I saved hours on hold by calling the airline's foreign call center
Today I want to share a story from TPG reader Maximillian, who was able to get in contact with an airline faster by thinking outside the box:
I have a helpful hint for anyone who really needs to contact an airline by phone right now: instead of calling the main U.S. hotline number you can use Skype to call one of the foreign offices for a fair price.
Today I wanted to ask about a flight change for a trip in three days but was put on hold on the United line for "approximately more than two hours." I'm currently traveling in Australia and didn't have time to wait so I looked up the German number. Halfway around the world the German office was still open at 3 a.m. local time. Expecting to speak to someone German I was put on another hold with the option to switch to an English agent for faster processing. Of course I switched but still expected a wait. Nope, after two (!) minutes of initially calling I was speaking to an agent. Of course if you can rebook online just do that, to keep the wait times shorter.
You can look up foreign offices for any airline online on their website. Most of them aren't 24/7 so you also need to look at the opening times and of course possible time differences. I guess all foreign offices have the option to talk to somebody in English so the language isn't really an issue. Using Skype from Australia to Germany had a noticeable time lag though, so maybe try geographically closer offices first.
On a different note, this might also apply if you want to redeem miles via phone. The (English speaking) Asiana Office in Frankfurt was very competent without any wait, while I heard different things from the U.S. hotline.
We're in this all together, so hopefully this situation will be over soon. To anybody flying the next days: stay Safe!
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
As the coronavirus continues to cause unprecedented travel disruptions, contacting an airline about a change or cancellation is becoming a bit of a nightmare. Maximillian is right that if you can take care of the trip yourself online (which many airlines are now allowing) you should do that, and for simple requests you can also try messaging the airline on Twitter to avoid waiting on hold and clogging up the phone lines.
Related: How to quickly reach an airline customer service agent
If you have to call, you might be able to skip much of the waiting time and still get helped in English if you reach out to a foreign call center instead. This can also be a great trick to use if you're trying to book new travel, with two specific examples that jump to mind. Even though Etihad isn't a member of any of the major alliances, they have a partnership with American Airlines that includes reciprocal mileage redemptions. American Airlines phone agents at the U.S. call centers can't always see all the Etihad award space, so a popular workaround is to call one of AA's Australian call centers to book the ticket.
I was also able to use this trick to score some amazing awards on the very first day that Marriott closed its SPG merger and launched the new loyalty program (even before the Bonvoy name came along). The U.S. call centers had multi-hour wait times and the agents were locked out of the award reservation system for much of that first day, but I spoke to a friendly agent in the Malaysian office who was able to book me everything I wanted before the dust had settled.
I love this story and I want to hear more like it! Please email your own award travel success stories to info@thepointsguy.com; be sure to include details about how you earned and redeemed your rewards, and put "Reader Success Story" in the subject line. Feel free to also submit your most woeful travel mistakes; due to the volume of submissions, we can't respond to each story individually.
Safe and happy travels to all, and I look forward to hearing from you!
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.