Originally Posted by Happy

What is the difference when you cancel the ticket and still get back the FULL value of your ticket WITHOUT penalty, versus cancelling within 24 hours? Both do not carry penalty, right? The “penalty” is the one year validity from the ticket purchase date ir we can view it this way. Then the process could be repeated and get the same result…. hence no real difference from the cancellation within 24 hours. You just need to “float” a few bucks credit card payment portion. Or if you don’t mind to lose a few bucks find a fare just under the sum of 3 GCs you intend to use.

Nonetheless, this “final” notice I got as the first time I receive any notice from Delta, has January 13th deadline to reach DL’s outsourced processing center. So I would mail the notice back early next week. Then I can check after the “deadline” whether the GC still shows up at DL side. I expect to receive 2 more such notices in coming days as I check the email folder there are 2 more cards bought in Jan 2018. The one got the notice was bought in Nov 2017. FL’s inactivity period is 5 years. I am debating whether to let these go to the state then go thru the somewhat cumbersome process (fill out claim form and send it back with proof of ownership) to just get Real Money back from the state, like this poster has done.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34790336-post71.html

it actually might be a better solution given we hardly fly domestically.