Jan 4, 2017, 6:59 am
Last edit by: mia
CAUTION: In February 2019, American Airlines changed the coding of gift card transactions. Although there are a few successful data points since, in general, Gift Card purchases are now explicitly identified, and no longer reimbursed by American Express.
Reminder: you must enroll and select your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase. http://www.americanexpress.com/airlinechoice -or- "Call the number on the back of your Card to select a qualifying airline."
Data Points on automatically reimbursed incidentals since 2017:
Admirals Club Memberships: Admirals Club Passes:
Wifi is provided by one of three third-party providers and is thus not eligible for the incidental credit.
* For items not automatically reimbursed but which are not excluded by Amex, you can try and request manual reimbursement from American Express; however, you may need to wait 14-28 days first.
To review AA reimbursement reports from 2011-2016 as well as information on gift cards, click HERE.
Reminder: you must enroll and select your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase. http://www.americanexpress.com/airlinechoice -or- "Call the number on the back of your Card to select a qualifying airline."
Data Points on automatically reimbursed incidentals since 2017:
Admirals Club Memberships: Admirals Club Passes:
- Yes - Hilton-gold, moe8555
- No - ShrinkTheGlobe, canesfan, jasmians, soy
- Yes - Dedicated, Rakibullslam, tsmith12, lotrbfme, mia, GTITAN, cdoobiest
- No - Alex_I, exmike, jb0506, fangtl, nall, javabytes, chitink
- Mixed - PatrickTM, Visconti, iahphx
- No - cubs105, prhocky2607
- No - PatrickTM, mileshound
- Yes - LuizMiranda, fotoflyer88, nk15, joshvworld, Hilton-gold, captaink, JCN, aftortoriello, nall
- No - pubsmeister
- Yes - jvel
- Yes - JDiver
- No - AUSINSIGHT
- No - mrlemm
- Yes - Segments
- Yes - wireless_999, saunders111, mosfet, Budoka, sdsearch
- Mixed - inevitability
Wifi is provided by one of three third-party providers and is thus not eligible for the incidental credit.
* For items not automatically reimbursed but which are not excluded by Amex, you can try and request manual reimbursement from American Express; however, you may need to wait 14-28 days first.
To review AA reimbursement reports from 2011-2016 as well as information on gift cards, click HERE.
Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: AA only (2017-2019)
Aug 12, 2017, 2:31 pm
#316
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 39
Trying to figure out if AA or SW is better partner to use the giftcard trick with. Are there any expirations on the AA (or SW, if you happen to know) gift cards? These are useable for flights and stackable as payment methods, or resellable if desired, is this correct?
Thanks
Thanks
Aug 12, 2017, 8:26 pm
#317
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Aug 13, 2017, 12:16 am
#318
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,968
My biz plat one took 5 days, take a look at your benefits page and see if it shows "$200 saved in 2017" or if it still says you have $200 available. If it's the former, then your reimbursement is coming.
Aug 13, 2017, 7:26 pm
#319
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 284
Currently still says "$200 still available", 5 days after the purchase. Not sure whether I'll be getting any reimbursement out of this, whether I should try again, etc.
Aug 20, 2017, 1:20 am
#320
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 4
Does anyone know buying AA points would also get reimbursed or not? Few thousands points short, and thought this might be a nice way to make up the points I need if Amex can reimburse it.
Aug 21, 2017, 11:18 pm
#321
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
MCE fees seem like good options for my 2018 spend, once my Platinum status drops down to gold. And maybe a lounge visit or two, although even if reimbursed, at $60/pp it feels like a lot for an hour in a nicer seat.
Aug 22, 2017, 1:34 pm
#322
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 503
I signed up for a gold challenge. I saw the charge on my account, but no credit.
So I called Amex. The representative at first said that challenge fees were excluded by the T&C, but said he would check with his supervisor. In the meantime, I reread them and didn't see anything to that effect.
He came back a few minutes later and told me that they were going to issue a credit "this time" because it wasn't listed as an exclusion. So I thanked him, but then asked why it would require special intervention to issue a credit for something that is pretty clearly an "incidental airline fee" that is not listed in the exclusions?
His reply was that it wasn't clear, and that it would be taken up at a higher level so that they could clarify the rules.
So I called Amex. The representative at first said that challenge fees were excluded by the T&C, but said he would check with his supervisor. In the meantime, I reread them and didn't see anything to that effect.
He came back a few minutes later and told me that they were going to issue a credit "this time" because it wasn't listed as an exclusion. So I thanked him, but then asked why it would require special intervention to issue a credit for something that is pretty clearly an "incidental airline fee" that is not listed in the exclusions?
His reply was that it wasn't clear, and that it would be taken up at a higher level so that they could clarify the rules.
Aug 22, 2017, 1:36 pm
#323
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 503
No, that is clearly excluded by the T&C: "This benefit doesn't offer credit toward airline tickets, mileage points purchases or mileage points transfer fees, gift cards, upgrades, duty–free purchases, or award tickets. "
Aug 22, 2017, 1:41 pm
#324
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Aug 22, 2017, 2:08 pm
#325
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 1
Amex Platinum, elected AA years ago.
Purchased 2 $100 gift cards in separate transactions on August 16th.
Reimbursed by Amex 5 days later.
Thanks!
Purchased 2 $100 gift cards in separate transactions on August 16th.
Reimbursed by Amex 5 days later.
Thanks!
Aug 23, 2017, 3:32 am
#326
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1
AE mercedes benz platinum
selected AA
brought 2 $100 gift card on aug 10th.
nothing yet as of 23rd
selected AA
brought 2 $100 gift card on aug 10th.
nothing yet as of 23rd
Aug 23, 2017, 9:46 am
#327
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 398
Just purchased an $85 ticket. Will report back if credit is applied.
Aug 26, 2017, 7:32 am
#328
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 57
New Amex Platinum
Bought 2 $100 AA gift cards in separate transactions on 8/20, posted on 8/20
2 $100 Amex airline fee reimbursements posted on 8/22
Bought 2 $100 AA gift cards in separate transactions on 8/20, posted on 8/20
2 $100 Amex airline fee reimbursements posted on 8/22
Aug 30, 2017, 4:21 pm
#329
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA Plat
Posts: 435
I have to make a change to an upcoming AA reservation (ticket was about $500). Unfortunately the new ticket is almost $300 more expensive (plus the change fee), but I want to try to use my Platinum card to get the $200 change fee reimbursed so I will only be out the difference in fare. Question: when I use "change this trip" on aa.com, while it does itemize the $200 change fee, it shows one single amount -- the "total charge" -- as what it will cost to change the ticket. Will AA break out the $200 when it processes the charge so that Amex will see this and credit my account? I don't want to be out of luck if they just charge it as one lump sum.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
Aug 31, 2017, 10:40 pm
#330
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: TX
Posts: 94
PRG
$100 AA egc purchased 8/28
$100 reimbursement 8/30
$100 AA egc purchased 8/28
$100 reimbursement 8/30