I recently began using MakeMyTrip more often for both domestic and international hotel bookings because Goibibo’s hotel offers have become less attractive after the MakeMyTrip–Goibibo merger. In 2015 Goibibo had excellent deals, but since the merger the discounts have diminished, so I looked for alternatives and found a strong offer from American Express on MakeMyTrip that’s promoted through Amex IVR.
American Express MakeMyTrip Offer
The offer applied to both of my American Express cards: Amex Gold Charge Card and Amex Platinum Travel Card. Below are the key details of the promotion.
American Express MakeMyTrip Hotel Offer
Amex MakeMyTrip offer code: MMTAMXGLD
This coupon provided up to 70% flat cashback on many domestic hotels in India. The same code could be used for flights and international hotel bookings as well, but the best value was for domestic hotels. The coupon could be applied up to two times in each category.
Details of Coupon: MMTAMXGLD
I used the coupon to book two separate one-night stays. According to the terms, 70% cashback was supposed to apply to the base fare excluding taxes. To my surprise, MakeMyTrip credited 70% cashback on the entire booking amount, taxes included, which made the deal far better than expected.
After the discount, my out-of-pocket cost was only Rs. 979 per night for two people at a three-star hotel. Below is a snapshot from my Amex statement showing the cashback.
American Express MakeMyTrip Offer – Cashback on Domestic Hotels
Here are the numbers for one of the nights I booked:
- Actual cost of stay: Rs. 3,262 per day
- Expected discount (per T&C): ~Rs. 1,600 (70% of base fare excluding tax)
- Actual discount received: Rs. 2,282 (70% on the entire amount)
- Net amount paid: Rs. 979 per day
The offer stated that cashback would be credited within 21 days of the transaction, but in my case the cashback appeared in just seven days. American Express tends to be fast in crediting rewards compared with other card issuers.
It’s encouraging to see such generous cashback promotions from American Express and MakeMyTrip on domestic hotels. If you’re planning a domestic trip, this type of offer makes it a great time to book.
Update (June 2017): The promotion was later changed to an instant discount rather than a cashback. The offer validity was extended to September 2017 and was likely to be extended further at that time.
If you’ve used the Amex MakeMyTrip offers, feel free to share your experience in the comments below.