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Missing a flight thanks to a broken printer — reader mistake story
March 07, 2022
•
4 min read
Missing a flight thanks to a broken printer — reader mistake story
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A seemingly infinite number of things can go wrong during travel. Thankfully, travelers can easily avoid some of these unfortunate situations with a bit of preparation, and others appear bewilderingly predestined.
No matter which end of the spectrum your ordeal falls on, it's informative, instructive and often entertaining to swap stories within the travel community.
This week's reader mistake story comes from reader Ryan Patterson, who missed a flight to a soon to reopen Vietnam because of a mishap with his visa:
“I was traveling from the Maldives through the Pacific Rim and into Europe on a 14-stop round-the-world adventure. I strategically chose my routes to fly as many 747 aircraft as possible.
I got a visa for Vietnam — but apparently, I needed a passport photo that was printed out. Bangkok airport (BKK) supposedly had printers available but had ran out of paper. I had to get from BKK to Seoul (ICN) to avoid missing my next award flight to Frankfurt.
I had to pay $400 for a last-minute seat to ICN. Luckily, I got a window and actually secured a seat on the Star Alliance 747-400 aircraft with Thai Airways.
I lost 25,000 points and $400. Not too bad — but not ideal.”
TPG disaster classification: Really bad luck (but avoidable)
The fact that Ryan tried to prepare by researching and obtaining the proper visas only to be turned away at departures is heartbreaking — especially when the only thing separating him from his airplane seat was a printer that "ran out of paper."
Frequent travelers may know that bringing multiple copies of things like visa photos, scanned passports and driver's licenses, medication forms, etc., can come in handy when on the road. Just a few small papers take up almost zero room in your travel bag, and you won't even notice they're there until you need them.
Discount retail stores and warehouses usually offer to take visa photos for a nominal fee. In some cases, you can even take them yourself and print them from home if you're confident in your ability to produce a compliant photo. Some countries (many, nowadays) accept electronic visas for certain travel. Check the rules and requirements before and during your trip.
Related: The best credit cards with travel insurance in 2022
It's extra important to be ready for pitfalls when booking an exciting round-the-world award ticket like Ryan. That's because airlines will void your remaining itinerary if you are a no-show to one of your flights. Ryan told us that his entire itinerary spanned five continents; missing a flight anywhere along this bucket-list trip could have ruined the remainder of the journey — causing hundreds of thousands of points or thousands of dollars to be forfeited.
If you're thinking of a similar trip, it's best to build your itinerary with lots of time for blunders. Ensure that you'll be at the city of your next flight at least a day before takeoff.
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Some of us (myself included) even prefer to book one-way tickets on simple round-trip domestic flights, just in case disaster strikes, and we don't make our outbound flight. That way, only half of our itinerary is lost if we miss the first flight.
Related: Why I (almost) always book one-way flights
Thanks for sharing this story with TPG readers, Ryan!
Please email us if you'd like to be featured in our weekly TPG reader mistake story. You'll receive a $25 gift card if we publish your story!
Feature photo by Tetra Images/Getty Images.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.