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Update: Don’t forget to use your airline fee credit by the end of the month! If you apply for a Business Platinum Card or AMEX Consumer Platinum Card now, you can take advantage of stacking 2024, 2025, and 2026 airline fee and many other credits before your 2nd annual fee is due in mid-January 2026!
This post breaks down how to get United Travel Bank from AMEX Platinum cards and more!
2 AMEX cards give a credit to use for incidental fees on the airline of your choice:
- The AMEX Business Platinum Card offers a $200 annual airline fee credit. Read more about the card here.
- The AMEX Platinum Card offers a $200 annual airline fee credit. Read more about the card here.
Additionally, the AMEX Hilton Aspire Card now offers a $50 quarterly airfare credit. This credit can be used for airfare or the fees below. There is no need to register for this credit. Read more about the card here. This replaces the previous $250 airline fee credit on this card.
While Chase Sapphire Reserve® allows you to use travel credit for anything travel related, AMEX is far more restrictive.
You need to register with a specific airline before spending for the AMEX Platinum fee credit. After you register for an airline you can officially only change your airline in January. However, I have had success changing the airline by chatting with AMEX online.
You can choose to register for the following airlines:
- Alaska
- American
- Delta
- Hawaiian
- JetBlue
- Southwest
- Spirit
- United
Note that if you have a Business Platinum card, the airline you choose will also be the airline that will give you 35% of your points back when redeeming for coach travel. You may want to hold off on spending the $200 until the end of the year if you want to be able to change the airline more easily during the year, though I have never been denied an airline change by chatting with AMEX online. You also get back 35% of your points on all airlines in business and first class redemptions without having to register for an airline.
Testing out charges in 2024:
- The United TravelBank is a great option for these credits. TravelBank funds are valid to book United flights for anyone for 5 years from the date of purchase. I made 2 $100 purchases in 2024 and was reimbursed for the purchases.
- With this option you’ll have to weigh whether to do this earlier in the year, when you know it’s available and working or whether to wait to see if you’ll have actual airline fees to pay this year. It can also be worth waiting for a TravelBank funding promotion or to get a longer expiration date on the funds. Then again the option isn’t officially covered as an airline fee, so it can stop working at any time. In 2021 it stopped working for a couple of months, before becoming eligible again.
- TravelBank funds can be used to book travel on United.com for anyone.
- JetBlue paid tickets that are under around $129 have long worked for credit.
- These can be converted into JetBlue Travel Bank funds. With JetBlue, those funds are valid for 1 year from the date of original purchase and funds can be used for anyone. In basic economy you’ll have to cancel within 24 hours of the purchase and you’ll need to have purchased the flight for more than 7 days from now. You’ll have to contact JetBlue to do this conversion. For non-basic tickets, you can cancel and convert into Travel Bank funds online more than 24 hours after the ticket purchase.
- Southwest paid tickets that are under around $109 have long worked for credit.
These are other charges that have been reported to count for airline fee credit:
- Delta tickets purchased with partial payment on your credit card and partial payment on an airline voucher or gift card are typically reimbursed. This is not officially covered as an airline fee, but should work anyway.
- Taxes on award tickets are typically reimbursed. This is not officially covered as an airline fee, but often works anyway.
- Award redeposit and change fees from airline of your choice. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- Baggage fees from airline of your choice. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- Buying extra miles or mileage multiplier offered with a ticket purchase online or at a kiosk. This is not officially covered as an airline fee, but often works anyway.
- Flight change fees and same day change fees from airline of your choice. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- Food and drinks on the plane from airline of your choice. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- Food and drinks in a club from airline of your choice. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- Lounge access, memberships, and club pass fees from airline of your choice. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- Phone reservation fees from airline of your choice. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- Pet fees. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- Seat selection fees and Economy Plus/Main Cabin Extra fees from airline of your choice. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- Standby fees from airline of your choice. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- AA 500 mile upgrades. This is not officially covered as an airline fee, but often works anyway.
- AA Five Star Service. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- AA WiFi monthly plan. This is not officially covered as an airline fee, but often works anyway.
- $9 Spirit Fare Club Membership. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- United Economy Plus upgrades and Economy Plus Subscriptions. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- United Farelock. This is officially covered as an airline fee.
- United WiFi Subscription Purchases And Gifts. This is not officially covered as an airline fee, but often works anyway.
- United WiFi on mainline planes only or any other WiFi billed by the airline and not a 3rd party. This is not officially covered as an airline fee, but often works anyway.
- United WiFi day pass on any United flight.
It’s worth noting that upgrades to another cabin is not officially covered as an airline fee. Upgrading from JetBlue MINT to MINT Studio didn’t automatically work for me either. However you can chatting with AMEX 14 days after a charge to request reimbursement for it or any other charge. YMMV on the rep crediting your account for it, but that has always worked for me in the past.
What airline fees have you been credited for on your AMEX card in 2024?
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73 Comments On "[Final Weeks For 2024 Credit, Triple Dip For New Cardholders] Testing Out Using 2024 AMEX Airline Fee Credit Uses, How Will You Use Yours?"
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used for travel bank still waiting for credit
How long did it take for the United Bank credit to appear? I charged 50 on 1/23 and didn’t get a credit so far
Takes about 9 days
For me it took 9 days in early January
Took me 13 days, but I got it.
Travel Bank did not work for me on my Amex platinum this year. I chatted with them to find out why and they told me that Travel Bank is not on the list of eligible expenses.
Worked for me, took a nice few days tho to get the credit
“Then again the option isn’t officially covered as an airline fee.” Did you expect them to tell you otherwise? How much did you purchase and when?
Sigh, you’re not supposed to tell them that since it’s not one of the official ways you’re allowed to use the credit It almost always credits on its own, though it’s been taking longer- 3 weeks in some cases.
Great, he ruined it for the rest of us
He might charged $200 instead of $100 as its saying in the screenshot from Dan,
When exactly was the last time there was a United TB promo? Not for quite a number of years. Best not to wait and just get your credit right away.
My JB purchase that was credit to TB didn’t credit. Was for $98.xx. Need to chat with Amex to see if they can honor it.
Why would they honor something they don’t officially cover just because you chatted?
Travel bank works this year. Took about a week to post
what did you find on dell for exactly $200?
Wondering the same
You can pay using multiple credit cards.
Travel bank has worked for me. Took 11 days for the credit to show. Have one $50 credit pending.
IME, the credit for Airline fees ok only showed up on weekends Friday though Sunday.
So if you made a charge on a Thursday lest say, you might have to wait 2 weeks to see the credit.
used utb for 3 cards in the begining of the on the same day one of them worked the other 2 didnt
DP: I have never had issues with switching the airline to get the 35% rebate. Have switched multiple times in same day to book different flights and all rebates posted.
If you already used part of the $200 credit, then you will need to chat with rep or call to switch airline. Otherwise, the chatbot can usually do it for you.
Very Useful DP. Thanks!
i dont think u can select ELAL as your airline, correct?
Made a purchase of around $104 on Southwest over a week ago and have yet to see the reimbursement hit my account. Perhaps this one doesn’t work anymore?
I bought two $108 SW tickets on 12/30 after choosing SW as my airline. Still no refund 🙁
Important DP: If you make a purchase and then close the card, eg because your 30 days to get AF refunded is up, you WILL get the credit posted, even if the card is closed at the time the credit posts- the credit will still post. Happened to me this month.
What happens if I cxl my Amex Platinum after the Travel Bank credits for 2024 posted, Clear credit for 2024 posted and Uber monthly credit posts? Will they claw back those credits? The annual fee of $695 is getting ridiculous and I don’t want to pay it again.
I made a purchase on United on Dec 24 & got a credit on Jan 4th, will this count for the 2023 credit? or 2024?
Is there a way to see if the 200.00 credit has bean used?
Thanks
2023. There is a tab that shows how much of your airline credit you used under the membership tab
Dan, we can all use a DansDeals post for your ideas for strategy how to use the $200 Hilton credit on the HILTON AMEX Surpass? If not going to hotel this quarter, can we use it for Hilton gift card? or how about walking into any Hilton and buying stuff from Hilton gift shop…will we get the credit?
Try it and let us know
Lots of websites discussing this…waiting for Dan and JJ to give us definitive ideas for strategies how to use the $200 Hilton credit on the HILTON AMEX Surpass?
Going into a Hilton to buy a gift card seems like a good starting point.
Does every Hilton hotel sell Hilton gift cards? How about buying a Hilton gift card online? or buying stuff from Hilton gift shop?
Be the data point you want to see.
I’ve does this twice – 4th quarter + 1st quarter for $50 each. There is a $1.95 shipping fee for the cards each time. AMEX credit came through in about 10 days. Cards arrived in the mail in about 3 days.
Sorry what $50 gift card did you buy? Was it hilton or united?
does booking a ticket for $100 on american airlines work to get it refunded to travel bank?
Note JetBlue changed travel bank rules. Travel bank money can only be used on paid tickets. They can no longer be used for the taxes on award tickets. That’s only 11.20 roundtrip domestic, but international it can be 80-100 to the Caribbean for example.
That’s not true. I used travel bank on award tickets yesterday.
Used for United travel bank and already got refunded!
what is with delta airlines is it a good option?
what are the ways to use it?
Does spirit still offer the $9 trial after booking a mock ticket?
As well does one need to pay for the bags separately vs including it in the original booking? When booking a spirit flight?
If i purchased $200 United TB, or do a seat selection / upgrade for $200, and then had to cancel, would United / other selected airline credit it? And would I still get the Amex credit even though it’s been canceled and credited by the airline?
Would this fall in the same category for taxes for an infant in lap ticket?
Taxes on award tickets are typically reimbursed. This is not officially covered as an airline fee, but often works anyway.
“Delta tickets purchased with partial payment on your credit card and partial payment on an airline voucher or gift card are typically reimbursed. This is not officially covered as an airline fee, but should work anyway.”
When the voucher exceeds the cost of the fare, is there a way to only use a partial amount of the voucher?
For example, if the voucher is for $200 and the fare is $188, I don’t see an option online to split the cost between the voucher and the credit card, the only option is to charge the full amount to either the voucher or to the credit card. Can It be done by a phone rep?
tia
Purchased a $285.47 ticket using a $200 credit and an Amex Plat consumer card.
Jun 28 Credit AMEX AIRLINE FEE REIMBURSEMENT -$85.47
Jun 28 DELTA AIR LINES $85.47
I didn’t think the 35% covered coach
I used the United travel bank last week and got reimbursed today.
@Dan do I need to put united down as my airline in order to buy the bank credit
And can I buy 200 at a time or I need to wait
Of course.
100.
Also is there anyway to cash in the 200 hotel credit?
The United TravelBank link in the post gives an error message. Can you please update with a working link?
Done, thanks.
Does ua tb work still?
Yes
Did Amex replace the 35% back with this new Hilton credit?
I don’t see it as a benefit on my account all of a sudden.
It’s there under premium travel:
Can I buy United gift cards to use on later flights?
Yes, please read the post.
I’ll be using my travel credit to make a donation to Kanfei Chayim- Miles for Life.
Kanfei Chayim is a truly lifesaving organization, I’m unfortunately well familiar with the incredible work they do, they provided tremendous assistance to my family when we faced a difficult situation with a family member in an out of town hospital. Their help with travel arrangements allowed us to be there with our family member without losing every last penny on travel expenses. The way they operate is by using miles donated by goodhearted people as well as travelbank to book tickets for Cholei Yisroel and their families. I believe this is the best way to use my Amex travel credit and I’m sure many will agree
are you saying both cards offer $200 airline credit? platn biz and plat personal?
Yes
if fees are due jan 20, 2025 – when need to cancel card to get it fully refunded? is there a downgrade no fee option? will united purchase Jan 5 be credited fee even if close 10 days later after posted?
You have 30 days from the annual fee billing date to cancel a card. You can always downgrade after 30 days, but to Biz Green at $95/year or consumer Green at $150/year.
You can close a card anytime after a purchase and the reward/airline fee will still be credited back.
if my memory serves me correctly, My amex BP refused to credit the dell.com $200 credit after i closed the card when the year was up, although maybe downgrading is diff…
35% back for premium flight is taking weeks. Will they credit points back after close ? Have biz blue to maintain points
If the transaction details for purchase on your AMEX card for United TravelBank state “United Electronic Ticketing,” does that indicate the credit won’t work, or is it not relevant?
It works. I just got the credit. It took 3 days. I had the same description of the United transaction.
Does united TB work even if the cardholder and account holder name don’t match?
Yes
Dan, Just got approved for the Platinum Card! Just to confirm, I can use the $200 airline credit now in December 2024 and then again on, for example, January 5, 2025 and then again on January 5, 2026? The 2nd billing for the 695 annual fee will come in December 2025 and isn’t due for payment until January 2026 and I can downgrade the card in January 2026 after getting the airline credit, but before downgrading? Is that all correct?
Also, if I downgrade in January 2026 after using the credit, will AMEX charge me a pro-rated fee for having the card for a little bit into its second yr? I could be wrong, but I think AMEX prorated me the past? Thanks for the help and insight!