The United States Open Tennis Championships 2014 will be held from August 26 through September 9 at Flushing Meadows simply beyond Manhattan. Along with looks by huge tennis pros like Serena Williams, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, significant credit card companies like Chase and American Express also have a big presence throughout the competition.
In addition to supplying support for the occasion and the players, Chase and American Express are offering exclusive perks to their account and cardholders. If you occur to be a Chase or Amex consumer and passionate tennis fan, this can be a win-win circumstance for you.
Lucky for me, I am a Chase customer and an American Express cardholder, so I was identified to find out first-hand if these advantages were worth signing up for prior to I made my method to the competition.
How I signed up
Like most banking consumers, I do not make the most of things that require too much reading or effort. It"s supposed to be a perk - not work!
On the morning of August 19, I saw a tweet from Chase, that read: "Going to @ USOpen? Chase client? Reserve your spot in our # ChaseLounge for a VIP experience.Chase.com/chaselounge."
It looked like the tweet was talking to me. Yes, I"ll be attending the U.S. Open. Chase customer? Yes, I am. VIP experience - sign me up! This would"ve been my very first time benefiting from any benefits with Chase - besides the lollipops I grab when I see the branch every once in a while. I was excited.
After going to the web site, I was surprised to discover that the process was rather basic. As a new user, all you needed to do was enter your customer care phone number on the back of your Chase BANK CARD or other Chase provided materials. Simple enough.
It took me directly to a page that provided the offered reservations. Thankfully, the slots happened to be open for the days I"d tickets. Reservation full! I successfully reserved a space at the Chase Lounge for myself and 3 other visitors.
So, exactly what benefits should be expected?
Unfortunately, Chase website did not offer much description on exactly what"d be offered at the United States Open Chase Lounge. It would"ve been OKAY if I"d faith that it would be wonderful, but considered that it was my very first time ever benefiting from a perk from Chase, I teemed with doubt and wanted even more information on exactly what to anticipate.
So I decided to get in touch with a banker at local Chase branch - who likewise seemed to have a very hard time discovering what was being provided at the United States Open. He discussed that with so many home entertainment perks being provided with Chase, it was difficult for him to know exactly what was being offered for all the events. I asked him to find out, and after 2 days of waiting, I called back and discovered there will be food and beverages offered at the Chase Lounge - and potentially appearances from celeb tennis players for pictures.
The enjoyable begins inside the United States Open Chase lounge
With my information scarce and expectations low, I headed for the Chase Lounge on the day of the game - and I was in for a surprise. The Chase Lounge was spacious, and most notably, very well air conditioned (which could"ve been among the biggest advantages). I was likewise surprised to see that it wasn"t crowded and there was a lot of room to sit. Numerous Televisions were established along one side of the wall, making it easy to capture any US Open game.
We were offered baseball hats with Chase and US Open logos on them. Hors d"oeuvre, including fruit cups and mini-cupcakes were served while finger foods like sliders and bread sticks were prepared by the grill. At bench, they provided everything from water and juice, to beer and wine for adults. We likewise had some fun on the Oculus Break, a virtual truth headset for 3D gaming.
If you prepare to go to the US Open, this perk is definitely something to keep an eye out for.
Perks for American Express cardholders
Credit cards come with a myriad of offers and benefits - a lot of that lots of credit card holders overlooked perks beyond the basic gifts points. If you"ve an American Express credit card, you could"ve read a vague description on how you can save money on dining, shopping, entertainment when using your card.
Some of these advantages includes special access to ticket pre-sales, invitations to card member-- just occasions, preferred seating, premium seats for select cultural and sporting occasions based upon availability. Great! However do people in fact take advantage of these advantages and are they worth it?
Amex at US Open
At the US Open, American Express was providing various perks to their cardholders and guest. For one, they provided complimentary personal radios for people to hear, as they relay the American Express Radio Live at the Open. There were other notable digital experiences awaiting Amex clients with fun activities.
It looked like over 75 percent of the stadium benefited from the American Express Radios. I got one too but I took pleasure in seeing the video game without them.
Although doubtful initially, I recognized these advantages truly did be available in handy, and I was grateful I decided to benefit from it.
Enjoy your time at the Open and let"s understand exactly what your experience resembled!
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The Perks of Being a Cardmember: My Experience at the US Open Chase Lounge
http://creditvisionary.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-perks-of-being-cardmember-my.html
Associated Press, Novak Djokovic, United States