$200 statement credit for Amex Platinum - No need to buy Airline GC's
#31
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,884
In my view, if I buy a giftcard with an American Express Platinum card, and American Express chooses to credit my account I have not done anything wrong. However, if I contact American Express and prompt them to reimburse an expense that is explicitly excluded the character of the transaction does change.
#32
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: New York
Programs: UA, AA, Hyatt, SPG
Posts: 86
Amex wouldn't give us the money if they didn't want to. These "loopholes" have been open for years. You don't think there's Amex employees reading FT? If they didn't want us to use them they would have closed them years ago.
#33
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 676
In my view, if I buy a giftcard with an American Express Platinum card, and American Express chooses to credit my account I have not done anything wrong. However, if I contact American Express and prompt them to reimburse an expense that is explicitly excluded the character of the transaction does change.
#34
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: L.A.
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite, Delta Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 1,135
I currently have an international flight booked on delta for May '13.
What if I move myself and my friend into Economy comfort seats, and then pay for them with my Plat card. THEN a few days later, move us out of the seats in order to get a refund from Delta...will I also get the amex credit?
Not sure if you all have tried this...each EC upgrade is $74.25...so for us two, that will cover most of the $200.
What if I move myself and my friend into Economy comfort seats, and then pay for them with my Plat card. THEN a few days later, move us out of the seats in order to get a refund from Delta...will I also get the amex credit?
Not sure if you all have tried this...each EC upgrade is $74.25...so for us two, that will cover most of the $200.
#35
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: L.A.
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite, Delta Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 1,135
UPDATE: I purchsed the EC seats...i got the credit from amex 4 days later. Now I plan to move out of EC to get the refund from Delta.
Will amex then reverse their credit? hmmmm.
Will amex then reverse their credit? hmmmm.
#36
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 56,898
Cry me a river if AmEx reimburses me for something that "explicitly violates what Amex says is reimbursable." AmEx can reimburse us for items on this list or not on the list. It can do so deliberately or cluelessly. That's all on AmEx. We aren't lying to AmEx -- we make charges and see what happens.
#38
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Join Date: Feb 2001
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Not sure about fraud re #1, but I would consider that unethical. That's like keeping excess change a merchant gives you in error. With #2, however, it's up to AmEx to decide how rigidly it wants to enforce those contractual terms. Businesses waive such contractual restrictions all the time.
#39
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC 50K, Bonvoy PE; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 422
The way it works:
-register for DL
-buy a non-refundable (int'l) DL
ticket (even on another card) that has at least 3 segments or 3 passengers
-purchase 3X $79 in EC (divided in 3 transactions) on your plat card
-after 4 min to 24 hours, call Delta to cancel the ticket sbd ask for a refund. Make sure to mention EC refund. (you can do this online, but its sometime a PITA to have everything credited correctly)
-the ticket itself will remain a pending charge and will disappear in a few days
-the EC charge will post in a day or two, as will the EC refund 'from Delta'
-within 3 days (or 2-3 weeks) you'll see a reimbursement by Amex
-register for DL
-buy a non-refundable (int'l) DL
ticket (even on another card) that has at least 3 segments or 3 passengers
-purchase 3X $79 in EC (divided in 3 transactions) on your plat card
-after 4 min to 24 hours, call Delta to cancel the ticket sbd ask for a refund. Make sure to mention EC refund. (you can do this online, but its sometime a PITA to have everything credited correctly)
-the ticket itself will remain a pending charge and will disappear in a few days
-the EC charge will post in a day or two, as will the EC refund 'from Delta'
-within 3 days (or 2-3 weeks) you'll see a reimbursement by Amex
Thanks OP!
#40
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: Southwest, SPG, IHG
Posts: 82
This thread is for those who don't know about this method, you can get a statement credit for the Platinum airline fee posted and used towards your normal spending instead of having to acquire a GC for an airline... If used correctly, one can get a credit for $400 offsetting the majority of the $450 fee for the Platinum fee.
The way it works:
-register for DL
-buy a non-refundable (int'l) DL
ticket (even on another card) that has at least 3 segments or 3 passengers
-purchase 3X $79 in EC (divided in 3 transactions) on your plat card
-after 4 min to 24 hours, call Delta to cancel the ticket sbd ask for a refund. Make sure to mention EC refund. (you can do this online, but its sometime a PITA to have everything credited correctly)
-the ticket itself will remain a pending charge and will disappear in a few days
-the EC charge will post in a day or two, as will the EC refund 'from Delta'
-within 3 days (or 2-3 weeks) you'll see a reimbursement by Amex
The way it works:
-register for DL
-buy a non-refundable (int'l) DL
ticket (even on another card) that has at least 3 segments or 3 passengers
-purchase 3X $79 in EC (divided in 3 transactions) on your plat card
-after 4 min to 24 hours, call Delta to cancel the ticket sbd ask for a refund. Make sure to mention EC refund. (you can do this online, but its sometime a PITA to have everything credited correctly)
-the ticket itself will remain a pending charge and will disappear in a few days
-the EC charge will post in a day or two, as will the EC refund 'from Delta'
-within 3 days (or 2-3 weeks) you'll see a reimbursement by Amex
#41
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 41
#42
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
Was about to say the same, I'd say this method is way not worth it with the risk. Going through the airline and buying gc/ United mpx is definitely safer, since you are actually buying stuff and not trying to defraud amex in a sense.
#43
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: Southwest, SPG, IHG
Posts: 82
Also, AFAIK, serve online loads are not supposed to count for min. spend, but they did for most of us. Is this a similar grey area?
#44
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
Like the other guy said, do what you want. We're not gonna tell you what to do, just give you warning. I really don't care if you are able to use this method.
#45
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: Southwest, SPG, IHG
Posts: 82
Thanks for the warning - I really am having second thoughts now. Would you say using the MPX app for airline reimbursements has lesser risk compared to this method, since that is also not using the credits for its intended purpose? I've already used the MPx method for my PRG, and that has worked like a charm.