Similar problems using this feature are discussed here, beginning at post 47:
Chase United Club VISA Infinite Card ($695 annual fee, March 2025)
Thanks for pointing to that post. However it seems that the situation in that case was that the member did not seem to have booked through cars.united.com. I have actually followed all the three requirements including the use of the specific code.
Ask them to show you where this is documented in the published terms. If they cannot do this I would assume it was invented by someone who does not know why you have not received the promised benefit, and thinks this sounds plausible.
Yes, that is exactly what I have asked. I actually asked the supervisor to point me to where that is mentioned and she said, well i don't know but that's what our research team found and it will be in the letter being sent to me. I asked her explicitly to send me the specific clause in the terms and conditions and she said she has asked for that but i'm pretty sure that's just BS. I'll likely get a letter that will just say "our research team has found blah blah..." without any actual reference to any T&C.
This almost comes to borderline fraud and I'm tempted to pursue this legally somehow instead of just giving up.