Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Credit, Debit and Prepaid Card Programs > American Express | Membership Rewards
Reload this Page >

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

Old Jan 1, 2022, 11:44 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: rrgg
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'sa 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). May appear as United Electronic Ticketing or United Airlines Houston. 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. DO NOT CALL Amex to ask about being credited for this.

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.)
Print Wikipost

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

Old Jul 30, 2022, 8:09 pm
  #841  
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 3
Platinum

1/1 - WN was set and never changed
7/26 (1:00 PM) - Bought 2x $100 from United TravelBank Cash pending as "UNITED ELECTRONIC TICKETING"
7/26 (3:00 PM) - Realized that I screwed up and immediately called to change the airline selection to UA
7/28 - Purchases posted as "UNITED AIRLINES"
7/29 - Statement Credit posted for 2x $100
COBOLCODERUSEALLCAPS is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2022, 9:03 pm
  #842  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,296
Originally Posted by COBOLCODERUSEALLCAPS
Platinum

1/1 - WN was set and never changed
7/26 (1:00 PM) - Bought 2x $100 from United TravelBank Cash pending as "UNITED ELECTRONIC TICKETING"
7/26 (3:00 PM) - Realized that I screwed up and immediately called to change the airline selection to UA
7/28 - Purchases posted as "UNITED AIRLINES"
7/29 - Statement Credit posted for 2x $100
This is for all those who insist you need to wait at least 24 hours after selecting UA to purchase travel bank in order to get the refund.

Welcome to FT!
friedablass is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2022, 9:07 pm
  #843  
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by friedablass
This is for all those who insist you need to wait at least 24 hours after selecting UA to purchase travel bank in order to get the refund.

Welcome to FT!
Glad to be here. I've been lurking and looking at DPs for these credits, and I'm happy to contribute something useful, although it's playing with fire!
COBOLCODERUSEALLCAPS is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2022, 10:39 pm
  #844  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,463
Originally Posted by friedablass
This is for all those who insist you need to wait at least 24 hours after selecting UA to purchase travel bank in order to get the refund.
There has always been a range for how quickly the airline selection updates! All other AmEx processes continue to be highly variable. It was a really pleasant surprise that the OP got lucky with the latest experience. But one DP does not translate to a change in expectations. It's BAU.
SPN Lifer and 36902BRF like this.
MaxVO is offline  
Old Aug 1, 2022, 4:55 am
  #845  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 14,820
OP = original poster
DP = data point
BAU = business as usual
friedablass likes this.
SPN Lifer is offline  
Old Aug 6, 2022, 1:15 am
  #846  
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 3
Platinum, Business Platinum

07/31 - Purchased 10x $100 from United TravelBank Cash
08/02 - Purchase Posted as "UNITED AIRLINES"
08/03 - Meter moved
08/05 - Statement credit posts for all cards
SPN Lifer likes this.
COBOLCODERUSEALLCAPS is offline  
Old Aug 7, 2022, 12:45 pm
  #847  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,296
Originally Posted by MaxVO
There has always been a range for how quickly the airline selection updates! All other AmEx processes continue to be highly variable. It was a really pleasant surprise that the OP got lucky with the latest experience. But one DP does not translate to a change in expectations. It's BAU.
The OP's isn't the only DP. There have been several over the years of this happening and even more DPs of those that selected the airline, received immediate email confirmation of selection, and immediately purchased UA TB and successfully receiving the reimbursement (have done the latter myself many times and don't usually bother waiting 24 hours after selection). My point is that if you received the email confirming your selection there is no need to wait. But of course people are welcome to do so if it makes then feel more secure.

ETA: This doesn't only apply if one is aiming to use UA TB. The same would apply if one wants to pay for seat selections or luggage; there is no need to wait 24 hours after airline selection to make those purchases. A couple of years ago my dad had similar story to the OP. He paid for seat selections on UA and then realized that he hadn't selected UA as his airline. Immediately called and received the email confirming UA as his airline choice. Reimbursement for the seat payments posted as expected a few days later.

Last edited by friedablass; Aug 7, 2022 at 12:55 pm
friedablass is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2022, 6:09 pm
  #848  
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Mexico City, MX
Programs: No airline/hotel status use, Chase UR, Amex MR, CapOne etc
Posts: 266
Reimbursement report for those that already had a bit of their reimbursement used. I already had $40 used on Delta, I couldn't remember for the life of me what it was. called Amex July 30, told them I wanna change to United agent said it could be a problem because some of the credit was used, but said no problem, changed it to United. I waited 2 days just in case Aug 1 I bought $200 in Mileagebank credit, used it that day to book a $360 flight. Aug 4 $160 credit posted for remaining amount of the $200 credit.

This is a cool hack, though really most years I just use it on Delta to fly my pet ATL MEX. I can also report that taxes on award tickets usually posts on Delta as reimbursement from my experience, but perhaps thats changed.

levilevi likes this.
PointsPanda is offline  
Old Aug 11, 2022, 10:58 am
  #849  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
Originally Posted by PointsPanda
Reimbursement report for those that already had a bit of their reimbursement used. I already had $40 used on Delta, I couldn't remember for the life of me what it was. called Amex July 30, told them I wanna change to United agent said it could be a problem because some of the credit was used, but said no problem, changed it to United. I waited 2 days just in case Aug 1 I bought $200 in Mileagebank credit, used it that day to book a $360 flight. Aug 4 $160 credit posted for remaining amount of the $200 credit.

This is a cool hack, though really most years I just use it on Delta to fly my pet ATL MEX. I can also report that taxes on award tickets usually posts on Delta as reimbursement from my experience, but perhaps thats changed.

interesting DP.
1) u changed from DL to UA with $160 remaining. always assumed amex agents wont do it. i guess YMMV.
2) $360 air fare got credit. thought that didnt work.
GundamWing01 is offline  
Old Aug 11, 2022, 11:00 am
  #850  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
Originally Posted by IntlReg
Hilton Aspire
Test Purchase 7/26 $50
Benefit Meter - 7/30 Moved to $50

Post - 7/30 Will appear on your Aug 23 statement as UNITED AIRLINES HOUSTON TX
Statement Credit - Pending 8/23 Statement
single $250 works.

also, not sure why people keep buying $100 x 2 for plat. single $250 works. limit $50 overspend? its the same system as aspire $250. smaller number of txn could help if there are any fraud alert high volume flags set in place.

Last edited by GundamWing01; Aug 11, 2022 at 12:02 pm
GundamWing01 is offline  
Old Aug 11, 2022, 11:14 am
  #851  
 
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2,177
Originally Posted by GundamWing01
interesting DP.
1) u changed from DL to UA with $160 remaining. always assumed amex agents wont do it. i guess YMMV.
2) $360 air fare got credit. thought that didnt work.
Unless I am reading it wrong, I think they bought $200 of TravelBank, got the credit, then used the TravelBank to buy the ticket, so indirectly got the credit on the ticket
PointsPanda likes this.
Schnit is online now  
Old Aug 11, 2022, 11:43 am
  #852  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
Originally Posted by Schnit
Unless I am reading it wrong, I think they bought $200 of TravelBank, got the credit, then used the TravelBank to buy the ticket, so indirectly got the credit on the ticket
oh i see. yea, ur right. but now im confused. whats the "hack"? the switch between partially used DL to UA? i guess...
GundamWing01 is offline  
Old Aug 11, 2022, 11:50 am
  #853  
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 4
Anyone know if the $200 credit is triggered by E+ subscription
Yeezywesr is offline  
Old Aug 11, 2022, 12:32 pm
  #854  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
i hate how amex cards always have the same last 4 digits and UA tech is too stupid to see the difference.

"This card has already been added to your account. Please update the information below to add a new card."
GundamWing01 is offline  
Old Aug 11, 2022, 10:57 pm
  #855  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,296
Originally Posted by GundamWing01
single $250 works.

also, not sure why people keep buying $100 x 2 for plat. single $250 works. limit $50 overspend? its the same system as aspire $250. smaller number of txn could help if there are any fraud alert high volume flags set in place.
Yes, most people want to spend exactly $200 on the plat and there's no $200 denomination. For the Aspire I've always done the $250 straight with no issue but there are those that will break that up too into 2 100 and 1 x 50.
friedablass is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.