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 13, 2019, 4:36 pm
#1576
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,040
We saw a very recent successful GC statement credit (a few days ago) over in the Southwest thread, but I'm concerned that what we're seeing with AA might be a harbinger for us who have enjoyed the $200 Amex Plat discount via Southwest gift cards (and possibly all airlines that are in the Amex statement credit program).
Feb 13, 2019, 4:42 pm
#1577
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,040
Except that as mia posted upthread, this already happened once before (in 2016), and eventually went back to posting normally (though that time it took months if I understand correctly). So it's not clear yet if this was intended to be a permanent change this time or not, and we may not know for quite a while perhaps.
I hope I'm wrong, but this feels like a change, and it might not be limited to AA.
Feb 13, 2019, 5:21 pm
#1578
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
sdsearch is referring to THIS post.
My recollection of the 2016 episode is hazy. I did some digging today, and I see reports that VISA transactions showed "GFT" as a code, but don't see any reports that it appeared on American Express transactions.
There have been many periods when reimbursements were delayed.
My recollection of the 2016 episode is hazy. I did some digging today, and I see reports that VISA transactions showed "GFT" as a code, but don't see any reports that it appeared on American Express transactions.
There have been many periods when reimbursements were delayed.
Feb 13, 2019, 7:59 pm
#1579
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 66
sdsearch is referring to THIS post.
My recollection of the 2016 episode is hazy. I did some digging today, and I see reports that VISA transactions showed "GFT" as a code, but don't see any reports that it appeared on American Express transactions.
There have been many periods when reimbursements were delayed.
My recollection of the 2016 episode is hazy. I did some digging today, and I see reports that VISA transactions showed "GFT" as a code, but don't see any reports that it appeared on American Express transactions.
There have been many periods when reimbursements were delayed.
I used the AMEX Airline credit in January, so before this change. I have a gift card purchased on Jan 7th to the Visa Infinite, will post if it gets reimbursed. If it doesn't, something also changed for VISA cards. I can't see the description of the charge yet.
Feb 13, 2019, 8:42 pm
#1580
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
At least since December 2018, my VISA Infinite shows "GFT AA Y FEE" in the description. Even with that, it was reimbursed as part of the VISA Airline incidentals statement credit.
I used the AMEX Airline credit in January, so before this change. I have a gift card purchased on Jan 7th to the Visa Infinite, will post if it gets reimbursed. If it doesn't, something also changed for VISA cards. I can't see the description of the charge yet.
I used the AMEX Airline credit in January, so before this change. I have a gift card purchased on Jan 7th to the Visa Infinite, will post if it gets reimbursed. If it doesn't, something also changed for VISA cards. I can't see the description of the charge yet.
the charge was reimbursed by the travel credit even though I used Real Time Rewards.
Feb 13, 2019, 9:37 pm
#1581
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,642
Well, seems like Amex is the one napping if we're going to look at competitive circumstances. Chase's Sapphire Reserve card has been eating their lunch. When's the last time you heard about Amex literally running out of physical cards to give to people because one of their products was so popular?
Feb 14, 2019, 5:06 am
#1582
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 75
I will try today to see if I can use the method I mentioned on delta and still get credit.
Perhaps AA is different, but hey, if the AA GC is not an option, somebody can give this a try and see what happens. lol
Feb 14, 2019, 9:01 am
#1583
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 66
At least since December 2018, my VISA Infinite shows "GFT AA Y FEE" in the description. Even with that, it was reimbursed as part of the VISA Airline incidentals statement credit.
I used the AMEX Airline credit in January, so before this change. I have a gift card purchased on Jan 7th to the Visa Infinite, will post if it gets reimbursed. If it doesn't, something also changed for VISA cards. I can't see the description of the charge yet.
I used the AMEX Airline credit in January, so before this change. I have a gift card purchased on Jan 7th to the Visa Infinite, will post if it gets reimbursed. If it doesn't, something also changed for VISA cards. I can't see the description of the charge yet.
Feb 14, 2019, 9:06 am
#1584
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Feb 14, 2019, 12:33 pm
#1585
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,040
We're a pretty creative bunch here. I bet we'll find a workaround if this ends up being the end of the gift card routine. I'm thinking there might be ways to incur miscellaneous charges (coded as such) on refundable tickets, which are then refunded in total, but the statement credit remains.
Feb 14, 2019, 12:51 pm
#1586
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
We're a pretty creative bunch here. I bet we'll find a workaround if this ends up being the end of the gift card routine. I'm thinking there might be ways to incur miscellaneous charges (coded as such) on refundable tickets, which are then refunded in total, but the statement credit remains.
Feb 14, 2019, 2:50 pm
#1587
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,040
Feb 14, 2019, 2:52 pm
#1588
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
Feb 14, 2019, 3:42 pm
#1590
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
See this POST from January 2018 in the United Airlines thread. Details matter, the process could be different on American.
