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)
Nov 11, 2019, 9:08 am
#2311
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 9
Refundable Fares
Hey guys so i'm stuck in a slight bind in that I don't have any concrete upcoming travel plans for me to utilize the $250 amex hilton credit. So my current thought is to use the eGift card trick to book a Refundable fare on delta for a future trip that may/may not change. This way if I need to change the flight for any reason I should still theoretically be covered since it's refundable. I actually need to read up on delta's refundable fare policies but does any one see any flaw in this plan? Thanks.
Nov 11, 2019, 9:23 am
#2312
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Hey guys so i'm stuck in a slight bind in that I don't have any concrete upcoming travel plans for me to utilize the $250 amex hilton credit. So my current thought is to use the eGift card trick to book a Refundable fare on delta for a future trip that may/may not change. This way if I need to change the flight for any reason I should still theoretically be covered since it's refundable. I actually need to read up on delta's refundable fare policies but does any one see any flaw in this plan? Thanks.
2. DL/Amex could close this loophole at any time and you will have no recourse.
3. DL/Amex could choose to claw back the credit when you refund the ticket and you will have no recourse.
4. Ticket may be changeable/refundable but still require a change/cancellation fee, meaning you've now lost an additional $200, on top of the refundable ticket fare premium.
Could it work? Maybe. Is it a good idea and worth the risk? Up to you.
Nov 11, 2019, 9:59 am
#2313
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,028
That 3 day activation on the gift card screwed me. Price for my flight doubled. Sigh.
Nov 11, 2019, 10:06 am
#2314
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
Wonder why Delta has a 72-hour wait, the funds are already authorized to your credit card immediately.
Nov 11, 2019, 10:16 am
#2315
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: RDU
Programs: HH Diamond, AA Gold, Marriot Plat
Posts: 209
Nov 11, 2019, 10:24 am
#2316
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 36
I need to book a $1k flight. Not seeing many dp on this but I assume ticket price won't matter? I plan to use 4x50 gift cards on the purchase with my Plat for the $200 credit.
Nov 11, 2019, 11:27 am
#2317
Moderator
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
That's the pending transaction. The final transaction takes a few days to post, because that's part of the way airlines handle the 24 hour cancellation requirement, and they use the same payment system for gift cards. Large companies like Delta also have their own fraud algorithms, and may decline a transaction even if it is approved by the card issuer.
Nov 11, 2019, 3:08 pm
#2318
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,208
- If by take away "this benefit" you mean the $200 airline credit, I don't think there's cause for concern. This is already the weakest "travel" credit out there, and Amex would lose a lot of customers that use the reimbursement to justify the annual fee. For me, there's no reason to have the Platinum card aside from lounge access and the airline, Uber, and Sak's credits. Maybe the 5x points on airfare is worth it to some, but I don't pay for business flights so the 3x on Gold (and now Green) or CSR suffices for me.
- If by "this benefit" you mean reimbursement for DL tickets when paying partially with a gift card and partially with a Platinum card, then you're being hypocritical. That may trigger a refund, but it's not actually eligible for reimbursement. If that "benefit" is taken away, it will be because it is not, and was never intended to be, a benefit at all.
Nov 11, 2019, 4:05 pm
#2319
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 277
There are a number of data points that ticket price does matter and you need to get the amount paid <$250 or it won't be reimbursed. For a $1k flight you're probably stuck; unless you have a pretty sizable Delta credit you can use (eg, for Denied Boarding compensation), or buying one-way tickets comes out to the same price (and, for you, a one-way costs <$450).
Nov 11, 2019, 7:25 pm
#2320
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Oh, please.
- If by take away "this benefit" you mean the $200 airline credit, I don't think there's cause for concern. This is already the weakest "travel" credit out there, and Amex would lose a lot of customers that use the reimbursement to justify the annual fee. For me, there's no reason to have the Platinum card aside from lounge access and the airline, Uber, and Sak's credits. Maybe the 5x points on airfare is worth it to some, but I don't pay for business flights so the 3x on Gold (and now Green) or CSR suffices for me.
- If by "this benefit" you mean reimbursement for DL tickets when paying partially with a gift card and partially with a Platinum card, then you're being hypocritical. That may trigger a refund, but it's not actually eligible for reimbursement. If that "benefit" is taken away, it will be because it is not, and was never intended to be, a benefit at all.
2. I don't think this is the proper use of the word "hypocritical".
Nov 11, 2019, 9:35 pm
#2321
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 11
I'm trying to decide which airline to select on my Amex Aspire. It seems like the Delta is the easiest option to burn the credit with the split tender option. Any issues with buying refundable ticket and cancelling after credit posts, aside from potentially raising the ire of the Amex RAT team? I'm not sure I have any domestic travel plans I could book before year end. Are there any other low hanging fruit with other airlines to consider?
Nov 11, 2019, 11:38 pm
#2322
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Earth
Programs: whatever it takes
Posts: 682
Same thing happened to me last week. I bought gift cards thinking I could use them right away and found out there was a 72 hour wait and the cost of the airfare went up a lot Wonder why Delta has a 72-hour wait, the funds are already authorized to your credit card immediately.
Wonder why Delta has a 72-hour wait, the funds are already authorized to your credit card immediately.
Nov 12, 2019, 12:06 am
#2323
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: QC
Programs: AS MVP G, CZ *G, UA *S, AC *S, Hilton D, Marriott T, IHG S
Posts: 23
Nov 12, 2019, 6:13 am
#2324
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Just seen the news on the Gift card situation.
Its the straw that breaks the camel's back with me. Just paid my annual renewal and my wide asked if we get value from it. With current travel patterns, it seems that we no longer will.
I have the DL Amex. I will be downgrading my this to the lowest MR card they have and take a Chase offer I think. Back on the AMEX bandwagon as and when they offer me some kind of bonus
Its the straw that breaks the camel's back with me. Just paid my annual renewal and my wide asked if we get value from it. With current travel patterns, it seems that we no longer will.
I have the DL Amex. I will be downgrading my this to the lowest MR card they have and take a Chase offer I think. Back on the AMEX bandwagon as and when they offer me some kind of bonus
Nov 12, 2019, 8:09 am
#2325
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
Yes but when I wanted to buy that fare it would have meant driving to Kroger and buying the card and then coming home and hoping the fare didn't increase. I also noticed on Delta's website to allow 24 hours to use a card purchased at a retail location.
Grocery stores can be a good deal for Delta frequent flyers who have a Chase Freedom and Chase Sapphire reserve card when they have supermarkets as a 5% bonus quarterly category. My Kroger allows you to chose the amounts so I buy a bunch of $200 gift cards and transfer the points to my CSR which means 7.5 percent back if you use it for travel. With the smaller gift card amounts I can arrange it so part of the fare has to go on my CSR card for the travel insurance protection.
Grocery stores can be a good deal for Delta frequent flyers who have a Chase Freedom and Chase Sapphire reserve card when they have supermarkets as a 5% bonus quarterly category. My Kroger allows you to chose the amounts so I buy a bunch of $200 gift cards and transfer the points to my CSR which means 7.5 percent back if you use it for travel. With the smaller gift card amounts I can arrange it so part of the fare has to go on my CSR card for the travel insurance protection.