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)
Sep 27, 2019, 11:36 am
#2086
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 1
Did Delta return the taxes and fees if you cancel within 24 hr on an award ticket?
Sep 27, 2019, 1:16 pm
#2087
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: 18,947
Sep 27, 2019, 2:54 pm
#2088
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: United 1P
Posts: 688
I purchased a e-gift card online and received the card number yesterday at 9:50am. It is now 4:50pm and I successfully used the e-gift card to purchase a ticket. It seems that the limit is 24 hours now.
Sep 27, 2019, 4:13 pm
#2089
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,195
Thanks for that update. I just purchased a couple of gift cards yesterday and the 72 hour "warning" was still in effect on the DL website when I purchased them.
Sep 27, 2019, 8:20 pm
#2090
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
Do any purchases in Lounges(Centurian or Skymiles) get reimbursed if flying Delta and its your designated airline?
Assume any purchases in lounges are billed as delta.com.
Just purchased an award ticket and 48 hours later was reimbursed $61.13 on award ticket. It was billed delta.com.
Assume any purchases in lounges are billed as delta.com.
Just purchased an award ticket and 48 hours later was reimbursed $61.13 on award ticket. It was billed delta.com.
Sep 28, 2019, 6:59 am
#2091
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: DL(PM), UA(Silver), AA(EXP) Marriott(Ti), HH(Gold), Hertz(PC)
Posts: 2,669
Do any purchases in Lounges(Centurian or Skymiles) get reimbursed if flying Delta and its your designated airline?
Assume any purchases in lounges are billed as delta.com.
Just purchased an award ticket and 48 hours later was reimbursed $61.13 on award ticket. It was billed delta.com.
Assume any purchases in lounges are billed as delta.com.
Just purchased an award ticket and 48 hours later was reimbursed $61.13 on award ticket. It was billed delta.com.
Sep 28, 2019, 10:01 am
#2092
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Do any purchases in Lounges(Centurian or Skymiles) get reimbursed if flying Delta and its your designated airline?
Assume any purchases in lounges are billed as delta.com.
Just purchased an award ticket and 48 hours later was reimbursed $61.13 on award ticket. It was billed delta.com.
Assume any purchases in lounges are billed as delta.com.
Just purchased an award ticket and 48 hours later was reimbursed $61.13 on award ticket. It was billed delta.com.
DL SkyClub access charges should be reimbursed but I believe purchases at the bar or spa may be YMMV, as they sometimes post as charges to the catering vendor (Aramark or something for example).
Sep 28, 2019, 11:50 am
#2093
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1
The reservation was $786... the first $600 paid with GC and the rest on my Amex Plat. My account showed the charge as "additional collection" and I was credited for $186 three days later.
I purchased a $500 GC and after 96 hours it still wasn't activated. When I tried to book a flight, I received an error asking me to wait 72 hours before using a GC. I called the reservation desk and the CSR escalated internally but came back with a suggestion to wait another day. She put my reservation on hold and the next day I was able to use the GC to complete the booking.
I purchased a $500 GC and after 96 hours it still wasn't activated. When I tried to book a flight, I received an error asking me to wait 72 hours before using a GC. I called the reservation desk and the CSR escalated internally but came back with a suggestion to wait another day. She put my reservation on hold and the next day I was able to use the GC to complete the booking.
Sep 28, 2019, 12:38 pm
#2094
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 2
If Gift Card Mandatory for Credit
I see that gift cards being applied to the order will trigger the credit if the remaining CC is probably under $200.
Will the credit still be applied if no gift card is used at around that amount?
Did you guys use Delta's website used or Amex's?
Last one, if I purchase a flight from a partner airline with Delta like Virgin Atlantic, would that credit be applied?
Will the credit still be applied if no gift card is used at around that amount?
Did you guys use Delta's website used or Amex's?
Last one, if I purchase a flight from a partner airline with Delta like Virgin Atlantic, would that credit be applied?
Sep 28, 2019, 2:44 pm
#2095
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: 18,947
I see that gift cards being applied to the order will trigger the credit if the remaining CC is probably under $200.
Will the credit still be applied if no gift card is used at around that amount?
Did you guys use Delta's website used or Amex's?
Last one, if I purchase a flight from a partner airline with Delta like Virgin Atlantic, would that credit be applied?
Will the credit still be applied if no gift card is used at around that amount?
Did you guys use Delta's website used or Amex's?
Last one, if I purchase a flight from a partner airline with Delta like Virgin Atlantic, would that credit be applied?
In this case
- it doesn't have to be a gift card per se, anything that gets processed by Delta's systems as an exchange plus an additional collection using your credit card should trigger the credit (subject to the squishy-and-not-quite-pinned-down cap on the amount). This includes things like bump vouchers and residual funds from previous tickets that were canceled/being changed.
- it does need to be a transaction posted as being charged by Delta. So booking directly at Virgin Atlantic won't work, and if by "Delta's website or Amex's" you mean booking through AMEX Travel, I don't think that will work either because in my experience although it initially posts as delta.com, when the charge is captured it switches to AMEX Travel (and didn't earn 5x). I'm less confident about this last bit though so maybe someone will correct me.
Sep 28, 2019, 5:51 pm
#2096
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 16
Miles + Cash?
Anyone know of DPs on Miles + Cash ticket purchases? For example I see a short 1-way fare for $105 total or 500 miles + $95, will using the Miles + Cash option trigger the credit?
Sep 29, 2019, 1:04 am
#2097
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: 18,947
Sep 29, 2019, 11:44 am
#2098
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,897
Centurion lounges are run by Amex and have nothing to do with DL. You should not expect any purchase in a Centurion lounge to trigger the DL (or any other airline) credit being discussed in this thread.
DL SkyClub access charges should be reimbursed but I believe purchases at the bar or spa may be YMMV, as they sometimes post as charges to the catering vendor (Aramark or something for example).
DL SkyClub access charges should be reimbursed but I believe purchases at the bar or spa may be YMMV, as they sometimes post as charges to the catering vendor (Aramark or something for example).
Sep 29, 2019, 11:57 am
#2099
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,897
Taking a step back, I’m writing off these airline credits as basically zero value. With the recent changes, and the restrictions even when engaging with the airline (no upgrade reimbursement), they are too difficult to use. I still get enough value from the Platinum and Gold to keep them, but the math changes a bit. It certainly does change the math in terms of Reserve vs Amex Platinum - the Reserve starts to look like a better value...
Sep 29, 2019, 1:35 pm
#2100
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,195
Taking a step back, I’m writing off these airline credits as basically zero value. With the recent changes, and the restrictions even when engaging with the airline (no upgrade reimbursement), they are too difficult to use. I still get enough value from the Platinum and Gold to keep them, but the math changes a bit. It certainly does change the math in terms of Reserve vs Amex Platinum - the Reserve starts to look like a better value...