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 20, 2019, 2:40 pm
#1636
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
Sad I waited to buy my AA gift cards this year. I have 1 amex platinum, 2 business platinum, and an amex gold so need to use $700 in credit. I am executive platinum so already get baggage and drink for free.
I guess I can use credit to buy 500 mile upgrades? Or maybe cancelation fees. Not sure what else I could possibly use for. Definitely will be canceling these amex since this credit is mostly useless now.
I guess I can use credit to buy 500 mile upgrades? Or maybe cancelation fees. Not sure what else I could possibly use for. Definitely will be canceling these amex since this credit is mostly useless now.
Feb 20, 2019, 3:17 pm
#1637
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 409
Too early to say, but it looks ominous. If I had AA as the designated airline, I’d quickly switch and get GCs on another airline. It’s plausible that we’ll soon see the same thing happen with the other airlines. We just don’t know on the outside if this is unique to AA, or if AA is merely the first to do what Amex is demanding from all airline partners in this program.
I suppose I should do that. But I'm a One World loyalist so not really sure where else to go. I really should have been on it January 1!
Feb 20, 2019, 4:30 pm
#1638
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,072
You probably have a family member or close friend who regularly flies on one of the other airlines in this Amex program. The Southwest GCs never expire, and I'm guessing that's also true of the other airline partner GCs. I'd grab the GCs now. They won't go to waste.
Feb 20, 2019, 6:20 pm
#1639
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,360
Feb 20, 2019, 6:43 pm
#1640
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,528
Looks like they're doing they're processing the skipped transactions from 1/31, at least.
Feb 20, 2019, 8:05 pm
#1641
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,510
Certainly glad I bought my $100 gift card on Jan 4th!
Probably cancel my AMEX Gold come AF time as I stopped using it for restaurants because Citi upped its game with my Prestige card and I now get 5x points including foreign restaurants! (Currently in Bali on a one-month vacation!)
Probably cancel my AMEX Gold come AF time as I stopped using it for restaurants because Citi upped its game with my Prestige card and I now get 5x points including foreign restaurants! (Currently in Bali on a one-month vacation!)
Feb 21, 2019, 2:12 am
#1642
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Ventura
Programs: Gov't Travel Aficionado, UA Plat
Posts: 288
I was in on the 31 Jan fiasco. I spent my entire allotment, $550, on that one day, all towards AA GCs.
I just saw The Points Guy post that the AA GC loophole no longer works.
Thinking that I should pick up the pieces of what I had left and call AmEx to beg that they switch my credits to Southwest or Delta, I just checked the benefits page of my cards and amazingly, it's showing that I've used all my airline credits this year. Hopefully the credits post soon, but this is a really good sign. I looked into the charges on my account and indeed they posted as MISCELLANEOUS TAX(S)/FEE(S) and not GIFT CERTIFICATE. Apparently AA initiated that switch around 8 Feb and GCs purchased after that don't get credits.
I just saw The Points Guy post that the AA GC loophole no longer works.
Thinking that I should pick up the pieces of what I had left and call AmEx to beg that they switch my credits to Southwest or Delta, I just checked the benefits page of my cards and amazingly, it's showing that I've used all my airline credits this year. Hopefully the credits post soon, but this is a really good sign. I looked into the charges on my account and indeed they posted as MISCELLANEOUS TAX(S)/FEE(S) and not GIFT CERTIFICATE. Apparently AA initiated that switch around 8 Feb and GCs purchased after that don't get credits.
Feb 21, 2019, 6:48 am
#1643
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,657
Surprisingly I was on the ball with the credits at the beginning of the year and got all mine done before they changed things.
As a reference point, my last $100 on HH Aspire card was charged on 2/1 and got credited on 2/5...so just under the wire.
As a reference point, my last $100 on HH Aspire card was charged on 2/1 and got credited on 2/5...so just under the wire.
Feb 21, 2019, 8:29 am
#1645
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
Feb 21, 2019, 9:18 am
#1646
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards
Posts: 191
Switched plat and gold to UA.
Honestly, I don’t get why people are cancelling their cards over this. If you’re a frequent traveller there are many ways to get this credit back.
Feb 21, 2019, 5:15 pm
#1647
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Seattle
Programs: AAdvantage Plat+, FoundersCard, Amex Plat, TR Diamond, Marriott Gold, Wyndham Dia, HH Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 785
I'm guessing it's not possible to switch airlines after I have already been credited $100 (out of $200 Platinum) for an AA GC purchase - has anyone succeeded in getting their remaining credit switched to another airline?
Feb 21, 2019, 6:00 pm
#1648
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 75
Not everyone lives near an airport with all airline options.
Feb 21, 2019, 6:05 pm
#1649
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,666
The Aspire is going downhill fast, you can't get the hotel resort credit posted properly, airline gift cards don't work anymore, Diamond gets no respect or many benefits, lol, what a disaster...Another death by a thousand cuts....We are getting scammed by the banks, the airlines, and the bloggers...time to wake up...
Feb 21, 2019, 8:41 pm
#1650
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
The Aspire is going downhill fast, you can't get the hotel resort credit posted properly, airline gift cards don't work anymore, Diamond gets no respect or many benefits, lol, what a disaster...Another death by a thousand cuts....We are getting scammed by the banks, the airlines, and the bloggers...time to wake up...