Jan 7, 2020, 8:01 am
Last edit by: rrgg
Many commonly asked questions are answered in this post.
Reminder: You must enroll and select your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase. http://www.americanexpress.com/airlinechoice -or- "Call the number on the back of your Card to select a qualifying airline."
Wait several hours or even a day before making the purchase, although several DPs show it works without waiting that long.
(Posters often refer to Southwest as WN which is its IATA code. The code SW is assigned to Air Namibia.)
As of late July 2019, direct gift card purchases are no longer reimbursed.
To read discussion from 2011-2019, click HERE
Reminder: You must enroll and select your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase. http://www.americanexpress.com/airlinechoice -or- "Call the number on the back of your Card to select a qualifying airline."
Wait several hours or even a day before making the purchase, although several DPs show it works without waiting that long.
(Posters often refer to Southwest as WN which is its IATA code. The code SW is assigned to Air Namibia.)
As of late July 2019, direct gift card purchases are no longer reimbursed.
- What does appear to work is buying flight tickets less than $109, OR using gift cards to get the charged amount down to less than $109. Given Amex's recent behavior in other areas, some feel there is real risk that Amex will decide to claw back this type of reimbursement someday.
- If you buy a ticket where you use travel funds to reduce the total charge to your Amex below $109, it will be reimbursed.
- Fees can be reimbursed for any traveler. The name doesn't matter as long as the charge is on your American Express or that of an authorized cardholder.n
- As of 1/1/22 Gold card accounts do not qualify for airline credit.
To read discussion from 2011-2019, click HERE
Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: WN (Southwest) only (2020-21)
Jan 6, 2020, 12:35 pm
#136
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
The original purchase has been fully refunded to the AmEx account + airline credit received. Surprising that AmEx hasn't clawed back more of these.
Jan 6, 2020, 12:50 pm
#138
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,083
I don't believe we are talking about the same thing. I am referring to people who book a flight, cancel within 24 hours, and select refund to credit card. This allows them to basically keep the AMEX credit as a cash payment which is obviously NOT the intended use. IMO, that is pushing it too far.
Jan 6, 2020, 1:19 pm
#140
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,083
Has anyone reported success with that? Seems to me the charge would go from pending to gone, never to get a statement credit. It might work if there were refundable fares <$100, and you cancel after the charge posts. I haven’t heard of such cheap refundable fares, though. Even nonretundable fares that cheap are exceptional.
Jan 6, 2020, 1:23 pm
#141
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 5,867
Has anyone reported success with that? Seems to me the charge would go from pending to gone, never to get a statement credit. It might work if there were refundable fares <$100, and you cancel after the charge posts. I haven’t heard of such cheap refundable fares, though. Even nonretundable fares that cheap are exceptional.
Jan 6, 2020, 1:32 pm
#142
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,083
If you wait until 22-23 hours after making the charge, and then request the refund, there is a chance the charge posts before the refund is received, which could result in the credit being triggered. I'm just guessing though. I've never tried it and never will as it falls outside of what I'm comfortable doing.
Jan 6, 2020, 4:20 pm
#144
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CA
Posts: 1,308
Should I just buy a fully refundable fare to give the system more time to allow the charge to post etc than deal w the 24hr limitation.
Jan 6, 2020, 4:36 pm
#145
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
I was asking if I make the purchase would I get the refund from Wn which is yes (if I do it within 24hrs) but more importantly would I also get the amex airline credit.
Should I just buy a fully refundable fare to give the system more time to allow the charge to post etc than deal w the 24hr limitation.
Should I just buy a fully refundable fare to give the system more time to allow the charge to post etc than deal w the 24hr limitation.
Last edited by danhouston; Jan 6, 2020 at 5:26 pm
Jan 6, 2020, 5:59 pm
#146
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,083
You can give it a shot, but I think the cheapest refundable ticket you’ll find will be way north of the highest dollar value ticket that has garnered a statement credit.
Jan 6, 2020, 6:00 pm
#147
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 29
Do people book <$100 fares and cancel within 24 hours so that the flight just doesn't post but the airline credit gets triggered and therefore "free $x00"? Or do they cancel after 24 hours and receive SW travel voucher credit?
If the former, I can see why that is skirting dangerously close to AmEx RAT but if the latter, how would AmEx even know if you cancelled on the SW end?
If the former, I can see why that is skirting dangerously close to AmEx RAT but if the latter, how would AmEx even know if you cancelled on the SW end?
Jan 6, 2020, 6:10 pm
#148
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
In my experience with Amex and this credit, for whatever reason, they haven't bothered to calibrate their systems to exclude ticket purchases under certain conditions. While this may not continue, there's little risk for adverse action, in my view. If Amex were so inclined, they'll just claw back the credit, reset the meter, and that's that. Likewise, the cardmember would have no grievance to complain since it's clearly stated that ticket purchases DO NOT qualify for the credit.
Jan 6, 2020, 6:36 pm
#149
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 5,867
Not a lawyer nor have I read their T&Cs.
In my experience with Amex and this credit, for whatever reason, they haven't bothered to calibrate their systems to exclude ticket purchases under certain conditions. While this may not continue, there's little risk for adverse action, in my view. If Amex were so inclined, they'll just claw back the credit, reset the meter, and that's that. Likewise, the cardmember would have no grievance to complain since it's clearly stated that ticket purchases DO NOT qualify for the credit.
In my experience with Amex and this credit, for whatever reason, they haven't bothered to calibrate their systems to exclude ticket purchases under certain conditions. While this may not continue, there's little risk for adverse action, in my view. If Amex were so inclined, they'll just claw back the credit, reset the meter, and that's that. Likewise, the cardmember would have no grievance to complain since it's clearly stated that ticket purchases DO NOT qualify for the credit.
Jan 6, 2020, 6:42 pm
#150
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
Sure. Standard SOL would be a year upon discovery? Not a lawyer, but I'm sure we have plenty on FT who would could correct me if I'm wrong. Now, if it's fraud, then they could go back 3 years?