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)
May 8, 2019, 9:07 am
#1817
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: AA PLT, SPG GLD, Marriott GLD, Amex PLT, Hertz GLD, National EX
Posts: 332
Seems that purchases at the AA Admirals Club are reimbursed. Both myself and my wife (AU) got drinks at the Club, used our Amex PLT, and refund was posted to our account.
May 8, 2019, 9:36 am
#1818
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,040
May 8, 2019, 9:58 am
#1819
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Purchases of an Admirals Club membership or passes are covered, but purchases of food and drink inside the clubs has been inconsistent. At one time AA was using a different (outsourced?) merchant account for those, but that might vary by location.
May 17, 2019, 12:15 pm
#1820
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 90
Just flew roundtrip on AA MIA-CUN and upgraded to business class since it was nearly the cost of the baggage. Interestingly it was coded two different ways:
MIA: UPGRADE CHARGE = No Credit
CUN: ADDITIONAL COLLECTION = YES Credit
So depends on how they code it, I upgraded online for both so I can't say if it's actually country-specific and the USA is better at coding transaction ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I guess I'll take what I can get an burn the rest off with baggage fees, since all these basic economy tickets are downloading the baggage cost anyway...baggage is covered right?
MIA: UPGRADE CHARGE = No Credit
CUN: ADDITIONAL COLLECTION = YES Credit
So depends on how they code it, I upgraded online for both so I can't say if it's actually country-specific and the USA is better at coding transaction ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I guess I'll take what I can get an burn the rest off with baggage fees, since all these basic economy tickets are downloading the baggage cost anyway...baggage is covered right?
I had never tried before (only collected GCs
) but last month the baggage fee was correctly reimbursed.
May 18, 2019, 10:15 pm
#1821
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: Delta Platinum, United Platinum
Posts: 37
Has anyone had success getting reimbursed for AA Status Challenges?
Last edited by mia; May 19, 2019 at 4:46 am
May 19, 2019, 7:28 pm
#1822
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: DAY
Programs: Marriott Platinum, HHonors Diamond, AA ExPLT
Posts: 116
May 19, 2019, 8:26 pm
#1823
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
May 22, 2019, 7:58 am
#1824
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 742
Not sure why people are still messing around with this. Just switch to UA and order a cabin pet and cancel everything for a statement credit. AA is rubbish, get a AA card and skip those fees anyhow.
May 22, 2019, 8:02 am
#1825
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
I think i have the jist but does it require a united ticket or does the DOT 24 hour timeframe work for this.
May 22, 2019, 11:39 am
#1826
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Programs: SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 699
Amex CS let me switch from AA to Delta even though I already used up $100 in 2019. Bought 3 Delta $50 gcs and reimbursed, now done till 2020.
May 26, 2019, 8:04 am
#1829
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1
Success switching from AA
on my AMEX Platinum, I just successfully switched my airline from AA to SWA via the support chat on their app. They said I normally would have to make the switch in January, but that they would make an exception for me. You can change airline outside of January, even if you used some of it. Just be sure to ask nicely
May 26, 2019, 2:19 pm
#1830
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,073
Great advice. When I’m in favor-asking mode, I usually start with something like, “I think I’ve made a mistake and maybe you can help me.” I doubt customer service agents often hear the customer admit they’re in the wrong. It’s disarming, and it can make them want to help you. Think of how much abuse they get on a regular basis. You’re the really nice person.