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 6, 2019, 5:01 pm
#1201
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Delta
Posts: 61
Do Comfort Plus upgrades qualify for this benefit? I was under the impression they would not.
Jan 6, 2019, 6:08 pm
#1202
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 1
Amex Plat x4 $50
Hilton Aspire x5 $50
Purchased 1/1 evening. Posted 1/2. Both reimbursed today (barely).
Hilton Aspire x5 $50
Purchased 1/1 evening. Posted 1/2. Both reimbursed today (barely).
Jan 6, 2019, 6:14 pm
#1203
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 4
How are these being purchased - Seperate $50 transactions or single transaction with 4x($50) ecertificates?
I did the latter and Amex shows the pending charge as $200 as does the email Delta receipt, even though it clearly lists the 4 ecert #'s.
Now I'm wondering if I should have done four unique transactions
I did the latter and Amex shows the pending charge as $200 as does the email Delta receipt, even though it clearly lists the 4 ecert #'s.
Now I'm wondering if I should have done four unique transactions
Jan 6, 2019, 8:13 pm
#1205
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NY
Programs: SPG preferred, AA, United
Posts: 290
Trying to purchase 4x$50. I got through my two cards fine but having issues on my wifes card. As soon as I hit submit the page just refreshes. I tried my card, then my wifes card (didn't work), then tried my second card and worked (worked on her purchase form). My cards were the merc and schwab cards and she has the biz plat. I saw there were two reports, one early last year, that the person was signed in and the second there was no resolve. I also purchased all of them in incognito mode (Purchased, closed window, repeat). Anyone have any clues? I'll try again tomorrow after work. TIA!
Jan 7, 2019, 1:12 am
#1206
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SIN
Posts: 1,098
Bought 2x$50 on 1/1
Posted on 1/2
Reimbursed 1/6
Amex Ameriprise Plat
Posted on 1/2
Reimbursed 1/6
Amex Ameriprise Plat
Jan 7, 2019, 9:17 am
#1207
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott/Hilton Gold
Posts: 33
Bought 4x$50 on 1/2
Posted on 1/3
Reimbursed 1/6
Amex Plat
Posted on 1/3
Reimbursed 1/6
Amex Plat
Jan 7, 2019, 11:49 am
#1208
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 314
Those who have success, please post which card was used. On another blog someone reports NOT getting credit for the $50 Delta GC's purchased through the website this week using Aspire. AmEx told him they fixed the coding of GC's recently and they don't work anymore. Claims they are getting a lot of calls about this.
Jan 7, 2019, 12:03 pm
#1209
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Seattle
Programs: SPG Platinum, Delta Silver Medallion
Posts: 30
Using AMEX Gold
Changed preferred airline to Delta on Jan 2nd
Purchased 2 $50 GC online on Delta.com an hour later
Got 2 $50 transactions posted to account on Jan 3rd
Got 2 $50 credits on Jan 6th
Changed preferred airline to Delta on Jan 2nd
Purchased 2 $50 GC online on Delta.com an hour later
Got 2 $50 transactions posted to account on Jan 3rd
Got 2 $50 credits on Jan 6th
Jan 7, 2019, 12:27 pm
#1210
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
Those who have success, please post which card was used. On another blog someone reports NOT getting credit for the $50 Delta GC's purchased through the website this week using Aspire. AmEx told him they fixed the coding of GC's recently and they don't work anymore. Claims they are getting a lot of calls about this.
(Edit: The reports on here seem to indicate otherwise, btw.)
Last edited by Diplomatico; Jan 7, 2019 at 12:33 pm
Jan 7, 2019, 1:11 pm
#1212
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 314
Agreed. But regarding part 2, actually all the recent confirmations are for Platinum not Aspire. Not sure why it would be any different, but who knows. All we've got recently on Aspire are a few "haven't posted yet" and one "barely posted" whatever the heck that means.
Jan 7, 2019, 1:38 pm
#1213
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Arlington, VA
Programs: DL DM, 1.5 MM; AS MVP Gold 100K; HHonors Diamond; AMEX Platinum
Posts: 487
1/2 purchased 5 x $50 gift cards on Amex Aspire.
1/5 fees reimbursed.
So, at least this one Aspire card is working.
1/5 fees reimbursed.
So, at least this one Aspire card is working.
Jan 8, 2019, 9:08 am
#1214
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Michigan, USA
Programs: Hilton Diamond; Delta Platinum
Posts: 547
I have the Asprie card, did the $50 gift card thing last year. Very curious to see contradicting points on whether it works this year.
Any other data points?
Any other data points?
Jan 8, 2019, 9:10 am
#1215
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: YCD
Programs: AC 75K, HIlton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold Elite, Radisson Rewards Gold
Posts: 511
On Amex Gold:
- Jan 3 - Bought 2x$50 Delta gift cards (different transactions)
- Jan 4 - $100 posted on account
- Jan 7 - 2x$50 credits received