar, I was forced to obtain service at the reserve bar within the same lounge. I raised the issue with the lounge manager at approximately XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/year>. The manager acknowledged the situation and stated, this is not ok, and directed me to file a formal complaint with American Express to ensure it was documented. After sharing my experience publicly on social media on XX/XX/year>, another XXXX consumer came forward with a similar experience at XXXX American Express XXXX XXXX. She stated in the comment that approximately one year earlier, she was ignored at the check-in line while a white male customer behind [ her ] was served first, and that she also reported the incident to the lounge manager on-site. This raises concern that the issue may reflect a pattern of differential treatment rather than an isolated incident at XXXX American Express XXXX XXXX. AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPLAINT HANDLING : I filed a complaint via American Express online chat before my flight departure on XX/XX/year>. The follow-up has been inconsistent and inadequate : On XX/XX/year>, an online chat representative stated that American Express had contacted the lounge but would not disclose any specific actions taken, and the representative indicated that no case ID existed. On XX/XX/year>, after calling the number on the back of my card, a representative located and provided a case ID ( XXXX ) that had not previously been shared. On XX/XX/year>, I was informed that the aforementioned case had been closed without any feedback or explanation. During that call, I provided additional details, including the ethnicities of the individuals involved and the similar experience reported by another XXXX customer at the same lounge. A new case ID was created : XXXX. To date, I have not received any substantive response, findings, or indication that a thorough investigation was conducted.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation