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The end to Amex Airline GC workaround ?

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements

if this turns out to be accurate, I will consider cancelling my gold coming next year.

 

Grocery is the only thing gold shines for me. I only have 5-6k grocery per year, without airline credit, the AF would be 130, amex gold would be no better than my AA mileup. Thats a serious fall in value for me.

Message 51 of 91
Shadowfactor
Valued Contributor

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements


@K-in-Boston wrote:

Just looked at the Delta thread and from what I'm seeing it may have been 1 or 2 people trying to get the credit on Aspire rather than Platinum, and a single person who hasn't seen the credit hit but also hasn't received their Sak's credit.  I would want to see a lot of DPs before declaring it dead.  There is another complaining about not receiving credit for an upgrade, but upgrades are explicitly excluded and have never triggered it for me.  GCs (purchased on desktop site) and actual airfare when priced below $146 have triggered the credit for me, though, and those are expressly exluded as well.

 

Is there another place I should be looking for Delta DPs other than the DL airline reimbursement thread?


A lot of the discussion that I’ve been seeing is through PM’s on FT which is why I didn’t mention the mega threads specifically.

 

its also being discussed on a private FB group that I belong too.

 

the verdict is still out on Delta, reimbursements have been slower lately for delta so it may just be that. 

 

Southwest though is dead like AA is based on what I’ve seen. 





Total Revolving Limits $254,800

Message 52 of 91
Shadowfactor
Valued Contributor

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements


@NRB525 wrote:
I just had two Delta GC reimbursed within my last statement period. Will check for specifics but within the last four weeks.

If this does turn out, will probably set up my three cards in 2020 for different airlines to catch bag fees. It could influence how many cards I maintain... or not.

These changes for Delta are from June 18th as the best pin point date 





Total Revolving Limits $254,800

Message 53 of 91
NRB525
Super Contributor

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements


@Shadowfactor wrote:

@NRB525 wrote:
I just had two Delta GC reimbursed within my last statement period. Will check for specifics but within the last four weeks.

If this does turn out, will probably set up my three cards in 2020 for different airlines to catch bag fees. It could influence how many cards I maintain... or not.

These changes for Delta are from June 18th as the best pin point date 


Mine were reimbursed May 29.

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 54 of 91
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements

I was reimbursed in May. The only think that I think I could use mine for is lounge access with my Delta Gold for right now since I don’t have a lounge card.
Message 55 of 91
wingennis
Valued Contributor

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements


@Shadowfactor wrote:
Word on FlyerTalk is that Delta and SouthWest Airline GC reimbursements are now dead as well.
Lots of recent datapoints rolling in with no reimbursement.

With the refreshed gold card and the increased interest coupled with the endless blog posts, I think AMEX might’ve actually had a hand in this.

If this is true, I am the luckiest person in the Amex world!  I just got reimbursed for $200 Southwest gift card on Monday.

Message 56 of 91
Shadowfactor
Valued Contributor

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements


@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.





Total Revolving Limits $254,800

Message 57 of 91
NRB525
Super Contributor

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements


@Anonymous wrote:
I was reimbursed in May. The only think that I think I could use mine for is lounge access with my Delta Gold for right now since I don’t have a lounge card.

You have to choose:

1) If you want the discounted rate, you can pay with your AMEX Delta Gold card, get half-price for the fee, and pay with fresh cash.

2) If you use your AMEX Gold Card, you pay full price, no discount, but you use up part of your Airline Fee Credit. I actually did this late in one year, because I wasn't going to be able to use the fee credit and didn't buy GC at the time. The ladies at the check in counter shook their heads, but took my Gold card anyhow Smiley Happy It was a sunk-cost situation.

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 58 of 91
K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements

FWIW I have partial airfare reimbursements eating up remainder of my $200 on Platinum posted 09 JUN and reimbursed 11 JUN. So if that loophole closed too, it’s been quite recent.
Message 59 of 91
iced
Valued Contributor

Re: The death of ALL Amex GC Airline reimbursements


@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.


Agree on the above - there's pretty much no incidental available to non-kettles that they don't already get, and for Platinum it's sort of the same underlying problem with their hotel status benefits (that is, the target audience of the card already gets those benefits elsewhere). Bags are free, food/drink are free in W/F (I can't even use up all the drink vouchers they send me before EoY, never mind paying), changes blah blah.

 

That said, the credit worked toward airfare for me, and with a cap much higher than $146. I can confirm from my Jan statement that a $312 ticket will also trigger the credit (single ticket since DL bills each ticket to the card separately). If that continues, I'll find new ways to use the credit without hoping the GCs are still available.

Message 60 of 91
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