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 7, 2019, 9:08 am
#1501
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: American Platinum, Delta
Posts: 97
Last year, on my statement the merchant on record read "American Airlines." I was reimbursed properly. This year, in my pending transactions, for this years reimbursement, the merchant on record reads "AA ARC." I haven't been reimbursed yet and I don't expect to be for another day or so. I wonder if something changed recently regarding the reimbursement rates for February?
Feb 7, 2019, 9:16 am
#1502
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953
Every year there are dry periods in which no reimbursements are made, and then they catch up. We don't know why. It could simply be that they need the IT capacity for something else, or it could affect someone's bonus.
It's also common for transactions made on specific dates to be skipped. If you wait patiently they will likely be picked up when they run another type of process.
It's also common for transactions made on specific dates to be skipped. If you wait patiently they will likely be picked up when they run another type of process.
Feb 7, 2019, 9:23 am
#1503
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: AMEX, CHASE
Posts: 1
1/31 - 2 ($100)
Purchased two $100 E-gift cards through AA.com on Jan 31 // Meter has not been depleted and credit has not posted as of 2/7 // Coded as "Travel-Airline" // Amex Platinum
Anyone else had their gift card purchase coded that way and get reimbursed?
Anyone else had their gift card purchase coded that way and get reimbursed?
Last edited by sk1985; Feb 7, 2019 at 10:02 am Reason: additional info needed.
Feb 7, 2019, 9:24 am
#1504
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Programs: SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 699
Every year there are dry periods in which no reimbursements are made, and then they catch up. We don't know why. It could simply be that they need the IT capacity for something else, or it could affect someone's bonus.
It's also common for transactions made on specific dates to be skipped. If you wait patiently they will likely be picked up when they run another type of process.
It's also common for transactions made on specific dates to be skipped. If you wait patiently they will likely be picked up when they run another type of process.
Feb 7, 2019, 9:47 am
#1505
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards
Posts: 191
Every year there are dry periods in which no reimbursements are made, and then they catch up. We don't know why. It could simply be that they need the IT capacity for something else, or it could affect someone's bonus.
It's also common for transactions made on specific dates to be skipped. If you wait patiently they will likely be picked up when they run another type of process.
It's also common for transactions made on specific dates to be skipped. If you wait patiently they will likely be picked up when they run another type of process.
Feb 8, 2019, 8:23 am
#1506
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: United, American
Posts: 1
Purchased $150 AA gift card with Hilton Aspire on Jan 31, no reimbursement or deduction in airline incidental benefit as of this morning Feb 8. Looks like the Hilton Aspire is having a delay based on other posts.
Feb 8, 2019, 8:55 am
#1507
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953
It's February. The short month disrupts scheduling. For example, two accounts that usually close on the 10th, closed on the 7th (yesterday). This workload compression likely means that some IT tasks are deferred, and I am suggesting that Airline Fee reimbursements are one of them.
Feb 9, 2019, 8:25 am
#1508
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 3
L
———
any update here? I am in the same boat. Looked at the ticker and still said $200/$200 as of this morning.
Purchased 2 x $100 AA eGC and 1 x $50 eGC on Thursday and still not reimbursed or counter depleted. It has always been reimbursed in 2 days for me. Not worried or anything, just a data point since I haven't seen anyone reporting positive outcomes in February.
Also, paid the ticket difference (around $117) using my Platinum... let's see if that gets reimbursed.
Will update soon.
Also, paid the ticket difference (around $117) using my Platinum... let's see if that gets reimbursed.
Will update soon.
any update here? I am in the same boat. Looked at the ticker and still said $200/$200 as of this morning.
Feb 9, 2019, 8:29 am
#1509
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards
Posts: 191
Nothing as of this morning.
Feb 9, 2019, 9:02 am
#1510
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 25
1x$100 AA eGC (bought on desktop) on my gold amex on 1/31. no credit as of this morning, no change in meter
Feb 9, 2019, 10:18 am
#1511
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: IAH | HOU | AUS
Programs: Delta Sky Miles | Marriott Bonvoy | Radisson Int'l Rewards
Posts: 75
Feb 9, 2019, 11:13 am
#1512
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 590
So something happened on 1/31 that make AMEX stupid.
Feb 9, 2019, 2:41 pm
#1513
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 10
i think the common denominator is the date of 01/31. i still haven't been reimbursed for the aa gift card purchase from that date.
Feb 9, 2019, 5:05 pm
#1514
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,528
Seems so. I charged an AA fee on 1/31 to one card, and another a few days later to another Amex. The latter is reflected in the benefit meter, but the former is not.
Feb 9, 2019, 9:05 pm
#1515
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 21
Did a test on Biz Plat before I pulled the trigger on all other ones
2/7 - Purchased $200 AA gift card
2/9 - Posted and fee credit shows use for this year, expecting 2/10 or 2/11 to be reimbursed (will update once reimbursement post)
Edit: reimbursement posted 2/10
2/7 - Purchased $200 AA gift card
2/9 - Posted and fee credit shows use for this year, expecting 2/10 or 2/11 to be reimbursed (will update once reimbursement post)
Edit: reimbursement posted 2/10
Last edited by Semper0369; Feb 10, 2019 at 11:05 am