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)
Jan 2, 2018, 10:25 pm
#677
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 2
x4 $50 eGift Card
posted 4 separate $50 e gift card transactions for Deltaon 12/28/17 and I’m still waiting to be reimbursed as of 01/02/18.... fingers crossed
Jan 3, 2018, 4:33 am
#678
formerly known as s2kdriver80
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Long Island, New York, USA (JFK <--> OTP)
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, SPG, Marriott Rewards, Amex MR, Chase UR
Posts: 317
Just dropped by this thread to confirm that the e-cert reimbursements still work. Then saw the caution in the wiki. Are all Delta e-cert purchases after late December getting billed as third-party or is it a hit or miss at this point?
Jan 3, 2018, 6:02 am
#679
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,857
Best we can tell, it seems Delta has outsourced GC purchases to CashStar only on its mobile website. Purchasing GCs via their full site continues to code properly.
Jan 3, 2018, 7:04 am
#680
formerly known as s2kdriver80
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Long Island, New York, USA (JFK <--> OTP)
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, SPG, Marriott Rewards, Amex MR, Chase UR
Posts: 317
On a related note, will a $50 Delta e-cert purchase satisfy the "statement credit upon first Delta purchase" offer that's been found on the Amex Delta cards? Just recently applied for the Delta Platinum Business and wondering if an e-cert purchase would work in that case as well.
Jan 3, 2018, 7:48 am
#681
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 4
Thank you for those that have taken the chance on this for 2018 data points. I am eagerly waiting the results of your reimbursements and will determine how to move forward to use this or another airline for the 2018 reimbursement.
Jan 3, 2018, 7:59 am
#682
Moderator
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Moderator action
Wikipost updated to summarize what we think we know.
Jan 3, 2018, 8:07 am
#683
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 2
Interestingly I bought the above GCs on 12/30/17 and they stayed pending until today 1/1/18. They just flipped over from pending to posted with a date of 12/30/17 so it seems last minute might work to still get the charge in the current year. They are still not reimbursed but I dumbly bought them through the mobile site instead of the desktop site. Will check back in if they do get reimbursed. Worst case is that I have some GCs to use that only cost me face value.
Jan 3, 2018, 8:38 am
#684
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 73
1/1 Changed airline to Delta
1/1 Purchased 2x$50 in one transaction using AU card account using DL website (non-mobile)
1/3 Posted as 2x$50 as "Delta Air Lines Atlanta" dated 1/2
1/4 Reimbursed 2x$50.
1/1 Purchased 2x$50 in one transaction using AU card account using DL website (non-mobile)
1/3 Posted as 2x$50 as "Delta Air Lines Atlanta" dated 1/2
1/4 Reimbursed 2x$50.
Last edited by simchi; Jan 4, 2018 at 4:59 am
Jan 3, 2018, 1:49 pm
#685
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: AS MVP, BA
Posts: 300
On a related note, will a $50 Delta e-cert purchase satisfy the "statement credit upon first Delta purchase" offer that's been found on the Amex Delta cards? Just recently applied for the Delta Platinum Business and wondering if an e-cert purchase would work in that case as well.
Jan 3, 2018, 6:18 pm
#686
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 27
Yeah, I had read in a points guy post that gift cards still worked for Delta and I was traveling and didn't think to check here first, so the 4 x $50 gift cards I purchased using my phone are from freaking cstar. So I missed out on this year's $200 airline credit, so frustrating!
Jan 3, 2018, 7:36 pm
#687
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 460
Can e-certs be used to pay for subsequent seat assignments that require additional payment over the ticketed fare? I may have bought them in haste rather than using the card directly since I can't see Gift Cards as a payment option
Jan 3, 2018, 8:09 pm
#688
Moderator
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
eGifts and Cards may only be used for the total purchase price of air transportation, including taxes, fees, and surcharges imposed on the air transportation. They may not be used for any additional fees (including baggage fees) or for any other products or services (including class upgrades, in-flight purchases, premium seating, mileage booster, SkyMiles Cruises, cargo, hotel stays, or car rentals).
eGifts and Cards may only be used for travel on Delta Air Lines marketed flights, including those operated as Delta Connection® and by Delta Air Lines codeshare partners with a Delta Air Lines flight number.
eGifts and Cards may only be used for the Delta Air Lines air transportation portion of a Delta Vacations package
eGifts and Cards may only be used for travel on Delta Air Lines marketed flights, including those operated as Delta Connection® and by Delta Air Lines codeshare partners with a Delta Air Lines flight number.
eGifts and Cards may only be used for the Delta Air Lines air transportation portion of a Delta Vacations package
Jan 3, 2018, 8:40 pm
#689
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 460
Thanks, mia.
I really should read the terms carefully
I really should read the terms carefully
Jan 3, 2018, 9:49 pm
#690
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: DCA/CLT/HKG
Programs: AA EXP (Former US CP)
Posts: 731
I've never used my AMEX fee credit for DL-I've always used AA and never had a problem. But seeing as I am planning on booking a DL flight this March, I figured I would change it to DL this year.
I purchased the 2 $50 gift-cards on New Years Day, initially on my account as 1 single $100 transaction. On 2 January, they posted to my account as two $50 "DELTA AIR LINES ATLANTA" transactions.
However, upon clicking on each individual charge, it appears that the transaction was coded as a passenger ticket from LAX to LAX.
It appears the gift card number was used as the ticket number. Is this normal?
I purchased the 2 $50 gift-cards on New Years Day, initially on my account as 1 single $100 transaction. On 2 January, they posted to my account as two $50 "DELTA AIR LINES ATLANTA" transactions.
However, upon clicking on each individual charge, it appears that the transaction was coded as a passenger ticket from LAX to LAX.
It appears the gift card number was used as the ticket number. Is this normal?