Jan 4, 2017, 7:25 am
Last edit by: presario1626
The United gift registry has been discontinued.
Reminder: you must enroll and select UA as your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase. Unless you check your bags or experience change fees, United has the fewest options for reimbursement because of the codes they use for transactions.
United does not sell giftcards. As of December 2016 American Express no longer reimburses MPX transactions.
Airline Taxes on Award Tickets
Reminder: you must enroll and select UA as your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase. Unless you check your bags or experience change fees, United has the fewest options for reimbursement because of the codes they use for transactions.
United does not sell giftcards. As of December 2016 American Express no longer reimburses MPX transactions.
Airline Taxes on Award Tickets
Doesn't seem to work anymore; see post 179 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/25297196-post179.html and #391
Economy Plus and First Class Upgrade FeesAs of December 2016 there were conflicting posts; one stating that an upgrade to E+ coded as an "upgrade fee" and was, therefore, not reimbursed. Others said they were reimbursed as it was coded as "preferred seat upgrade." In February 2019, three separate FTer reported receiving varying amounts of reimbursement (dependent upon which card was used for the purchase) after purchasing an E+ annual subscription. The E+ subscriptions code as "preferred seat upgrade". Upgrading from E to FC will also not be reimbursed because it codes as a passenger ticket even when done after buying the original ticket. There seems to be a distinction between seat upgrades being reimbursed, while ticket upgrades are not.
Award AcceleratorI would not risk this. The last report of being reimbursed for Award Accelerator was for $68 on October 27, 2011. Every post about Award Accelerator since has reported "No reimbursement."
Eligible incidental fees include:- Checked baggage fees (including overweight/oversize)
- Itinerary change fees
- Phone reservation fees
- Pet flight fees
- Seat assignment fees (E+)
- In-flight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, headphones)
- In-flight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet because it's not charged by the airline)
- Airport lounge day passes & annual memberships
- Onboard WIFI
Airline fee $200/$100 reimbursement reports: UA only (2017-2019)
Jan 17, 2019, 2:33 pm
#736
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2
E+ Subscription
Purchased a E+ subscription earlier this month. $200 credit showed up 4 days later.
Last edited by vlft; Feb 7, 2019 at 12:17 pm Reason: Give more details
Jan 21, 2019, 5:57 am
#738
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
That's the subject of this thread. There is no best way, it depends on your individual circumstances, but January is the month in which we can change our designated airline. Choosing the airline that you fly most often may not be the best strategy, because if you have elite status you may not incur reimbursable fees.
Gift card purchases can be reimbursed if you choose AA, DL or WN -but- review the thread for each airline before you choose to understand the process or buying and using them.
Gift card purchases can be reimbursed if you choose AA, DL or WN -but- review the thread for each airline before you choose to understand the process or buying and using them.
Jan 21, 2019, 7:31 am
#739
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,123
I'm new to this game. Can someone teach me how the wifi charges work with United? Are the monthly subscription and the inflight wifi charges both be eligible for reimbursement? Thanks!
Jan 21, 2019, 8:18 am
#740
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29394616-post473.html
Jan 21, 2019, 8:42 am
#741
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,680
Short answer: yes. But, do you have the United MileagePlus Explorer card? Because if you do, you might want to consider that this card offers 25% off on-board purchases (including WiFi). So, I would not want to purchase WiFi onboard on the Amex, because I'd be paying 33% too much. For subscriptions, the MPE card does not offer any discounts, so I would purchase a subscription with the Amex. Now obviously, if you are only purchasing a one month subscription, it's not going to eat up your entire $200 credit. Unless UA gets the gift registry working ASAP, I'll be switching my airline choice to WN by the end of the month.
Jan 23, 2019, 9:02 am
#742
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SFO/TPE
Programs: UA GS slavery, *A Gold, Marriott/SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 281
Does award tickets still trigger credit for the taxes? Bought tickets a week ago, still no credit.. so i'm guessing that no longer works?
Jan 23, 2019, 1:38 pm
#743
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,193
Jan 23, 2019, 10:42 pm
#744
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
Jan 29, 2019, 12:31 pm
#745
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,680
Switched to WN and bought WN GC. Can't wait for UA to fix the registry any longer.
Just saw this though: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...ited-club.html
So, IF you already have a UA Club membership, would you be able to gift yourself a Club membership (which triggers the Amex credit?), and, since you already have a membership, then apply the value of the membership to your TravelBank?
I'm just curious if this would work as I'm not interested in purchasing a UA Club membership; I already have lounge access for int'l trips as a UA*G and Priority Pass/Centurion access for domestic trips.
Just saw this though: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...ited-club.html
What if I already receive the benefit of the gift membership?
You will have the option to deposit a value to United® TravelBank as an electronic fund which can be applied toward any United or United Express flights or subscriptions on united.com.
You will have the option to deposit a value to United® TravelBank as an electronic fund which can be applied toward any United or United Express flights or subscriptions on united.com.
I'm just curious if this would work as I'm not interested in purchasing a UA Club membership; I already have lounge access for int'l trips as a UA*G and Priority Pass/Centurion access for domestic trips.
Jan 30, 2019, 3:23 pm
#746
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 128
Reimbursed $75 x 2 for award ticket cancellations on Amex Platinum on January 3 2019. However, I had to call Amex to ask as was still showing as a charge after two weeks.
Feb 5, 2019, 1:37 pm
#747
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 149
Anyone have luck with shopping through the MileagePlus App MPX? I ask because AX, unlike Visa/MC, categorizes it as a "Special Service Ticket" from United itself and not the underlying merchant. I've never designated an airline choice (new card), so I guess I could set it to United, use MPX, and if it doesn't work, change the airline choice to WN or DL (since I can supposedly change even after 1/30 if I haven't starting using it).
EDIT --NEVER MIND-- I read the Wiki and didn't see MPX the 1st time, but now spotted it. Oh well...
EDIT --NEVER MIND-- I read the Wiki and didn't see MPX the 1st time, but now spotted it. Oh well...
Last edited by festdave; Feb 5, 2019 at 1:47 pm
Feb 5, 2019, 1:43 pm
#748
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Feb 5, 2019, 1:47 pm
#749
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 149
Thanks! I had read the Wiki and somehow completely missed the second part of the gift card sentence where that was.
Feb 5, 2019, 8:24 pm
#750
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
So I spent my last $70 2018 Aspire credit on a global wifi subscription, which I was only able to use twice. But then the second flight (SFO-HNL), wifi didn't work the whole flight. I wrote in to UA, and they gave me a $150 ETC. Not a bad deal net-net 