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Airline fee $250/$200 reimbursement reports: UA only (2023)

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Old Jan 1, 2023, 12:30 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: friedablass
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING PRIOR TO POSTING REGARDING UA TB:

Metadiscussion: WHEN to report missing airline fee reimbursements?


Your question is probably answered in this Wikipost

Reminder: you must enroll and select UA as your airline; it is generally viewed as prudent to wait a day before making a reimbursable purchase. It usually takes 5-10 to be reimbursed.

Travel Bank: There's a separate thread at this link for general discussion of Travel Bank, including important limitations on its use. As of Jan 3, 2022, and with ongoing success in 2023 as reported below, Travel Bank posts as a Special Service Ticket reimbursed by Amex (but unofficially), or United Electronic Ticketing or United Airlines Houston. Purchase here: https://www.united.com/en/US/account/travelbank 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.

Gift Cards: United does not sell gift cards.

MileagePlus X App: As of December 2016 American Express no longer reimburses MPX transactions.

READ BELOW for OTHER 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 .

(2022 discussion of UA available at this link.)
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Airline fee $250/$200 reimbursement reports: UA only (2023)

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Old Sep 6, 2023 | 5:07 pm
  #526  
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 10
Business Platinum:
9/2/23 - Purchased 2 $100 TravelBank funds
9/5/23 - Received x2 $100 reimbursement
ne0ven0m likes this.
thegreatlamb is offline  
Old Sep 6, 2023 | 5:43 pm
  #527  
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Programs: AA, but I play the field
Posts: 1,624
Originally Posted by DaveH
From reading this year's thread, I gather that with one $5.60 exception, no one is getting award taxes/fees refunded this year?
My sense is that many posters on this forum have given up on trying to track which UA incidentals count and which don't for purposes of this credit, and have opted instead to purchase Travel Bank funds as a means of using the credit, and that this may explain the lack of reports on award fees. But maybe someone else has more recent experience with that.
ZenFlyer is offline  
Old Sep 7, 2023 | 12:51 pm
  #528  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 20
My concerns unwarrented

Originally Posted by duhmel
Your assumption is correct - I was wondering why the two TB purchases and the actual ticket purchase were all coded the same while the charges on my Platinum card were pending.
A day after I posted this, the charges posted were moved off Pending and the two TB charges were coded as Travel Bank purchases. Two days later I saw that they were accepted for reimbursement by Amex.
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duhmel is offline  
Old Sep 10, 2023 | 11:01 am
  #529  
5 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: New York City
Posts: 133
Personal Platinum:
9/6/23 - Purchased x2 $100 TravelBank funds
9/9/23 - Received x2 $100 reimbursement
risenmyth is offline  
Old Sep 10, 2023 | 6:45 pm
  #530  
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 15,180
Originally Posted by mia
It does matter because American Express attempts to distinguish eligible from ineligible charges for reimbursement, but they do this by looking at details which are not displayed while a transaction is pending. In the case of United Airlines, American Express can unambiguously see that the first two are Travel Bank purchases, but nonetheless they reimburse.
Originally Posted by DaveH
From reading this year's thread, I gather that with one $5.60 exception, no one is getting award taxes/fees refunded this year?
im not sure how they make the determination, but can confirm (and Ive posted in the relevant years thread) about [unexpectedly] getting credits from low cost ticket purchases. For example, where Ive used FFCs that covered most of the ticket, but had about $10-$30 left to pay, and put that cost on my plat. Was not expecting it to, but it did. I cant recall if if Ive had award fees credited like this, but its possible. I just cant recall.
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Old Sep 13, 2023 | 9:39 pm
  #531  
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 15,180
Originally Posted by ZenFlyer
My sense is that many posters on this forum have given up on trying to track which UA incidentals count and which don't for purposes of this credit, and have opted instead to purchase Travel Bank funds as a means of using the credit, and that this may explain the lack of reports on award fees. But maybe someone else has more recent experience with that.
ok. Doing some checks today on the credits Ive used this year, and realized I did have a $5.60 charge for award travel fee reimbursedin June.

pretty much forgot about this trip, which I booked pretty close in, and then ended up canceling. Two one way awards SFO-YYZ, then return. $5.60 credited with the credit from the outbound. Whats most surprising to me is that never got clawed back after I canceled. So I got both the credit from Amex, as well as a refund from United on the same purchase.

return cost about $53 I think in fees, and that one didnt get credited.

I do suspect theres something to my theory that there is a threshold under which they will just credit it, no matter what its for. Like I said, last year, had a couple of charges for tickets that were mostly paid for using United FFCs that were also reimbursed. All were the balance was in the $10-$30 range. So I suspect anything under, say, $35 isnt really being checked and they are just crediting. Just a theory.
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Old Sep 14, 2023 | 8:38 pm
  #532  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: US
Programs: SQ KF Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 34
Hi, I've previously been able to use my Amex Plat for UA Travel Bank, however I'm now getting the error:

Enter valid credit card
The credit card you've entered couldn't be processed. Make sure your information is correct or enter a new card.

It's strange - as the transaction shows up as pre-authorized when I log into Amex and look at the transaction history. I have tried on 3 different occasions over the past month and get the same error. The card is working fine with other vendors.

Has anybody else experienced this?
paulnick is offline  
Old Sep 14, 2023 | 9:22 pm
  #533  
50 Countries Visited30 Nights3M10 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,553
Originally Posted by paulnick
...Enter valid credit card
The credit card you've entered couldn't be processed. Make sure your information is correct or enter a new card.
This sounds like a new (or changed) card error. Is it possible that there was a small change in the account, and you forgot to update UA Wallet?
MaxVO is offline  
Old Sep 14, 2023 | 9:34 pm
  #534  
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: MEL KUL
Programs: AA
Posts: 156
Adding a datapoint for September on my personal platinum card.

Sept 9 2023 - Purchased $100 TravelBank x 2
Sept 13 2023 - Amex reimbursed $100 x 2
gameover98 is offline  
Old Sep 17, 2023 | 12:39 am
  #535  
 
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 1
Strangely, I had a similar problem for a TravelBank purchase in April 2023 on my Hilton Aspire. $50 "test" try, and it never posted. 2x $100 TB purchases on my Amex Platinum, and those posted as credits within a week. Here's my transaction details on the AMEX website. Strangely, it looks like a ticket, and it lists some phantom flight from O'Hare, even though it says "Travel Bank" right below it. Anyone else experience this? Because it never posted, I hesitated from purchasing any other TB purchases on my Aspire card. This is my first year with the Aspire. I think I'll try a $100 purchase later this week.

Apr 22UNITED AIRLINES HOUSTON TX

Transaction Details

7X Points

$50.00

Will appear on your May 21 statement as UNITED AIRLINES HOUSTON TX

Flight Details

Special Service Ticket

Flight from CHICAGO O'HARE INT on April 22
CHICAGO O'HARE INTCHICAGO O'HARE INTPASSENGER

[my last name] /TRAVEL BANK CA

TICKET NUMBER

XXXXX


Originally Posted by arshi007
Well i followed your advice and just waited. Lo and behold the credit for the $50 also posted. I guess its better to just buy a single 250 TB instead of breaking it down.
owl1979 is offline  
Old Sep 17, 2023 | 5:16 am
  #536  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: US
Programs: SQ KF Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 34
You're right. I was just typing in the new card details, but when I added it to the wallet it worked. Thanks!
paulnick is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2023 | 1:10 pm
  #537  
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Mem
Programs: Delta GM, Amex Reserve, Amex Plat, JP Morgan Palladium
Posts: 997
Any idea if buying an upgrade from premium plus to Polaris will trigger the credit?
Valveking is offline  
Old Sep 20, 2023 | 11:55 pm
  #538  
 
Join Date: Sep 2023
Posts: 2
Hilton Aspire one time $250 travelbank cash purchase

Hi all, This is my first time funding my travelbank. I used my Amex Hilton Aspire to fund $250 one time @ 10:50pm on September 20th. Pretty damn nervous tbh. Hopefully I get it refunded. My question is, did I do it correctly? Please let me know! Thanks in advance!
MisterFu is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2023 | 5:12 am
  #539  
 
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2,702
Originally Posted by MisterFu
Hi all, This is my first time funding my travelbank. I used my Amex Hilton Aspire to fund $250 one time @ 10:50pm on September 20th. Pretty damn nervous tbh. Hopefully I get it refunded. My question is, did I do it correctly? Please let me know! Thanks in advance!
As long as you have united as your chosen airline you should be fine
Schnit is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2023 | 5:51 am
  #540  
 
Join Date: Sep 2023
Posts: 2
Originally Posted by Schnit
As long as you have united as your chosen airline you should be fine
Hi, thanks for the response, yes I have united as my chosen airline but I see that the transaction is labeled " United electronic ticketing" I wonder if that's what everyone got. Will update once I get my refund back. Will also do it on my personal platinum too.
MisterFu is offline  


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