Jan 18, 2016, 10:57 am
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
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)
other non Gift Card options
(DEAD) eGift Card (eCert) details
This Section is not applicable effective 2019/06/22!
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.
Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: DL only (2015-2019)
Jul 1, 2019, 9:42 am
#1621
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: Whoever Has the Best Bonus
Posts: 5,183
Looks like the loophole still left is if you use any GC amount (that's NOT reimbursed) then the rest of the ticket still does reimburse for now. Since the minimum for a Delta Gift Card is $50, that means you can pay $50 there, and then get $200-$250 reimbursed as part of your airline credit. Wonder if anyone can find some place that offers cheaper gift cards to 'trigger' the rest of the reimbursement.
Jul 1, 2019, 9:53 am
#1622
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 75
Looks like the loophole still left is if you use any GC amount (that's NOT reimbursed) then the rest of the ticket still does reimburse for now. Since the minimum for a Delta Gift Card is $50, that means you can pay $50 there, and then get $200-$250 reimbursed as part of your airline credit. Wonder if anyone can find some place that offers cheaper gift cards to 'trigger' the rest of the reimbursement.
in the end, amex is not doing itself any favors by restricting the value of gold and plat.
Jul 1, 2019, 10:13 am
#1623
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DTW
Programs: DL Diamond/AA Platinum, Hyatt/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 245
Jul 1, 2019, 11:41 am
#1624
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Mexico City
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, Marriot Gold, IHG Silver, Choice Platinum, Wyndham Gold
Posts: 3,849
Just booked a flight today using $200 worth of e-gift cards. Balance of $100.52 applied to amex. If I'm not reimbursed after this, I'll just upgrade my seats and order in-flight adult beverages and pretend I'm in first class
Jul 2, 2019, 8:46 am
#1626
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NYC
Posts: 58
Does the credit work to purchase Comfort Plus seats from Main Cabin? I am aware the regulations state it's not for upgrades, officially. Not sure if that would count or not. Thanks!
Jul 2, 2019, 12:20 pm
#1627
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 42
I just tried one the other day ($44 to upgrade a 2 hour flight to comfort plus), the charge posted on my Gold card on 01 July as Delta Air Lines Delta.com but still awaiting any sign of a credit. Will update if I see one.
Jul 2, 2019, 12:22 pm
#1628
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,193
If it doesn't auto-post, you should call in and ask them to manually credit the purchase, specifically using the "seat selection fee" term.
Jul 2, 2019, 1:44 pm
#1629
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 8
Amex Delta Gold
6/29/19: 50 Gift Card Purchased
7/1/19: Charge Posted
7/2/19: 50 Credit Posted
Success
6/29/19: 50 Gift Card Purchased
7/1/19: Charge Posted
7/2/19: 50 Credit Posted
Success
Jul 2, 2019, 1:54 pm
#1630
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
It should. "Seat selection fees" are reimbursable and that's what you're purchasing - specific seats in the same cabin class. An upgrade generally refers to movement for a lower cabin class to a higher cabin class (e.g., Y to J).
If it doesn't auto-post, you should call in and ask them to manually credit the purchase, specifically using the "seat selection fee" term.
If it doesn't auto-post, you should call in and ask them to manually credit the purchase, specifically using the "seat selection fee" term.
However, DL has set up C+ as a different fare class/booking class. DL treats C+ as an "upgrade" even if other carriers generally don't and C+ is basically a coach seat with a bit more legroom.
Jul 2, 2019, 2:45 pm
#1631
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA Plat, AS Gold 75k, Marriott Titanium, IHG Gold
Posts: 17
Jul 2, 2019, 2:50 pm
#1632
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 8
Yes. The statement credit excludes giftcards, yet it worked...
Jul 2, 2019, 3:10 pm
#1633
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Disc
Posts: 56
Edit: Sorry, nevermind, I had missed the post a few days before that one that had a DP for the $100 GC working.
Jul 2, 2019, 3:11 pm
#1634
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 52
We still need more data points. Preferably from cards that aren't new. How unlucky am I? I switched from AA to SW two weeks ago and they pull this crap! They need to make it a general credit like their competitors. AMEX actually gives a general credit to cards issued in other countries.
Jul 2, 2019, 3:46 pm
#1635
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,193
For AMEX credit purposes, if the seat is in the same general fare class (i.e., economy), it's not been considered an upgrade, despite what Delta would like to use as a marketing tool.