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 5, 2018, 8:35 am
#421
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: iah
Programs: United Premiere 1K, SW Companion, Marriott Titanium Elite lifetime, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 82
It may not make sense to choose your primary airline for this benefit.
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.
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.
Jan 5, 2018, 9:42 am
#422
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,781
I thought about changing m airline of choice as well for that very reason. My situation is very close to dkmatter. Based in Houston/plat with united/have the legacy united presidential card & sw companion pass. BUT, don't we also still have the extra points back with our airline of choice bonus to think about? I mostly fly United internationally and southwest domestically - that is the only part of changing my airline of choice that has me perplexed. So here I sit...still unsure how or what to do or when to do it!!
If that isn't a concern I'd change to SW, buy gift cards for them, and with your SW companion pass you'll presumably get even more value out of the GCs flying 2 for the price of 1.
Jan 5, 2018, 9:53 am
#423
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: iah
Programs: United Premiere 1K, SW Companion, Marriott Titanium Elite lifetime, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 82
Only if you have the Business Platinum card, and I'm not sure they have to be the same airline (I don't have a Biz Plat), but I'd dig around in this thread to see if they have to be the same https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...35-refund.html.
If that isn't a concern I'd change to SW, buy gift cards for them, and with your SW companion pass you'll presumably get even more value out of the GCs flying 2 for the price of 1.
If that isn't a concern I'd change to SW, buy gift cards for them, and with your SW companion pass you'll presumably get even more value out of the GCs flying 2 for the price of 1.
Yes it is a Plat business card with the 35% point refund. Thats a pretty sizeable chunk of points (when used that way of course!).
I am thinking I will stay with United till we have all our flights settled for the year (and who knows maybe the gift bank will come back up in the interim and I can be done with this).
Then once I am pretty sure I will have no more united flights to book with Amex, I will change to SW and hopefully the gift card option is still there at that time.
Jan 8, 2018, 12:45 pm
#424
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Damn, the gift registry has been offline for over 2 months?
What are the other options for Platinum Amex reimbursement on UA?
What are the other options for Platinum Amex reimbursement on UA?
Jan 8, 2018, 3:22 pm
#425
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 8, 2018, 3:38 pm
#426
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SFO/TPE
Programs: UA GS slavery, *A Gold, Marriott/SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 281
I dont' think I would ever fly another airline since I'm United 1k.
Since gift registry doesn't work and most of the fees are waived for 1k, do you think it's worth purchasing miles when there's a bonus?
Since gift registry doesn't work and most of the fees are waived for 1k, do you think it's worth purchasing miles when there's a bonus?
Jan 8, 2018, 5:05 pm
#427
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 481
Aren't buying miles processed through points.com? It wouldn't trigger reimbursement if that is the case.
Jan 8, 2018, 10:06 pm
#428
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
What if you purchased miles directly from UA? I just got an email about a 60% bonus today.
Jan 9, 2018, 5:45 am
#429
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,949
Many (not all) airlines outsource mileage purchasing, gifting, transferring functions to Points International (points.com). You need to know which merchant account is used to process the transaction. If it is the main United Airlines account (same as an airline ticket), American Express should see it as a fee. If is is other merchant account it won't be picked up by the automated system.
Jan 9, 2018, 11:25 am
#430
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Hmm, I've bought mileage accelerator before and thought that was from UA.
Never bought miles from them though.
Never bought miles from them though.
Jan 10, 2018, 8:34 am
#432
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: NJ (EWR) - USA
Programs: UA Silver - IHG Spire AMB - Hilton Gold - Choice Hotels Platinum - Hertz Gold FiveStar
Posts: 396
Jan 10, 2018, 11:48 am
#433
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Greensboro, NC
Programs: UA Million Miler,Hyatt-Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Club Carlson, National-Exec.
Posts: 635
Can someone please wake UA IT department up. UA is losing revenue by not activating the Gift Registry.
Jan 10, 2018, 2:31 pm
#434
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Someone on another thread said that miles purchases would not trigger the statement credit from Amex.
Jan 12, 2018, 8:52 am
#435
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 34
Sucks that this doesn't work anymore. Hopefully it does come back in 2018 and amex still allows this reimbursement.
