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 31, 2018, 5:49 pm
#466
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SFO
Posts: 515
Only the pet fee of $125 each way receives a credit from Amex. Upon cancellation of the ticket, I received one Amex travel credit of $125, then a second credit of $75 since the travel fee credit limit is $200. I charged the ticket with a different, non Amex card, so that refund should go back to the non Amex card, while I already received the pet fee refunds (2x $125) on my Amex plat.
Jan 31, 2018, 9:58 pm
#467
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco
Programs: All-Around Kettle
Posts: 3,287
Only the pet fee of $125 each way receives a credit from Amex. Upon cancellation of the ticket, I received one Amex travel credit of $125, then a second credit of $75 since the travel fee credit limit is $200. I charged the ticket with a different, non Amex card, so that refund should go back to the non Amex card, while I already received the pet fee refunds (2x $125) on my Amex plat.
Feb 1, 2018, 10:50 am
#468
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: Priority Club Platinum & Ambassdor, Hilton Honors Diamond, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 505
Yes, that's my point. When you cancel the ticket, does United just group both charges and give you 1 refund, on the card that you originally purchased the ticket? If that is the case, then this method would work. But if United refunds both charges separately to their originally card, then AMEX could reverse the incidental fees.
Feb 1, 2018, 9:26 pm
#469
formerly sahiljain22
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: BOS;NYC;YVR;YYZ;DEL;BOM
Programs: Amex Plat; HH Diamond; SPG Plat; Hyatt Diamond; United 1K; National EE; HSBC Premier
Posts: 532
Yes, that's my point. When you cancel the ticket, does United just group both charges and give you 1 refund, on the card that you originally purchased the ticket? If that is the case, then this method would work. But if United refunds both charges separately to their originally card, then AMEX could reverse the incidental fees.
Feb 7, 2018, 12:19 pm
#470
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 11
Unless the refund for the pet charges don't go back on the Amex but on the card used to book the passenger. I am actually trying what was suggested above, and the first cancellation confirmation I received said everything (ticket + pet charges) were going to go back to the card used to ticket the passenger (chase MP in my case). Well, let me give it a few days and see what happens.
Feb 7, 2018, 12:50 pm
#471
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: Priority Club Platinum & Ambassdor, Hilton Honors Diamond, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 505
I did what a poster above did last week and here is how all the charges got handed by United and AMEX.
Bought a ticket with non-AMEX Platinum card, then added pet to both flights, for a total of $250, on AMEX Platinum. Canceled ticket later that day, at which United gave me the option of having the amount reimbursed to my card that I charged the base fare, or a travel credit. I choose to refund all the amount to non Platinum card. Now the two $125 charges for the Pet fee posted to my AMEX, then United issued credit to the Platinum card. So they didn't credit the card that I bought the base ticket on. Then I was like, oh well... However, I checked my AMEX statement Tuesday morning and AMEX issued me 2 credits in the amount of $125, and $75, even though United had issued credit for those pet charges.
So I don't think that AMEX will claw back the $200 United credit, but if they do, then I'll just do what I did, and take the travel credit when I cancel the ticket.
All in all, the above method works!
Bought a ticket with non-AMEX Platinum card, then added pet to both flights, for a total of $250, on AMEX Platinum. Canceled ticket later that day, at which United gave me the option of having the amount reimbursed to my card that I charged the base fare, or a travel credit. I choose to refund all the amount to non Platinum card. Now the two $125 charges for the Pet fee posted to my AMEX, then United issued credit to the Platinum card. So they didn't credit the card that I bought the base ticket on. Then I was like, oh well... However, I checked my AMEX statement Tuesday morning and AMEX issued me 2 credits in the amount of $125, and $75, even though United had issued credit for those pet charges.
So I don't think that AMEX will claw back the $200 United credit, but if they do, then I'll just do what I did, and take the travel credit when I cancel the ticket.
All in all, the above method works!
Feb 7, 2018, 2:37 pm
#472
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Santa Fe
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 108
Feb 8, 2018, 10:45 am
#473
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
Ended up using my credit for my WiFi Subscription. Reimbursed today.
Feb 8, 2018, 12:30 pm
#474
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,846
I did what a poster above did last week and here is how all the charges got handed by United and AMEX.
Bought a ticket with non-AMEX Platinum card, then added pet to both flights, for a total of $250, on AMEX Platinum. Canceled ticket later that day, at which United gave me the option of having the amount reimbursed to my card that I charged the base fare, or a travel credit. I choose to refund all the amount to non Platinum card. Now the two $125 charges for the Pet fee posted to my AMEX, then United issued credit to the Platinum card. So they didn't credit the card that I bought the base ticket on. Then I was like, oh well... However, I checked my AMEX statement Tuesday morning and AMEX issued me 2 credits in the amount of $125, and $75, even though United had issued credit for those pet charges.
So I don't think that AMEX will claw back the $200 United credit, but if they do, then I'll just do what I did, and take the travel credit when I cancel the ticket.
All in all, the above method works!
Bought a ticket with non-AMEX Platinum card, then added pet to both flights, for a total of $250, on AMEX Platinum. Canceled ticket later that day, at which United gave me the option of having the amount reimbursed to my card that I charged the base fare, or a travel credit. I choose to refund all the amount to non Platinum card. Now the two $125 charges for the Pet fee posted to my AMEX, then United issued credit to the Platinum card. So they didn't credit the card that I bought the base ticket on. Then I was like, oh well... However, I checked my AMEX statement Tuesday morning and AMEX issued me 2 credits in the amount of $125, and $75, even though United had issued credit for those pet charges.
So I don't think that AMEX will claw back the $200 United credit, but if they do, then I'll just do what I did, and take the travel credit when I cancel the ticket.
All in all, the above method works!
Feb 8, 2018, 12:35 pm
#475
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Santa Fe
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 108
Feb 8, 2018, 7:40 pm
#476
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,420
Feb 8, 2018, 8:45 pm
#477
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,192
The subject gets bandied about here frequently - as we both know - and it comes down to where you draw the line. Gift cards? Not technically reimbursable but regularly reimbursed.
What defines a "scam", I guess is the dividing line.
Feb 8, 2018, 9:59 pm
#478
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,420
Gift card I would call a "loophole" 
Paying a pet fee with intent to cancel and refund just to get a statement credit to me crosses the line. It would certainly fit within UA MP's definition of prohibited conduct, as it's analytically very similar to buying a ticket without intent to fly just to get lounge access.
Paying a pet fee with intent to cancel and refund just to get a statement credit to me crosses the line. It would certainly fit within UA MP's definition of prohibited conduct, as it's analytically very similar to buying a ticket without intent to fly just to get lounge access.
Feb 9, 2018, 10:01 am
#479
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco
Programs: All-Around Kettle
Posts: 3,287
Gift card I would call a "loophole"
Paying a pet fee with intent to cancel and refund just to get a statement credit to me crosses the line. It would certainly fit within UA MP's definition of prohibited conduct, as it's analytically very similar to buying a ticket without intent to fly just to get lounge access.
Paying a pet fee with intent to cancel and refund just to get a statement credit to me crosses the line. It would certainly fit within UA MP's definition of prohibited conduct, as it's analytically very similar to buying a ticket without intent to fly just to get lounge access.
At most, it would be Amex that is losing $200 in a manner they did not intend, but even there I don't blame the customer for doing this move, since the refund is just how Amex chose to program its system. They could presumably claw it back if they wanted to.
Feb 12, 2018, 10:10 am
#480
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 120
In December 2017 I upgraded my fiancee and I's flight to lie-flat business class for $300 a seat. It was an internationally configured 757 on a domestic route. I knew that it wasn't typically allowed in the exact terms of use for the credit, but I called up Amex anyways and kindly asked them if they'd be willing to apply the credit towards the purchase. I was totally honest with them and told them it was for a seat upgrade. They obliged and I got a $200 credit posted in a few days. I think Amex is trying to be more flexible with the credit so they can compete with Citi Prestige and Chase Sapphire Reserve.