How best to utilise complimentary airport lounge passes from AMEX Qantas card?

Airports, Transfers & Logistics
#1

Hello FF’s,

In the past with all signature/top of the line cards, If I need to use a lounge before my international travel, I make the booking give the ticket number/booking ref number to the relevant bank team and the pass will be issued in a few days (Don’t remember who issues whether it’s the bank or Qantas). Anyway, I will be sent those passes which I can use.

This is my second Amex card with which I wanted to use the lounge.

As everyone knows, all customers are eligible for 2 Qantas lounge passes and 2 Amex passes.

I booked my travel via Amex travel and called Amex for the passes to be sent assuming it would be the same process like how other banks handled it. Unfortunately was told that, I need to book it via Qantas’s website. I had the credit and the credit was from Amex and I cant book it via Qantas. I am not even sure whether it is mentioned in the PDS. Anyway, I am sure they would have included it somewhere.

Secondly when questioned about the Amex lounges, they have mentioned that it is only for international travel and not domestic travel.

My card expires towards the end of Feb and basically I cant use any of the 4 passes.

It looks like it is only useful when people book separate tickets for a separate travel via Qantas and apparently it can’t be issued for tickets booked via Amex travel. I was very disappointed and the lady on the phone reiterated the same again and again and eventually I hung up.

Can you please explain to me what other savvy travellers do ? Or is this a kind of trap which the customer should be aware of? I understand all the rules and regulations like people cant get passes just like that without a ticket (to prevent from selling), every year it expires etc. etc. But unable to use it for tickets booked via Amex travel is kinda ridiculous and lounge facilities provided by Amex is only for international travel.

What do you suggest? Is there an option to strike a deal with them? She put me on hold and claimed even that she spoke with Qantas but they cant do anything about it.

Would be great to hear your thoughts :blush: Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Josh

#2

You are correct in that you receive 2 Qantas Club Passes and also 2 American Express Lounge passes. One thing you should’ve paid attention to when you signed up to the card is that the 2 AMEX Lounge passes are only eligible for use in either the Melbourne or Sydney American Express branded lounges. Both of those lounges are located in the international terminal so there would’ve been no easy way to access them with a domestic ticket.

In terms of using your Qantas Club passes for access into a domestic Qantas Club lounge, you should have no issue with an AMEX Travel booking. AMEX Travel is just like Expedia or AuntBetty in that they are just a travel agent. You simply need to find your booking reference with the airline and link your lounge pass to said booking on Qantas’ website.

If you travel frequently but don’t have access to lounges via airline status, you could consider purchasing either an airline or independent lounge membership. You could even consider a credit card that comes with a lounge membership like the American Express Platinum Charge card. However, if your travel patterns are infrequent at best, it may be best to just purchase access to a lounge or use some lounge passes like you are doing now. As for what the ‘savvy travellers’ do, mainly they just read, a lot. They are always maximising their travel, earning points, status and if it makes sense to do so, invest in products that makes their experience better.

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