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Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: DL only (2015-2019)

Old Jan 18, 2016, 10:57 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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
  • 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.
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Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: DL only (2015-2019)

Old Oct 21, 2019, 8:04 am
  #2161  
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 16
Originally Posted by goblue2006
How long does it typically take for the meter to move?

I had a split ticket post on Saturday, transaction details are "other collections" No meter move yet. I am sure I am being impatient but curious on how long I have to be impatient for! lol
I booked a ticket on Thursday. It posted on Saturday but no meter move or anything
ynsep is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 8:22 am
  #2162  
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: Delta
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by ynsep
I booked a ticket on Thursday. It posted on Saturday but no meter move or anything
was yours a split fare that posted as other collection?
goblue2006 is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 8:35 am
  #2163  
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 16
Originally Posted by goblue2006
was yours a split fare that posted as other collection?
Yes.
ynsep is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 9:23 am
  #2164  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BSB
Posts: 260
Bought two tickets using GC partially. Worked both on Amex Aspire and Gold card. On Gold, the charge was U$115 and got the full U$100 credit.
Carq is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 9:29 am
  #2165  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: Krisflyer, Asia Miles, Miles and Bonus
Posts: 251
Originally Posted by Carq
Bought two tickets using GC partially. Worked both on Amex Aspire and Gold card. On Gold, the charge was U$115 and got the full U$100 credit.
Hi, what was the amount of GC you used? Also, do you mean there is a transaction in your Amex account showing you have been reimbursed? If yes, how long did it take for the credit to post? Asking because a couple of posts earlier, some people were saying they have not seen the credit posted yet. Thanks.
bensim is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 10:31 am
  #2166  
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 1
Hi all, first FT post!

Found a 223$ ticket. Used biz plat and a $50 gift card through the website.

Total came out to $173.6 so I added a $29 mileage booster to use the full credit.

8/16 Purchased

8/18 Purchases posted speratly as 173.6 and 29

8/20 Tracker said I used my credit and I was reimbursed 29 and 171 in two transactions.
Noor A is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 10:50 am
  #2167  
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 2
I am new and this question may seem newbish, but when you say gift card does that mean any gift card or a certain kind of gift card?
skom123 is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 11:18 am
  #2168  
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: 18,889
Originally Posted by skom123
I am new and this question may seem newbish, but when you say gift card does that mean any gift card or a certain kind of gift card?
People are talking specifically about using a DL gift card and AMEX for the rest. This seems to cause DL to process the ticket purchase as a ticket exchange using the value of the gift card, plus an additional collection for the rest, and the latter is what is triggering the credit.
Zorak is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 12:05 pm
  #2169  
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: 100,369
Originally Posted by Noor A
Hi all, first FT post!

Found a 223$ ticket. Used biz plat and a $50 gift card through the website.

Total came out to $173.6 so I added a $29 mileage booster to use the full credit.

8/16 Purchased

8/18 Purchases posted speratly as 173.6 and 29

8/20 Tracker said I used my credit and I was reimbursed 29 and 171 in two transactions.
This is giving me an idea: If one still has some DL airline credit remaining at the end of the year, can/should one add a mileage booster (more RDMs) to the last ticket or last flight before NYE? I've never even looked at mileage boosters because (unlike on some other airlines) you can't get MQMs and I don't rally need more RDMs at disadvantageous prices, but this could be a last chance way to use those credits.

Does anyone know when it becomes too late to add the mileage booster to tickets and how finely you can tune the amount needed?
uppereastsider likes this.
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 1:12 pm
  #2170  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: BSB
Posts: 260
Originally Posted by bensim
Hi, what was the amount of GC you used? Also, do you mean there is a transaction in your Amex account showing you have been reimbursed? If yes, how long did it take for the credit to post? Asking because a couple of posts earlier, some people were saying they have not seen the credit posted yet. Thanks.
U$50 GC. 2-3 days to post the transaction on Delta, 2-3 days to post the credit.
Carq is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 2:51 pm
  #2171  
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: Delta
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by goblue2006
How long does it typically take for the meter to move?

I had a split ticket post on Saturday, transaction details are "other collections" No meter move yet. I am sure I am being impatient but curious on how long I have to be impatient for! lol
Update - The meter just moved. So full DP: Book three tickets on one reservation using 3GCs; posted as three transactions with all three GCs on one ticket. The charges posted on Saturday. Two posted as tickets (with ticket details in transaction) one posted as Additional Collection.

Meter moved late afternoon Monday
goblue2006 is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 6:19 pm
  #2172  
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 16
Originally Posted by goblue2006
Update - The meter just moved. So full DP: Book three tickets on one reservation using 3GCs; posted as three transactions with all three GCs on one ticket. The charges posted on Saturday. Two posted as tickets (with ticket details in transaction) one posted as Additional Collection.

Meter moved late afternoon Monday
Mine has just moved as well.
ynsep is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 7:04 pm
  #2173  
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: 5328 ft
Programs: Lowest-level minion
Posts: 32
Usually I notice credit meters move somewhere between 9-10am Eastern Time - AmEx seems to run their ops using Mountain Time. Guess it ran a bit late today (or maybe just a case of the Mondays?).
gregorius is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2019, 7:07 pm
  #2174  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Posts: 100,369
Originally Posted by gregorius
Usually I notice credit meters move somewhere between 9-10am Eastern Time - AmEx seems to run their ops using Mountain Time. Guess it ran a bit late today (or maybe just a case of the Mondays?).
I know my cards specify Mountain time for pay by phone, IIRC the requirement is to pay by 8 pm mountain time for the payment to count as having been made on that date.

However, isn't there a state in the Mountain time zone (AZ or NM) that doesn't save daylight, so that this could potentially be confusing?
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old Oct 22, 2019, 6:23 am
  #2175  
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 20
SkyMiles Select charge posted yesterday. No credit issued yet. If anything comes in - will update here again.
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innov8v is offline  

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