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)
Jan 5, 2019, 11:45 pm
#1291
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: NH, JL, SQ
Posts: 164
i bought 2x $100 AA gc on 1/1, the meter filled up sometime this afternoon. and now it shows "airline selection required", is it the same for anyone else?
Jan 6, 2019, 12:19 am
#1292
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: AA, DL, UA, SWA
Posts: 21
I just checked that and looks like it un-enrolled me from all benefits, I'm guessing it's a glitch? I was going to wait until tomorrow and then chat them. I also purchased 2x$100 AA 1/3 and they posted yesterday.
Jan 6, 2019, 1:29 am
#1293
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
Yea ... is with this. I checked before I made the purchase and it still said AA which was my choice from last year. Now I go and look at it and it says I have to select an airline. I select AA and it gives me an error page. I have a $100 AA charge pending. This is going to piss me off if it doesn't work because they changed something in the system.
Jan 6, 2019, 2:02 am
#1294
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 590
If you saw your meter fill up, I think you have nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, for me, only have of my meter had filled. And now this headache if they screw this up.
Jan 6, 2019, 2:06 am
#1295
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,467
I wouldn't worry about the page saying enrolment required. Saks enrolment has been intermittently showing down for me too.
Jan 6, 2019, 2:08 am
#1296
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 590
The issue is the timing as these charges that posted were probably going to be credited in the next 24-48 hours. And now the airline says "needs selection." Very, very bad timing.
Jan 6, 2019, 2:36 am
#1297
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Chicago & Hong Kong
Programs: CX D, AF P, AA EP, UA G, Hilton D, Marriott Ti, IHG Plat
Posts: 94
100 GC posted on 1/1. Today (1/6) meter down by 100 so should see the credit post tomorrow.
Jan 6, 2019, 6:33 am
#1298
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: AA, DL, UA, SWA
Posts: 21
Looks like it's fixed now. Showing the correct airline selection and all.
Jan 6, 2019, 7:56 am
#1299
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 1
Thankfully sneaked the credit in
Applied for a new platinum card on 29th. Asked for expedited shipping, got the card on 31st. Activated American airlines as my airlines and did 60+40+90 within an hour of the same.
Gift cards bought on 12/31
Credit posted 1/6
Of note, I got 5x points for the same. Think it is being considered as flights as well?
Gift cards bought on 12/31
Credit posted 1/6
Of note, I got 5x points for the same. Think it is being considered as flights as well?
Jan 6, 2019, 8:06 am
#1300
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
Applied for a new platinum card on 29th. Asked for expedited shipping, got the card on 31st. Activated American airlines as my airlines and did 60+40+90 within an hour of the same.
Gift cards bought on 12/31
Credit posted 1/6
Of note, I got 5x points for the same. Think it is being considered as flights as well?
Gift cards bought on 12/31
Credit posted 1/6
Of note, I got 5x points for the same. Think it is being considered as flights as well?
Jan 6, 2019, 10:17 am
#1301
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Quick question. I had booked an award ticket on AA and completely forgot about this benefit. So now I have $177 credit remaining. If I buy two $100 GCs would I get one $100 credit and one $77 credit?
Or do I have to buy $100 and $77 GCs?
Or do I have to buy $100 and $77 GCs?
Jan 6, 2019, 10:21 am
#1302
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Jan 6, 2019, 10:22 am
#1303
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 422
1/2 - Bought $100 AA eGC with Amex Gold
1/6 - Website showing "You have used all of your $100 Airline Fee Credit for this year. It will renew again starting Jan 2020"
1/7 - $100 credit posted with 1/6 date
1/6 - Website showing "You have used all of your $100 Airline Fee Credit for this year. It will renew again starting Jan 2020"
1/7 - $100 credit posted with 1/6 date
Last edited by Jatan; Jan 7, 2019 at 10:26 am
Jan 6, 2019, 11:19 am
#1304
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 10
sounds like you just started the game. i wont fault you for that, but i would encourage you to learn a few rules that will help you. and i hope the few prior posts by others have already made it clear why you can NOT call amex.
but here is the cliche quote thats used often "the first rule of Fight Club is: u do not talk about Fight Club. the second rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club..." of course, this game is already publicly written about, but theres a reason why high benefit secrets are kept only in private chats. not like this FT site and blogs because there are n00bs who still dont understand the rules. just look at reddit.
you are on this website because you are looking for ways to maximize your CC benefits beyond the Terms & Conditions. otherwise you wouldnt be here. i also know you did not bother reading the T&Cs and thats why you would ask such a question. the T&Cs CLEARLY state gift cards are not allowed.
so when you have broken the rules, are you really going to call amex and say "hey, i know its not allowed but i read flyertalk and The Points Guy and they all do it. so give me credit..."? dont be ridiculous dude.
and in terms of your 2019 credit, yes it will post. just wait. your transaction will not process until jan 4th. 1/1 was a holiday. wait until next week then post back. $50 is totally no problem.
but here is the cliche quote thats used often "the first rule of Fight Club is: u do not talk about Fight Club. the second rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club..." of course, this game is already publicly written about, but theres a reason why high benefit secrets are kept only in private chats. not like this FT site and blogs because there are n00bs who still dont understand the rules. just look at reddit.
you are on this website because you are looking for ways to maximize your CC benefits beyond the Terms & Conditions. otherwise you wouldnt be here. i also know you did not bother reading the T&Cs and thats why you would ask such a question. the T&Cs CLEARLY state gift cards are not allowed.
so when you have broken the rules, are you really going to call amex and say "hey, i know its not allowed but i read flyertalk and The Points Guy and they all do it. so give me credit..."? dont be ridiculous dude.
and in terms of your 2019 credit, yes it will post. just wait. your transaction will not process until jan 4th. 1/1 was a holiday. wait until next week then post back. $50 is totally no problem.
Because even though GCs work, it is an unfixed error on Amex's part, as they are not meant to, per their T&C's. Thus calling them risks raising the profile of this loophole more than necessary (though one could.make an argument that the endless blogging about it has undoubtedly made Amex aware already)
but i totally understand what to say and what not. I may be new to this but I am not new to other things in the world
. If i would have called them then also i would not have told them that i bought gift cards and i would have said something creative... :PAnyways I got the credits for both $50 purchases 2 days ago.. and good sign is that it appears to be from 2018 credit even when bought on 31-Dec...
I guess so because I still see $100 thru Dec 2019 in the benefits tab... So it means i can still get $100 from 2019.. Correct?
Jan 6, 2019, 11:21 am
#1305
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 10
I hope you got that credit from 2018 quota and if you go to benefits then it would be showing you $100 pending thru Dec2019 quota also.. Right?