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 20, 2019, 2:33 pm
#1276
Join Date: Oct 2016
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards
Posts: 19
This was purchased on the full site.
Edit: The two reimbursements were posted on 1/20.
Last edited by comeflyaway; Jan 21, 2019 at 12:53 pm Reason: Update
Jan 21, 2019, 11:13 am
#1277
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,419
Jan 15 4x50 DL eGCs.
Jan 18: Credit posted (already had 1x50 earlier in Jan to test out).
Amex aspire
Jan 18: Credit posted (already had 1x50 earlier in Jan to test out).
Amex aspire
Jan 22, 2019, 9:42 am
#1278
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
Purchased 4x$50 on Plat and 2x$50 on Gold today (1/22) - will update this post when I get the credit back
All 6 cards posted on 1/24
All 6 credits posted on 1/26
All 6 cards posted on 1/24
All 6 credits posted on 1/26
Last edited by lax01; Jan 26, 2019 at 1:57 pm
Jan 22, 2019, 10:44 am
#1279
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,474
Jan 22, 2019, 9:59 pm
#1280
Join Date: May 2004
Location: formerly Gold now Diamond, formerly MSY, now LAX, formerly NW, now DL
Programs: Hyatt Plat, Hilton Gold, SPG Gold, Delta Diamond/1MM
Posts: 4,635
Hilton Aspire $50 x 3 bought Jan 15 reimbursed Jan 18
Jan 23, 2019, 12:05 am
#1281
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
I notice tonight that the confirmation of my airline selection lists eligible incidentals and includes:
Does anyone know if that is only for in-cabin pets, or if it also includes Shipping Your Pet services? I'm thinking it might not since that linked page references Delta Cargo, but with a move coming up that would definitely be of use for me if covered.
Pet flight fees
Jan 23, 2019, 3:13 pm
#1282
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MCO, YEG
Posts: 1,181
Might not work for everyone, every time, but I had to call in because I was buying a ticket for my 13 year old and wanted to use gift cards. I had already booked mine using gift cards previously. The Delta rep was able to use 5 gift cards on one ticket (instead of 3) by contacting another department who were able to turn the 5x$50 gift cards into a $250 ecredit.
Jan 24, 2019, 9:15 am
#1283
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: Don't think it matters...
Posts: 5,240
So made a basic mistake of buying 1 $100 Delta GC and not 2* $50 .. was multi tasking and just did not realise this.
So other than using this on future bookings or selling cheaply at discounted websites, no other way to get the money back right?
So other than using this on future bookings or selling cheaply at discounted websites, no other way to get the money back right?
Jan 24, 2019, 10:36 am
#1284
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
You paid $100 for $100 worth of DL airfare, with no expiration date and which can be used by anyone. You haven't lost anything.
Jan 24, 2019, 10:39 am
#1285
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: 100,399
There's "time value of money." Paying $100 today for a $100 credit toward a ticket to be used five years from now is a good investment, even if one believes that there's no appreciable that DL will cease operating in the meantime.
Of course, on average DL gains due to "breakage."
Of course, on average DL gains due to "breakage."
Jan 24, 2019, 11:29 am
#1286
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
There's "time value of money." Paying $100 today for a $100 credit toward a ticket to be used five years from now is a good investment, even if one believes that there's no appreciable that DL will cease operating in the meantime.
Of course, on average DL gains due to "breakage."
Of course, on average DL gains due to "breakage."
I completely agree with you. But I strongly suspect the long-term investment value of $100 was not what abhilife2001 had in mind when he/she wrote that post.
These transactions should all be viewed as virtually zero risk, especially for FTers who we'd assume tend to purchase commercial air travel with some frequency. If you buy a GC and the credit doesn't come through, all you've done is paid a few weeks/months in advance for your next ticket on that airline. If you don't fly a certain airline at all (and weren't planning to give the GC away as a gift or something), then why in the world are you obtaining GCs for that airline in the first place?
If anyone on this thread seriously has no use for a DL eGC they've purchased, please PM me the certificate # and redemption code and I will happily take it off your hands.
Jan 24, 2019, 1:33 pm
#1287
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: Don't think it matters...
Posts: 5,240
There's "time value of money." Paying $100 today for a $100 credit toward a ticket to be used five years from now is a good investment, even if one believes that there's no appreciable that DL will cease operating in the meantime.
Of course, on average DL gains due to "breakage."
Of course, on average DL gains due to "breakage."
In that case, its not a "good investment" in my books But, I hear you all that its nothing that is lost and only benefits deferred till we use it for tickets (which I surely hope to).
Jan 24, 2019, 2:34 pm
#1288
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: All domestic airlines except NW and WN, Hyatt Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6
1 $50 gift card reimbursed
1 $50 DL eGiftCard purchased 1/20/2019. Credited on 1/22/2019.
Last edited by gipper913; Jan 24, 2019 at 2:39 pm
Jan 24, 2019, 9:03 pm
#1289
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CAN, LAX, TPE
Programs: AA, AS, CI, DL, UA
Posts: 2,897
Selected 1/21, bought 4x$50 1/22, no credit as of today.
Jan 24, 2019, 11:47 pm
#1290
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
There's "time value of money." Paying $100 today for a $100 credit toward a ticket to be used five years from now is a good investment, even if one believes that there's no appreciable that DL will cease operating in the meantime.
Of course, on average DL gains due to "breakage."
Of course, on average DL gains due to "breakage."