Jan 1, 2022, 4:10 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: anabolism

Reminder: you must enroll and select AA as your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase. "Please call the number on the back of your Card to select a qualifying airline."

Summary of Reimbursements.

AMEX AA Reimbursement Approved

Admirals Club Memberships
Admirals Club Passes
Admirals Club Food/Drinks
Elite Status Buyback
External Reservation Fee
Five Star Service
MCE/Seat Selection
Mileage Multipler
Monthly Wifi Subscription through AA
Same Day Flight Change
Upgrades
Baggage

AMEX AA Reimbursement NOT Approved

Award Cancellation Fee
Close-In Ticket Fee
Elite Challenges
Gift Cards
Inexpensive tickets
Infant Fees
Miles Purchase from AA.com
Wifi (per flight)

50/50 on Whether it gets Approved

Award Taxes/Fees
Change Fee
Pet Fee
Upfares

Data Points on automatically reimbursed incidentals since 2017:

Admirals Club Memberships:

Yes - Majuki, Evo40, bcpoinciana, shellyphl, dpb132

Admirals Club Passes:

Yes - Hilton-gold, moe8555, kaydee7

Admirals Club Food/Drinks:

Yes - cyncyn129, Segments, chrisny2, dw

Award Cancellation Fee*:

No - ShrinkTheGlobe, canesfan, jasmians, soy, shoodawg

Award Taxes/Fees:

Yes - Dedicated, Rakibullslam, tsmith12, lotrbfme, mia, GTITAN, cdoobiest, happychic, beachfan, 355F1, zip10001
No - Alex_I, exmike, jb0506, fangtl, nall, javabytes, chitink, roadtripguy, perkerkeem, Freckles68, thebat, bdubs7
Mixed - PatrickTM, Visconti, iahphx

Baggage*:

Yes - tlglenn, travelinsperry
No - mrlemm, mlin32, abk, pubsmeister, esls79

Change Fee*:

No - cubs105, prhocky2607, veeRob
Yes - tlgleen, zip10001

Close-In Ticket Fee*:

No - PatrickTM, mileshound, happychic

Elite 500-mile Stickers:

Yes - LuizMiranda, fotoflyer88, nk15, joshvworld, Hilton-gold, captaink, JCN, aftortoriello, nall, ymx, StatusChallenged, TravelinSperry
No - pubsmeister

Elite Challenges:

Yes - skreemer6
No - stheller, tlglenn, GTITAN

Elite Status Buyback:

Yes - browser508, chrisny2

External Reservation Fee:

Yes - jvel

Five Star Service:

Yes - JDiver

Gift Cards:

Infant Fees:

No - AUSINSIGHT

MCE/Seat Selection:

Yes - chapmanj9, Dedicated, Hilton-gold, jb0506, limeyx, act0fgod, nall, tlglenn, roadtripguy, kenme1, mrscaptain, happychic, pzpa, UltraSean, leftysauce, christianj, ehchan, julian926, theranj, morphogencc
No - UAZip

Mileage Multipler:

Yes - mia, mia (two separate reports), TravelLawyer, QtownDave, nk15, nall, UAZip, kaydee7, therealdre, yjc281, glynot, anabolism.
No - edcli, zebranz
NOTE: It's probably better to purchase small dollar amount mileage multipliers, so look at offers and pick the cheapest one. Can use award itineraries and cancel them afterwards.

Miles Purchase from AA.com:

No - nk15

Monthly AA Wifi Subscription Plan:

Yes - jcain, Cheynewalk, IADCAflyer

Pet Fee*:

Yes - Benjinlini
No - mrlemm

Same Day Flight Change:

Yes - Segments, kklems

Upfares:

Mixed - javabytes, javabytes - appears the amount matters
No - jvel

Upgrades:

Yes - wireless_999, saunders111, mosfet, Budoka, sdsearch, tlglenn, golfingboy
No - kacee
Mixed - inevitability, UltraSean

Wifi is provided by one of three third-party providers and is thus not eligible for the incidental credit. Monthly Wifi subscription plans through AA appear to be eligible for automatic credit.

* For items not automatically reimbursed but which are not excluded by Amex, you can try and request manual reimbursement from American Express; however, you may need to wait 14-28 days first.

NOT WORKING: Partial payment by gift card or voucher combined with partial payment by Amex doesn't work. Full payment of a ticket under $100 stopped working sometime in 2020.

For other airlines:AA Thread
AS Thread
B6 Thread
DL Thread
F9 Thread
HA Thread
NK Thread
UA Thread
WN Thread

Airline fee $250/$200 reimbursement reports: AA only (2022-23)

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Dec 14, 2023 | 8:45 pm

#226

Global321

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: Global

Posts: 6,445

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobolat

I have about $100 left on the $200 credit for AA. Other than purchasing a ticket and then canceling, is there another easier way to utilize the balance?

Purchasing ticket does not trigger a credit.

Dec 19, 2023 | 12:04 pm

#227

echoch

Join Date: Feb 1999

Location: ORD

Programs: AA(xPLT now GLD), UA, DL, HH(GLD), MR(GLD), HY(DIS), and others...

Posts: 145

Be Careful with Mileage Multiplier

The AA Mileage Multiplier, a mileage purchase which is offered when you purchase a ticket, change something on your reservation, or checkin at a kiosk at the airport, is listed on the WIKI as an eligible charge for reimbursement through the $200 airline credit. There are a couple of reports in this thread confirming that reimbursements were covered. It has been one of my go-to last minute purchases to use up the credit - especially since I don't pay a lot of junk fees due to (minimal) status at American.

However, I made a Mileage Multiplier purchase this month to use up the outstanding credits I had available and saw that it had not been reimbursed for more than a week. I specifically did it as a standalone purchase after purchasing my ticket (with a different card). Here is what appeared on the transaction on the website:

$161.25 Will appear on your statement as AMERICAN AIRLINES 45800-433-7300 TX
Tags
Flight Details
Miscellaneous Tax(S)/Fee(S)
Flight on December 11

I was a bit concerned by the tagging since it said "Flight on Dec 11" even though I wasn't flying until January with the associated ticket.

Since the credit usually posts quickly, and it has been more than a week with no credit, I decided to start a chat with an AMEX agent (on the website) and was told that the purchase, as it was recorded, did not qualify for reimbursement. Here is exactly what the agent wrote:

>The charge you made on December 11 is an ineligible charge.
Eligible charges include, but are not limited to:

Airport lounge day passes and annual memberships
Change fees
Checked baggage fees
Early check-in fees
In-flight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows / blankets, and so on)
In-flight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet)
Overweight / oversize baggage fees
Pet flight fees
Phone reservation fees
Seat assignment fees
Unaccompanied minor fees

It posted with a ticket number, which is the reason the system may have considered it as a charge for airline ticket.>

Again, I point out that this was a purchase for Mileage Multiplier, standalone with the eligible Business Platinum Card. The WIKI indicates that Mileage Multiplier should be eligible. Others on this board have reported positive experiences with this charge.

(By the way, in the absence of an expiring credit, this is not a very good use of $$.But it was one of the only ways I could use the available credit - I didn't want to purchase an AC day pass and I am not traveling any more this year and don't have any fees to pay.)

This agent recognized my 40+ year Amex relationship and credited the amount...

We appreciate your card membership with American Express since 19xx, and wish to serve your card needs for many more years to come.

While I imagine most clients would have gotten the same credit, I appreciate the recognition, and note that AMEX is an organization that respects customer loyalty in my experience with them.

Eric

Dec 19, 2023 | 2:40 pm

#228

mia

Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Eco Travel, Signatures

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: Miami, Mpls & London

Programs: AA, IHG & Marriott Platinum; DL & HH Gold

Posts: 51,823

Quote:

Originally Posted by echoch

The AA Mileage Multiplier,....is listed on the WIKI as an eligible charge for reimbursement
Since the credit usually posts quickly,

There is a misunderstanding. Mileage Multiplier is not "eligible" for reimbursement. It is listed in the Wikipost as an item which is generally Approved, because American Express' system mistakes it for something else. Currently, reimbursements are taking about ten days. A purchase made on the 11th likely would have been reimbursed next week.

chrisny2 likes this.

Dec 20, 2023 | 7:23 am

#229

ORDflyer92

Join Date: Jan 2021

Posts: 598

Getting desperate to use this credit and I have a 4 hour layover upcoming. Would the single day Flagship Lounge pass be eligible?

Dec 20, 2023 | 9:28 pm

#230

anabolism

Join Date: Aug 2004

Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)

Posts: 9,105

Quote:

Originally Posted by ORDflyer92

Getting desperate to use this credit and I have a 4 hour layover upcoming. Would the single day Flagship Lounge pass be eligible?

That should credit, as "airport lounge day passes" are explicitly listed by AmEx as an eligible item.

Dec 21, 2023 | 10:11 am

#231

chrisny2

Join Date: Sep 2002

Location: District of Columbia

Programs: AA ExecPl, AF Gold, Hyatt Globalist,IHG Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Delta Gold

Posts: 2,665

Quote:

Originally Posted by ORDflyer92

Getting desperate to use this credit and I have a 4 hour layover upcoming. Would the single day Flagship Lounge pass be eligible?

Quote:

Originally Posted by anabolism

That should credit, as "airport lounge day passes" are explicitly listed by AmEx as an eligible item.

And I've had it reimbursed automatically in the past.

Dec 22, 2023 | 9:56 am

#232

thelark

Join Date: Oct 2004

Location: DFW

Posts: 8,228

As an EP this is worthless. The only thing I could really use it for is award fees and they don’t pay for that.

Dec 22, 2023 | 11:16 am

#233

anabolism

Join Date: Aug 2004

Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)

Posts: 9,105

Quote:

Originally Posted by thelark

As an EP this is worthless. The only thing I could really use it for is award fees and they don’t pay for that.

As an EP with an AC membership (via Citi AA Exec card), I use it for Mileage Multiplier. It's an atrocious value, I'd never spend my own money on it, but if it gets reimbursed, it's better than nothing.

thelark likes this.

Dec 24, 2023 | 9:42 am

#234

anabolism

Join Date: Aug 2004

Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)

Posts: 9,105

Mileage Multiplier

For years (since gift cards stopped working), I've used Mileage Multiplier to get AmEx credit. I'd book a short award trip, buy the cheapest Mileage Multiplier option, and the credit would post 2-3 days after the charge converted from pending to posted. I'd then cancel the award itinerary.

I purchased an $80.63 MM (cheapest offered) on 12/14. The charge description is "Miscellaneous Tax(S)/Fee(S)." Credit posted yesterday, so nine days rather than 2-3, but very relieved it still works.