$200 Airline Reimbursement for AMEX Platinum Members
If you have an American Express Platinum (Personal, Business, or Mercedes Benz version), you qualify for a $200 airline reimbursement each calendar year (Jan 1 – Dec 31). You can also purchase airline gift cards with your Platinum card and get that purchase reimbursed as well. I will show you how to do that.
Go here and log into your American Express account.
Select your airline from the drop down menu. You can choose only 1 airline per calendar year.
I fly southwest Airlines frequently, and I want to purchase Southwest Airlines gift cards with my Platinum card, so I select Southwest/AirTran from the drop down list and click Enroll.
If you want to select a different airline, check out this FlyerTalk post referencing all the other airlines from the drop down menu.
Confirm that you have selected the right airline and click Enroll.
Confirmation screen showing it takes 2-4 weeks for the reimbursement to process.
A confirmation email showing all the fees that the Platinum card will reimburse.
Now I go to Southwest.com and purchase a gift card.
Enter any amount you want, select free email delivery, enter your email address, and click Continue.
I bought a $100 gift card to make sure the purchase was reimbursed.
Purchase was successful.
After a few minutes, I received the Southwest gift card via email.
$100 purchase showed up on my Platinum card right away.
2 days later, I received an email from American Express telling me I received a $100 merchant credit. Looks like my $100 Southwest gift card purchase worked. Time to buy a second $100 gift card.
Here is what the charges and credits look like in my account.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
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That’s creative to buy airline gift cards, so that you can use the $200 credit toward airfare. How difficult is it to switch airlines after selecting an airline from the drop-down menu and confirming?
You can only select one airline per calendar year. The website won’t let you change after you make your selection until Jan 1.
Just picked up the MB Plat too. I figure we can get 3 of the $200 reimbursements. One in Dec 2013, another during 2014 and even one in Jan 2015. The 2015 WILL require paying the annual fee, but we should be able to cancel AFTER receiving the $200 reimbursement. And then we’ll get the $475 annual fee pro-rated when cancelled. $475 / 12 months, $40 per month. I’ll trade $40 for $200 any day… :)
I think you just read my mind. What airline are you going to chose?
We have a June flight on Delta (economy) to Maui, gonna use this to get economy comfort seats. Upgrade a couple seats now, then a couple in 2014. I love this card now! That $475 fee had me scared off before!
Good use of the $200 reimbursement for travel expenses from Delta. Enjoy your flight to Hawaii next June.
you got to post the first big bomb of 2014, Walmart ends $200 GC reload
Really? I haven’t tried my local Walmart yet. I hope it’s not dead for me.
Was this at the WM at the District?
Are there reports that this is still working? If so, have there been rumors of stopping this? Looking to get AMEX Platinum as well as the SPG therefore i was wondering if the $200 airline fee GC method is still valid.
I believe it is still working. Double check the FlyerTalk thread for more recent reports.
Dear Grant,
Can i still apply today e.g 12/30/14 and able to get $200 credit for 2014.since i will not receive card before first week of Jan 2015.?
Is there a way to still apply and get credit for 2014 and 2015?
Sorry Jacky, I don’t think it is possible to apply for the card today and get the $200 airline credit for 2014.
Hi Guys,
I recieved my platinum card last week and my SW gift cards posted on 12.29. I will update you if I see the refund.
Happy New Year!
Thank you Kevin. As long as you made the purchase in 2014, you should be fine. AMEX will probably backdate the statement credit to show as 2014. Have a great New Years!