Jan 6, 2020, 1:19 pm
Last edit by: rrgg
Please read: This is a community-maintained wiki post containing the most important information from this thread. You may edit the Wiki once you have been on FT for 90 days and have made 90 posts.
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."
Credit posting delays range from several business days (typical) to several weeks (seen in Oct 2015). The T&Cs state that it could take up to four weeks, so wait at least that long before worrying, and certainly don't contact Amex prematurely
Caution: effective from 22 June 2019, gift card purchases from Delta do not get reimbursed.
Read this primer first
Additional Collections/Split Tender -- THIS IS A LOOPHOLE. BE DISCREET
Quote:
TL;DR: Anything coded as an additional collection (a.k.a. add/collect or a/c), including difference in fare when changing flights,and accepting an FCM offer, also triggers the credit and will be reimbursed, provided that the amount charged to your card is $250 or less (regardless of card type, e.g. there have been reports of full $100 credit for Gold card on a/c over $100 and full $200 credit for Plat on a/c over $200, but always $250 or less)
How to do it: With waived fee for cancellation/changes on non-refundable tickets (due to COVID-19) you get an eCredit when cancelling it, so you can:
Paying for a ticket partially with SkyMiles
NOTE that DL has two different programs for partially paying with SkyMiles, that seem superficially similar, but are quite different
other non Gift Card options
these may not credit automatically, but people have had success getting them processed manually after the fact
(DEAD) eGift Card (eCert) details
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."
Credit posting delays range from several business days (typical) to several weeks (seen in Oct 2015). The T&Cs state that it could take up to four weeks, so wait at least that long before worrying, and certainly don't contact Amex prematurely
Caution: effective from 22 June 2019, gift card purchases from Delta do not get reimbursed.
Read this primer first
- In the Amex Membership Rewards family, both the Consumer and Business versions of the Platinum and Centurion cards qualify for a $200 airline credit. The Premier Rewards Gold (PRG) card is eligible for a $100 airline credit (the Gold credit is going away in 2022). Hilton Aspire AMEX is eligible for a $250 airline credit.
- You must click here to select Delta as your enrolled airline before you make a reimbursable purchase, else the benefit won't apply. The feature is activated immediately upon airline designation.
- If you've selected DL in the past and don't wish to change airlines, there's no need to select again; current selection rolls into future years until modified.
- The T&Cs state the eligible charges, but YMMV, so don't call and ask especially about the fuzzier cases below because that will probably hasten closing of any loopholes.
- The credit is per account, not per card. If the main account has authorized users with additional cards, eligible charges may still be made on those cards, but they'll count jointly towards the same account limit.
- Credits are capped per calendar year, meaning you could tap the full amount on Dec 31st and again on Jan 1st in the extreme. Transaction date, not posting date, determines the year. Note: This is not my experience. I purchased Dec 31, 2016, posted Jan 1, 2017 and went against my 2017 credit. (TheMadBrewer)
- You will get a partial credit to bring your total annual reimbursements to the limit exactly if a qualifying charge takes you past the limit.
- After four weeks, if you've read this Wiki carefully and posted here seeking assistance but the credit still has not arrived, consider chatting with Amex online. Politely mention the "Delta extras" you thought would be reimbursed within four weeks and they'll handle it.
Additional Collections/Split Tender -- THIS IS A LOOPHOLE. BE DISCREET
Quote:
TL;DR: Anything coded as an additional collection (a.k.a. add/collect or a/c), including difference in fare when changing flights,
How to do it: With waived fee for cancellation/changes on non-refundable tickets (due to COVID-19) you get an eCredit when cancelling it, so you can:
- Buy a non-refundable ticket with any combination of gift card/eCredit plus your AMEX, again provided that the residual amount charged to your card is $250 or less
- After credit has posted, and at least 48 hours after buying it, cancel it (ensure there's no fee for cancelling it) so you get an updated eCredit for the full ticket amount.
- alternatively, if you buy a ticket far enough in the future, there is no particular need to cancel the ticket, just change it once you have some new dates or itinerary in mind (you can change origin, destination or both)
- however, note that the waiver of change fees on Basic Economy tickets is ending: https://www.delta.com/us/en/travel-p...sbeforeapril30
- thus you should use main cabin tickets for this purpose (assuming DL does not extend the BE policy due to omicron etc.)
- You can even use the result of (2) as an eCredit to repeat step 1 with a different AMEX card if you have multiples. Note that in this context, changing an unflown future ticket is exactly equivalent to an eCredit in the amount of the ticket's value.
- Relevantly, split tender where you partially pay with a gift card, existing credit, VDB voucher etc. and partly charged to your card, are processed by DL as an add/collect and trigger the credit per above.
- Thus if you anticipate actually buying, say, a $200 DL ticket, you could buy a single $50 gift card, then buy the ticket using $50 GC and $150 on your card (the $150 will be reimbursed). This is just an example; as per the previous bullet there is no reason it needs to be specifically $50, or even a gift card. The "additional collection" is what leads to the credit, the reason why it is "additional" is unimportant.
- In general, only additional collections less than ~$250 are automatically reimbursed. If you use a $50 gift card to buy a $500 ticket, a $450 additional collection will be generated but it will not be auto-reimbursed by Amex.
- If you already have gift cards or ecredits in particular denominations that don't line up well with the price of the ticket you want to buy (additional collection will end up being too much to get auto-reimbursed or too little to efficiently use up the fee credit), consider whether you may be able to reach a better outcome by splitting up the purchase -- buying a round trip as two one ways or buying multiple passengers separately. But, note that buying 2 one-ways instead of a round trip can sometimes cost more, making it not worthwhile, and note the caveats about multiple passenger purchases below, as well as considering the risk that buying 2 passengers separately can have negative implications for Medallion upgrades (if applicable) as well as creating the risk that you are separated from your travel companions if there is a flight cancellation.
- The "additional collection" transaction notation shows up after the transaction posts, on the website only (both desktop and mobile) if you click into a transaction to view the details (it does not appear in the app, or while the purchase is pending)
- Note that special care is needed when booking tickets for 2 or more people in a single transaction.
- When booking multiple people in a single transaction on Delta.com, each person's ticket charges to the credit card in a separate transaction, and gift cards are used starting with the first ticket until they are exhausted. So for example if you were booking 2x $210 tickets, for a total transaction of $420, if you used a $200 gift card the charges would post to Amex as a $10 additional collection on the first person and a $210 regular ticket charge for the second person, resulting in only a $10 reimbursement. For the same two tickets if you used a $220 gift card, the first person would be covered entirely by the gift card and the second person's ticket would charge as a $190 additional collection, resulting in a $190 reimbursement.
- This would work differently if ecredits are used instead of gift cards since ecredits are not transferrable -- ecredits can only be applied to a ticket for a person whose name is on the ecredit; if other people are booked in the same transaction, any leftover ecredit balance will *not* be applied to those other people.
- Canceling a ticket within the 24-hour[1] risk-free period generally results in funds being returned to where they came from (GC back to GC and CC back to CC) even if the ticket is non-refundable; also, Delta interprets the 24-hour risk free cancellation period generously -- you actually have until midnight of the day following the day of booking (in which time zone is oft-speculated but unclear). Thus, this can work out to nearly 48 hours if the timing is exactly right. Hence the suggestion above to cancel only after 48 hours, or avoid canceling altogether.
- Caution when buying multiple tickets in a single transaction: for example if you buy two $125 tickets in one transaction (total $250) and use one $100 GC or even two $50 GCs, they will all be applied to the same ticket and you would see one additional collection for $25 on that ticket and a separate "normal" charge for $125 for the second ticket. In this scenario only $25 will be reimbursed (instead of the $150 you might be expecting). In this situation you would need to book the two tickets separately to get the credit on each one.
- FCM offers may require accepting for the entire trip (vs just one segment) or calling in to up-fare the whole trip (please post data points either way)
Paying for a ticket partially with SkyMiles
NOTE that DL has two different programs for partially paying with SkyMiles, that seem superficially similar, but are quite different
- Pay With Miles is a feature available to DL-branded AMEX cardholders that lets you pay for part of your ticket using SkyMiles in increments of 5,000 miles = $50. If you use PWM then the remaining amount charged to your card posts as additional collection and will qualify for the fee credit (multiple data points)
- Miles + Cash is like buying an award ticket but using cash to substitute for some of the miles. As an example, you might be offered a ticket for 40,000 miles + $5.60, or 30,000 miles + $205.60 (these numbers are made up). If you choose the latter option what you are really doing is buying 10,000 miles for $200, then using those 10,000 miles plus 30,000 that you already had to buy the 40,000 ticket + $5.60 in taxes. This will post as two separate transactions, $200 for the miles purchase, and $5.60 for the taxes on the award ticket. The $5.60 will be reimbursed (just like any other award ticket). The $200 seems like it does not get automatically reimbursed, although it may post as "Frequent Flyer Fee/Purchase" in which case you have a pretty good case for getting it credited manually by contacting AMEX.
- Note: Miles + Cash is usually a terrible value (even for SkyMiles)
- See the list of FAQs at the bottom of the "Pay With Miles" page for more info (search in particular for "What is the difference between Pay with Miles and Miles + Cash?")
other non Gift Card options
- baggage and other service fees (same day change/standby, change fees, etc.)
- taxes on award flights (including the $5.60 September 11 security fee)
- in-flight purchases (EXCEPT wifi) -- although currently nothing available due to COVID?
- SkyClub access/guest fees (but NOT gift cards purchased at a SC, which are actually activated at a 3rd party web site)
mileage boosts (post 2499)trip extras have been discontinuedThe $59 for Delta Skymiles Select is reimbursed (posts 2180, 2182)SkyMiles Select is no longer available for purchase
these may not credit automatically, but people have had success getting them processed manually after the fact
- seat purchase fees (if you buy an upgrade and it does not credit automatically and you call in, do not call it an upgrade, call it a seat purchase/assignment fee)
- premium beverages purchased in the Sky Club (post 462)
(DEAD) eGift Card (eCert) details
- gift cards have not worked since 2019/06/22 and this section has been removed to save space. See the 2015-2019 version of this thread for historical details.
Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: DL only (2020-21)
Mar 9, 2020, 3:49 pm
#496
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,028
Damnit, Was looking at a flight for $340 and now all of a sudden it spiked to $800.
Mar 10, 2020, 9:34 am
#497
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,239
Sounds like a mileage award ticket though, on personal travel? I'd try to get your employer to reimburse it before using the credit.
I don't know where you're located, but do you (or your office) really think you're that much safer in your home city vs. another city?
Mar 10, 2020, 10:08 am
#498
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
Yes, change fees are covered.
Sounds like a mileage award ticket though, on personal travel? I'd try to get your employer to reimburse it before using the credit.
I don't know where you're located, but do you (or your office) really think you're that much safer in your home city vs. another city?
Sounds like a mileage award ticket though, on personal travel? I'd try to get your employer to reimburse it before using the credit.
I don't know where you're located, but do you (or your office) really think you're that much safer in your home city vs. another city?
Mar 12, 2020, 10:09 pm
#499
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Charleston, SC
Programs: SPG/Marriot Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 412
Yes, change fees are covered.
Sounds like a mileage award ticket though, on personal travel? I'd try to get your employer to reimburse it before using the credit.
I don't know where you're located, but do you (or your office) really think you're that much safer in your home city vs. another city?
Sounds like a mileage award ticket though, on personal travel? I'd try to get your employer to reimburse it before using the credit.
I don't know where you're located, but do you (or your office) really think you're that much safer in your home city vs. another city?
Mar 13, 2020, 8:10 am
#500
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,239
I am in a coastal city on the southeastern coast. We have a handful of virus patients, but not the level of NYC/New York State. I unfortunately cancelled my flight before Delta said they would waive the fees of changing flights. If Amex doesn't cover it, I may call in and see if they will refund. So far, the credit has not triggered, but it has only been 2 days.
Mar 13, 2020, 9:52 am
#501
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 13
March 10: Purchased $162 round trip ticket with $50 physical gift card and $112 on Plat.
March 13: Credit posts for $112 as charge had posted as "Additional Collection"
Thanks!
March 13: Credit posts for $112 as charge had posted as "Additional Collection"
Thanks!
Mar 13, 2020, 9:54 am
#502
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
I am in a coastal city on the southeastern coast. We have a handful of virus patients, but not the level of NYC/New York State. I unfortunately cancelled my flight before Delta said they would waive the fees of changing flights. If Amex doesn't cover it, I may call in and see if they will refund. So far, the credit has not triggered, but it has only been 2 days.
Either way I'd contact Delta and explain the situation and you should get a credit. I had a 45 minute wait Tuesday on the diamond desk line and I am sure it will be a lot longer now that the Europe announcement was made on Tuesday and a lot longer for a non-PM or DM (i'm assuming you aren't PM level if you paid a fee on a reward cancel unless it was a ticket for a flight less than three days out) and would recomend twitter instead of calling.
Mar 14, 2020, 10:47 am
#503
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: DXB
Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 2,812
Say I want to book a DL flight for 1000$. I buy a 850$ gift card, 150$ will be reimbursed - right? But do you still earn 5x points on the 850$ gift card purchase?
Mar 14, 2020, 12:25 pm
#504
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: RDU
Programs: HH Diamond, AA Gold, Marriot Plat
Posts: 209
That is correct, you'll get reimbursed up to $150 depending which card you used (i.e Plat, Gold or Hilton Aspire)
Mar 14, 2020, 12:27 pm
#505
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: DXB
Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 2,812
But my question was about the 5x on the gift card purchase...
Mar 14, 2020, 12:37 pm
#506
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
Anyone else having issues cancelling a ticket that was partially paid with a gift card?
I used a gift card and put the remainder on my Hilton CC to generate the credit. Not taking the trip now and fine with the credit to use within a year on a future trip but when I get to the screen to cancel it says the ticket can't be cancelled online and to call Delta. Tuesday I waited over 45 minutes on the diamond desk line and don't want to tie their agents up. I just want to make sure I get the entire purchase price back as a credit for a future flight
I used a gift card and put the remainder on my Hilton CC to generate the credit. Not taking the trip now and fine with the credit to use within a year on a future trip but when I get to the screen to cancel it says the ticket can't be cancelled online and to call Delta. Tuesday I waited over 45 minutes on the diamond desk line and don't want to tie their agents up. I just want to make sure I get the entire purchase price back as a credit for a future flight
Mar 14, 2020, 2:41 pm
#507
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
Anyone else having issues cancelling a ticket that was partially paid with a gift card?
I used a gift card and put the remainder on my Hilton CC to generate the credit. Not taking the trip now and fine with the credit to use within a year on a future trip but when I get to the screen to cancel it says the ticket can't be cancelled online and to call Delta. Tuesday I waited over 45 minutes on the diamond desk line and don't want to tie their agents up. I just want to make sure I get the entire purchase price back as a credit for a future flight
I used a gift card and put the remainder on my Hilton CC to generate the credit. Not taking the trip now and fine with the credit to use within a year on a future trip but when I get to the screen to cancel it says the ticket can't be cancelled online and to call Delta. Tuesday I waited over 45 minutes on the diamond desk line and don't want to tie their agents up. I just want to make sure I get the entire purchase price back as a credit for a future flight
Mar 14, 2020, 3:19 pm
#508
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
Let us know what you find...I have an April flight to NYC booked in a painful way that I don't want to repeat...would love to just get one single Delta gift card with the amount for each flight I booked and not deal with AMEX clawing back the airline credit...still planning on flying in July but I don't want to re-book now because flights are 10-15% more costly
Mar 14, 2020, 5:08 pm
#510
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 12
I agree. Fantastic idea. I wonder what would happen if he rolled it up one more time to a bigger ticket and used a gift card he paid cash for to cover the different. Then, he asks for a refund, and where would it go? Into another voucher?