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

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

Old Jan 19, 2018, 9:49 pm
  #751  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
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Originally Posted by np
Question for you all:
Answer seems to be here:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27694763-post227.html
mia is offline  
Old Jan 20, 2018, 4:05 pm
  #752  
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Originally Posted by mia
Given this question has been asked a few times just in past few weeks may be the information should be in the Wiki, assuming people actually read Wiki that is.
Happy is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2018, 11:06 pm
  #753  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: avis, national, jetblue, delta, marriot
Posts: 33
Would be very interested to see if any other people got refunded similar to that post.. i have 5 $50 GCs and looking for a way to use other than 2 separate one way ticks
jessebrown30 is offline  
Old Jan 23, 2018, 5:00 pm
  #754  
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Originally Posted by jessebrown30
Would be very interested to see if any other people got refunded similar to that post.. i have 5 $50 GCs and looking for a way to use other than 2 separate one way ticks
That post said the refund was back to the $50 eCert. Unless someone tries again, else this is the DP you get. Or you can generate a new DP to show whether it is still the same as in 2016 or now there is a mechanism to "consolidate" those $50's.
Happy is offline  
Old Jan 24, 2018, 9:18 am
  #755  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NYC
Posts: 427
Just another DP on e-gift cards -- purchased 4x50 on 1/21, all reimbursed on 1/24.
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Old Jan 24, 2018, 1:01 pm
  #756  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 97
I just purchased 4x$50 e-gift cards. Eeeek nervous! I guess I'll see in a few days!
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 4:07 pm
  #757  
 
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Denver CO
Posts: 3,682
With both MIA and Happy on this thread, I know good information is at hand.

I am new to using (but not obtaining) the DL eGift Cards, and my interest is only for award travel.

It seems the T&Cs limit usage of the certs to the purchase price of air transportation, including taxes fees and surcharges. Thus, the typical add-ons that must be paid in cash on an award ticket (aiirport fees,TSA fee, YQ) are all eligible, subject to the 3 forms of payment limitation.

Correct?

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.
Mountain Trader is offline  
Old Jan 25, 2018, 11:26 pm
  #758  
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Originally Posted by Mountain Trader
With both MIA and Happy on this thread, I know good information is at hand.

I am new to using (but not obtaining) the DL eGift Cards, and my interest is only for award travel.

It seems the T&Cs limit usage of the certs to the purchase price of air transportation, including taxes fees and surcharges. Thus, the typical add-ons that must be paid in cash on an award ticket (aiirport fees,TSA fee, YQ) are all eligible, subject to the 3 forms of payment limitation.

Correct?

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.
If you scroll back some on this thread you would find a few others have already asked the same questions and were answered. The answer unfortunately is NO, the eCerts can not be used to pay taxes and fees on award tickets whether it is online or thru a phone agent. I suppose this is a universal restriction on the airline GCs, as AA GC also cannot be used to pay such. Ditto UA's gift registry when it existed, IIRC.
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Old Jan 26, 2018, 4:11 am
  #759  
mia
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Originally Posted by Happy
....NO, the eCerts can not be used to pay taxes and fees on award tickets.....
There is at least one counterexample of success by telephone, HERE.
mia is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2018, 5:55 am
  #760  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 97
Okay, so my 4 $50 certs all posted yesterday on the 24th but I didn't receive any credit for them yet? It posted as "DELTA AIR LINES DELTA.COM" Category: Travel - Airline. Do I need to wait a little bit longer for the credit to post?

In addition my Global Entry posted as well yesterday but no credit!!
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Old Jan 26, 2018, 6:29 am
  #761  
 
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Denver CO
Posts: 3,682
Originally Posted by Happy
If you scroll back some on this thread you would find a few others have already asked the same questions and were answered. The answer unfortunately is NO, the eCerts can not be used to pay taxes and fees on award tickets whether it is online or thru a phone agent. I suppose this is a universal restriction on the airline GCs, as AA GC also cannot be used to pay such. Ditto UA's gift registry when it existed, IIRC.
Thanks for the response.

Originally Posted by mia
There is at least one counterexample of success by telephone, HERE.
Thanks Mia.

Last edited by mia; Jan 26, 2018 at 7:04 am Reason: Consolidate consecutive replies
Mountain Trader is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2018, 6:35 am
  #762  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 34
Originally Posted by rjruiz
Okay, so my 4 $50 certs all posted yesterday on the 24th but I didn't receive any credit for them yet? It posted as "DELTA AIR LINES DELTA.COM" Category: Travel - Airline. Do I need to wait a little bit longer for the credit to post?

In addition my Global Entry posted as well yesterday but no credit!!
My Delta credits took an extra day after the charge posted to be applied, so I'd wait another day before getting worried.
rjruiz likes this.
rdukrk is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2018, 10:40 am
  #763  
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Originally Posted by mia
There is at least one counterexample of success by telephone, HERE.
Note that this counterexample is certainly an exception, and will very much depend on the phone agent you get.

Gift cards are explicitly noted to NOT be valid forms of payment for award ticket taxes/fees on the payment page online. In other words, it's not just that the option isn't there, it's that the option is grayed out and also there is text saying something like, "You cannot use gift cards or ecerts to pay these fees."
gooselee is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2018, 11:27 am
  #764  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 77
4 x $50 purchased
4 x $50 reimbursed 2 days later
SkyHarbor is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2018, 12:13 pm
  #765  
 
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Denver CO
Posts: 3,682
Originally Posted by gooselee
Note that this counterexample is certainly an exception, and will very much depend on the phone agent you get.

Gift cards are explicitly noted to NOT be valid forms of payment for award ticket taxes/fees on the payment page online. In other words, it's not just that the option isn't there, it's that the option is grayed out and also there is text saying something like, "You cannot use gift cards or ecerts to pay these fees."
So this language is on the payment page when one attempts to make an award booking? My question arose from the language on dl.com under EGCs FAQs:
  • Gift Cards may only be redeemed for the cost 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 upgrades, in-flight purchases, premium seating, mileage booster, SkyMiles Cruises, cargo, hotel stays, or car rentals).
My reading was that since by booking an award ticket the pricing is miles plus whatever taxes, fees, and surcharges are imposed on the ticket, the eGC would be usable given the language above.

But this is DL so I double checked-lucky for me!
Mountain Trader is offline  

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