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)
Dec 5, 2016, 7:20 pm
#181
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
Dec 6, 2016, 12:05 pm
#183
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Applied for the platinum mercadez-benze on 11/27, purchased 4x$50 e-certificates on the same day, my purchases posted on 11/29 and they were credited today (11/30). While I'm happy that I got credited, this airline credit thing was a pain in the .... I think Amex needs to get it together and liberally apply travel credits like chase sapphire reserve and citi prestige. It's apparent to me that Amex makes you jump through a bunch of hoops to get this $200 airline credit designating an airline, claiming its an incidental under $50). It seems like they want to charge their high annual fee and make it hard to recoup any of that fee.
Also, the Amex credit is clearly marketed as an airline fee reimbursement, which is somewhat different from the travel/airfare credits marketed by Chase/Citi.
They could also shut down this eGift loophole at any time, since it's technically against the T&Cs. For those who actually understand the intent of the benefit and use it appropriately, it's actually no problem at all.
Dec 6, 2016, 8:23 pm
#184
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 3
Bought 4 in a single transaction (4x 50= $200); showing as pending for $200 at the moment...will report when it posts and if/when i get the credit
Dec 7, 2016, 7:30 pm
#185
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 2
Is this working? I am a little concerned because my 4x50 purchase posted on my Platinum card as:
LOS ANGELES INTERN > LOS ANGELES INTERN
Document Type: PASSENGER TICKET
LOS ANGELES INTERN > LOS ANGELES INTERN
Document Type: PASSENGER TICKET
Dec 8, 2016, 12:37 am
#186
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 8
I can confirm that the travel credit still works for the Delta eCredits, $50 x 4 gift cards. Charged DEC 1st, reimbursed $50 x 4 on DEC 2nd.
Dec 8, 2016, 5:47 am
#187
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: DL(PM), UA(Silver), AA(EXP) Marriott(Ti), HH(Gold), Hertz(PC)
Posts: 2,669
Yes, that is the expected behavior. Once they post, you will see four transactions and a few days later four credits.
Dec 8, 2016, 6:15 pm
#189
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 11
Bought 4x $50 eGift cards on 12/3. Charges posted on 12/4. Credit posted on 12/5.
Dec 9, 2016, 4:26 pm
#191
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Delta
Posts: 2
Physical Gift Cards
So, I may have screwed up today. I had the box checked for four, $50 physical gift cards instead of ecerts. Does anyone know if it makes a difference in the AMEX reimbursement if you get physical cards instead of ecerts? I suppose I will find out on my AMEX Platinum statement in a few days, but it is driving me crazy! Thanks!
Dec 12, 2016, 2:01 pm
#193
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Delta
Posts: 2
As an update to my 12/9/16 post -- I was credited for the four $50 physical gift cards (as opposed to ecerts).
Dec 12, 2016, 3:15 pm
#194
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
Quick question, award cancel fees are covered right?
Dec 13, 2016, 3:38 pm
#195
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 52
Glad I found this thread. Last month I upgraded my Amex Business Gold to the Amex Business Platinum (under the 50K + 50K points reward promo). I don't have any travel scheduled before the end of the year and was able to purchase 4x$50 Delta egift cards to use up the $200 airline credit.
The charges posted to my account yesterday, with the 4x$50 credits posting today.
The charges posted to my account yesterday, with the 4x$50 credits posting today.