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 6, 2023, 11:11 am
#106
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,843
Maybe because most people want to use their credit at the beginning of the year since this is the first opportunity to do so with the counter reset, more so than we think it's the time Amex will change something. If one is going to enquire if it still works, might as well do it right before pulling the trigger rather than at other random times of the year.
Jan 6, 2023, 11:29 am
#107
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,351
That's what this thread is about - purchases that get reimbursed for the $200 airline credit
If TB goes down, that's a big problem. And it's helpful for new people to know that in the past, it did go down in the middle of the year and stay down for the rest of the year, so I wouldn't view TB as a reliable way of using these credits. If you've got the opportunity to do it, like you do right now, then do it, ASAP. Don't wait.
If TB is down at EOY and you still have credit to burn, you are SOL. So it's better to just use up 100% of the credit ASAP.
If TB is down at EOY and you still have credit to burn, you are SOL. So it's better to just use up 100% of the credit ASAP.
Plus, past reports of when and how long TB was down is zero indicator of what is going to happen at any point in the future.
Trust me we will know if/ when TB goes down and for how long. The reverse reporting just is excessive posting with no point, again IMO.
And TB being down is not a big problem for the use of the airline credit. Yes, it's a great loophole and I use it too but we all know that it's not really the intended use and if it doesn't work we'll have to figure out another way to use it.
Jan 6, 2023, 12:14 pm
#108
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,680
Just what do you expect people to use the credit on then? I only really fly one airline (except for in HI inter-island when I fly HA and maybe the occasional flight between or within Asian countries when I fly CA or NH) and I have UA *G status so I don't generally pay ancillary fees. And Hawaiian inter-island baggage fees won't use up a $200 credit and CA/NH both aren't eligible plus they let me use my *A status and I don't pay ancillary fees to them either.
Jan 6, 2023, 2:09 pm
#109
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: Best Coast
Posts: 1
Travel Bank '23 go brr
At least 1 positive data point from Reddit today (/r/AmexPlatinum/comments/104n5vv/travel_bank_yes_it_works_for_2023_carry_on/). OP made a purchase on 1/1/23.
Jan 6, 2023, 2:19 pm
#110
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 240
And on here as well. Its just buried in the announcement posts of people thinking about possibly trying to buy travelbank credits
Jan 6, 2023, 4:10 pm
#111
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 8
1/1/23 - 2x100 on AMEX Plat; 2x100 and 1x50 on Aspire
1/3/23 - Charges posted as Special Service ticket
1/6/23 (after 4pm for sure) - meter moved to "Congratulations, you have used your ($200/$250) credit for 2023
Hopefully the credits post tomorrow.
1/3/23 - Charges posted as Special Service ticket
1/6/23 (after 4pm for sure) - meter moved to "Congratulations, you have used your ($200/$250) credit for 2023
Hopefully the credits post tomorrow.
Jan 6, 2023, 4:17 pm
#112
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
1/7 Credit posted to both accounts
Last edited by lax01; Jan 7, 2023 at 11:14 am
Jan 6, 2023, 5:36 pm
#113
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 58
Any reason you didn’t do a straight $250 on the aspire?
Jan 6, 2023, 5:44 pm
#114
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 80
1/1: 1 x $250 on Aspire / 2 x $100 on Platinum
1/6: Meter moved for both
1/6: Meter moved for both
Jan 6, 2023, 5:57 pm
#115
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: L.A.
Posts: 17
I posted earlier in this thread where I purchased on 1/1 around 1 AM Pacific, then logged back into AMEX and saw no airline was selected. Long story short, my meter also moved today ("Congrats, you have used...").
Hopefully credits come by early next week for this and my Saks purchase as I need to close the card by the 12th.
Hopefully credits come by early next week for this and my Saks purchase as I need to close the card by the 12th.
Jan 6, 2023, 7:29 pm
#116
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
I find it fascinatingly interesting that 99.43% (my estimate) of AmEx charges take 2-3 days to go from “pending” to posted yet when it suits AmEx, it happens in less than 24 hours. Datapoint: AmEx Aspire 1 x $250 late in day on 1/1/23, statement closing date 1/2/23, statement balance $250 (with 1 charge). (Yes, a rookie mistake, got overeager, should have waited 1 more day.)
Oh yeah, FWIW: Datapoint; meter for that TB purchase on 1/1/23 moved late afternoon today 1/6/23. (Edit: Aspire $250 credit posted early morning today 1/7/23 backdated to yesterday.)
Pet Fee Gambit (PFG) is a viable alternative. Significantly more cumbersome but worked like a charm for me for several years (2018-2020) prior to TB reincarnation.
(If interested and/or necessary, PFG: purchase 2 one way pet fees for existing or sham UA flights with AmEx Airline Fee Credit eligible card, await Airline Fee Credits (5-7 days), cancel pet (fees), await UA refund credit of pet fees. Cannot be done if bulkhead or exit row seats selected or in-cabin pets per flight/cabin at maximum. May not be able to do it online for those or other reasons, website may not state reason, might have to call, phone agent can see reason. Once done, and possibly even after cancellation/UA refund (the pet may remain associated with the reservation in some obscure manner); not eligible for CPU, cannot select exit row seats, no Check-In reminder email 24 hours prior to flight. Might have to call to have agent do whatever they do to additionally/fully/entirely/totally/completely/absolutely remove the pet (fee) and select exit or bulkhead row and have “Complimentary Premier Upgrade Requested” displayed.)
Oh yeah, FWIW: Datapoint; meter for that TB purchase on 1/1/23 moved late afternoon today 1/6/23. (Edit: Aspire $250 credit posted early morning today 1/7/23 backdated to yesterday.)
(If interested and/or necessary, PFG: purchase 2 one way pet fees for existing or sham UA flights with AmEx Airline Fee Credit eligible card, await Airline Fee Credits (5-7 days), cancel pet (fees), await UA refund credit of pet fees. Cannot be done if bulkhead or exit row seats selected or in-cabin pets per flight/cabin at maximum. May not be able to do it online for those or other reasons, website may not state reason, might have to call, phone agent can see reason. Once done, and possibly even after cancellation/UA refund (the pet may remain associated with the reservation in some obscure manner); not eligible for CPU, cannot select exit row seats, no Check-In reminder email 24 hours prior to flight. Might have to call to have agent do whatever they do to additionally/fully/entirely/totally/completely/absolutely remove the pet (fee) and select exit or bulkhead row and have “Complimentary Premier Upgrade Requested” displayed.)
Last edited by Dr Jabadski; Jan 7, 2023 at 12:16 pm Reason: clarification
Jan 6, 2023, 7:39 pm
#117
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,680
Jan 6, 2023, 7:47 pm
#118
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: NJ
Programs: UA, Chase, AMEX, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 16
1/1 - Purchased 2x100 TB on reg Plat
1/2 - Posted as United Airlines
1/6 - (in the afternoon) Meter moved on profile: “Congratulations, you’ve used your airline incidental fee for 2023”
Will post whether it clears in my account tomorrow. Ngl, was getting a little nervous, but we Gucci guys
1/2 - Posted as United Airlines
1/6 - (in the afternoon) Meter moved on profile: “Congratulations, you’ve used your airline incidental fee for 2023”
Will post whether it clears in my account tomorrow. Ngl, was getting a little nervous, but we Gucci guys
Jan 6, 2023, 10:06 pm
#119
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 39
1/1 morning TB $100 x $2k or so across multiple plats + Aspires.
1/6 evening, meter moved. waiting for credits now.
1/6 evening, meter moved. waiting for credits now.
Jan 7, 2023, 5:57 am
#120
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 2
like a few others have reported, my meter moved on my Aspire benefits homepage. Reimbursement hasn't hit but can't see why it wouldn't. Time to load up the other cards!