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)
Oct 24, 2019, 10:22 pm
#2206
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,913
Basic economy tickets can't be changed once the risk-free 24-hour cancellation period expires. If you did take a BE ticket and convert it to a main cabin ticket within the period, it seems likely that would be coded as an additional collection and be eligible for the credit if someone wants to try it. But that would only be $35+ at a time depending I think on domestic vs international and maybe the number of segments? Assuming add/collect remains a viable path then I think GC+remainder would be more efficient. Would be interesting to have the data point though.
Oct 25, 2019, 7:02 am
#2209
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: Hilton - Diamond, IHG - Spire Amb
Posts: 901
DP
Point of interest - I thought that if the additional collection was too high (>200) it might not work but it appears to work at least to this level.
- 10/22 Bought one way ticket for 269.3 = $50 delta gift card plus Hilton Aspire 219.30
- 10/24 charge went from pending to posted
- 10/25 meter moved without credit in account yet - presumably will show up in 1-2 days.
Point of interest - I thought that if the additional collection was too high (>200) it might not work but it appears to work at least to this level.
Oct 25, 2019, 7:28 am
#2210
Join Date: May 2019
Programs: Delta, Chase UR, Hyatt
Posts: 30
Update: reimbursement posted today. Purchased a 3000 SM booster on Monday, charge posted on Wednesday, and reimbursement arrived Saturday.
Oct 25, 2019, 1:10 pm
#2211
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 3
Is the gift card plus pay with card dead? I purchased a round trip ticket on 10/18 for $278.60 with $50 gift card so the total charged to Hilton Aspire was $228.60. the meter I have left of $220 has not moved and I have not revecied the credit, 10/24. It is showing up as "additional collection" in the details. Even tho I purchased the ticket on 10/18 it shows it was completed on 10/20. Is there a certain time frame I should wait or did I do something wrong?
Oct 25, 2019, 2:22 pm
#2212
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Posts: 170
After I saw the most recent post, I decided to check again..no credit yet but when I checked under the airline benefit it says:
You have used all of your $250 Airline Fee Credit for this year.
It will renew again starting Jan 2020
So feeling relieved and happy that the credit will show soon. Thanks all for your invaluable help with this!It will renew again starting Jan 2020
Oct 25, 2019, 6:57 pm
#2213
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 40
How do I check the meter to track the credit? where do I need to go on the website? TIA
Oct 26, 2019, 11:10 am
#2214
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 3
Update 10/26: credit of $220 was given. The whole process took 1 week 1 day. Hilton Aspire. Not sure if this is a new DP as most of what I saw took about 4 days or so. If you guys don’t get it right away, there’s still hope
Oct 26, 2019, 11:37 am
#2215
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Mexico City
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, Marriot Gold, IHG Silver, Choice Platinum, Wyndham Gold
Posts: 3,845
Oct 26, 2019, 7:36 pm
#2216
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: Delta Skymiles
Posts: 1,982
If I purchase GOGO credits on the Delta app is that eligible for reimbursement as part of the Amex Airline Fee Program?
Oct 26, 2019, 8:00 pm
#2217
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 7
Reimbursement
Has anyone purchased a one way ticket for a lower amount - $100 and under, and had it reimbursed without using a GC recently?
Oct 27, 2019, 7:56 am
#2219
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: Hilton - Diamond, IHG - Spire Amb
Posts: 901
DP
Point of interest - I thought that if the additional collection was too high (>200) it might not work but it appears to work at least to this level.
- 10/22 Bought one way ticket for 269.3 = $50 delta gift card plus Hilton Aspire 219.30
- 10/24 charge went from pending to posted
- 10/25 meter moved without credit in account yet - presumably will show up in 1-2 days.
Point of interest - I thought that if the additional collection was too high (>200) it might not work but it appears to work at least to this level.
So for $219.30 this will trigger credit. Anyone have any reports of "Additional collections" of a higher value triggering it - i.e. 250+?
Oct 28, 2019, 7:30 am
#2220
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 122
DP
- 10/23 Bought one refundable way fare for $253 w/ $50 Delta GC and Amex personal Plat
- 10/25 Charge posted as one transaction for $203
- 10/26 Full $200 reimbursement credit posted, meter moved to show full reimbursement