Originally Posted by
longleaf
From what i just asked in the $300 credit thread... it does not have to appear on a statement that closes in 2016 with a 2016 date. From what i understood, if you make a purchase on say Dec 22 (plenty of time for it to clear pending before year end) and your statement doesn't close until Jan 5, you will still get the statement credit applied to your 2016 travel credit balance if your credit posts in 2016. Someone just reported today that their travel credits posted either right after clearing pending or even during pending in some circumstances.
You misunderstood. The post which I think you're referring to said "The travel credit posts immediately, but it counts toward the year in which the statement is issued." The credit applies to your 2016 travel credit if it appears on a statement which is issued in 2016. The credit applies to your 2017 travel credit if it appears on a statement which is issued in 2017.
Your example is incorrect. If you make a purchase on December 22 and your statement closes on January 5, the credit applies to your 2017 travel credit balance. The credit will post to your account in December at the same time that the charge posts, but it will apply to 2017 because the statement it's on closed in 2017. If you make the same purchase on December 22 and your statement closes on December 28 and the purchase posts (is no longer pending) by December 28, the credit applies to your 2016 travel credit balance because the statement closed in 2016. The December statement date is the cutoff point between the 2016 credit and the 2017 credit.