Sep 17, 2014, 10:44 am
Last edit by: mia
Reminder: you must enroll and select UA as your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase (this includes MPX). Click HERE.
Caution: As of December 2016, it appears that American Express no longer reimburses MPX transactions.
Credits generally appear 3-4 days after making the transaction. No need to worry unless they don't appear after a week.
TravelBank funds can only be used on United and United Express flights. Partner flights are not eligible.
Gift Registry and Gift Cards
The consensus is that United gift registry contributions will be reimbursed and gift card purchases will not. So
There seems to be no downside to contributing in sub-200 dollar chunks since the gift registry creates a single pool of cash. However there are lots of reports of successful fee credits from a single $200 donation. Whether done as on $200 transaction or eight $25 transactions, the result is that one will have $200 in ones TravelBank.
PLEASE NOTE: When you establish a gift registry for the first time, it will take 24 hours before the funds in the registry are available to use toward payment of a flight.
Do I have to join the united.com Club ($25 annual fee) to use my TravelBank?
Apparently not.
Does spending TravelBank credit count towards PQD?
Yes-for revenue flights only
Airline Taxes on Award Tickets- Log into united.com
- Set up a gift registry for yourself
- Use the link in your gift registry web page to send an announcement to your email address. This better, faster, and more reliable than searching for your gift registry, especially if you have a common name. Even someone with an unusual surname like mre5765 has could not find his registry after creating it.
- Log out of united.com
- Follow the Make Contribution in your gift registry email
- Contribute using your Amex platinum card
There seems to be no downside to contributing in sub-200 dollar chunks since the gift registry creates a single pool of cash. However there are lots of reports of successful fee credits from a single $200 donation. Whether done as on $200 transaction or eight $25 transactions, the result is that one will have $200 in ones TravelBank.
PLEASE NOTE: When you establish a gift registry for the first time, it will take 24 hours before the funds in the registry are available to use toward payment of a flight.
Do I have to join the united.com Club ($25 annual fee) to use my TravelBank?
Apparently not.
Does spending TravelBank credit count towards PQD?
Yes-for revenue flights only
Doesn't seem to work anymore; see post 179 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/25297196-post179.html and #391
MPX (MileagePlus X)It appears that this is no longer working. See this post: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27589581-post1496.html.
Economy Plus feesThere are recent reports of this working on a per ticket basis. No recent report of an Economy Plus annual subscription being reimbursed.
$200 airline fee reimbursement reports: UA only. [2010 - 2016]
Dec 8, 2011, 2:20 pm
#76
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: UA 1K, Star Gold,Marriott Gold, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 414
$200air fee credit good for United Annual membership
I was so paranoid about this as I would have to had renewed early that I ended up asking the question 3 times as I was calling in for other reasons. Once I got told it was ok and twice that it only applies to day visits. So I went with AA for misc items.
Anyone with real experience on this? What happens when you charge $400+? Or do you use two cards for one purchase or what? If it works I will use in January for renewal.
Anyone with real experience on this? What happens when you charge $400+? Or do you use two cards for one purchase or what? If it works I will use in January for renewal.
For those of you who are also wondering about how soon MR bonus points appear, it's almost immediate. I applied for the Plat Amex a few weeks ago. I got the 50K MR points about 2 days after they upgraded my Green card and I made a purchase (it took another 2 weeks before I actually had the Plat card in hand but online it was already calling my card Platinum).
Also, don't forget to designate UA as your airline if you want to use the $200 credit for UA Club (or whatever airline you like best), as the fee credit is only good for the airline that you select ahead of time. You can change your airline preference in January of each year.
Last edited by redwoman; Dec 8, 2011 at 2:22 pm Reason: forgot title
Dec 16, 2011, 10:46 am
#77
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP,AS MVPG,MR Platinum,HH Gold
Posts: 1,343
Here are my data points so far this year. I selected UA/CO as my airline of choice, and I've used all but $9 so far:
$19 - United Economy Plus Seating Fee [Travel - Airline / SPECIAL SERVICE TICKET / With Ticket Number / No Departure Date] (REFUNDED)
$22 - Continental Onepass Award Ticket Taxes and Fees [Travel - Airline / SPECIAL SERVICE TICKET / With Ticket Number / With Departure Date] (REFUNDED)
$75 - Continental Gift Card [Travel - Airline / SPECIAL SERVICE TICKET, Passenger Name RECIPIENT/EGIFTA / With Ticket Number / Departure Date was Date of Purchase] (REFUNDED)
$75 - Continental Gift Card [Travel - Airline / SPECIAL SERVICE TICKET, Passenger Name RECIPIENT/EGIFTA / With Ticket Number / Departure Date was Date of Purchase] (PENDING -- Will update when it clears)
$19 - United Economy Plus Seating Fee [Travel - Airline / SPECIAL SERVICE TICKET / With Ticket Number / No Departure Date] (REFUNDED)
$22 - Continental Onepass Award Ticket Taxes and Fees [Travel - Airline / SPECIAL SERVICE TICKET / With Ticket Number / With Departure Date] (REFUNDED)
$75 - Continental Gift Card [Travel - Airline / SPECIAL SERVICE TICKET, Passenger Name RECIPIENT/EGIFTA / With Ticket Number / Departure Date was Date of Purchase] (REFUNDED)
$75 - Continental Gift Card [Travel - Airline / SPECIAL SERVICE TICKET, Passenger Name RECIPIENT/EGIFTA / With Ticket Number / Departure Date was Date of Purchase] (PENDING -- Will update when it clears)
Dec 17, 2011, 6:52 pm
#78
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,851
Does UA offer Gift Cards?
I see that Continental does, based on the posts in this thread. I havent seen them at UA. Does any one know?
Thanks and Safe Travels
Thanks and Safe Travels
Dec 18, 2011, 4:10 am
#79
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP / UA Lifetime Gold / Marriott Lifetime Plat / SPG Plat / Hyatt Diamond / HH Diamond / Avis CC
Posts: 483
Dec 18, 2011, 8:20 am
#80
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: SEA
Programs: DL Plat, AS MVPG, Bonvoy Plat/LT Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,263
How can I buy a United Airlines gift certificate?
United Airlines gift certificates may be purchased only by calling United Reservations at 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331).
Gift certificates can be issued only in U.S. dollars, and are valid for travel on United Airlines and United Express flights within the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and for international flights originating in the U.S. Gift certificates are not valid for flights operated by United’s codeshare partners.
Please note that processing of a gift certificate may take up to 14 days, not including the time required for mailing. Gift certificates are mailed via postal service (within the 50 United States, Puerto Rico and Canada), or they can be sent via FedEx 2Day for a $25 fee (not available for Hawaii, Puerto Rico or Canada).
Dec 22, 2011, 10:20 pm
#81
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 10
Are CO gift certificates and gift cards the same thing? Does it matter whether I buy United gift cards or Co gift certs?
Jan 9, 2012, 7:10 am
#82
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: IAH
Programs: SPG Plat, Hyatt Plat, HHonors Gold
Posts: 332
$200 airline fee reimbursement reports: UA/CO only.
It took a little longer than last year (2 days after charge posted as opposed to instantly), but I just got a credit for buying a $75 gift card for Continental.
Jan 9, 2012, 7:24 pm
#83
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,851
$200 Gift Card and Done!
I think that I may try to purchase a $200 UA Gift Card and be done, if not I would use it anyway. Has anyone had any experience with this amount and getting the credit fast?
Jan 9, 2012, 9:26 pm
#84
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP / UA Lifetime Gold / Marriott Lifetime Plat / SPG Plat / Hyatt Diamond / HH Diamond / Avis CC
Posts: 483
UA gift certificates can only be purchased by phone
Jan 11, 2012, 12:48 pm
#85
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Austin (TX)
Posts: 308
had a recent flight IAH-SNA that offered the upsell for $99 at OLCI...decided that was a FAR better deal than using miles. Credit had posted to my account even before I returned home four days later...
Given the changes UA has been making that, IMO, have made UA/CO a less desirable carrier for me, I don't anticipate flying as much this year with them...or at least not as my primary carrier. Yeah I blew half the credit with one flight, but it worked for me and made last minute travel far more comfortable.
Given the changes UA has been making that, IMO, have made UA/CO a less desirable carrier for me, I don't anticipate flying as much this year with them...or at least not as my primary carrier. Yeah I blew half the credit with one flight, but it worked for me and made last minute travel far more comfortable.
Jan 12, 2012, 1:09 pm
#86
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,826
Gift Card for $99 works as of yesterday.
Jan 12, 2012, 1:29 pm
#87
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP / UA Lifetime Gold / Marriott Lifetime Plat / SPG Plat / Hyatt Diamond / HH Diamond / Avis CC
Posts: 483
Jan 12, 2012, 1:29 pm
#88
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,826
Good question. $100 and up didn't work last year.
Jan 12, 2012, 2:00 pm
#89
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: DC
Posts: 134
$400 worth of 75 and 50 increments purchased in the last 3 weeks. All reimbursed within a few days. I did just realize you can only use one certificate at a time. 
Jan 16, 2012, 8:28 am
#90
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BTV
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 486
CO $100 worked for me last December.
Looking at the GC T&C, I was disappointed to read this, "Only one Gift Certificate may be used per transaction for the purchase of airline tickets."
I know a lot of people do 4 x $50 but unless you're panning on purchasing 4 flights probably makes sense to try for a higher amount.
Looking at the GC T&C, I was disappointed to read this, "Only one Gift Certificate may be used per transaction for the purchase of airline tickets."
I know a lot of people do 4 x $50 but unless you're panning on purchasing 4 flights probably makes sense to try for a higher amount.