Is there any way around the need to have an Amex to book with companion voucher?

[Bluebirdnick]

Hi all

My wife and I cancelled all our amexes a few months ago. I was looking to book a flight with my companion voucher this evening so was reminded that I need to pay the fees on an amex. And of course, we no longer have any. Which, in hindsight, was careless.

Is there any way around this?! My family doesn’t have amex cards. I had a look to see if Amex sell prepaid cards in the UK but I couldn’t find one. So is my only option to re-apply for an amex and so reset the 2-year clock? Is there a card I can apply for that won’t affect my ability to qualify for BAPP or Plat card benefit?

Any other ideas?!

Thanks

[Will787]

Bluebirdnick wrote:

Hi all

My wife and I cancelled all our amexes a few months ago. I was looking to book a flight with my companion voucher this evening so was reminded that I need to pay the fees on an amex. And of course, we no longer have any. Which, in hindsight, was careless.

Is there any way around this?! My family doesn’t have amex cards. I had a look to see if Amex sell prepaid cards in the UK but I couldn’t find one. So is my only option to re-apply for an amex and so reset the 2-year clock? Is there a card I can apply for that won’t affect my ability to qualify for BAPP or Plat card benefit?

Any other ideas?!

Thanks

If you get a non-MR and non-avios earning Amex (e.g. Nectar, Mariott, cashback one etc.), they won’t reset the 2 year clock on either the BAPP or Plat.

[Bluebirdnick]

ah perfect. Thanks!

[Rob]

May be easier to ask a friend who has one. They get the benefit of the points so should be easy to find a volunteer.

Whilst your name is hardcoded in the ‘cardholder’ box this doesn’t matter. Payment will still clear as long as your friends address is in the cardholder address box.

[VinZ]

So true.

I’m still amazed at how flawed is the security on Amex cards (or perhaps cards in general?)

I had a BA corporate Amex which expired in December. Amex messed up delivery and in January I still didn’t have the new one.

I tried using the old one, same number, updated the expiry date by 5 years in the future and used the same security code of the old card. Guess what? It went through, not once but multiple times. Without any extra checks (random pin digits, or texts…)

But great for me as I could bag the avios and the OB points nonetheless. 🙂