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)
Feb 4, 2019, 10:16 am
#1486
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards
Posts: 191
Purchased 2 x $100 AA eGC and 1 x $50 eGC on Thursday and still not reimbursed or counter depleted. It has always been reimbursed in 2 days for me. Not worried or anything, just a data point since I haven't seen anyone reporting positive outcomes in February.
Also, paid the ticket difference (around $117) using my Platinum... let's see if that gets reimbursed.
Will update soon.
Also, paid the ticket difference (around $117) using my Platinum... let's see if that gets reimbursed.
Will update soon.
Feb 5, 2019, 6:11 am
#1487
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Greenwich, CT
Programs: Amex Plat, Bonvoy Titanium, Jelly of the month club
Posts: 116
I'm seeing the same as Javier1704 on my Platinum. 2 x $100 eGC on Thursday 31 and still not reimbursed and the counter showing $200 for AA. I'm hoping its a delay in whatever process Amex uses to sweep for credits.
Feb 5, 2019, 7:58 am
#1488
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Programs: SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 699
Same for me on my Hilton, $100 on 1/31 and not reimbursed or having $250 go down as of this morning 2/5.
Feb 5, 2019, 10:38 am
#1489
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 10
i am not getting the reimbursement as well. used platinum on 1/31 for $100 and nothing as of 12:30 pm today.
Feb 5, 2019, 5:06 pm
#1490
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Programs: SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 699
My Gold card $100 AA GC from 2/1 does show that the credit was used up though under the benefits even though the credit didn't hit yet, so must be something with the end of January not processing yet.
Feb 5, 2019, 6:53 pm
#1491
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards
Posts: 191
My Gold dining credit counter went down today for a purchase on Feb 1. Looks like the delay is mainly with Aspire and maybe plat.
Feb 6, 2019, 7:27 pm
#1493
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 44
AMEX Biz Platinum
2/2 - Purchased $200 AA gift card
2/5 - Reimbursed
2/2 - Purchased $200 AA gift card
2/5 - Reimbursed
Feb 7, 2019, 1:33 am
#1494
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: IAH | HOU | AUS
Programs: Delta Sky Miles | Marriott Bonvoy | Radisson Int'l Rewards
Posts: 75
Purchased $200 AA EGC on 2/5... No reduction in fee. Also incurred $100 in taxes associated with booking a flight with points. No action there either although I suppose those were in concert with booking travel.
Feb 7, 2019, 6:21 am
#1495
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,653
Taxes are always associated with a reward booking so this has nothing to do with the credit card fee reimbursement.
The real question is....did you get reimbursed for the gift card? If so, all is good and really all that you should expect. If no reimbursement, give it some time since you just purchased on 2/5 and today is 2/7.
Feb 7, 2019, 7:02 am
#1496
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards
Posts: 191
Feb 7, 2019, 7:15 am
#1497
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,653
BUYER BEWARE of the fine print!!!
Maybe just me since this is the first time I have used AA gift cards but I just tried to make a reservation and use several of my gift cards. HOWEVER there was NO option under the payment section for the gift card payment. Called AA and the call center in Mexico said that you could NOT use gift cards as payment IF you picked a preferred seat as part of your reservation. What a joke!
This seriously impacts my willingness to pick AA as the airline for my credit card reimbursements. I have to book with a regular seat to use the gift card and then I have to go back into the reservation to book a preferred seat (and hope it is still available). I just noticed that the two seats in the first row of Economy I wanted on the transcontinental LAX-JFK flight I was trying to book are now taken so this is IMHO a huge issue with the AA GC IMHO.
Why would AA care how you use the GC? Money is money regardless of base fare or if I am willing to pay extra $ to book a preferred seat.
Maybe just me since this is the first time I have used AA gift cards but I just tried to make a reservation and use several of my gift cards. HOWEVER there was NO option under the payment section for the gift card payment. Called AA and the call center in Mexico said that you could NOT use gift cards as payment IF you picked a preferred seat as part of your reservation. What a joke!
This seriously impacts my willingness to pick AA as the airline for my credit card reimbursements. I have to book with a regular seat to use the gift card and then I have to go back into the reservation to book a preferred seat (and hope it is still available). I just noticed that the two seats in the first row of Economy I wanted on the transcontinental LAX-JFK flight I was trying to book are now taken so this is IMHO a huge issue with the AA GC IMHO.
Why would AA care how you use the GC? Money is money regardless of base fare or if I am willing to pay extra $ to book a preferred seat.
Last edited by christianj; Feb 7, 2019 at 7:29 am
Feb 7, 2019, 7:20 am
#1498
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards
Posts: 191
BUYER BEWARE!!!
Maybe just me since this is the first time I have used AA gift cards but I just tried to make a reservation and use several of my gift cards. HOWEVER there was NO option under the payment section for the gift card payment. Called AA and the call center in Mexico said that you could NOT use gift cards as payment IF you picked a preferred seat as part of your reservation. What a joke! Where is that listed in the T&C?
Evidently you have to make a "regular" seat reservation to use your gift cards and then go back in or call to book the preferred seat you want. Not gonna happen! I'm supposed to book a seat on a flight I am not willing to sit in and then HOPE that when I go back in or call that I actually can get the seat I want. This is ridiculous and needs to be put in the T&C of the gift cards.
If this is true then can you even pay for the preferred seat with a gift card and if not then it should definitely be in the T&C.
Maybe just me since this is the first time I have used AA gift cards but I just tried to make a reservation and use several of my gift cards. HOWEVER there was NO option under the payment section for the gift card payment. Called AA and the call center in Mexico said that you could NOT use gift cards as payment IF you picked a preferred seat as part of your reservation. What a joke! Where is that listed in the T&C?
Evidently you have to make a "regular" seat reservation to use your gift cards and then go back in or call to book the preferred seat you want. Not gonna happen! I'm supposed to book a seat on a flight I am not willing to sit in and then HOPE that when I go back in or call that I actually can get the seat I want. This is ridiculous and needs to be put in the T&C of the gift cards.
If this is true then can you even pay for the preferred seat with a gift card and if not then it should definitely be in the T&C.
”The gift cards can only be used to purchase tickets, nothing else. Use this link to purchase: http://www.aa.com/i18n/productsGifts/giftCard.jsp”
You have to pay for the ticket with GCs AND then the extra fees for a preferred seating with your CC.
Feb 7, 2019, 7:48 am
#1499
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,653
The wiki here clearly states:
”The gift cards can only be used to purchase tickets, nothing else. Use this link to purchase: http://www.aa.com/i18n/productsGifts/giftCard.jsp”
You have to pay for the ticket with GCs AND then the extra fees for a preferred seating with your CC.
Last edited by christianj; Feb 7, 2019 at 8:03 am
Feb 7, 2019, 7:56 am
#1500
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Programs: SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 699
Still the same this morning. $100 GC on Hilton from 1/31 didn't credit or even have counter go down, but 2/1 $100 GC on Amex Gold credit posted on 2/5. What do people do if it doesn't post? Has anyone had an AA credit post on the Hilton card in February?