Jan 1, 2023, 12:30 pm
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)
Jan 3, 2023, 10:58 am
#46
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA/NYC/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 1,916
Charges posted this morning (01/03) as UNITED AIRLINES HOUSTON TX.
No credit as of yet, nor any movement on the meter. Will update again if there's any progress.
No credit as of yet, nor any movement on the meter. Will update again if there's any progress.
Jan 3, 2023, 12:46 pm
#47
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Fishers, IN (Indianapolis)
Programs: Hilton Honors Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 97
Are we supposed to purchase $100 or less per transaction?
I haven’t done this recently and wanted to know for the purchases to properly trigger reimbursements, do we have to do this in $100 or less per transaction? Or are people experimenting with buying $200-$250 per transaction? I have both Aspire and personal (Charles Schwab) Platinum cards.
Jan 3, 2023, 12:54 pm
#48
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2,255
I haven’t done this recently and wanted to know for the purchases to properly trigger reimbursements, do we have to do this in $100 or less per transaction? Or are people experimenting with buying $200-$250 per transaction? I have both Aspire and personal (Charles Schwab) Platinum cards.
Jan 3, 2023, 12:57 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,716
Given the history of delayed credits at the beginning of the year I'm going to wait a week to see what happens with the early risers before I submit the Travel Bank charges.
I think the prevailing view - based on experience across multiple airlines as well as recent UA experience - is that charges of $100 or less would be viewed by the Amex automated system as "incidentals" that are eligible for reimbursement. Higher amounts may be viewed as "airfare charges" that are ineligible.
Honestly what is the argument for doing a single large charge?
I haven’t done this recently and wanted to know for the purchases to properly trigger reimbursements, do we have to do this in $100 or less per transaction? Or are people experimenting with buying $200-$250 per transaction? I have both Aspire and personal (Charles Schwab) Platinum cards.
Honestly what is the argument for doing a single large charge?
Jan 3, 2023, 1:17 pm
#50
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,208
Given the history of delayed credits at the beginning of the year I'm going to wait a week to see what happens with the early risers before I submit the Travel Bank charges.
I think the prevailing view - based on experience across multiple airlines as well as recent UA experience - is that charges of $100 or less would be viewed by the Amex automated system as "incidentals" that are eligible for reimbursement. Higher amounts may be viewed as "airfare charges" that are ineligible.
Honestly what is the argument for doing a single large charge?
I think the prevailing view - based on experience across multiple airlines as well as recent UA experience - is that charges of $100 or less would be viewed by the Amex automated system as "incidentals" that are eligible for reimbursement. Higher amounts may be viewed as "airfare charges" that are ineligible.
Honestly what is the argument for doing a single large charge?
Jan 3, 2023, 2:01 pm
#51
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: Bay Area
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 38
I usually do $100 instead of $200. It's probably safer to go with a smaller amount
Jan 3, 2023, 2:59 pm
#53
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 3
Does anyone know if the airline fee charges count into the spending requirements for signup bonus even though they are getting reimbursed? Thanks!
Jan 3, 2023, 3:57 pm
#56
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: UMP MR
Posts: 107
Are other folks seeing this catagorization?
Jan 3, 2023, 4:07 pm
#58
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,192
Jan 3, 2023, 6:36 pm
#59
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DEN
Posts: 502
My 1/1 TB purchase posted as a Special Service Ticket. I don't think anything has changed, so I'm all in. I did half my TB purchases on the 1st and the other half today.
Given Amex credits now routinely take up to a week to post, I don't expect 1/1 purchases to credit until around 1/8, at which point the transaction would be backdated to 1/7.
Given Amex credits now routinely take up to a week to post, I don't expect 1/1 purchases to credit until around 1/8, at which point the transaction would be backdated to 1/7.
Jan 3, 2023, 6:44 pm
#60
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952