How does the Amex airline credit work?

The Amex airline credit covers $100-$250 in airline fees each year for several American Express credit card holders. Carriers eligible for the Amex airline credit include American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, United, Alaska, Hawaiian, and Spirit. Cardholders must choose a specific airline to earn the credit from. The exact credit differs from card-to-card.

It's also important to note that, unlike airline fee credits that cover incidental travel fees from a carrier you get to choose every year, Delta co-branded cards only offer flight e-credits for eligible Delta flight purchases.

How the American Express Airline Credit Works

The Hilton Honors Aspire Credit Card offers up to $250 annual airline fee credit. Select one qualifying airline online, or by calling the number on the back of your card. Then use your card to pay for eligible incidental fees from that airline and receive a statement covering those fees, usually 2-4 weeks after you pay for them.

The American Express Platinum card offers up to $200 annual airline fee credit. Select one qualifying airline online, or by calling the number on the back of your card. Then use your card to pay for eligible incidental fees from that airline and receive a statement covering those fees, usually 2-4 weeks after you pay for them.

The Delta Gold Card offers a $100 Delta Flight credit after you spend $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year. Issued as an eCredit made available on delta.com in the "My Profile" section, under "Certificates, eCredits, and Vouchers."

The American Express Business Platinum card offers up to $200 annual airline fee credit. Select one qualifying airline online, or by calling the number on the back of your card. Then use your card to pay for eligible incidental fees from that airline and receive a statement covering those fees, usually 2-4 weeks after you pay for them.

The Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Credit Card offers $100 Delta Flight credit after you spend $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year. Issued as an eCredit made available on delta.com in the "My Profile" section, under "Certificates, eCredits, and Vouchers."

To receive the American Express airline fee credit, you must select an airline to use it with between January 1^st and 31^st each year (except for the Delta cards, whose Delta flight credits can only be used for Delta flight purchases within a year after earning them). If you don’t select a new airline, you’ll receive the airline credit for whichever airline you’d previously selected. Once you’ve selected the airline, American Express will automatically apply the credit to any incidental fees you’re charged by that airline.

What Covered Charges Include

Covered charges include fees for baggage, bringing pets, choosing your seat beforehand, and in-flight purchases. The airline credit does not apply to charges such as airfare, gift cards, insurance, or transferring points. Credits don’t carry over from one year to the next, either.

Unlike the general airline fee credits, Delta Flight credits can only be used toward Delta flight purchases: airfare, surcharge, and government-imposed taxes and fees on air transportation. They are not valid for other types of fees (including bag fees, change fees, upgrades, or other ancillary purchases or fees with Delta).