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 4, 2018, 1:59 am
#691
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Posts: 138
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?
Jan 4, 2018, 5:00 am
#692
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 73
Reimbursement is alive and well, I purchased on 1/1 after changing the airline same day with an AU card and reimbursement happened in 3 days.
Jan 4, 2018, 6:40 am
#693
Join Date: May 2002
Location: STL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, DL SkClub LT, Marr LT Plat, IHG Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 2,005
Everything appears business as usual.....
1/2: Purchased (4) $50 e-gift cards via DL desktop site.
1/2 and 1/3: Charge pending as (1) $200 charge
1/4: (4) $50 charges posted.
1/5 : (4) $50 credits posted
1/2: Purchased (4) $50 e-gift cards via DL desktop site.
1/2 and 1/3: Charge pending as (1) $200 charge
1/4: (4) $50 charges posted.
1/5 : (4) $50 credits posted
Last edited by hockeystl; Jan 5, 2018 at 6:44 am
Jan 4, 2018, 9:12 am
#695
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: avis, national, jetblue, delta, marriot
Posts: 33
1/4 purchased 4x $50 gift cards on desktop. Appears the purchase is coded as per usual on my pending statement.
Will update
Jan 4, 2018, 7:24 pm
#696
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Az
Programs: AA, UA
Posts: 44
First time using my PRG credits, so just want to make sure I do this correctly. Seems there are two ways I could do this...... does it matter?
Have Delta award ticket booked, first two legs are on DL metal, 3rd and 4th legs are KLM. The KLM legs require an advance seat purchase if I want to select a seat in advance (I have no status). Can I buy and use DL e-cert towards KLM seat selection ? Or should I buy the seat on the Delta website using my PRG credit card and it will be reimbursed? My concern for this latter method is whether the seat fee will code as KLM, not Delta, and not be reimbursed. Is it just safer to buy DL e-cert $50x2? Also can someone confirm that DL e-cert CAN be used for seat selection on KLM legs? Just tried calling DL but due to the storms, they are unresponsive.
Have Delta award ticket booked, first two legs are on DL metal, 3rd and 4th legs are KLM. The KLM legs require an advance seat purchase if I want to select a seat in advance (I have no status). Can I buy and use DL e-cert towards KLM seat selection ? Or should I buy the seat on the Delta website using my PRG credit card and it will be reimbursed? My concern for this latter method is whether the seat fee will code as KLM, not Delta, and not be reimbursed. Is it just safer to buy DL e-cert $50x2? Also can someone confirm that DL e-cert CAN be used for seat selection on KLM legs? Just tried calling DL but due to the storms, they are unresponsive.
Jan 4, 2018, 8:06 pm
#697
Moderator
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
There is a link to the eCert terms in the Wikipost:
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...onditions.html
...as I read them they can be used to buy tickets, and nothing else.
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...onditions.html
...as I read them they can be used to buy tickets, and nothing else.
Jan 4, 2018, 8:41 pm
#698
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 73
Anyone having trouble redeeming their GCs? I tried booking a flight today using 3 GC's and the site kicked me back to main screen.
Jan 5, 2018, 12:15 am
#699
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: MT, USA
Programs: Ex-5C club, Skymiles Gold
Posts: 454
No problems redeeming as I took up DL on their D1 sale to Europe. However, it seems my purchases on the mobile site indeed are not being reimbursed. Oh well.
Jan 5, 2018, 7:34 am
#700
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 57
1/2 For Delta gift cards on desktop site, I bought $50 x 2 in separate transactions, then $50 x 2 in one transaction. Pending charges showed as $50, $50, $100.
1/3 The charges posted as 4 separate $50 transactions
1/4 The statement credits posted as 4 $50 credits
Also, to differentiate between gift card vendors (cashstar and Delta), I noticed that the mobile gift card site by Cashstar shows they are redeemable after 24 hours, but Delta gift cards are redeemable after 72 hours.
1/3 The charges posted as 4 separate $50 transactions
1/4 The statement credits posted as 4 $50 credits
Also, to differentiate between gift card vendors (cashstar and Delta), I noticed that the mobile gift card site by Cashstar shows they are redeemable after 24 hours, but Delta gift cards are redeemable after 72 hours.
Jan 5, 2018, 7:37 am
#701
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 15
1/2 - Purchase 2x$50 on the desktop site.
1/4 - Posted as 2 separate transactions under "DELTA AIR LINES - ATLANTA"
1/5 - Reimbursed
Once they appeared, the post dates for the purchase and reimbursement appeared as 1/3 and 1/4, respectively.
1/4 - Posted as 2 separate transactions under "DELTA AIR LINES - ATLANTA"
1/5 - Reimbursed
Once they appeared, the post dates for the purchase and reimbursement appeared as 1/3 and 1/4, respectively.
Last edited by seinfeld4; Jan 5, 2018 at 7:50 am
Jan 5, 2018, 8:48 am
#702
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,123
Another data point:
1/2 - Purchased 2x$50 on the desktop site
1/4 - Posted as two separated transactions under "DELTA AIR LINES ATLANTA"
1/5 - Credit posted to account.
Everything goes smoothly.
1/2 - Purchased 2x$50 on the desktop site
1/4 - Posted as two separated transactions under "DELTA AIR LINES ATLANTA"
1/5 - Credit posted to account.
Everything goes smoothly.
Jan 5, 2018, 9:15 am
#703
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott/SPG/Hilton Gold, PreCheck + Clear
Posts: 2,306
I'm normally a UA flyer, but given the current suspension of UA's gift registry, I'm relieved to see that DL desktop website transactions appear to be reimbursed. I've perused the wiki, but have a question: Is the continuing focus on $50 GC purchases based on the fact that larger sums aren't reimbursed, or just out of an abundance of caution? I ask because the 3-GC-per-ticket limit would make it difficult for me to use the entire credit if each GC were only $50. I plan to continue flying UA for most routes, only flying DL to drain the credit. My spouse and I each have an AmEx Plat, so we'll have a total $400 DL credit if all goes well, and I'd prefer to use the entire sum on a single r/t ticket.
Jan 5, 2018, 9:22 am
#704
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 152
1/1 - Switched to Delta
1/2 - Bought 2 x $50 e-Gift Cards
1/4 - Posted
1/5 - Both credited, purchased an additional $200 e-Gift card. $60 off $300 offer previously added to card triggered. $60 credit posted 1/8.
1/2 - Bought 2 x $50 e-Gift Cards
1/4 - Posted
1/5 - Both credited, purchased an additional $200 e-Gift card. $60 off $300 offer previously added to card triggered. $60 credit posted 1/8.
Last edited by nikehair; Jan 8, 2018 at 11:32 am
Jan 5, 2018, 11:11 am
#705
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 39
DP:
1/2 noon, changed airline to Delta
1/2 afternoon, bought 4*50 e-giftcards in one transaction
1/4 transaction posted as 4 seperate 50
1/5 credit received
1/2 noon, changed airline to Delta
1/2 afternoon, bought 4*50 e-giftcards in one transaction
1/4 transaction posted as 4 seperate 50
1/5 credit received