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)
Nov 7, 2019, 12:35 pm
#901
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,032
Can pet fees be refunded to travel voucher or must they go back to card used to book the ticket? Data points in this thread are not super-clear. Do you have to call in or can be done online? And are they refunded if canceling award tix (free for 1Ks)?
I don't want the pet fee refund going back to the Amex even if it triggers the airline fee reimbursement, as some people suggest up-thread, as it seems too risky in case they go after it retroactively in the future as they have been doing with some things.
I don't want the pet fee refund going back to the Amex even if it triggers the airline fee reimbursement, as some people suggest up-thread, as it seems too risky in case they go after it retroactively in the future as they have been doing with some things.
Nov 7, 2019, 1:09 pm
#902
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
With the recent shutdowns due to self-referrals is anyone planning to do the pet fee trick?
Nov 7, 2019, 1:29 pm
#903
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,032
EDIT: UA 1K desk tells me that pet fees are refundable but only back to the card, not to travel vouchers. So there goes that idea. I guess in theory you could cancel and get the airline credit, but no guarantees that Amex won't claw it back 9 months later even on a closed card as they seem to have been doing.
What a pain in the a** they have made it.
Last edited by abcx; Nov 7, 2019 at 11:45 pm
Nov 8, 2019, 10:28 am
#904
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: DL, WoH
Posts: 1,253
Can I purchase preferred seating checked baggage fees for family/friends on a UA flight that I am not on? Would be a good way to use my remaining credit.
Nov 9, 2019, 5:25 pm
#905
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,212
Nov 10, 2019, 6:32 am
#906
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: United, SPG
Posts: 1
Is it possible to split the E+ subscription between 2 Plat cards and get reimbursed?
Nov 11, 2019, 1:13 am
#907
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
Yes, the credit isn't restricted to your name. Have your friends/family keep the receipt until your credit posts just in case it's needed (shouldn't be).
Nov 15, 2019, 3:32 pm
#908
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 21
First class upgrade under $200?
Just got reimbursed for upgrade fees on economy to first on a domestic ticket. Completely unexpected as I had already paid my Amex balance, and was thrown off when I saw a credit. Shows Amex Airline Fee reimbursement for both legs.
Saw the recent AA data points with gift cards working so maybe some changes afoot with UA.
Saw the recent AA data points with gift cards working so maybe some changes afoot with UA.
Nov 16, 2019, 8:51 am
#909
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: UA Gold | Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 94
Unfortunately, I've never been successfully reimbursed for a paid upgrade to first on a domestic flight like you're describing. It sounds like that poster got lucky!
Nov 16, 2019, 3:27 pm
#910
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: IAH
Programs: HH Diamond, Bonvoy something
Posts: 126
I have not been able to replicate it using other cards. Still haven't been able to figure out if the upgrade coded differently, but most likely just an Amex glitch that I will happily take.
Nov 19, 2019, 5:48 pm
#911
Join Date: May 2001
Location: TPA 50%/BKK 30%/HKG 20%
Programs: UA 1K MM - AF G – TK G – AZ Ex – Hilton D – Marriott G – IHG P
Posts: 1,990
The pet fee option seems to be dead. I booked a (legitimate) ticket for my mom and her dog. She needed to change her schedule, so I had to cancel it about 22 hours later, just under the 24 hour courtesy period. The credit from UA appeared a couple days later, but nothing from AMEX.
Nov 19, 2019, 7:53 pm
#912
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 742
The pet fee option seems to be dead. I booked a (legitimate) ticket for my mom and her dog. She needed to change her schedule, so I had to cancel it about 22 hours later, just under the 24 hour courtesy period. The credit from UA appeared a couple days later, but nothing from AMEX.
Nov 19, 2019, 7:57 pm
#913
Join Date: May 2001
Location: TPA 50%/BKK 30%/HKG 20%
Programs: UA 1K MM - AF G – TK G – AZ Ex – Hilton D – Marriott G – IHG P
Posts: 1,990
Nov 20, 2019, 8:36 am
#914
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 268
And it takes a few days for the credit to show up, AFAIK.
Last time it took like 4 days to show up for me, but I did them separate (added on after the fact).
Please post back in like a week or sooner if it shows up as a credit.
It's possible this, too, has been closed, but I think it's too early to tell, unless this was done a week ago.
Nov 20, 2019, 10:51 am
#915
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,147
End of E+ Seat Reimbursements Coming?
For those of you who have not heard, UA is "testing" the direct purchase of E+ seats (vs. a seat fee). If this gets implemented, it may lead to one less way of using Amex Plat reimbursement:
[Unconfirmed] UA Preparing to Sell E+ at Booking as Separate Cabin (like DL C+)
[Unconfirmed] UA Preparing to Sell E+ at Booking as Separate Cabin (like DL C+)