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 1, 2019, 9:27 pm
#1171
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,790
Another year, another avalanche of DL GCs rolling my way. Sigh. Think I'll wind up with 11 this month. The darker side of the UA Gift Registry being dead, me almost never flying AA, and me generally not wanting to fly WN. 
Jan 1, 2019, 9:49 pm
#1172
formerly willbbiddy
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 208
This is great as I got the 4k/150k Aspire upgrade offer, so 1/8 of my minimum spend is free
Jan 2, 2019, 8:55 am
#1173
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,193
Yes, they absolutely count - so they don't "take away" from the spending toward the sign-up bonus, which was the question.
Jan 2, 2019, 9:43 am
#1174
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
Thanks for being the 2019 guinea pig! Wanted to see at least one DP before I requested my 6 $50 gift cards from DL
Jan 2, 2019, 2:26 pm
#1175
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 3
Purchased (2) $50 gift cards in separate transactions on 12/29.
Posted 12/30.
No credit, yet.
Posted 12/30.
No credit, yet.
Jan 2, 2019, 3:42 pm
#1177
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: AA, DL, UA, SWA
Posts: 21
Haven't received the reimbursement here either, made 4 separate purchases $50 each on 12/29 right after midnight and they posted on 12/30 on statement activity as DELTA AIR LINES ATLANTA. I also had just applied for the card on 12/24 and received it 12/27 so not sure if that adds to my data point.
EDIT: Got all 4 $50 reimbursements today 1/2. Probably just a delay from the holidays. But checked my 2019 travel credit and still shows the $200 remaining so even though it posted 1/2/19, it took the credit from my 2018 allowance.
EDIT: Got all 4 $50 reimbursements today 1/2. Probably just a delay from the holidays. But checked my 2019 travel credit and still shows the $200 remaining so even though it posted 1/2/19, it took the credit from my 2018 allowance.
Last edited by dlMSP019; Jan 3, 2019 at 10:28 am
Jan 3, 2019, 2:16 am
#1178
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 1
Adding another datapoint, 4x50 GCs purchased on 12/29. Posted on 12/31 and still no credit. On my statement, it looks like how actual tickets look when I purchase them (I got 5x points for "Airfare") and there's (incorrect) ticket info listed
Jan 3, 2019, 5:18 am
#1179
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 75
Do keep us posted. I still don't have it as of today (posted 30th, today is 3rd).
Airo, this is normal.
Haven't received the reimbursement here either, made 4 separate purchases $50 each on 12/29 right after midnight and they posted on 12/30 on statement activity as DELTA AIR LINES ATLANTA. I also had just applied for the card on 12/24 and received it 12/27 so not sure if that adds to my data point.
Jan 3, 2019, 5:24 am
#1180
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Welcome to FT, Mik145! We hope you stick around and learn some stuff and make some friends!
I think the deal is that you cannot buy a card for more than $50 to be reimbursed, not that a charge under $50 would not work ($50 is the min). It is the last day of the year, not sure when it will post. I have found it's pending for a day or so and then posts. I saw somewhere that it depends on transaction date, but it seems to follow posting date for me.
Good luck!
I think the deal is that you cannot buy a card for more than $50 to be reimbursed, not that a charge under $50 would not work ($50 is the min). It is the last day of the year, not sure when it will post. I have found it's pending for a day or so and then posts. I saw somewhere that it depends on transaction date, but it seems to follow posting date for me.
Good luck!
The issue is that $50 is the smallest gift card DL will sell (although delta.dumb shows you $1000 when you start to buy the gift card, so I suspect that this is the maximum and there must be some people who buy it by mistake as the $1000 repopulates on the form....).
Jan 3, 2019, 8:46 am
#1184
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 16
That's great news, I'm in the same boat and was wondering.
I bought 4x ($50) on the 30th, they posted on the 31st. Still haven't posted the credit but expecting it to do so in the next day. Glad to hear there is some promise of it counting towards last year's credit.
I bought 4x ($50) on the 30th, they posted on the 31st. Still haven't posted the credit but expecting it to do so in the next day. Glad to hear there is some promise of it counting towards last year's credit.
Jan 3, 2019, 9:20 am
#1185
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: New York
Programs: DL, AA, BA, SPG
Posts: 271
I am planning to upgrade 3 of of us to Comfort plus at $69 each. It does not seem that I can do this individually, i.e. I have to upgrade all 3 passengers at once. I have never done a charge over $100 as I was afraid it would not be reimbursed. Would the $207 charge be reimbursed? If not, do I have a leg to stand on with Amex? It's a little hazy as this could be considered an upgrade fee or a seat assignment fee depending on your viewpoint.