Last edit by: friedablass
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING PRIOR TO POSTING REGARDING UA TB:
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:
A general discussion of Travel Bank is in a separate thread .
(2022 discussion of UA available at this link.)
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.)
A general discussion of Travel Bank is in a separate thread .
(2022 discussion of UA available at this link.)
Airline fee $250/$200 reimbursement reports: UA only (2023)
#571
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 5
Even if you have used the $250 on the aspire, the credit is now reset. Who is willing to test the $50 on the travel bank???
#573
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,122
#574
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Signatures.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 49,055
#575
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP, UA Gold, Hilton Diamond, Johnnie Walker Blue
Posts: 120
I did not want to try it on the day of the changes so I waited until today for a $50 TB purchase. I will report back as well.
#576
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: 3,371
Agreed in principle. But since UA TB essentially mandates that one fly on UA in the future, some may consider flying on UA to be so unenjoyable that the risk is doing so on their own dime (unreimbursed TB purchase), compared to (the perception of) flying on UA on AmEx’s dime (reimbursed TB purchase).
#577
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,491
Even if someone is certain to need flying, they might forget the exp. date and let their scrip expire worthless, or the airline might end operating or cancel the scrip.
#578
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: 3,371
I would disagree in principle that legal tender has the same value as scrip (gift cards, certificates, etc). Even if someone is certain to need flying, they might forget the exp. date and let their scrip expire worthless, or the airline might end operating or cancel the scrip.
Although with 5 year TB funds expiration, the relative paucity of airlines ending operations (mergers and buyouts which preserve FF miles aside) or script, and the likely fact that those of us who take advantage of the TB hack are probably relatively OCD* (anal, fanatical) the risk is probably very low.
(* Absolutely no disrespect intended, I’m the first name on that list !)
#579
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: ORD (formerly SAN)
Programs: Hilton Diamond; IHG Platinum; Bonvoy Gold; AA Platinum Pro and United Premier Silver (DH = AA EXP)
Posts: 1,927
I have not used the $250 Aspire credit yet. If I purchase a $250 TB credit now, will it go towards that? Or will it take $50 from the new credit and $200 from the old? My tracker is gone, so I have no idea where it will hit. (Assuming it still works based on the fine print that it’s grandfathered in until December.)
#580
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: USA
Programs: American Airlines (Executive Platinum), Hyatt (Globalist), Hilton (Diamond), IHG (Diamond)
Posts: 2,935
I have not used the $250 Aspire credit yet. If I purchase a $250 TB credit now, will it go towards that? Or will it take $50 from the new credit and $200 from the old? My tracker is gone, so I have no idea where it will hit. (Assuming it still works based on the fine print that its grandfathered in until December.)
#581
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 6
Aspire DP
10/16 1x $250 TB purchase
10/19 Aspire changes announced
10/20 $250 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Airline Fee Reimbursement")
10/20 $50 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Flight Credit")
(Yes, the new $50 quarterly credit posted in addition to the legacy $250 credit for a total of $300. Buy another $50 TB to offset the new credit to prevent clawback)
10/16 1x $250 TB purchase
10/19 Aspire changes announced
10/20 $250 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Airline Fee Reimbursement")
10/20 $50 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Flight Credit")
(Yes, the new $50 quarterly credit posted in addition to the legacy $250 credit for a total of $300. Buy another $50 TB to offset the new credit to prevent clawback)
Last edited by Joculus; Oct 30, 2023 at 9:22 am
#582
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,489
Aspire DP
10/16 1x $250 TB purchase
10/19 Aspire changes announced
10/20 $250 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Airline Fee Reimbursement")
10/20 $50 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Flight Credit")
(yes, the new $50 quarterly credit posted in addition to the legacy $250 credit for a total of $300)
10/16 1x $250 TB purchase
10/19 Aspire changes announced
10/20 $250 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Airline Fee Reimbursement")
10/20 $50 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Flight Credit")
(yes, the new $50 quarterly credit posted in addition to the legacy $250 credit for a total of $300)
We got our answer in post 581 above.
#583
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: USA
Programs: American Airlines (Executive Platinum), Hyatt (Globalist), Hilton (Diamond), IHG (Diamond)
Posts: 2,935
#584
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 236
Aspire DP
10/16 1x $250 TB purchase
10/19 Aspire changes announced
10/20 $250 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Airline Fee Reimbursement")
10/20 $50 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Flight Credit")
(yes, the new $50 quarterly credit posted in addition to the legacy $250 credit for a total of $300)
10/16 1x $250 TB purchase
10/19 Aspire changes announced
10/20 $250 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Airline Fee Reimbursement")
10/20 $50 Airline Credit posted ("Amex Flight Credit")
(yes, the new $50 quarterly credit posted in addition to the legacy $250 credit for a total of $300)
AMEX could have just have decided not to credit him as his purchase was before the active date of the changes.
I will still advise if my credit appears -- although this does augur well -- because most people will have been in my category and already have used the credit quite earlier in the year.
#585
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott // WN, AA, BA, UA, AS // Avis
Posts: 1,323
I also bought another $50 TB (already used my $250 earlier this year).
Charge has posted. Waiting for reimbursement.
Charge has posted. Waiting for reimbursement.