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The end to Amex Airline GC workaround ?

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redpat
Senior Contributor

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements


@Shadowfactor wrote:

@K-in-Boston wrote:

@kdm31091 wrote:

Of course. They don't want to pay out for gift card purchases. It was always intended for airline incidentals. It's understandable if they want to enforce that.

 

People who are using the credit for gift cards maybe should rethink if they can justify the card(s) to begin with, IMO.


While I do tend to agree with you here, the issue is that the incidental credit can be difficult to use even for some people who are great matches for this card.  I have Delta chosen as my airline, of course, but since I'm a Medallion and have Delta cobranded card(s), a number of those incidentals won't work. 

- Food and beverage on board is quite rare since I usually buy a fare where it's free, or get upgraded to that class.

- Lounge entrance?  Not usually paying for guests.  Only way I can think of for me to legitimately use credit per Amex wording.

- Airfare is excluded, but like I said in above post, when it's been below $146 I have received credit.

- Upgrades are excluded, and have never triggered credit for me.  (works like a charm for Premium Rewards, CSR, and Altitude Reserve though)

- Same-day change fees?  Waived for me due to status.

- Baggage?  Already get 2 free bags for being a Medallion and having Delta cobranded card(s).  4 free bags flying in F.

- In-flight WiFi doesn't work since it's a 3rd party. 

 

So honestly, if it weren't for occasional lounge guests or things triggering that shouldn't, I would have no way to use the credit.


+1 This exactly.

 

While it wont make me run out and cancel any of my amex cards it does dampen the value I get from them.

 

As a frequent flyer with status, I dont pay for baggage or change fees. I wish you could use multiple cards to pay for Admirals Club access. This wouldnt be an issue if that was the case.


Get the AA Exec SUB and then add AUs making it a real cheap perk card.

Personal Cards: Amex Plat | Amex Delta Res | CSR | Citi AA Exec Business Cards: Ink+ | Amex BGR
Message 61 of 91
CBartowski
Frequent Contributor

No more AMEX airline GC hack - Confirm Frontier Seats Trigger AMEX Credit?

So now that the AMEX GC hack for the incidental is going/gone away I am looking for other relevant ways to make it work.

 

Has anyone had experience using the AMEX credit for Frontier seats as a seperate purchase from the ticket trigger the incidental credit?

 

I know it "theoretically" should work, just looking for folks who actually have experience. Or other actual other ways to use this credit (not just food/internet on the flight, baggage (I dont pay baggage fees anyway), Delta lounge access (dont really fly Delta)). 

 

Thanks!

CARDS:
AMEX CS Plat | NSL -- Chase Freedom Flex | $19,000
AMEX Gold | NSL -- Citi Double Cash | $10,000
AMEX HH NAF | $1,000 -- Uber Visa | $5,000
CSR | $29,000 -- USAA Plat | $8,000
USAA AMEX | $23,000 -- MB Boundless | $11,900 -- CFU | $3,600 -- PenFed Pathfinder | $10,000 -- MS Plat | NSL

BANKS:
NFCU | USAA | PenFed | Schwab Bank | First Bank | Chase
Message 62 of 91
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: No more AMEX airline GC hack - Confirm Frontier Seats Trigger AMEX Credit?

Partial airfare seems to still work.

 

Apply gift cards to a ticket until the remaining balance is below/around 200/100. Pay this with amex plat/gold, and seems they will be reimbursed.

Message 63 of 91
CBartowski
Frequent Contributor

Re: No more AMEX airline GC hack - Confirm Frontier Seats Trigger AMEX Credit?


@Anonymous wrote:

Partial airfare seems to still work.

 

Apply gift cards to a ticket until the remaining balance is below/around 200/100. Pay this with amex plat/gold, and seems they will be reimbursed.


Good tip, thanks!

CARDS:
AMEX CS Plat | NSL -- Chase Freedom Flex | $19,000
AMEX Gold | NSL -- Citi Double Cash | $10,000
AMEX HH NAF | $1,000 -- Uber Visa | $5,000
CSR | $29,000 -- USAA Plat | $8,000
USAA AMEX | $23,000 -- MB Boundless | $11,900 -- CFU | $3,600 -- PenFed Pathfinder | $10,000 -- MS Plat | NSL

BANKS:
NFCU | USAA | PenFed | Schwab Bank | First Bank | Chase
Message 64 of 91
Shadowfactor
Valued Contributor

Re: No more AMEX airline GC hack - Confirm Frontier Seats Trigger AMEX Credit?

As of now it seems that partial airfare is indeed working for delta. I can’t confirm about AA




Total Revolving Limits $254,800

Message 65 of 91
NRB525
Super Contributor

Re: No more AMEX airline GC hack - Confirm Frontier Seats Trigger AMEX Credit?

If it does work, then it would be a “reverse GC hack”. Buy the GC set first, then fill the blank Smiley Happy.

Still makes it difficult to use up $550 of airline credits in a year Smiley Happy
High Bal Jan 2009 $116k on $146k limits 80% Util.
Oct 2014 $46k on $127k 36% util EQ 722 TU 727 EX 727
April 2018 $18k on $344k 5% util EQ 806 TU 810 EX 812
Jan 2019 $7.6k on $360k EQ 832 TU 839 EX 831
March 2021 $33k on $312k EQ 796 TU 798 EX 801
May 2021 Paid all Installments and Mortgages, one new Mortgage EQ 761 TY 774 EX 777
April 2022 EQ=811 TU=807 EX=805 - TU VS 3.0 765
Message 66 of 91
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: No more AMEX airline GC hack - Confirm Frontier Seats Trigger AMEX Credit?

Buy 90 dollar ticket and use 10 dollar gift card. Cancel ticket and get travel funds. Use travel funds and buy 190 dollar ticket cancel ticket and get travel funds. Before you know it you have $550 in travel funds.
Message 67 of 91
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: No more AMEX airline GC hack - Confirm Frontier Seats Trigger AMEX Credit?

That sounds like a lot of work though. Not to mention the possible blowback from consistent cancelations?

Isn't it this type of behavior that is the cause of crackdowns and removal of CC benefits.

Message 68 of 91
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: No more AMEX airline GC hack - Confirm Frontier Seats Trigger AMEX Credit?


@Anonymous wrote:

That sounds like a lot of work though. Not to mention the possible blowback from consistent cancelations?

Isn't it this type of behavior that is the cause of crackdowns and removal of CC benefits.


Ten minutes of effort is too much work to get $550 of credits?  The time you spend on here is going to be a lot more than that and you don't get paid for it.  Amex isn't going to know you canceled anything.  They will think you bought a bunch of tickets.  Southwest doesn't care.  I had to do that to use 4 $100 gift cards on a ticket last year.  As the ticket was $319 and you can only use 3 forms of payment on a ticket so I either had to use $200 in gift cards and $119 in cash or just do this creative form of canceling and using travel funds.  

 

I bought $1800 of tickets and paid zero cents on them.  If you have that kind of money to throw away then more power to you.

Message 69 of 91
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: No more AMEX airline GC hack - Confirm Frontier Seats Trigger AMEX Credit?

can you be more specific about the steps?

 

doesn't canceclling ticket return money to your card?

Message 70 of 91
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