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 1, 2017, 11:06 am
#556
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Dec 1, 2017, 12:20 pm
#557
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 13
Yes, I agree, but I would rather not pay $160 vs $60. I see one report of an upgrade working, maybe I'll take a chance, but any insight is appreciated.
Dec 2, 2017, 12:16 pm
#558
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: Most of 'em
Posts: 128
Still working fine.
Ordered 4x 50 in one order in 11/28, posted on 11/29, reimbursed on 12/1.
Dec 3, 2017, 12:13 am
#559
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 151
Apologies if this has been asked already, but I see the gift cards are only good for flights originating in from the US. I live in Europe and would probably have to give them away. Anyone have any experience in this?
Dec 3, 2017, 1:56 am
#560
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NCE, MCM
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 167
where do you see that gift cards are only good for flights originating in the US? this has not been the case for me, i've used them towards flights originating in europe (to the US) and towards flights within europe (booked on delta.com using ita matrix and the powertools script)
Dec 3, 2017, 6:14 pm
#561
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: LON, PDX
Programs: DL PM, AS MVP 75K, HH/SPG/MR Gold, Amex Plat, PRG, CSR
Posts: 2,064
where do you see that gift cards are only good for flights originating in the US? this has not been the case for me, i've used them towards flights originating in europe (to the US) and towards flights within europe (booked on delta.com using ita matrix and the powertools script)
Dec 6, 2017, 2:01 pm
#562
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 3
Best way to sell a Delta gift card
I tried to sell a Delta giftcard on Raise.com but they said airline and hotel gift cards require a 45 day waiting period from date on the receipt. Is anyone aware of a policy like this on Cardcash? I have a few AA cards to sell that I would rather not wait 45 days for.
Dec 7, 2017, 6:56 am
#563
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 73
Bought 4x50 in one transaction on 12/3, posted 12/4, reimbursed 12/6 and shown in account on 12/7. GCs work for a flight from Canada to US, converted from USD to CAD at market rate.
Dec 7, 2017, 9:32 am
#564
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
All that said, $160 to upgrade a 4+ hour flight is a pretty decent deal, depending on your original fare. I'd probably take it regardless, and if Amex decides to issue a fee credit, that's a cherry on top.
Seriously, this thread is already about exploiting a loophole to convert an airline fee credit into gift cards that can be used for actual airfare. But now we're trying to not even use those GCs and just sell them for cash? There are plenty of cashback CCs out there with far lower annual fees, and many other ways to obtain hotel status, lounge access, etc. This scheme seems like a lot of work just to marginally break even.
Dec 7, 2017, 11:14 am
#566
Moderator
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,955
I suggest that you read the Wikipost at the top of this thread with particular attention to the bullet point which begins: You must click here to select Delta as your enrolled airline before you make a reimbursable purchase
Dec 7, 2017, 8:27 pm
#567
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 37
Waiting on reimbursement
Hey guys, luker that just wanted to update and hopefully post more
Selected and received confirmation to delta 12/3
purchased 4x $50 in one order 12/4
pending as $200 12/4
posted as 4 $50 transactions 12/5
Todays the 7th but no reimbursement yet, hopefully it will clear tomorrow.
fingers crossed
card opened in august, also missing 15k referral points from a friend that signed up.
Selected and received confirmation to delta 12/3
purchased 4x $50 in one order 12/4
pending as $200 12/4
posted as 4 $50 transactions 12/5
Todays the 7th but no reimbursement yet, hopefully it will clear tomorrow.
fingers crossed
card opened in august, also missing 15k referral points from a friend that signed up.
Dec 8, 2017, 9:00 am
#568
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 4
Thank you, I have the Gold Premier Rewards card and I get this error via that link:Looking for something else?
None of your benefits require the selection of a qualifying airline.
I have $100 airline credit per year. I have to have a preferred airline selected and mine is:
Thank you for your interest.
XXXXX-XXXXX-22009
Delta Air Lines
Our records indicate you have already selected an airline and are not eligible to change your selection at this time.
Still no credit though.... Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
Last edited by mia; Dec 8, 2017 at 9:22 am
Dec 8, 2017, 9:31 am
#569
Moderator
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,955
If you login to americanexpress.com and navigate Membership > Benefits > $100 Airline Fee Credit what is the amount shown as Credit Available through Dec 2017 ?
Dec 8, 2017, 7:53 pm
#570
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 37
Hey guys, luker that just wanted to update and hopefully post more
Selected and received confirmation to delta 12/3
purchased 4x $50 in one order 12/4
pending as $200 12/4
posted as 4 $50 transactions 12/5
Todays the 7th but no reimbursement yet, hopefully it will clear tomorrow.
fingers crossed
card opened in august, also missing 15k referral points from a friend that signed up.
Selected and received confirmation to delta 12/3
purchased 4x $50 in one order 12/4
pending as $200 12/4
posted as 4 $50 transactions 12/5
Todays the 7th but no reimbursement yet, hopefully it will clear tomorrow.
fingers crossed
card opened in august, also missing 15k referral points from a friend that signed up.
I was reimbursed today, interesting that it took a longer amount of time but glad it still processed.