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 8, 2021, 12:26 pm
#871
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 240
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.
Jan 8, 2021, 9:27 pm
#875
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,788
You could have just said X number of transactions were successful, the 4 different cards you listed aren't relevant, as it functions the same way on every card that has the airline fee credit.
I'll raise you to $950 this year... and I also converted nearly $600 in SW travel certs to points last year too. But yes, it's one of the last easy and repeatable ones. Though there are still some workarounds for UA and DL that are best discussed in their respective threads 
I'm not going full WN this year. I don't spend that much on this airline in a busy year so need to diversify.
I'm not going full WN this year. I don't spend that much on this airline in a busy year so need to diversify.
Jan 9, 2021, 8:56 pm
#876
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Silver, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat...basically all the status you can get for free...
Posts: 66
Any problems with booking cheap WN flights then canceling and accepting the refund in travel credits? I'd like to use the funds for flights that are over $100, and it's making my head spin to try to find a way to trigger the credit, especially since I'm booking for a family of four. We have only one Amex card with an airline credit, so splitting payment is no help for me.
Jan 9, 2021, 9:36 pm
#877
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
Any problems with booking cheap WN flights then canceling and accepting the refund in travel credits? I'd like to use the funds for flights that are over $100, and it's making my head spin to try to find a way to trigger the credit, especially since I'm booking for a family of four. We have only one Amex card with an airline credit, so splitting payment is no help for me.
Jan 9, 2021, 9:42 pm
#878
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 404
Any problems with booking cheap WN flights then canceling and accepting the refund in travel credits? I'd like to use the funds for flights that are over $100, and it's making my head spin to try to find a way to trigger the credit, especially since I'm booking for a family of four. We have only one Amex card with an airline credit, so splitting payment is no help for me.
Jan 9, 2021, 10:10 pm
#879
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North America
Posts: 2,265
Same as years prior .. got a couple of <$50 WGA tickets ... cancelled for a refund back to my AmEx at the 24H mark ... airline credit received ... refund received.
Note: doing this, while works, may or may not result in an eventual clawback from AmEx. I don’t care much for AmEx or potential clawbacks or bans .. so I do it every year .. and my monthly transactions are 100+ so that may or may not help to ‘bury’ these .... but just something to keep in mind.
Note: doing this, while works, may or may not result in an eventual clawback from AmEx. I don’t care much for AmEx or potential clawbacks or bans .. so I do it every year .. and my monthly transactions are 100+ so that may or may not help to ‘bury’ these .... but just something to keep in mind.
Jan 9, 2021, 10:23 pm
#880
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 13
Amex Gold
-OW ticket $99.98 purchased on 1/6
-Reimbursement on 1/8
Hilton Aspire
-OW ticket $95.19 purchased on 1/6
-Reimbursement on 1/8
Will convert these to travel credits and combine with some existing travel credits to purchase OW tickets in the $200 range. Very happy with that $99.98 fare on the gold card almost using the $100 credit in full.
-OW ticket $99.98 purchased on 1/6
-Reimbursement on 1/8
Hilton Aspire
-OW ticket $95.19 purchased on 1/6
-Reimbursement on 1/8
Will convert these to travel credits and combine with some existing travel credits to purchase OW tickets in the $200 range. Very happy with that $99.98 fare on the gold card almost using the $100 credit in full.
Jan 10, 2021, 9:23 am
#882
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953
Login to your American Express account, choose the Gold card, navigate to More > Benefits > $100 Airline Fee Credit. You must activate the benefit by choosing an airline. If you cannot find it online, call the telephone number on the back of your card.
Jan 10, 2021, 10:02 am
#883
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
Thanks, not there under my BUSINESS GOLD card, I chatted and they claim it was only available for the PERSONAL GOLD card and that benefit expired on 12/31/20 !!
Definitely worthy of a call tomorrow...
Last edited by joshua362; Jan 10, 2021 at 10:23 am
Jan 10, 2021, 10:15 am
#884
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953
Jan 10, 2021, 11:27 am
#885
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,039
So essentially a good way to use up the credit is to book a sub $100 WN OW flight, cancel the flight, take the travel credit and use that travel credit for future use?