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Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?

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Caught750
Valued Contributor

Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?

Am I safe to use the travel credit to buy a Delta gift card?  Does this fit into the stuff that gets cards shut down?

 

Also is it calendar year or card member year?

PERSONAL; Amex | AOD FCU | BBVA | BECU | Capital 1 | Chase | Citi | Discover | Key | NFCU | PSECU | SECU MD | Synchrony | US Bank
BUSINESS; Amex | Citi
F8 Current F8s ~750 Best Ever F8s ~775
TOTAL PERSONAL CL > $350k and TCL > $365k
Message 1 of 62
61 REPLIES 61
Remedios
Credit Mentor

Re: Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?


@Caught750 wrote:

Am I safe to use the travel credit to buy a Delta gift card?  Does this fit into the stuff that gets cards shut down?


There is only one way to find out and you may not want to find out that way. 

 

They are less twitchy now, but I wouldn't. 

You already know it's risky with them, why chance it.

You travel plenty, use your credits in a way that is not going to give you headaches. 

Message 2 of 62
FinStar
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?


@Caught750 wrote:

Am I safe to use the travel credit to buy a Delta gift card?  Does this fit into the stuff that gets cards shut down?

 

Also is it calendar year or card member year?


No clue on this one.  I don't have the 🧦Precious yet.  But, I bet @longtimelurker, @K-in-Boston, @UncleB or @Remedios might know 😁

Message 3 of 62
Caught750
Valued Contributor

Re: Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?

There are some circumstances that may limit travel this year (buying a house and DS #2 is on his way) so I'm looking for ways to use the credit and not lose it.

PERSONAL; Amex | AOD FCU | BBVA | BECU | Capital 1 | Chase | Citi | Discover | Key | NFCU | PSECU | SECU MD | Synchrony | US Bank
BUSINESS; Amex | Citi
F8 Current F8s ~750 Best Ever F8s ~775
TOTAL PERSONAL CL > $350k and TCL > $365k
Message 4 of 62
Remedios
Credit Mentor

Re: Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?

At ARs inception, they were shutting accounts for $20.00.

You dont hear about that much any longer, not because they've changed their policy, but because most cardholders who wanted to keep their cards have stopped.

Nothing may happen, or they might smythe you down. 

I value it, so I dont play with it. 

It would certainly be an interesting DP, but not the one I'd be willing to provide. 

 

Message 5 of 62
Remedios
Credit Mentor

Re: Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?

I dont speak for @K-in-Boston or @UncleB but I speak for @longtimelurker  and he said no

 

 

😐

Message 6 of 62
imaximous
Valued Contributor

Re: Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?


@Caught750 wrote:

Am I safe to use the travel credit to buy a Delta gift card?  Does this fit into the stuff that gets cards shut down?

 

Also is it calendar year or card member year?


I put a ton of spend on this card, but I'm not going to advise on buying giftcards because I'd hate for you to lose your card over that.

 

Credit is member year -- not calendar year. 

Message 7 of 62
Caught750
Valued Contributor

Re: Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?

Thanks for the feedback guys!

PERSONAL; Amex | AOD FCU | BBVA | BECU | Capital 1 | Chase | Citi | Discover | Key | NFCU | PSECU | SECU MD | Synchrony | US Bank
BUSINESS; Amex | Citi
F8 Current F8s ~750 Best Ever F8s ~775
TOTAL PERSONAL CL > $350k and TCL > $365k
Message 8 of 62
K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?

It resets by cardmember year, not calendar year.  Anything in travel seems to trigger it, including real time redemption, so cashing out 21,667 points for travel with RTR would not only offset the charge with a $325 credit but would also trigger the travel credit.

 

I'm not sure if buying a Delta egift card on desktop would trigger it or not.  (Mobile would not since that gets processed by a 3rd party.  The charge comes from Delta on desktop.)  The only thing I could say is try a $50 or $100 gift card and see if it triggers RTR; if it does and it's at the 1.5x rate it should also trigger the travel credit.  I don't recall previous Amex statements stating that it was a gift card, and think it looked more like an Atlanta to Atlanta flight, and since ticket purchases are excluded with Amex it no longer triggers the incidentals credit. 

 

I just read the fine print for the travel credit on AR and it doesn't exclude gift cards.  It would be a genuine purchase directly with the airline, and not like trying to get around an incidentals credit.

 

Credit does not apply for transactions posting as Convenience Checks, Balance Transfers, or Advances (including, but not limited to, wire transfers, traveler’s checks, money orders, foreign cash transactions, and ATM disbursements).

Message 9 of 62
K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: Altitude Reserve, Delta gift card?


@Remedios wrote:

At ARs inception, they were shutting accounts for $20.00.

You dont hear about that much any longer, not because they've changed their policy, but because most cardholders who wanted to keep their cards have stopped.

Nothing may happen, or they might smythe you down. 

I value it, so I dont play with it. 

It would certainly be an interesting DP, but not the one I'd be willing to provide. 

 


A lot more replies came in while I was typing my reply, but despite what I just wrote it's also not a DP I want to provide either.  😂 

Message 10 of 62
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