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.

For other airlines:
AA Thread
AS Thread
B6 Thread
DL Thread
F9 Thread
HA Thread
NK Thread
UA Thread
WN Thread

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

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Sep 9, 2018, 10:01 am

#961

Bas387

Join Date: Nov 2017

Posts: 10

Data Point: Hilton Aspire

Hilton Aspire Airline Credit: $250

Purchased: 01 Sept - 1x $50 Delta eCert
Posted: 03 Sept
Credited: 04 Sept
——————-
Purchased: 05 Sept - 4x $50 Delta eCerts
Posted: 07 Sept
Credited: 08 Sept

Sep 9, 2018, 3:44 pm

#962

YUNHUITANG

Join Date: Nov 2017

Posts: 1

Amex prg 2x50 egc

AMEX PRG Airline Credit: $100

Purchased: 06 Sept - 2x $50 Delta egc
Posted: 08 Sept
Credited: 09 Sept

Sep 11, 2018, 12:18 pm

#963

gpen1827

Join Date: Mar 2014

Location: SFO/OAK, LAX, TPE

Programs: Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC, DL Gold

Posts: 134

Anybody have luck with calling in and using more than 3 $50 cards in a transaction? Read some scattered reports of this being possible, but not sure of the truthiness.

Sep 13, 2018, 8:36 am

#964

JacobCh

Join Date: Sep 2018

Posts: 1

Hilton Aspire
Purchased: 09 Sept - 1x $50 Delta eCert
Credited: 11 Sept

Sep 13, 2018, 12:16 pm

#965

Brian Chen

Join Date: Feb 2015

Location: New York

Posts: 230

Do these Delta GC have expirations?

Sep 13, 2018, 12:40 pm

#966

GUWonder

Suspended

Join Date: Jul 2001

Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory

Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting

Posts: 102,095

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Chen

Do these Delta GC have expirations?

No, at least not the eGCs.

Sep 13, 2018, 9:35 pm

#967

Stratoliner777

Join Date: Aug 2007

Posts: 336

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

Not after five days. Wait a few weeks to see if the charge is reimbursed automatically.

Just to update: the Comfort+ seat change was not reimbursed automatically, but a call to Amex the other day appears to have done the trick (they said they will reimburse it).

bluedog44 and chapmanj9 like this.

Sep 14, 2018, 8:12 pm

#968

Explorer789

Join Date: Nov 2016

Location: SFO

Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat

Posts: 756

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpen1827

Anybody have luck with calling in and using more than 3 $50 cards in a transaction? Read some scattered reports of this being possible, but not sure of the truthiness.

Not sure if it's worth the hassle to call in. If it is a domestic flight, usually the cost of two one way tickets will be same as booking a roundtrip. Should be able to use up all your the gift codes this way.

Diplomatico likes this.

Sep 14, 2018, 9:39 pm

#969

Diplomatico

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: Truth or Consequences, NM

Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium

Posts: 6,192

4 September: 4 x $50 gift cards posted

5 September: 4 x $50 gift cards credit received.

Ameriprise Platinum.

Sep 18, 2018, 10:02 am

#970

johndoes

Join Date: Jan 2017

Posts: 116

Is there any difference between eGC and eCertificate?

Sep 19, 2018, 10:20 am

#971

Pochama

Join Date: Mar 2012

Location: NYC

Programs: BAEC Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 406

15 September: 5 x $50 gift cards posted

17 September: 5 x $50 gift cards credit received.

Hilton Aspire

Sep 20, 2018, 12:10 am

#972

solewalker

Join Date: Aug 2015

Location: SIN

Posts: 1,098

13 September: 2 x $50 GC posted
15 September: 2 x $50 GC posted

15 September: 2 x $50 GC credits received
17 September: 2 x $50 GC credits received

Amex Ameriprise Plat

Sep 21, 2018, 6:21 am

#973

vulnox

Join Date: Sep 2018

Posts: 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by johndoes

Is there any difference between eGC and eCertificate?

Wiki covers each, here is the eGC:

"eGift Card (eCert) details

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, 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.
eCerts do not expire. Their T&Cs are listed"