Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Credit, Debit and Prepaid Card Programs > American Express | Membership Rewards
Reload this Page >

Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: DL only (2015-2019)

Community
Wiki Posts
Search
Old Jan 18, 2016, 10:57 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: MaxVO
This thread is a continuation of: Airline fee $200/$100 reimbursement reports: DL only [2011 - 2015]

Credit posting delays range from several business days (typical) to several weeks (seen in Oct 2015). The T&Cs state that it could take up to four weeks, so wait at least that long before worrying, and certainly don't contact Amex prematurely

Caution: effective from 22 June 2019, gift card purchases from Delta do not get reimbursed.

Read this primer first
  • In the Amex Membership Rewards family, both the Consumer and Business versions of the Platinum and Centurion cards qualify for a $200 airline credit. The Premier Rewards Gold (PRG) card is eligible for a $100 airline credit.
  • You must click here to <--(link dead) select Delta as your enrolled airline before you make a reimbursable purchase, else the benefit won't apply. The feature is activated immediately upon airline designation. Try logging in to your AMEX account and selecting the airline. This link may work
  • If you've selected DL in the past and don't wish to change airlines, there's no need to select again; current selection rolls into future years until modified.
  • The T&Cs state the eligible charges, but YMMV, so don't call and ask especially about the fuzzier cases below because that will probably hasten closing of any loopholes.
  • The credit is per account, not per card. If the main account has authorized users with additional cards, eligible charges may still be made on those cards, but they'll count jointly towards the same account limit.
  • Credits are capped per calendar year, meaning you could tap the full amount on Dec 31st and again on Jan 1st in the extreme. Transaction date, not posting date, determines the year. Note: This is not my experience. I purchased Dec 31, 2016, posted Jan 1, 2017 and went against my 2017 credit. (TheMadBrewer)
  • You will get a partial credit to bring your total annual reimbursements to the limit exactly if a qualifying charge takes you past the limit.
  • After four weeks, if you've read this Wiki carefully and posted here seeking assistance but the credit still has not arrived, consider chatting with Amex online. Politely mention the "Delta extras" you thought would be reimbursed within four weeks and they'll handle it.


additional collections/split tender

THIS IS A LOOPHOLE. BE DISCREET

Anything coded as an additional collection (aka add/collect or a/c), including difference in fare when changing flights, and accepting an FCM offer, also triggers the credit and will be reimbursed; this may (insufficient data) only happen if the additional amount collected is below ~$250 (regardless of card type, e.g. there have been reports of full $100 credit for Gold card on a/c over $100 and full $200 credit for Plat on a/c over $200 but less than $250)
  • Relevantly, split tender where you partially pay with a gift card, existing credit, VDB voucher etc. and partly charged to your card, are processed by DL as an add/collect and trigger the credit per above.
  • Thus if you anticipate actually buying, say, a $200 DL ticket, you could buy a single $50 gift card, then buy the ticket using $50 GC and $150 on your card (the $150 will be reimbursed)
  • Canceling a ticket within the 24-hour risk-free period generally results in funds being returned to where they came from (GC back to GC and CC back to CC). If you have no immediate travel plans but anticipate travel in the next year, consider buying a fully refundable ticket and then changing it later once you know your future travel dates. IF a lot of people suddenly start refunding tickets after getting the credit reimbursement this may hasten the demise of this particular loophole.
  • Caution when buying multiple tickets: for example if you buy two $125 tickets in one transaction (total $250) and use one $100 GC or even two $50 GCs, they will all be applied to the same ticket and you would see one additional collection for $25 on that ticket and a separate "normal" charge for $125 for the second ticket. In this scenario only $25 will be reimbursed (instead of the $150 you might be expecting)

other non Gift Card options
  • baggage and other service fees (same day change/standby, change fees, etc.)
  • taxes on award flights
  • in-flight purchases (EXCEPT wifi)
  • SkyClub access/guest fees (but NOT gift cards purchased at a SC, which are actually activated at a 3rd party web site)
  • mileage boosts (post 2499)
  • The $59 for Delta Skymiles Select is reimbursed (posts 2180, 2182)
  • seat assignment fees (may need to call in to have processed manually)

(DEAD) eGift Card (eCert) details
This Section is not applicable effective 2019/06/22!
  • Delta eGift Cards (eCerts) have been reimbursed in practice, even though technically they do not meet the criteria listed by Amex for reimbursement. The name on the eCerts doesn't matter and need not match your card, but you must purchase using an eligible Amex card and meet the other criteria detailed in this Wiki.
  • Denominations over $50 will not generate the credit. Multiple $50 eCerts will. The smallest denomination available is $50.
  • To order, use this direct link to the eGift cert order page, or navigate via Delta.com>Shop>eGift Certificate.
  • No need to place separate orders using multiple carts/checkouts. By adding multiple certs to one order (e.g., 4 x $50), even though they are in the same cart, the certs will post as separate transactions and still generate a credit for each.
  • eCert purchases may initially authorize (show pending) as ticket purchases before posting to (finalize on) your statement. Multiple-eCert orders may authorize the combined value as a single pending ticket purchase. Don't worry; they'll post later as separate eCert charges in the qualifying amounts.
  • eCerts are generated instantly, but the codes are not valid for use until 72 hours after purchase, so don't order expecting to use them in a pinch.
  • A maximum of three eCerts may be redeemed per online transaction. Splitting a round-trip into two one-ways will allow you to use additional eCerts, but in some cases two one-ways may cost more than a single roundtrip so compare carefully to decide whether using more than 3 certs on a single trip is worthwhile.
  • If purchasing a ticket for more than 1 person, splitting the purchase into a separate transaction for each person would also allow the use of more than 3 certs on a single trip at (usually) no additional cost. However this could have an adverse effect on ability to upgrade, upgrade priority, and other elite benefits, and on the likelihood of being reaccommodated on the same flight in the event of a flight cancellation.
  • There is one recent REPORT of a telephone agent allowing more than three eCerts to be used when purchasing one ticket.
  • eCerts do not expire. Their T&Cs are listed here.
Print Wikipost

Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: DL only (2015-2019)

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 11, 2016, 2:27 pm
  #106  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Sun or Slopes
Posts: 220
Quick Question. Had my other user make Delta purchases of $29 X 2 at Skyclub. Got $58 credit ($29 times 2). I have $142 left. If I purchase three $50 gift cards, will i get credits of $50, $50, and $42 from Amex?? Thanks for the help!!
wspfan is offline  
Old Apr 11, 2016, 2:29 pm
  #107  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: NYC
Programs: DL ✈️
Posts: 638
@wspfan Yes!
tomasdev is offline  
Old Apr 11, 2016, 2:54 pm
  #108  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Sun or Slopes
Posts: 220
Originally Posted by tomasdev
@wspfan Yes!
Thank you kindly!!!
wspfan is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2016, 4:05 pm
  #109  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 64
Can you use E-Certs for anything other then fares? I had some left over from 2015 and wanted to upgrade a reward flight to econ comfort but only credit cards are offered for paying. I wouldn't put it past delta to not allow people to use a gift card on these types of things but just wanted to see if anyone knows for sure.

Also can you use them for taxes on award tickets?
Macosty is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2016, 4:18 pm
  #110  
mia
Moderator
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Originally Posted by Macosty
Can you use E-Certs for anything other then fares?
eGifts and Cards may only be used for the total purchase price of air transportation, including taxes, fees, and surcharges imposed on the air transportation. They may not be used for any additional fees (including baggage fees) or for any other products or services (including class upgrades, in-flight purchases, premium seating, mileage booster, SkyMiles Cruises, cargo, hotel stays, or car rentals).

eGifts and Cards may only be used for travel on Delta Air Lines marketed flights, including those operated as Delta Connection® and by Delta Air Lines codeshare partners with a Delta Air Lines flight number.
eGifts and Cards may only be used for the Delta Air Lines air transportation portion of a Delta Vacations package.
This issue is also discussed (inconclusively) in the Delta forum, which is where I would look for the answer:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...d-booking.html

Last edited by mia; Apr 22, 2016 at 5:02 pm
mia is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2016, 4:41 pm
  #111  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 64
Thanks Mia
Macosty is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2016, 12:28 pm
  #112  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 5
Any data points on people being reimbursed for upgrades on existing tickets.... Such as AMEX reimbursing for an upgrade to Comfort Plus?
bsternad is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2016, 9:56 pm
  #113  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Originally Posted by bsternad
Any data points on people being reimbursed for upgrades on existing tickets.... Such as AMEX reimbursing for an upgrade to Comfort Plus?
I got reimbursed for the C+ upgrades a couple years ago, back when it was like $19 to move to "Economy Comfort".
gooselee is online now  
Old Apr 28, 2016, 7:31 pm
  #114  
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 4
I made 3 e-gift purchases of $65 on 23 April and I haven't been reimbursed yet for the flight credit. Is this something that I am gonna end up having to eat?
ncb_phantom is offline  
Old Apr 28, 2016, 10:20 pm
  #115  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Originally Posted by ncb_phantom
I made 3 e-gift purchases of $65 on 23 April and I haven't been reimbursed yet for the flight credit. Is this something that I am gonna end up having to eat?
Possibly, as most success reported here is for eGift denominations of $50 or less.

But you're not really losing anything... You do still have effectively $195 of credit to spend on DL tickets.
gooselee is online now  
Old Apr 28, 2016, 11:34 pm
  #116  
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by gooselee
Possibly, as most success reported here is for eGift denominations of $50 or less.

But you're not really losing anything... You do still have effectively $195 of credit to spend on DL tickets.
That's true. I am getting the hang of this. I just got a credit for Global Entry and I did the application roughly two days ago
ncb_phantom is offline  
Old May 2, 2016, 7:50 am
  #117  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 55
Bought for 4 e-gift cards for $50 each with Plat.

Purchase date 4/27, reimbursed 4/29
Nathan Drake is offline  
Old May 4, 2016, 2:22 pm
  #118  
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by Nathan Drake
Bought for 4 e-gift cards for $50 each with Plat.

Purchase date 4/27, reimbursed 4/29
Were they billed as tickets? Did you buy all 4 at once?
ncb_phantom is offline  
Old May 5, 2016, 8:05 am
  #119  
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: BZN
Programs: AA:LT Platinum DL:LT Gold UA:1P MAR:LT Titanium
Posts: 8,289
Originally Posted by ncb_phantom
Were they billed as tickets? Did you buy all 4 at once?
Please see Wiki at the top of this thread for what is required for it to work.
mooper is offline  
Old May 7, 2016, 8:06 pm
  #120  
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 4
It's all good. I got reimbursed today. So I am content.
ncb_phantom is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.