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 4, 2021, 7:05 am
#856
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: Whoever Has the Best Bonus
Posts: 5,183
Gonna likely lock this one up before it changes here again.
Jan 4, 2021, 7:56 am
#857
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 43
P1- Amex Gold
1/1/2021 Changed airline to SW
1/1/2021 Bought OW ticket $98.98
1/3/2021 Meter moved AND Credit posted
P2- Amex Gold
*SW already selected from previous year, 2020
1/1/2021 Bought OW ticket $98.98
1/3/2021 Meter moved AND Credit posted
1/1/2021 Changed airline to SW
1/1/2021 Bought OW ticket $98.98
1/3/2021 Meter moved AND Credit posted
P2- Amex Gold
*SW already selected from previous year, 2020
1/1/2021 Bought OW ticket $98.98
1/3/2021 Meter moved AND Credit posted
Jan 4, 2021, 9:38 am
#858
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Spokane Valley, Wa
Posts: 17
What's an OW ticket?
Jan 4, 2021, 9:58 am
#859
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 6
Just a heads up- you can only use 3 forms of payment to book flights. Used this travel fund method for platinum and gold in 2020. Used it again on Jan 1 for my gold account to cover flights that I wanted for my family. So I had 4 different $100 travel fund codes and could only use 2 of them and had to pay out of pocket to cover rest of flight.
Jan 4, 2021, 7:46 pm
#861
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 4
Just a heads up- you can only use 3 forms of payment to book flights. Used this travel fund method for platinum and gold in 2020. Used it again on Jan 1 for my gold account to cover flights that I wanted for my family. So I had 4 different $100 travel fund codes and could only use 2 of them and had to pay out of pocket to cover rest of flight.
Jan 5, 2021, 7:08 am
#862
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 10
12/30/2020 - Bought 4x OW flights (48.98 each)
01/02/2020 - Credits for each flight applied to account
Jan 5, 2021, 7:32 am
#863
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 13
I fear I know the answer to this, but going to ask anyways. I am applying travel funds to an upcoming flight withmy wife. It is only going to cover my half of the flight or will it apply to the entire flight?
Jan 5, 2021, 8:24 am
#864
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,559
Jan 6, 2021, 7:27 am
#865
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
More data points for 2021:
Hilton Amex Aspire
Purchase: $92.01 Saturday 1/2; Posted Monday 1/4, Credit Tuesday 1/5
Purchase: $98.98 Sunday 1/3; Posted Tuesday 1/5; Credit Wednesday 1/6
Amex Platinum
Purchase: $98.98 Sunday 1/3; Posted Tuesday 1/5; Credit Wednesday 1/6
My wife had the same 3 purchases, all on Hilton Amex Aspire and all followed the same timeline.
All OW.
Cheers.
Hilton Amex Aspire
Purchase: $92.01 Saturday 1/2; Posted Monday 1/4, Credit Tuesday 1/5
Purchase: $98.98 Sunday 1/3; Posted Tuesday 1/5; Credit Wednesday 1/6
Amex Platinum
Purchase: $98.98 Sunday 1/3; Posted Tuesday 1/5; Credit Wednesday 1/6
My wife had the same 3 purchases, all on Hilton Amex Aspire and all followed the same timeline.
All OW.
Cheers.
Last edited by brp; Jan 6, 2021 at 6:52 pm
Jan 7, 2021, 6:08 am
#866
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 13
Data points for 2021:
1/4 Purchased two OW tickets, $98 & $93
1/6 Posted
1/7 Credit posted for both
1/4 Purchased two OW tickets, $98 & $93
1/6 Posted
1/7 Credit posted for both
Jan 7, 2021, 7:18 am
#867
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: Whoever Has the Best Bonus
Posts: 5,183
So far so good, $64 and $98 OW tickets reimbursed on Plat/Aspire today for purchases a few days ago.
Jan 8, 2021, 11:21 am
#868
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Southern California
Programs: AA EXP - 6 MM | Amex Platinum | Hyatt Globalist | Hilton Diamond | IHG Spire Elite | Bonvoy Plat.
Posts: 765
Data points with purchases of one way or round-trip less than $100.
Amex Biz Platinum $200. Charged 1/5/21 and credited 1/7/21
Amex Platinum Personal: $200 Charged 1/5/21 and credited 1/7/21
Amex Aspire: $250. Charged 1/5/21 and credited 1/7/21
Amex Gold card: $100 - Charged 1/5/21 and credited 1/7/21
Amex Biz Platinum $200. Charged 1/5/21 and credited 1/7/21
Amex Platinum Personal: $200 Charged 1/5/21 and credited 1/7/21
Amex Aspire: $250. Charged 1/5/21 and credited 1/7/21
Amex Gold card: $100 - Charged 1/5/21 and credited 1/7/21
Jan 8, 2021, 11:58 am
#869
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 40
I got reimbursement for two of my WN flights payment (paid using platinum) on Dec. 25th. I contacted Amex recently via chat to know my progress (minimum spending requirement) towards the sign up bonus. The customer care representative informed me that only charges till Dec. 26th is counted towards the progress. I contacted them a few more times to get any update, but nothing changed. Now, they also opened a case on this, almost without my confirmation. I am worried that the backend team may find out about these flight ticket reimbursement when they solve my case.
Jan 8, 2021, 12:05 pm
#870
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,937
Is this really the last option left besides actual qualified expenses like luggage fees? I’ve got $400 in credits for this year and am reluctant to have more WN travel funds esp given the uncertainty of travel. But I don’t want to wait too long and end up with only options I will never use.