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 19, 2019, 3:04 pm
#1907
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: DFW
Posts: 675
I changed one of my flight dates and used my AX Platinum for the fee and it got coded as "Passenger Ticket", so I didn't get automatically reimbursed. I called in and told them that it was a change fee and they manually reimbursed me. I wised a flight from Dallas to Hong Kong was only $50. LOL
Jun 19, 2019, 4:22 pm
#1908
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 409
Bummer. So my gift card purchases on my Platinum Card were also coded as "gift card". I purchased on June 15 and as of June 19 have not been reimbursed. The purchase I made on my Gold card on June 11 did not have the "gift card" coding and was reimbursed on June 14.
All the details and the pending and posted charges were the same, except when I logged onto Amex from my computer, there was an additional description line saying "gift card" on the Platinum. This line was not on my Gold transaction.
The only thing I can think of is I may have been logged in on AA.com when I purchased the gift card on my Gold card, and clicked through the site to get to the gift card side, but I'm not sure why this would factor in. Debating if I want to try again but maybe someone else can comment on the logging in thing first
All the details and the pending and posted charges were the same, except when I logged onto Amex from my computer, there was an additional description line saying "gift card" on the Platinum. This line was not on my Gold transaction.
The only thing I can think of is I may have been logged in on AA.com when I purchased the gift card on my Gold card, and clicked through the site to get to the gift card side, but I'm not sure why this would factor in. Debating if I want to try again but maybe someone else can comment on the logging in thing first
Jun 20, 2019, 8:08 am
#1909
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 41
Update on my AA gift card purchase
Happy to report that earlier this morning (Jun 15) both my Saks $50 credit & my $100 AA credit appeared at essentially the same time! The Saks purchase was executed Jun 12 while the AA gift card purchase was executed Jun 11. The credits seem to indicate (see screen grab belowbelow) that they posted on Jun 14 but neither were visible to me until early Jun 15th on either the Amex desktop site or the Amex mobile app. For those that have asked above, I went to the same desktop website I've used in previous years to buy the virtual AA gift card https://giftcards.aa.com/. I will now purchase another $100 AA gift card to see if I can grab the remaining of my $200 annual incidental credit. I'll report back when this 2nd purchase posts.
Jun 20, 2019, 5:05 pm
#1910
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Long Island, NY
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 731
I used a SWU for upgrade on AA flight LHR-JFK, with taxes around $120, paid with Amex Plat.
The charge was displayed on my credit card statement as 'Document Type: PASSENGER TICKET'.
After 15 days, I reached out to AMEX cs, they said they would credit the fees back as part of the $200 annual credit.
The charge was displayed on my credit card statement as 'Document Type: PASSENGER TICKET'.
After 15 days, I reached out to AMEX cs, they said they would credit the fees back as part of the $200 annual credit.
Jun 20, 2019, 7:46 pm
#1911
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: stl
Programs: AA LT Plat/8.1mm now with 1350 miles left in my account and proud of it.. SPG LT Titanium.
Posts: 3,079
Bummer. So my gift card purchases on my Platinum Card were also coded as "gift card". I purchased on June 15 and as of June 19 have not been reimbursed. The purchase I made on my Gold card on June 11 did not have the "gift card" coding and was reimbursed on June 14.
All the details and the pending and posted charges were the same, except when I logged onto Amex from my computer, there was an additional description line saying "gift card" on the Platinum. This line was not on my Gold transaction.
The only thing I can think of is I may have been logged in on AA.com when I purchased the gift card on my Gold card, and clicked through the site to get to the gift card side, but I'm not sure why this would factor in. Debating if I want to try again but maybe someone else can comment on the logging in thing first
All the details and the pending and posted charges were the same, except when I logged onto Amex from my computer, there was an additional description line saying "gift card" on the Platinum. This line was not on my Gold transaction.
The only thing I can think of is I may have been logged in on AA.com when I purchased the gift card on my Gold card, and clicked through the site to get to the gift card side, but I'm not sure why this would factor in. Debating if I want to try again but maybe someone else can comment on the logging in thing first
Jun 21, 2019, 6:46 am
#1912
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 409
Thanks for confirming. Guess I was grasping at straws anyway. Well, at least I was able to get $100 of my $300 total travel benefit. Now to figure out what to do with the $200 on the Platinum. Boo.
Jun 21, 2019, 9:48 am
#1913
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
Award taxes charged to my amex triggered the credit. $50.65 each for 2 pax.
Jun 23, 2019, 11:28 am
#1914
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 17
Somewhat belated data point, but worthwhile for those wondering about small ticket charges: an $80.30 charge, for the balance of an AA ticket after GC use for the bulk of the ticket cost, in March to my Gold (personal) card did _not_ trigger any airline credit. Document type was "Passenger Ticket".
Jun 24, 2019, 1:57 am
#1915
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: ANA & ROP
Posts: 13
I have bought AA Gift card for $100 in late Jan this year and didn't buy another one since I have read from this forum that AA change the quote categories to gift card and didn't trigger the airline credit anymore.
However, On June 8, 2019, I have bought AA airplane ticket from LAX to LAS and paid by AA gift card for $100 which the remaining amount of $54.30 paid by my Amex Platinum (personal).
It is very interesting that today I am login to my account and find that Amex reimbursement the amount of $54.30 as "Amex airline credit" on June 11, 2019 and when I checked the quote categories of my AA spending of $54.30 it classify as "Passenger Ticket" (it mark that I got 5X membership points for airfair purchase too). I am checking the meter of airline credit and found that I am already use $154.30 for this year.
I am not sure that I got lucky or Amex change their policy that member can use airline credit for direct purchase air ticket.
However, On June 8, 2019, I have bought AA airplane ticket from LAX to LAS and paid by AA gift card for $100 which the remaining amount of $54.30 paid by my Amex Platinum (personal).
It is very interesting that today I am login to my account and find that Amex reimbursement the amount of $54.30 as "Amex airline credit" on June 11, 2019 and when I checked the quote categories of my AA spending of $54.30 it classify as "Passenger Ticket" (it mark that I got 5X membership points for airfair purchase too). I am checking the meter of airline credit and found that I am already use $154.30 for this year.
I am not sure that I got lucky or Amex change their policy that member can use airline credit for direct purchase air ticket.
Jun 24, 2019, 6:47 am
#1916
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
No policy change. American Express' system cannot reliability distinguish low or partial fares from fees, and has always reimbursed some small transactions that should not qualify.
Jun 25, 2019, 6:35 am
#1917
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Minnetonka, MN, USA
Programs: DL Diamond 2MM, AA ExPlt
Posts: 936
You can also get reimbursed for $40 500 mile upgrade "stickers". I extiguished by credit by buying 5 of these one at a time,
Jun 25, 2019, 9:00 am
#1918
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Austin TX USA
Programs: UA life 1K, 2MM; AA Life Pt 3mm; DL nada now!; AS nada now; BA, FD, CX, LH, DD, Amex Pt, Diners
Posts: 950
So what to do with this benefit?
I know this has been covered a ton on times but I am really confused as to what to do for 2019. This deal is no good for gift cards. It's no good for baggage as I get free bags as a life time Platinum. I get nice meals at free lounges before I travel and sometimes free meals in first so I don't want to buy food on the plane. I never pay for upgrades and those don't count, right? They give me nice seats for free. I never take a dog. I just don't get this. I don't see how to use it - it's basically a useless benefit. Am I wrong?
Any advice much appreciated. I feel like I am throwing $200 down the toilet of a 737 MAX.
This is actually kind of stupid. Instead of making me feel good about Amex and AA, it makes me feel it's an enormous con.
Any advice much appreciated. I feel like I am throwing $200 down the toilet of a 737 MAX.
This is actually kind of stupid. Instead of making me feel good about Amex and AA, it makes me feel it's an enormous con.
Last edited by UAAAPeter; Jun 25, 2019 at 9:04 am Reason: keyboard error
Jun 25, 2019, 9:03 am
#1919
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Austin TX USA
Programs: UA life 1K, 2MM; AA Life Pt 3mm; DL nada now!; AS nada now; BA, FD, CX, LH, DD, Amex Pt, Diners
Posts: 950
Jun 25, 2019, 9:05 am
#1920
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 16,871
I know this has been covered a ton on times but I am really confused as to what to do for 2019. This deal is no good for gift cards. It's no good for baggage as I get free bags as a life time Platinum. I get nice meals at free lounges before I travel and sometimes free meals in first so I don't want to buy food on the plane. I never pay for upgrades and those don't count, right? They give me nice seats for free. I never take a dog. I just don't get this. I don't see how to use it - it's basically a useless benefit. Am I wrong?
Any advice much appreciated. I feel like I am throwing $200 down the toilet of a 737 MAX.
This is actually kind of stupid. Instead of making me feel good about Amex and AA, it makes me feel it's an enormous con. zzz
Any advice much appreciated. I feel like I am throwing $200 down the toilet of a 737 MAX.
This is actually kind of stupid. Instead of making me feel good about Amex and AA, it makes me feel it's an enormous con. zzz