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)
Mar 22, 2019, 7:24 am
#1456
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: LAS
Posts: 64
3/5 $200 eGift on Plat
3/5 $100 eGift on PRG
Neither credits have posted as of 3/22. I’ll wait the full 4 weeks to see.
This is my 3rd year purchasing this amount and had been reimbursed within 2 days the previous years. I haven’t been keeping up with this thread so I’m now aware of any changes.
Mar 22, 2019, 9:28 am
#1457
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 13
Amex Plat:
Adding an old DP I forgot: 2/2 purchased 2x $50 DL GC. Credited on 2/5. And then just now: purchased 1x $50 DL GC on 3/19 and credited 3/22.
Adding an old DP I forgot: 2/2 purchased 2x $50 DL GC. Credited on 2/5. And then just now: purchased 1x $50 DL GC on 3/19 and credited 3/22.
Mar 22, 2019, 11:17 pm
#1458
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,943
3/5 $200 eGift on Plat
3/5 $100 eGift on PRG
Neither credits have posted as of 3/22. I’ll wait the full 4 weeks to see.
This is my 3rd year purchasing this amount and had been reimbursed within 2 days the previous years. I haven’t been keeping up with this thread so I’m now aware of any changes.
Mar 24, 2019, 9:41 am
#1459
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 37
3/20 - Purchased 4 $50.00 eGift cards from desktop.
3/23 - Posted to AMEX Platinum as "DELTA AIR LINES ATLANTA".
as of today 3/24 no reimbursement yet. Will update when change
3/25 - 4 $50 reimbursements properly credited
3/23 - Posted to AMEX Platinum as "DELTA AIR LINES ATLANTA".
as of today 3/24 no reimbursement yet. Will update when change
3/25 - 4 $50 reimbursements properly credited
Last edited by Mikechan; Mar 25, 2019 at 7:40 am
Mar 25, 2019, 11:14 am
#1460
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 23
Did you select quantity drop-down as 4 or pick one each time and go through it four times? thx
Mar 28, 2019, 6:26 pm
#1462
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: NC
Posts: 138
Does anyone have any experience with the Miles + Cash option and getting the cash portion to be reimbursed? I can't seem to find any data points. I'm looking at a flight that gives the option of 4,500 miles plus $95.60 cash (basically purchase 5,000 miles for a $90 cash component). Is the cash component charged by Delta?
Mar 28, 2019, 8:00 pm
#1463
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 779
Was scanning this thread for updates, so MIA's earlier statement (and challenge) regarding testing the hypothesis ($50 denomination vs larger). This is no a no sweat risk since the money amounts to a fraction of my Delta$'s per annum.....
Taking one for the team, I ordered One (1) $100 egift card, then logged back on and ordered Two (2) $50 egift cards.
Will report back....
Taking one for the team, I ordered One (1) $100 egift card, then logged back on and ordered Two (2) $50 egift cards.
Will report back....
Mar 28, 2019, 8:20 pm
#1464
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: 18,933
$50 eGC, posted/reimbursed normally within a few days.
Bought $214 ticket using $200 compensation voucher + credit card, reimbursed $14 within a few days.
Bought $400+ ticket using the above $50 eGC, did NOT get reimbursed for the add/collect. In scanning the last N pages there was a report of $170 excess being reimbursed (but also a data point of $92 vs. $96) so not sure if there's any pattern to be teased out of this or if it's semi-random. Maybe $200 is a threshold
Bought $214 ticket using $200 compensation voucher + credit card, reimbursed $14 within a few days.
Bought $400+ ticket using the above $50 eGC, did NOT get reimbursed for the add/collect. In scanning the last N pages there was a report of $170 excess being reimbursed (but also a data point of $92 vs. $96) so not sure if there's any pattern to be teased out of this or if it's semi-random. Maybe $200 is a threshold
Mar 29, 2019, 7:50 am
#1465
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: CHS
Programs: DL Diamond, WN A-List, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 685
Here's my data point for the AMEX Business Platinum card:
- 3/26/19: Purchased 4x $50 Delta gift cards (did it as one transaction but for 4 x $50).
- 3/27/19: 4 separate transactions for $50 had posted to my AMEX account
- 3/28/19: 4 separate $50 "AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement" posted to my AMEX account.
Apr 3, 2019, 8:38 pm
#1466
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Canada
Posts: 248
Data point for Amex Hilton Aspire card:
- 3/30 - 5 x $50 delta gift cards purchased
- 3/31 - 5 separate transactions posted
- 4/2 - 5 credits posted
Apr 4, 2019, 2:19 pm
#1467
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 9
DL Reimbursement
Bought 4 $50 GCs separately on 04 APR 19 on Schwab Platinum Card
Will update you on results as soon as I get them.
Thanks everyone for reporting whether this trick still works.
Will update you on results as soon as I get them.
Thanks everyone for reporting whether this trick still works.
Apr 4, 2019, 9:27 pm
#1468
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: 18,933
$50 eGC, posted/reimbursed normally within a few days.
Bought $214 ticket using $200 compensation voucher + credit card, reimbursed $14 within a few days.
Bought $400+ ticket using the above $50 eGC, did NOT get reimbursed for the add/collect. In scanning the last N pages there was a report of $170 excess being reimbursed (but also a data point of $92 vs. $96) so not sure if there's any pattern to be teased out of this or if it's semi-random. Maybe $200 is a threshold
Bought $214 ticket using $200 compensation voucher + credit card, reimbursed $14 within a few days.
Bought $400+ ticket using the above $50 eGC, did NOT get reimbursed for the add/collect. In scanning the last N pages there was a report of $170 excess being reimbursed (but also a data point of $92 vs. $96) so not sure if there's any pattern to be teased out of this or if it's semi-random. Maybe $200 is a threshold
Last edited by Zorak; Apr 9, 2019 at 1:22 am
Apr 5, 2019, 9:50 pm
#1469
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 23
strange! bought 3 gc with AmEx plat, reimbursed in two calendar day, the last bought on 3 Apr, still not showing up. Anyone else having problems?
Apr 6, 2019, 2:05 am
#1470
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: AUH
Programs: MARRIOTT-PPE+, HILTON DMD, IHG-SPIRE, DL GLD, EY Platinum
Posts: 35
Amex Hilton Aspire card worked fine using desktop website for Delta:
- 03/31 - 5 x $50 delta gift cards purchased
- 04/01 - 5 separate transactions posted
- 04/03 - 5 credits posted