For most Indians, taking an international trip once a year is a major achievement given high flight and hotel costs. But what if I told you luxury hotel stays could be reduced by up to 60%? Sounds tempting. MakeMyTrip and American Express have teamed up to make such dream vacations far more affordable.
Rs.5000 Instant Discount on International Hotels – American Express MakeMyTrip offer
Recently I wrote about staying in a 3-star hotel for just Rs.979 per day by using an American Express MakeMyTrip promotion on domestic hotels. American Express has been running many such promotions to grow its credit card presence in India, and now they’ve launched another attractive instant discount specifically for international hotel bookings. The main details of the offer are outlined below.
Amex Friday Special Offer on MakeMyTrip
- Offer Dates: 18th November, 25th November and 2nd December, 2016.
Promo Code: AMEXSALE
The promotion is very appealing, and I’ve already started planning a Vietnam trip to take advantage of it. I did some quick checks and summarized the key points and practical tips below to help you maximize savings.
Note: Although this offer is most advantageous for international hotel bookings, it can also be applied to flight reservations. Personally, I prefer using HDFC Diners Club Black for flights to earn 10x reward points, which effectively gives around 33% value on some redemptions. The AMEXSALE deal typically offers around a 10% effective benefit on flights, so it’s best used for hotels.
Tips to make the most of the MakeMyTrip offer
- Book three consecutive nights with a total booking value of Rs.8,000 or more and apply the promo code to receive an instant Rs.5,000 discount, reducing your outlay to roughly Rs.3,000.
- For higher-end hotels, look for two consecutive nights where the combined price exceeds Rs.8,000 and apply the coupon to get the discount.
- In some cases hotels allow flexibility with dates or room allocations—if you’re traveling with others you might be able to arrange bookings that mimic consecutive nights (for example two rooms on the same date) and still benefit from the promotion. Always confirm with the hotel.
- Remember the offer applies only on specified Fridays. This timing likely ties into the Black Friday shopping season and associated promotions.
Personally, I prefer the three-night approach because it works out to about Rs.1,000 per day for two people including breakfast at many destinations—an excellent value for international travel. If you can align your travel dates with the offer Fridays, it’s a great opportunity to upgrade your stay at a fraction of the normal cost.
What do you think of this offer? Share your thoughts in the comments below.