A new Amex offer is available for luxury getaways. I had never heard of this website before, but it looks like this deal offers decent savings, especially if you don't have elite status with a hotel you would book through the site ( even if it is not just a hotel). stays they offer).
The agreement
- Spend $1,000 with Luxury Escapes and get $200 back with an Amex offer.
Keywords
- Expires October 22, 2023.
- Offer valid for reservations made online at the US website Luxuryescapes.com, by phone at 888-809-6860 or via the Luxury Escapes mobile app.
- Purchases must be made directly from Luxury Escapes in an amount totaling at least $1,000 by 10/22/2023 to be eligible for the offer.
- Not valid for partner brands: Cudo, Deals, Treat Me, Scoopon and Travelshoot.
- Valid only on purchases made in US dollars.
Quick thoughts
I did a quick search to see if there was any value in this Amex offer and, based on this initial research, it looks like there might be.
I checked the rates for the Hyatt Grand Central New York. Now, you should know that this particular Hyatt doesn't have good reviews overall and so I don't know if it could be classified as a “luxury getaway”, but it still might make sense for some people. If you want to visit New York this Christmas, a 3-night stay from December 24-27 in a Deluxe King Room would cost $1,262 with Luxury Escapes which includes taxes and fees, so factoring in the credit Amex offer statement, this would represent a net cost of $1,062. It's worth noting that this package includes free daily breakfast and destination fee waivers, the latter of which is $39.99 + tax per night.
Also worth noting is the cancellation policy. Although it says it has a flexible cancellation policy, this is only valid until November 9, so about 1.5 months before the stay. It's better than a non-refundable rate, but not as good as a refundable policy booked through Hyatt that would allow you to cancel within 2 days at that property.
If you were to book a stay at this hotel directly with Hyatt on the same dates, it would cost you $1,186.26 for a non-refundable rate or $1,344.51 for a flexible rate. These rates include destination charges, but do not include free breakfast. Regardless, both of these rates are more expensive than the net cost of a stay booked through Luxury Escapes when factoring in the Amex offer, even ignoring the value of the free breakfast.
An important point to consider when booking with Luxury Escapes is that they are likely considered an OTA (online travel agency) by the hotel chain you are booking with. This means you won't earn elite night credits, receive status benefits, etc. If you don't have status with (or aren't trying to get status with) this channel, it doesn't really matter. If you have Hyatt Globalist status and book one of their properties through Luxury Escapes, you'll already get free breakfast and a destination fee waiver if you book direct.
It’s not just hotel stays that can be booked with Luxury Escapes. They have tabs for Flights, Experiences, Tours & Cruises and more, so these might be worth checking out if you anticipate having to spend more than $1,000 on these types of travel expenses .
Luxury Escapes also sells gift cards online. I'm not sure if payment for these is processed directly, but if so, I imagine you could purchase $1,000 worth of gift cards to trigger the statement credit. It will only be worth it if you are sure to book with them in the future, but after the Amex offer expires. Update: Randall confirmed in the comments below that gift card purchases count.
If you take advantage of this Luxury Escapes Amex offer, be sure to click through to a shopping portal to earn some extra cash – here are the current prices.
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