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)
Jun 16, 2019, 8:51 pm
#1876
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North America
Posts: 2,265
https://global.americanexpress.com/c...=MYCA_Benefits
Jun 16, 2019, 8:58 pm
#1877
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 542
I bought a $75 gift card today using my Aspire card. Will report back after it posts.
Jun 16, 2019, 9:34 pm
#1879
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,644
We're taking heavy casualties, it looks like an ambush...retreat! retreat! 
Jun 16, 2019, 9:39 pm
#1881
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,644
Hold your positions, but do not advance, until the all-clear is given! 
Jun 17, 2019, 7:12 am
#1882
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NRT/PDX
Programs: Willamette Valley Cropdusters Silver Elite, National Tent Frequent Stay program, Ed's Rent-a-tractor
Posts: 3,357
Tried for $50 on June 15th. Pending transaction showing a Ft. Worth address. Looks just like the image in the reddit link earlier except for the "Gift Certificate" in large blue font right in the middle. 
Jun 17, 2019, 7:27 am
#1883
Join Date: Mar 2019
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Gold
Posts: 723
Also getting the “GIFT CERTIFICATE” coding after purchasing two $100 virtual GCs on 6/15 with Platinum card
Jun 17, 2019, 7:36 am
#1884
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NJ USA
Programs: AA PLAT 2MM, MR TITANIUM 2M, HH DIA, Hyatt EXP, BW DIA, IC AMB, IHG PLAT, UA GLD
Posts: 1,086
6/15 bot $50 virtual GC with aspire AMEX. today changed from pending to gift certificate coding.
6/16 bot $95 virtual GC with aspire AMEX. still pending but I'm assuming it will also change to GC. boo
6/16 bot $95 virtual GC with aspire AMEX. still pending but I'm assuming it will also change to GC. boo
Jun 17, 2019, 8:10 am
#1885
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 409
AMERICAN AIRLINES
4333 AMON CARTER BLVD
FORTH WORTH
TX
76155
UNITED STATES
Category is "Travel - Airline".
Is everyone purchasing from this site: https://giftcards.aa.com/
Jun 17, 2019, 8:58 am
#1886
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 493
Well, that sucks. I cancelled my Amex Plat card mainly because of this credit. I still have an Amex Hilton Aspire card credit of $250 to use up; guess I'll have to get Delta; but would rather get American. Why does Amex have to play these games? Yeah, they are hoping you won't use the credit. But if they make it almost impossible to use it, it's not really much of a credit anymore.
Jun 17, 2019, 9:00 am
#1887
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
Well, that sucks. I cancelled my Amex Plat card mainly because of this credit. I still have an Amex Hilton Aspire card credit of $250 to use up; guess I'll have to get Delta; but would rather get American. Why does Amex have to play these games? Yeah, they are hoping you won't use the credit. But if they make it almost impossible to use it, it's not really much of a credit anymore.
This has happened before where American GC started coding differently and it reverted back after a while.
Jun 17, 2019, 9:29 am
#1888
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 600
Well, that sucks. I cancelled my Amex Plat card mainly because of this credit. I still have an Amex Hilton Aspire card credit of $250 to use up; guess I'll have to get Delta; but would rather get American. Why does Amex have to play these games? Yeah, they are hoping you won't use the credit. But if they make it almost impossible to use it, it's not really much of a credit anymore.
AA changed the way the gift cards were coded earlier this year.
Jun 17, 2019, 10:02 am
#1889
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NJ USA
Programs: AA PLAT 2MM, MR TITANIUM 2M, HH DIA, Hyatt EXP, BW DIA, IC AMB, IHG PLAT, UA GLD
Posts: 1,086
Interesting, my "pending" charge for the Personal Platinum for two $100 virtual GCs purchased on 6/15 was identical to the AA ARC one I posted earlier from my Personal Gold. Category is travel. Charge just got posted and reverted to:
AMERICAN AIRLINES
4333 AMON CARTER BLVD
FORTH WORTH
TX
76155
UNITED STATES
Category is "Travel - Airline".
Is everyone purchasing from this site: https://giftcards.aa.com/
AMERICAN AIRLINES
4333 AMON CARTER BLVD
FORTH WORTH
TX
76155
UNITED STATES
Category is "Travel - Airline".
Is everyone purchasing from this site: https://giftcards.aa.com/
Jun 17, 2019, 11:44 am
#1890
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,027
It's not Amex playing these games. The T&Cs for the credit specifically noted that gift cards are not redeemable for the credit, but the way AA coded the gift cards allowed holders to redeem the credit for gift cards anyway.
AA changed the way the gift cards were coded earlier this year.
AA changed the way the gift cards were coded earlier this year.
Regards
