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:
A general discussion of Travel Bank is in a separate thread .
(2021 discussion of UA available at this link.)
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.
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.)
A general discussion of Travel Bank is in a separate thread .
(2021 discussion of UA available at this link.)
Airline fee $250/$200 reimbursement reports: UA only (2022)
#856
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,351
They don't "always" but I have also had the issue some of the time so I need to remove the old card which is anyway used already and add the new one. Yes, it's an extra hassle, but it is what it is.
#857
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
#859
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 2
Longtime listener, first time caller.
Hilton Aspire
Aug 9 - chose UA as airline, refreshed desktop webpage to verify selection
Aug 9 - $250 Travel Bank purchase made
Aug 12 - $250 credit received
Hilton Aspire
Aug 9 - chose UA as airline, refreshed desktop webpage to verify selection
Aug 9 - $250 Travel Bank purchase made
Aug 12 - $250 credit received
#861
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 2
Yes, single TravelBank $250 since this is the Aspire. (Platinum I could see the reason for 2 x $100, but in my case that I've already burned through that credit organically this year through business travel)
#862
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 2
AMEX Platinum - $100 charged to Travel Bank on 8/15
AMEX Platinum Business - $100 charged to Travel Bank on 8/15
AMEX Aspire - $100 charged to Travel Bank on 8/15
Still waiting for credits to post...
AMEX Platinum Business - $100 charged to Travel Bank on 8/15
AMEX Aspire - $100 charged to Travel Bank on 8/15
Still waiting for credits to post...
#863
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
#864
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 2
These posted yesterday. I designated UA on the 15th (for Aspire and everything else has been UA).
#865
Join Date: Aug 2022
Programs: HH Diamond, AMEX Plat, Aeroplan 25k
Posts: 1
Hilton Aspire
Aug 17 - $50 Travel Bank purchase
Aug 20 - $50 Credit Received
Aug 17 - $50 Travel Bank purchase
Aug 20 - $50 Credit Received
#866
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 6
Purchased $100x2 TravelBank on Platinum. Both charges showed up but after a week or so one of them stayed pending then disappeared. The other posted and I got the $100 reimbursement. Now on my United account I have $200 TravelBank but only $100/$200 used on airline reimbursement on Platinum. This ever happened to anyone? It has now been 15 days since I purchased the TravelBank credits.
#867
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 88
Another Data Point
Hilton Aspire
Aug 21 - $250 Travel Bank Purchase
Aug 25 - $250 Credit Received
Hilton Aspire
Aug 21 - $250 Travel Bank Purchase
Aug 25 - $250 Credit Received
#868
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 104
First time for me trying this. I had not selected an airline, so went ahead and chose United on August 25. Having received the on-screen confirmation that my selection was in effect, I went ahead and made 2 x $100 Travel Bank purchases within 1-2 minutes of making the airline selection. Tracker on the Amex site updated the following day, showing that I had used my $200 airline fee benefit. The charges finalized the day after that, and the credits were posted on August 28.
#869
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold (BIS), AA LT Plat (CC SUBs & BD), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 3,299
#870
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 7
So I selected UA as my airline, and 2 days later purchased $100 travel bank. Looking at my Amex app now, it looks like I'll earn 5x MR and it's categorized it as airfare. Seems like this didn't work for me and I won't get the credit .