USB AR related: Need DPs for multiple plane ticket purchases

[imaximous]

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@digitek wrote:

Used AR for something similar with Delta last year. Was a complicated itinerary and the way it was ran through was multiple charges and RTR message was sent for all of them separately. I could only reply to the last one to use the points for that charge only.

It was a goofy booking, though, so take that DP with a grain of salt.

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That's typical. RTR sends multiple texts, but you can only redeem for one. That's why I'm trying to find out what airlines put the whole authorization on the card first, and then split. That's the only way I've been able to redeem the entire amount via RTR. Thx!

[iced]

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@Ficoproblems247 wrote:

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I'm fairly certain the transactions were split into 5 different preauthorized charges. The way they appeared on the AMEX site remained static from initial preauthorization to fully posted IIRC. 

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I think this is correct for Delta, but now it has me second guessing. I know the charges are individual, and even if I look at pending on my app it's individual, but I think I might have seen the initial text message pop up (alert for transaction over $X dollars) showing the combined amount in the past. Even then, it's very short-lived, and by the time I log in to check it's split, so that may just be a relic of Amex's text alerts rather than how Delta is processing.

If this is a concern, you could buy a gift card for the amount of all the tickets and then immediately turn around and use that to buy (some of) the tickets. Limited to $1,000 per gift card, but if these are domestic economy tickets you may be able to pack 2-3 on to one card. I assume you can still redeem your points toward that purchase since it's still coming from Delta?

[imaximous]

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@iced wrote:

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@Ficoproblems247 wrote:

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I'm fairly certain the transactions were split into 5 different preauthorized charges. The way they appeared on the AMEX site remained static from initial preauthorization to fully posted IIRC. 

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I think this is correct for Delta, but now it has me second guessing. I know the charges are individual, and even if I look at pending on my app it's individual, but I think I might have seen the initial text message pop up (alert for transaction over $X dollars) showing the combined amount in the past. Even then, it's very short-lived, and by the time I log in to check it's split, so that may just be a relic of Amex's text alerts rather than how Delta is processing.

If this is a concern, you could buy a gift card for the amount of all the tickets and then immediately turn around and use that to buy (some of) the tickets. Limited to $1,000 per gift card, but if these are domestic economy tickets you may be able to pack 2-3 on to one card. I assume you can still redeem your points toward that purchase since it's still coming from Delta?

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I honestly don't know how that gift card would get processed by USB or if it'd even trigger the RTR text, but given their history of shutting down accounts for gift card purchases, I'm not taking a chance. I've bought small GCs before, but $1k would probably get flagged -- not sure.

Other than Jetblue, it looks like I'm going to have to use the travel portal to redeem my points if I want Delta or AA.