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)
Dec 29, 2017, 12:01 pm
#407
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 2
Based on recent data points, I decided to upgrade to E+ for a flight to Europe next summer. The total cost was a little under $150. I checked and my AMEX Plat credit was never processed. The charge came in from United Airlines and on the description it said it was a preferred seat upgrade. I started a chat with a CSR and she said it was not eligible. CSR sent me a list of some of the more common eligible expenses and one listed was seat assignment fees. I argued the upgrade from E to E+ was a seat assignment fee. She countered that the seat assignment fee has to be within the same booking class. I let her know that with United you have to buy a E ticket and then upgrade to E+. I completely understand her point if I was upgrading from E to business or first class. She told me she would start an investigation (can take 4 weeks). I welcome any thoughts here if I am wrong here.
Thanks
Thanks
Dec 30, 2017, 5:09 pm
#408
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
Programs: UA 1MM 0P, AA, DL, *wood, Lifetime FPC Plat., IHG, HHD
Posts: 6,912
Historically, the actual travel bank never expired, it would pay out after 24 months in check form. Does it now say that they expire the value? somehow that doesn't seem legal.
as for the lounge passes. I tried doing a day pass (in the app, can't do online apparently) with my AMEX card and still hasn't shown up on my AMEX bill as travel credit.
as for the lounge passes. I tried doing a day pass (in the app, can't do online apparently) with my AMEX card and still hasn't shown up on my AMEX bill as travel credit.
Dec 30, 2017, 7:04 pm
#409
Join Date: May 2008
Location: DEN
Posts: 184
I burned the last of my credit on a day pass via the app and the credit posted a few days (4-5 IIRC) later.
Dec 30, 2017, 10:41 pm
#410
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boulder
Programs: AA Plat, CX Silver
Posts: 2,361
I have $87 remaining and without TravelBank I have absolutely no way to use it. 
So far all I've managed to use this credit for is buying liquor in-flight.
So far all I've managed to use this credit for is buying liquor in-flight.
Dec 30, 2017, 10:52 pm
#411
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Verdi, NV, SFO & Olympic (aka Squaw )Valley.
Programs: Ikon Pass Full + AS Gold + Marriott Titanium + Hilton Gold. Recovering UA Plat. LT lounge AA+DL+UA
Posts: 3,822
[QUOTE=txflyer77;29232200]I have $87 remaining and without TravelBank I have absolutely no way to use it.
Amex really should give United customers a pass on this one. When so many of us view the value proposition as $550-$200 in Uber - $200 in United, so $150...that's a big chunk of your annual fee.
Amex really should give United customers a pass on this one. When so many of us view the value proposition as $550-$200 in Uber - $200 in United, so $150...that's a big chunk of your annual fee.
Last edited by worldwidedreamer; Dec 31, 2017 at 7:50 am Reason: I was being boring.
Jan 1, 2018, 1:01 pm
#412
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Greensboro, NC
Programs: UA Million Miler,Hyatt-Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Club Carlson, National-Exec.
Posts: 635
Registry still down. Can someone please wake up United folks, it is 2018.
Please open the registry!
Please open the registry!
Jan 1, 2018, 2:47 pm
#413
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
Jan 1, 2018, 2:53 pm
#414
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,781
Jan 1, 2018, 7:46 pm
#415
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
Surprised UA wouldn't jump for revenue by getting this fixed since they knew TB was loop hole for so long.
Jan 2, 2018, 6:39 am
#416
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott/SPG/Hilton Gold, PreCheck + Clear
Posts: 2,306
Exactly. In fact, it's more than likely that UA and AmEx are working together to ensure that new GC purchases code "properly," meaning they won't be reimbursed. I hope I'm wrong though, especially since the industry is moving toward broader travel reimbursement for high-end cards. It seems churlish and short-sighted of AmEx to go out of their way to deny this with Chase nipping at their heels.
Jan 3, 2018, 6:26 am
#417
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: iah
Programs: United Premiere 1K, SW Companion, Marriott Titanium Elite lifetime, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 82
MR $200 Credit - Airline choice question
I have had United as my airline of choice for years and finally just figured out how to get the 200. in United credit last year - the first year I ever got the full value of this benefit and now apparently it is gone again.
So reading through here, it is apparent I will need to change my airline of choice to AA in order to get the full GC card reimbursement.I don't fly AA much but can use the gc at some point I am sure.
I do fly United often as I am based in Houston and am United plat so would still prefer to have them be my airline of choice. Can I name AA as my airline of choice for 2018 get the gift cards and then change back to United? I don't remember when we actually have to make our choice...but I thought I remembered you can only change once during a year? I have not gotten that notification yet and in the past, I have just allowed it to roll over to United.
I guess the other option is to remain united for the year and then come next December change to AA (assuming the loophole hasn't closed by then).
So reading through here, it is apparent I will need to change my airline of choice to AA in order to get the full GC card reimbursement.I don't fly AA much but can use the gc at some point I am sure.
I do fly United often as I am based in Houston and am United plat so would still prefer to have them be my airline of choice. Can I name AA as my airline of choice for 2018 get the gift cards and then change back to United? I don't remember when we actually have to make our choice...but I thought I remembered you can only change once during a year? I have not gotten that notification yet and in the past, I have just allowed it to roll over to United.
I guess the other option is to remain united for the year and then come next December change to AA (assuming the loophole hasn't closed by then).
Jan 3, 2018, 7:00 am
#418
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
You must make the change in January. Customer service may let you change later in the year if you have not used any of the 2018 benefit, but I wouldn't count on it. I would wait until late January to see if the UA Gift Registry comes back online.
Jan 4, 2018, 10:20 pm
#419
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: West Coast
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 264
I've never understood what the reasoning is with this Amex reimbursement. It's a card for frequent travelers but, as a frequent traveler, I'm already an elite on the airlines I fly so I don't have incidental airline fees. I also already have club access through their card (not to mention airline clubs as I only fly internationally). How would I ever use this stupid $200 if I didn't do it through the gift registry. On United round trips to Asia I get 4 free bags. I would have bring more than 350 lbs. of luggage to manage to get charged a bag fee on United. The moment I can't use the $200 I'm just going to cancel the card.
Jan 5, 2018, 5:52 am
#420
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
This feature was added when American Express's contracts for access to CO and then AA lounges ended. The idea was that they would give us $200 toward the cost of an airline club membership, and they allowed it to also be used to reimburse nuisance fees for services (e.g. seat selection, checked bags) that used to be bundled into ticket prices, because most airlines don't operate clubs, not everyone uses them, etc.
