Free Ameriprise Airline Ticket - Where is the hook?

[travelover]

I just got an offer for a free "companion" ticket voucher if I have a complimentary financial consultation with Ameriprise. I wouldn't do it for a lousy lunch and certainly won't invest with them, but has anyone dealt with this offer before? The stipulations on the literature seem reasonable, but I'm wondering if I have to buy an expensive full fare ticket to use the companion ticket?

Thanks in advance for any clues.

 

[travelover]

OK, I guess I'm the Guinea pig.

Now to decide - should I wear the coveralls or the short pants with white socks?

 

[TromboneAl]

I'm wondering if I have to buy an expensive full fare ticket

That was the trick with the $400 airfare credit I got instead of $250 cash from my Mastercard. Turned out I had to book through their travel agency, and it cost over $400 for a ticket that would have been $250 elsewhere.

 

[OAG]

You got the hook, now all you have to do is bite. "Your" ticket will be priced "full boat" or pretty close to it - may also have a scheduling problem. "If it is too good to be true; it probably is; too good to be true, that is". I wish I had stacked up all of the free lunch, dinner, movies, plane ticket, etc., offer I have received after attending just one of those thing.

 

[travelover]

Update

OK, so Ameriprise finally contacted me. The caller didn't know much about the free airline ticket restrictions - claiming it was someone else in the organization that actually gave the ticket.

The caller quizzed me about my reaction to recent market moves and seemed put off that I wasn't alarmed. I told him I had recently moved my taxable investments to an index fund to save on capital gains taxes and he countered that he had some managed dividend funds that pay a 10% dividend, which would keep up with the "historical 4.2% inflation rate". At one point he actually tried to get out of meeting with me at all, especially when I told him I would not bring my wife to the meeting.

So I have an appointment in 10 days. Should be interesting.

 

[travelover]

Update II

My interview with the Ameriprise agent confirmed my worst fears - he didn't know anymore about the subject than me. He spent most of his time waving his hand over a brochure and finished by saying it was $800 for THE PLAN, which appeared to be less than the output of a free online calculator.

I did finally get a coupon from Ameriprise to send in to get my free ticket, but then never got the promised follow up details after sending it in. A call to them confirmed that they had received and processed my request. Glad I didn't wait any longer, as I found the expiration date is in September.

After reading all the restrictions and penalties associated with this "free" ticket, I have come to the conclusion that it is just more typical Ameriprise nonsense.