Reminder: you must enroll and select UA as your airline, then wait a day -- BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase.

WARNING: Beginning in mid-January 2021 Travel Bank (and its former Gift Registry) purchases are coded as Gift Certificates rather than Special Service Tickets. Travel Bank purchases are no longer reimbursed.

In mid-February 2021 United again changed the processing of Travel Bank deposit transactions. They are coded as Special Service Tickets, and reimbursed by American Express, but no assurance this will continue. Purchase here: https://www.united.com/offers/travelcash

Travel bank amounts that you can purchase are $50, $100, $250, or more (see screenshot in this post). There is no $200 amount so Platinum card holders with $200 credit will need to purchase 2 x $100.

If credit is not automatically issued (unlikely based on data points), do not contact Amex customer service as it might lead them to close the loophole.

See also this thread in the United Airliines forum on TravelBank: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...get-bonus.html


United does not sell giftcards. As of December 2016 American Express no longer reimburses MPX transactions.

Airline Taxes on Award Tickets Doesn't seem to work anymore; see post 179 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/25297196-post179.html and #391

Economy Plus and First Class Upgrade Fees Subscription worked in Feb 2020, data point here. As of December 2016 there were conflicting posts; one stating that an upgrade to E+ coded as an "upgrade fee" and was, therefore, not reimbursed. Others said they were reimbursed as it was coded as "preferred seat upgrade." In February 2019, three separate FTer reported receiving varying amounts of reimbursement (dependent upon which card was used for the purchase) after purchasing an E+ annual subscription. The E+ subscriptions code as "preferred seat upgrade". Upgrading from E to FC will also not be reimbursed because it codes as a passenger ticket even when done after buying the original ticket. There seems to be a distinction between seat upgrades being reimbursed, while ticket upgrades are not.

Award AcceleratorI would not risk this. The last report of being reimbursed for Award Accelerator was for $68 on October 27, 2011. Every post about Award Accelerator since has reported "No reimbursement."

Eligible incidental fees include:

• Checked baggage fees (including overweight/oversize)
• Itinerary change fees
• Phone reservation fees
• FareLock
• Pet flight fees
• Seat assignment fees (E+)
• In-flight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, headphones)
• In-flight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet unless it is billed by the airline.)
• Airport lounge day passes & annual memberships
• Onboard WIFI (provided it is billed by the airline.)

A general discussion of Travel Bank is in a separate thread .