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)
#346
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 129
Not receiving gift card email
I bought two $100 AA eGCs about 5 hours ago. I have not received any of the gift card emails yet. Previously I always received the email within a few minutes, if not immediately. I have not even received the order confirmation emails! I tried resending the gift cards, and resending page seems to be able to find the purchased gift cards using the email address and confirms that emails have been resent, yet again there is no email in my mailbox. I am using a gmail account. Any idea what's going on?
Last edited by esf; Oct 16, 17 at 11:50 pm

#347
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 95
Same here, bought 50, nothing in the email yet, probably a system glitch they are fixing.
I bought two $100 AA eGCs about 5 hours ago. I have not received any of the gift card emails yet. Previously I always received the email within a few minutes, if not immediately. I have not even received the order confirmation email! I tried resending the gift cards, and resending page seem to be able to find the purchased gift cards using the email address and confirms that emails have been resent, yet there is no email in my mailbox. I am using a gmail account. Any idea what's going on?

#348
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 129
I bought two $100 AA eGCs about 5 hours ago. I have not received any of the gift card emails yet. Previously I always received the email within a few minutes, if not immediately. I have not even received the order confirmation emails! I tried resending the gift cards, and resending page seems to be able to find the purchased gift cards using the email address and confirms that emails have been resent, yet again there is no email in my mailbox. I am using a gmail account. Any idea what's going on?

#349
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 3
i selected my airline thru phone. i am an additional user not the primary cardholder. wondering if that matters?
anyone else having problems recently?

#350
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 129
did you manage to get the reimbursement? i bought a $100 GC earlier in the month but haven't receive an reimbursement. not sure if i should give them a call. per amex website - states up to 2-4 weeks to receive the credit but it seeems most of the members have been receiving the credit in few days.
i selected my airline thru phone. i am an additional user not the primary cardholder. wondering if that matters?
anyone else having problems recently?
i selected my airline thru phone. i am an additional user not the primary cardholder. wondering if that matters?
anyone else having problems recently?

#351
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 95
Yeah I called too and they sent me the GCs, now the system is fixed and I bought another 2 they all arrived instantly.
Have you received the statement credits for your GCs?
Have you received the statement credits for your GCs?

#353
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 3
Weird I haven't received anything yet. Ive only purchase 1 $100 egc from AA.
Have you received $200 for both $100 purchases? Maybe I can try using the primary card...

#355
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 6
Data point:
- Chatted online with Amex to switch my airline from United, stated reason was that my city was no longer a United hub so I don't use them anymore, but forgot to change my airline. The rep stated it'd take some number of days to take effect, but I ignored that.
- I purchased 2 $100 AA online gift cards with my Platinum card, in separate transactions on the morning of Friday 10/20/17, a few hours after switching the airline.
- Gift cards were able to be printed 72 hours later
- 2 separate $100 Amex airline fee reimbursements on my account are dated 10/23, though I'm pretty sure I didn't see them there the first time I checked the morning of Tuesday 10/24 around 8:15 am, but they were there around 11am. So 2-4 days from purchase 'til reimbursement, including 2 weekend days.
- There are still 2 AA transactions pending for $1 each that have been there since the original purchase. Edit: 5.5 days after the purchase and the $1 pending charges are no longer there.
Last edited by imnotminkus; Oct 25, 17 at 8:55 pm Reason: fixed list syntax

#356
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 3
ok i received the credit. i am not the primary card holder so i couldnt see the credit. however it went to the primary card holder account.

#357
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 47,182
Welcome to Flyertalk.
That's AA validating your card number. Those charges will simply disappear. You will see similar transactions from other merchants when you make online purchases.
That's AA validating your card number. Those charges will simply disappear. You will see similar transactions from other merchants when you make online purchases.

#358
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1
Chose AA on 10/23 through customer service call. 5 mins later I bought $50 AA eGC.
10/25: charge just posted. No reimbursement as of yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed
10/25: charge just posted. No reimbursement as of yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed
Last edited by RookieFlyerz; Oct 25, 17 at 6:07 am Reason: Elaborating

#359
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1
how did they reflect in your Amex account
Data point:
- Chatted online with Amex to switch my airline from United, stated reason was that my city was no longer a United hub so I don't use them anymore, but forgot to change my airline. The rep stated it'd take some number of days to take effect, but I ignored that.
- I purchased 2 $100 AA online gift cards with my Platinum card, in separate transactions on the morning of Friday 10/20/17, a few hours after switching the airline.
- Gift cards were able to be printed 72 hours later
- 2 separate $100 Amex airline fee reimbursements on my account are dated 10/23, though I'm pretty sure I didn't see them there the first time I checked the morning of Tuesday 10/24 around 8:15 am, but they were there around 11am. So 2-4 days from purchase 'til reimbursement, including 2 weekend days.
- There are still 2 AA transactions pending for $1 each that have been there since the original purchase. Edit: 5.5 days after the purchase and the $1 pending charges are no longer there.

#360
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Seattle
Programs: AAdvantage Plat+, FoundersCard, Amex Plat, TR Diamond, Marriott Gold, Wyndham Dia, HH Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 768
Mercedes Platinum
bought $75 + $75 + $50 GC posted to Amex 10/16 10/19 10/23
reimbursements posted 10/19 10/22 10/25
But only the two $75 charges have the "5x" icon next to them - I'm gonna call Amex and tell them exactly what they did wrong and that I WANT MY BONUS POINTS (no I'm not)
bought $75 + $75 + $50 GC posted to Amex 10/16 10/19 10/23
reimbursements posted 10/19 10/22 10/25
But only the two $75 charges have the "5x" icon next to them - I'm gonna call Amex and tell them exactly what they did wrong and that I WANT MY BONUS POINTS (no I'm not)
