Airline fee $250/$200 reimbursement reports: UA only (2022)

Mar 31, 22, 10:00 pm - Wikipost

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Last edit by: mia
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Your question is probably answered in this Wikipost

Reminder: you must enroll and select UA as your airline, then wait a day before making a reimbursable purchase. It can take a few days or a full week to be reimbursed.

Travel Bank: There's a separate thread at this link for general discussion of Travel Bank. Travel Bank is available again Jan. 3, 2022 and posts as a Special Service Ticket reimbursed by Amex (but unofficially). Purchase here: https://www.united.com/offers/travelcash If your transaction returns a Payment Failed error, try adding your American Express card to your United Airlines profile, and repeat the transaction using the stored card.

~~On December 31, 2021 United suspended Travel Bank deposit transactions and posted a message "Offer has ended."~~

United does not sell gift cards.

As of December 2016 American Express no longer reimburses MPX transactions.

READ BELOW for EXPENSES WHICH MAY BE REIMBURSED

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.)

Keeping Track of Your Incidentals The Amex website has a Benefits link which will show a meter to keep track of your reimbursements. You may need a desktop/laptop browser to see it.

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

(2021 discussion of UA available at this link.)

For other airlines:
AA Thread
AS Thread
B6 Thread
DL Thread
F9 Thread
HA Thread
NK Thread
UA Thread
WN Thread

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Jan 18, 22, 8:07 pm

#616

friedablass

Join Date: Nov 2007

Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold

Posts: 2,851

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sloflyer032

There are countless data points of people not waiting 24 hours and not getting the credit even though they received the email. Don't risk it, wait 24 hours

I doubt it's because they didn't wait 24 hours. Because there are as many data points of people who realized after they charged their card that they hadn't selected UA and quickly changed it while it was pending and still got the credits. (And that was me once too.)

Jan 18, 22, 8:22 pm

#617

Sloflyer032

Join Date: Dec 2019

Posts: 191

Quote:

Originally Posted by friedablass

welp it's random and there's a ton of data points to back it up. I didn't wait 24 hours once and made an immediate purchase, no reimbursement. Made the same purchase the next day and reimbursed

Jan 18, 22, 9:40 pm

#618

Traveler Dave

Join Date: Aug 2017

Location: SAN

Posts: 1,191

Quote:

Originally Posted by trikotret

That would be me. It's been 10 days with no meter change or credit 😕

Get on chat and ask them to review.

TD

Jan 19, 22, 6:02 am

#619

BIZDOCK

Join Date: Jul 2008

Posts: 52

"Payment failed"

When i try to buy I get "payment failed" using different credit cards (so not a card issue).
Any idea why? I bought last month to get 2021 credits.

EDIT: I added the card to my United profile, then came to travel bank and bought, it went through. Didnt have to do that before.

Last edited by BIZDOCK; Jan 19, 22 at 6:35 am

Jan 19, 22, 6:55 am

#620

blitzen

Join Date: Jul 2011

Location: Tri State Area

Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....

Posts: 2,526

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traveler Dave

Get on chat and ask them to review.

TD

NO! Don't point out that something that shouldn't be reimbursed is usually reimbursed by the system.

aquanine and RK23 like this.

Jan 19, 22, 12:18 pm

#621

eknock007

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: LAX

Programs: Delta Silver, Marriott Gold, HH Diamond, Ex-UA Gold, Ex-AA Gold , Ex-SPG Gold, Peon everywhere else

Posts: 614

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIZDOCK

I had to do the same thing. Probably a bug in the Travel Bank side.

Jan 19, 22, 7:52 pm

#622

sesame

Join Date: May 2015

Posts: 2

Just submitted a $50 charge on my aspire. Amex showing charge as "United Electronic Ticketing" instead of special service ticket. Fingers crossed

Jan 19, 22, 9:00 pm

#623

mia

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: Miami, Mpls & London

Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold

Posts: 45,197

Quote:

Originally Posted by sesame

....Amex showing charge as "United Electronic Ticketing" ....

This is normal. After the transaction posts (not while it is pending) look at it with a browser on a computer (not in an app on a phone or tablet), and click the transaction to view the details. That is where Special Services Ticket is displayed. It is a transaction type -not- the name of the merchant.

Jan 20, 22, 1:26 am

#624

bennytma

Join Date: Jul 2002

Location: ORY

Programs: AA-1MM, AF-Gold, Hyatt Glob

Posts: 1,144

15Jan - 2 x $100 UA TB charged
18Jan - 2 x $100 UA Airline Fee Reimbursed

gm9928 and driptoohard like this.

Jan 20, 22, 10:00 am

#625

JJ804

Join Date: Mar 2015

Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum

Posts: 112

Here's a pretty interesting data point.

I was booking 2 one-way flights for two people.

In one direction, I booked economy using Travel Bank, then separately purchased E+ on my Amex Plat and got reimbursed. It posted as "United Airlines."

In the other direction, I booked first class. I tried to purchase the whole thing (about $950) with Travel Bank, but after I clicked "buy now" it would just spin indefinitely. This happened on multiple browsers. Then I decided to put $900 on Travel Bank and the rest on the Amex Plat and it went through. The really remarkable thing is that the part I put on my Amex Plat was reimbursed! It posted as "United Electronic Ticketing."

Jan 20, 22, 12:40 pm

#626

mia

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: Miami, Mpls & London

Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold

Posts: 45,197

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ804

....It posted as "United Airlines."........It posted as "United Electronic Ticketing."

To understand why these were reimbursed please look at the transactions on americanexpress.com, click to expand each, and read the description. This won't work using the Amex app or a mobile device, it needs to be done with a browser on a computer.

Jan 20, 22, 6:50 pm

#627

emcampbe

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: SFO/SJC

Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold

Posts: 13,708

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ804

In the other direction, I booked first class. I tried to purchase the whole thing (about $950) with Travel Bank, but after I clicked "buy now" it would just spin indefinitely. This happened on multiple browsers. Then I decided to put $900 on Travel Bank and the rest on the Amex Plat and it went through. The really remarkable thing is that the part I put on my Amex Plat was reimbursed! It posted as "United Electronic Ticketing."

I reported on something similar happening to me last year - you can search the 2021 thread for details. I forget the exact amounts, but used some form of UA credit (can’t remember if it was FFC, TravelBank or ETC, or some combo thereof) to pay, with balance on plat card, on a couple of itins and got reimbursed as well. I know one was a 3-pax PNR and total owed was ~$30 - these posted as 3 $10.XX transactions and got reimbursed. I can’t remember the other instance, but it was a relatively small amount - maybe another $20-30 of balance that got reimbursed as well. I’m not sure how the ‘system’ determines what transactions are supposed to count or not, but I suspect the low dollar amount might have the system believe it’s a fee vs. an actual ticket.

SPN Lifer likes this.

Jan 21, 22, 2:05 pm

#628

TravelLawyer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Location: ORD (formerly SAN)

Programs: Hilton Diamond; IHG Spire; AA Gold and free agent (DH = AA EXP)

Posts: 1,877

Quote:

Originally Posted by TravelLawyer

I searched but cannot find the answer. Does the UA "Bundle Offers" trigger the reimbursement? The one I'm looking at combines E+ seating with UC access, which separately would trigger the credit. However, I am saving some money by purchasing together. (Cannot use TravelBank to purchase - it doesn't allow it as a payment option.)

I am answering my own question. Tested it out on the Aspire. The UA Bundle I purchased does trigger the Amex credit. Since TravelBank doesn't work with Bundles, you can purchase the Bundle directly on your Amex card. Woo!

SPN Lifer and mia like this.