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]
Oct 5, 2015, 2:07 am
#1441
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: SPG Platinum
Posts: 8
Booked an award travel, upgraded the seat to economy plus and with the close in booking fee, the total came out to be around $190 (split into 3 charges). Cancelled within 24 hours. This was on Sept. 28. Got the amex credit for all 3 charges on Oct. 1st.
Oct 5, 2015, 5:56 am
#1442
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 70
GR $25 charge on 10/1; credited this morning on 10/5 without any chat necessary.
Oct 5, 2015, 6:11 am
#1443
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Dayton
Programs: Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, United, AAdvantage
Posts: 223
bought 100$ amazon GC using MPX on 10/1. It was reimbursed today automatically. Will be taking remaining 100$ GC now.
Oct 5, 2015, 6:50 am
#1444
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: BOS
Posts: 550
Bought $200 Amazon GC using MPX, transaction posted 10/1. I see $200 credit for airline fee posted on 10/4.
Oct 5, 2015, 8:05 am
#1445
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BAY AREA
Posts: 1,125
$200 airline fee reimbursement reports: UA only.
I bought an amazon gift card through mpx for 100 on Oct 1 and got reimbursed the $100 on Oct 5 
Oct 5, 2015, 2:44 pm
#1446
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oakland CA
Programs: DL Gold, AS MVPG, Globalist
Posts: 1,008
My $150 GR purchase from 29 Aug had not yet reimbursed; since it's been over five weeks I decided to chat. Rep said no credit was pending but he'd put a manual one through. I tried to inquire if there had been some delay recently, but he didn't say much; just 'it sometimes takes up to six weeks'.
FWIW I think Amex has to know about these GR reimbursements, and allows it. It makes good business sense... I spend $XXX,XXX/year on a card that I otherwise wouldn't have. With the fees they charge merchants, I have to think that's profitable for them.
FWIW I think Amex has to know about these GR reimbursements, and allows it. It makes good business sense... I spend $XXX,XXX/year on a card that I otherwise wouldn't have. With the fees they charge merchants, I have to think that's profitable for them.
Oct 5, 2015, 2:51 pm
#1447
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 4
MPX reimbursement
Purchased a $50 Amazon GC on 9/15 and 10/1 and both were reimbursed today
Oct 5, 2015, 4:25 pm
#1448
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: SPG Platinum
Posts: 8
Why are people buying GR or MPX instead of just getting cold hard credit for free? (by purchasing an award ticket, upgrading the seat, getting charged a close-in fee, and then canceling)?
Oct 5, 2015, 5:31 pm
#1449
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
Never really understood how the award trick works….but it sounds a lot more complicated and shadier. For me, and a lot of other people, UA or Amazon credit is as good as cash.
Oct 5, 2015, 5:38 pm
#1450
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Starwood Platinum, AA, SW, Delta
Posts: 885
wow so the mpx amazon gc works again for reinbursement? I did mine in sept and no reinbursement yet
Oct 5, 2015, 5:44 pm
#1452
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Starwood Platinum, AA, SW, Delta
Posts: 885
did you purchase it from the mpx app thry android phone? I purchase a $75 amazon gc today via the app using my amex card and selected united as my airline of choice. Hopefully i get reinbursed
Oct 5, 2015, 6:13 pm
#1453
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oakland CA
Programs: DL Gold, AS MVPG, Globalist
Posts: 1,008
With the award trick, both UA and Amex have non-zero costs for processing the transaction, and then more non-zero costs for handling the refund. But since you're getting cash back, they both see zero revenue for those non-zero costs.
I realize it's a bit the pot calling the kettle black, because they're both outside the terms of the program, but to me one hurts UA and Amex a lot more than the other. And I value UA credit as much as cash, b/c I know I'll use it.
Oct 6, 2015, 6:46 am
#1454
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 7
As a datapoint, MPX charge October 2 for $100 on PRG. Reimbursed as airline credit October 5. Great stuff!
Oct 6, 2015, 7:01 am
#1455
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 163
MPX charge on Oct 2nd $50 and $100, reimbursed Oct 6th