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)
Mar 9, 2021, 12:40 am
#961
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
Glad to see this is still working... going to hold off on using the credit until later in the year. Don't have much travel planned given the Covid situation, so would like to extend the 12 month clock on the travel funds that will be created as much as possible. I suppose the only risk to that strategy is if they close this, but I think I'll take my chances.
Yes, and so the question for those of us with no current travel plans becomes whether to 1) act now and get Travel Funds that will expire a year from now, or 2) wait until later in the year so as to maximize the time you have to use the funds.
The risk with 1) is that your funds might expire before you want to fly again. The risk with 2) is that at any point this <$100 trick might stop working. I'll betting that it will keep working, so I'm waiting until later in the year.
The risk with 1) is that your funds might expire before you want to fly again. The risk with 2) is that at any point this <$100 trick might stop working. I'll betting that it will keep working, so I'm waiting until later in the year.
Mar 9, 2021, 12:47 am
#962
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
I think I messed this one up and may cost myself $94. Last week, I booked two one ways at $104.98 and $93.98. Realizing the former might be too high for reimbursement, I canceled it and booked an earlier flight for $93.98. The refund from southwest for $104.98 came through a day later.
Logged into Amex this morning and saw three airline reimbursements for $104.98, $93.98, and $1.04. The reimbursement for $104.98 will surely be clawed back and the meter not reset, right? Obviously not going to call in about this one...
Logged into Amex this morning and saw three airline reimbursements for $104.98, $93.98, and $1.04. The reimbursement for $104.98 will surely be clawed back and the meter not reset, right? Obviously not going to call in about this one...
Mar 9, 2021, 6:31 am
#963
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,781
Mar 9, 2021, 6:54 am
#964
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 47
im confused. lay out it more clearly for us with dates. im assuming you did 104 + 93 x 2 but you cancelled 104? but amex credited you with 104 + 93 + 1? but you bought 93 x 2 right? just cancel your flights to get TF. then buy another flight priced higher than your TF. then pay with the TF + amex for the remaining air credit. then cancel again. all TF would be grouped together with the earliest exp date. which doesnt matter since you just bought it anyway. its all the same dates.
Mar 9, 2021, 7:46 am
#965
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
I think I messed this one up and may cost myself $94. Last week, I booked two one ways at $104.98 and $93.98. Realizing the former might be too high for reimbursement, I canceled it and booked an earlier flight for $93.98. The refund from southwest for $104.98 came through a day later. Logged into Amex this morning and saw three airline reimbursements for $104.98, $93.98, and $1.04. The reimbursement for $104.98 will surely be clawed back and the meter not reset, right? Obviously not going to call in about this one...
Mar 9, 2021, 8:47 am
#966
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
Your understanding is correct. I assume Amex will reverse the $104.98 credit since WN refunded that amount. Will Amex then reimburse another $104.98 in the future? If so, I'll follow your suggestion of canceling the rebooked flight of $93.98 and using TF+Amex to purchase another flight. Thanks.
http://www.doctorofcredit.com/americ...-prevent-abuse
thats not how people work. they do the mistake first. panic. then come here for help. then call the bank and reference FT.
Mar 13, 2021, 6:46 am
#967
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 194
Purchased OW for 2 passengers at $157.98/person after taxes ($133.56/person before taxes).
Used 2x $25 gift cards. Both were applied to one passenger automatically.
Ended up with two charges posted on March 10 using Aspire: $107.98 and $157.98.
March 12: $107.98 credited back
Mar 15, 2021, 9:54 am
#968
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 107
Amex Gold
March 11: $98 ticket purchase
March 15: Airline credit reimbursement
Amex Plat
March 11: $94 ticket purchase
March 15: Airline credit reimbursement
March 11: $98 ticket purchase
March 15: Airline credit reimbursement
Amex Plat
March 11: $94 ticket purchase
March 15: Airline credit reimbursement
Mar 16, 2021, 5:44 pm
#969
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: HH Dia, Marriott Titanium, AA Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 192
Anyone else having issues receiving gift cards? I did the math & purchased a GC to get the remaining balance of a flight down to $99--a day has passed & I still haven't received GC-called & they're saying it could take up to 72 hours for it to be generated? This is a first for me.
Mar 23, 2021, 9:08 am
#970
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,934
I just bought a $98 ticket to use the credit. But need a different date and destination, more expensive ticket. So I need to change or cancel the flight within the 24 hour booking window. Credit won’t post for a few days. I don’t want Amex to refund. If I cancel the ticket, can I request travel funds rather than refund? Or if I change and pay the difference with a different card, would that work? Not sure how SW billing works.
Mar 23, 2021, 11:07 am
#971
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
I just bought a $98 ticket to use the credit. But need a different date and destination, more expensive ticket. So I need to change or cancel the flight within the 24 hour booking window. Credit won’t post for a few days. I don’t want Amex to refund. If I cancel the ticket, can I request travel funds rather than refund? Or if I change and pay the difference with a different card, would that work? Not sure how SW billing works.
Mar 29, 2021, 1:43 am
#972
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 6
I just bought a $98 ticket to use the credit. But need a different date and destination, more expensive ticket. So I need to change or cancel the flight within the 24 hour booking window. Credit won’t post for a few days. I don’t want Amex to refund. If I cancel the ticket, can I request travel funds rather than refund? Or if I change and pay the difference with a different card, would that work? Not sure how SW billing works.
Mar 29, 2021, 7:33 am
#973
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,934
You can change the flight details without cancelling the ticket (i.e., one or both destinations and/or the flight date), so long as the name on the ticket is on the same. You can also do this after the 24 hour window up to the date of the flight. If your new flight is more expensive, you will need to pay the extra amount by credit card. If your new flight is cheaper, you will get travel funds credit. For one particular trip, I made multiple changes to a ticket (changing the departure airport, then the arrival airport, then the date) without issues.
Mar 31, 2021, 7:46 pm
#974
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 2
First time doing this, sorry. If I'm actually planning to travel but the flight I want is about $150, do I have to book a flight under $100, wait 24 hours, cancel and then apply the funds, or can I buy a flight for under $100 and then immediately change it to $150 flight. If I paid for the remainder with my Plat again would it trigger the credit twice e.g. the initial $100 + the $50 difference on the new flight? Or is that kind of risky with Amex and better to pay the remainder with another card?
Apr 1, 2021, 7:56 am
#975
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: Whoever Has the Best Bonus
Posts: 5,183
$5.60 reward fees booked on 3/28 reimbursed by 4/1. Bookings on 3/30 not yet reimbursed but expect it to take a couple more days.
