$200 AMEX Airline fee credit
 

We are coming up on that time of year where I have to use my Delta $200 credit, but I am unsure of how best to use it.

Anyone have any thoughts on the best ways to use this credit?

Thanks Scoop

Is this through the platinum card? I’ve always been successful at purchasing four airline gift cards at $50 dollars each. In the smaller denomination it coded as a “fee” and I received the Amex credit. I was successful again this year. However, I’ve heard that Amex has gotten wiser to everyone doing this and there have been an increasing amount of reimbursement denials.

Customer Service told me these certificates are not eligible. Not sure how many might slip through the cracks...

buy a round of drinks for the whole plane.

you will be the hero of the day!

They’re technically not. That’s the reason for the smaller denominations, each preferably purchased a month or two apart throughout the year. If you purchased a single card at $200 it would be denied. I’ve never had a problem in all the years that I’ve done it and it was a well known hack to make them go through. But, like I said... Amex has gotten wise to it. So, it’s a gamble. I’ve been hearing about enough denials lately that I’m not sure that I’ll try my luck again next year.

He is going to need his PS to do that.:eek:

Can you use the gift cards to purchase tickets through the FCFL/FCFEL discounts?

Nope. They want all of your monies. And prefer you use Amex also at checkout

The Points Guy charged a number of things to see what would and wouldn't qualify for the fee credit. Gift cards are now exempt. This article is for AA but i assume it would be the same for DL

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thepointsguy.com/guide/american-airlines-amex-airline-fee-credit/amp/

I can confirm that the $50 gift card is no longer reimbursed. I contacted customer service and left a comment for them to re-evaluate this policy. They deny anything related to actual ticket purchases but I told them gift cards can be used for more than ticket purchases and that not using this benefit makes me think twice about having this card. Maybe a mass appeal from everyone with the card could get this changed?

Scoop. Did you purchase on a mobile device or desktop (iOS vs. OS)?

I tried this earlier this year and can confirm, I did not receive credit. Up until last year I’d always used the $200 to buy DAL GCs. Now my new problem is that I have 20+ $50 GCs and the geniuses at delta IT have made it so each purchase can only use a max of 8 GCs.

I did not buy any gift cards.

Scoop

Anyone have success in switching their credit to another airline and reimbursing ZEDs? Usually buy a few ZEDs for my wife on Southwest each year so thought of switching up. Or even KLM/AF for Euro travels.

wrong guy, sorry.
was directed at Mispoken.

the iOS gift card purchases go through a vendor and do not generate proper coding for reimbursement.

Amex is in cost cutting mode right now to try and boost profitability. That is why they are starting to clamp down on benefits. PP meals - gone. Gift card purchase with airline benefit - gone. Centurion Club - pretty much useless.

I haven't been to a CC in years, what did they do to that?

Can you buy one 400 dollar gift card with 8 50 dollar gift cards?

I’m going to try that

This thread reminds me of a friend (major airline pilot) who is a "super couponer". Years ago he found some deal where he could buy 4 bottles of shampoo for half price then turn around later the same day and return them for a store credit refund at full price. The rage when the store put a stop to his scam was something to behold. Pilots really are the cheapest people on earth.:D

Funny! However in defense of us cheap pilots, the AMEX Platinum card is not cheap--$550 a year. I've had it for about five years and every year I do some accounting and figure I pretty much break even. Have I benefited pretty well at times? Yes, in a variety of ways. Even so some of the perks are tightening up due to AMEX's own cost-cutting. I'm considering canceling my card next time it is up for renewal. If I do I will certainly miss a few of the advantages of it--but it would strictly be a cost/benefit decision.

I'm not going to disparage any individuals but to pay for the privilege of using your own credit is, well... the best I can say is unpilot like. $550 is a lot of benefits I may or may not use. I'm sure each has done their own due diligence, but paying (especially at our income levels) for a credit card? :confused:

Eh, I used to think the same but they can be worth it. I used the Chase Sapphire Reserve but it's only $450 and the $300 dollar travel credit can be applied to pretty much anything that is travel related...a cup of coffee at the airport, uber, subway, tolls, etc... It reimbursed me for my Global entry as well. While the priority pass isn't all that great in the U.S., it can provide some free meals here and there. With all the other side bennies, I've found that it more than pays for itself every year.

Yep, paying for a card is the anti-cheap pilot thing. Getting the perks out of it is just smart and since we non-rev enough it's almost an intangible for lounge access.

There are also several airport restaurants that will give you a $28 credit on you bill in lieu of your Priorty Pass benefit for that day. I rarely use the Priority Pass lounge, but get the restaurant credit all the time.

How’s that work?

Well....SCRA rules dictate I don’t have to pay for my AMEX platinum, HHonors aspire or chase sapphire :-). But I like the super couponing idea...I’m going to order a pair of scissors from amazon for 5% off using my store card to clip the coupons.

Require a confirmed seat assignment prior to entry. Only at departure airport <2 hrs prior to scheduled departure (unless on a connection).
Unless you are on a deadhead, it is pretty useless.

Buy a fully-refundable (expensive) flight to wherever. Check in for said flight on your phone, get boarding pass with seat assignment. Go to centurion lounge, get in with this boarding pass. Cancel flight with full refund as soon as you get in the lounge.

Just don’t forget to cancel... could be a very expensive mistake.

That (the Priority Pass $28 credit) went away August 1. Another reason I'm considering canceling. It was a great perk.

I’ve heard of people getting the ritz Carlton Carlton rewards card and then some sort of deal where they link their room to their Marriott bonvoy # and ritz care and then charge something to the room to get points for the stay. I never believed friends that told me about it, but for no reason other than I didn’t discover this theoretical loop hole. Is this real?

Not sure about the Ritz deal, but I often put my Marriott card on file at Marriott properties. Sometimes I will get access to the lounges, sometimes I get stay credit. Not a sure thing, but better than nothing.

Another gift card hack: a couple years ago my wife wanted fancy new cookware for Christmas. Bed Bath & Beyond was where she wanted to get it because she had a big coupon.
(I have a habit to calling things by different names to mess with her. Bed Bath & Beyond is Best Buy & Beyond. Drives her crazy, which is why I continue to do it!)
She went into Kroger to buy gift cards on our 2.5% cash back card and get a veritable crap ton of fuel points. Walked out with $1500 in Best Buy gift card. Neither of was was happy, jokes on me now, right?
Well, it was until we realized Best Buy sells gift cards. So I got $1500 with of Bed Bath & Beyond gift cards from Best Buy. And because I bought over $1000 in gift cards from Best Buy, I was given a free $75 gift card from them!
We still laugh about it.
For the super couponing copper wire inventors among us, might want took into that hack if you still have shopping to do this Christmas.

Here’s a great one. The last year and a half I’ve retained attorneys for the following;

-Car accident
-Subdivision association rules review
-Land purchase closing document review
-Home build purchase agreement with a builder
-Closing document review
-Refi document review
-Will update
-Trust establishment

$16/mo through Hyatt legal plan offered at delta. Hurry you have until 11:59 tonight to sign up!

Here’s another good one through Amazon/Amex. Only need to use one Amex point (.01 value) to get $30 off $60.

https://slickdeals.net/share/iphone_app/fp/516676

I should’ve been more clear. I was referencing the Chase Sapphire card that someone mentioned. You get Priority Pass like with the AMEX, but AMEX PP doesn’t support the restaurant credit. For those with the Chase card, just use the PP app and put in the airport. Click under lounges and it will tell you which restaurants will give you the $28 credit. BOS has a several (as an example). In JFK, it’s Bobby Vans Steakhouse. I sit down and show my card. They swipe it and give me a $28 credit toward my bill.

Ah gotcha, thanks :/

I'm curious, how many people do that?

Aren't they the same program now?

Just him. :rolleyes:

I have no idea. I’ve never done it. I read about people who do it on a FlyerTalk thread.

It seems like a good scheme as long as it works.