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With 2018 drawing to a close, and 2019 on the near-term horizon, now is the time to brush up on ways to use the various Amex airline fee credits. These use-or-lose credits are awarded per calendar year, meaning that 2018’s eligible charges need to post to your Amex card(s) by December 31 with a fresh batch of credits available on January 1.
American Express Annual Airline Fee Credits
American Express cards that award annual airline fee credits include:
You need to make an annual selection for your designated airline for the year, though that time has likely passed for most of us unless your account is new or you haven’t ever selected an airline. If you don’t make a selection, your choice from the previous year rolls over. Generally speaking, the airline you select for the year shouldn’t always be the airline you fly the most frequently.
If you have elite status (or even credit cards) that provides for free checked bags, waived change fees and complimentary seat assignments, you may do better selecting a secondary airline for the Amex airline fee credits. Additionally, it can be very useful to read some reports of what types of charges typically get reimbursed with each airline as that does vary based on how things code. Also factor in that your airline of choice for the fee credits will also be the one that you can get a rebate when using points to book flights with that airline (perk varies by card type).
Real-World Use of Amex Airline Fee Credits
The intent and terms of these airline fee credits is to use them for incidental airline fees such as checked bag fees, change fees, onboard food and drinks, etc. However, in the real world, the credits sometimes cover more than that. Remember that since we are now talking about somewhat off-label uses of the Amex airline fee credits, these examples are not guaranteed to work 100% of the time. I don’t recommend complaining to Amex if they don’t work in your case, but be pleasantly surprised when they do. With just a few days left in 2018, let’s look at recent real world reports related to the Amex airline fee credits.
2018 Amex Airline Fee Credit Data Points
Based on some very useful linked threads on Flyertalk, and data points from the TPG Lounge, here are some recent Amex airline fee credit reports that go beyond the prescribed incidental fee uses.
Note that you have a better chance of off-label success with the airline fee credits with smaller transactions than larger transactions. I recommend gift cards that are $50 each, though some $100 successes are reported.
Mommy Points’ 2018 Amex Airline Fee Credit Strategy
Until 2018, United was our Amex airline for years and years, but for 2018 we changed things up since United’s gift registry page has been down the entire year. We fly United enough that we probably could just use the fee credit for its intended purpose throughout the year, but I like instant gratification so we switched to Delta at the beginning of the year for our Platinum Card® from American Express. Our $50 e-gift card purchases were all refunded using the Amex airline fee credit.
Just this week I got approved for the American Express® Gold Card so I have a fresh $100 credit to use before Dec. 31. Unless I can think of a better and immediate on-label use (like upgrading to Spirit’s Big Front Seats or paying for a full-sized Spirit carry-on bag), I’m likely to also go the Delta gift card route with that $100 credit.
Source: thepointsguy.com