Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is happening now! Follow us as Greg, Nick, and Stephen compete to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines before November 23rd. Who will complete the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
Due to sweet opportunities, I know that many readers have recently picked up the Chase Ritz-Carlton Visa Infinite card. One of the benefits this card carries is $300 in annual airline fee reimbursements. While things like seat upgrades and lounge access officially count for reimbursement under this credit, many readers want to know what unofficially works in terms of gift cards and fees that might not appear to fall into the list of qualifying charges. We mantain a similar resource page for Amex cards (See: Amex airline fee credits: What still works?), so I have published a new resource for the Chase Ritz-Carlton card. See:
Chase Ritz-Carlton Visa airline fee credits: What works?
However, you’ll see that existing recent data is limited. I combed through the data I could find online from the past year or two and added my own experiences, but we need reader input. If you have the Chase Ritz-Carlton Visa card, please comment with your experiences in getting the annual travel credit reimbursements. Please include:
- Type of charge (i.e. AA gift card / Alaska award fees / etc)
- Date of charge
- Requested via phone or secure message
- Success or failure
Unlike some other premium cards, the Chase Ritz-Carlton Visa airline credits are not automatic. You must either call the number on the back of your card or send a secure message to be reimbursed, which adds a human element as someone must manually process the credit. That adds a lot more potential for variance in what works from one agent to the next. However, understanding what has worked for others can be helpful in identifying what is possible, though recognize that it might require an extra phone call or secure message or two to get your desired result.
Feel free to comment here today or on that resource page in the future and we will update it regularly to include recent data points. Reader input is what helps keep resource pages like this current, so thanks in advance for your recent data points.
Again, see the resource page for what works and to help us with your recent data:
Chase Ritz-Carlton Visa airline fee credits: What works?
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
10/2022 – Southwest upgrade from Wanna Get Away to Business Select. Upgrade cost was $330. I requested via phone and they asked what the charge was for. I said “an upgrade to business” and the full $300 was reimbursed with no other questions.
I actually ended up having to cancel the ticket, but I took the refund as travel credit since I didn’t wanna risk a clawback from having it refunded to the card.
AA gift card (two at a few bucks over $150 each to throw them off the scent)
Sent secure mail, said ‘please reimburse recent charges’
BOOM: done — $300 one day later.
Forgot to mention: these were e-gift cards.
Bada bing!
Thank you so much for your DP, exactly what I still wish to do!
1. Southwest Gift Card $150 bought through their website
2. 6/4/2019
3. Phone, called number on back of card
4. Success, no questions about what the charge was for
Some new DPs from today. Agent said they would apply in the next couple of business cycles (I think it has been faster in the past)
$125 American Airlines gold platinum challenge fee — covered as upgrade
$125 AA gift card — covered as upgrade
$62 Iberia upgrade — covered as upgrade, $50 partial credit because it exceeded my yearly total
[…] 7/2018 (Josh) […]
Southwest GiftCards….easy peasy. I got four $75’s so I could say they were baggage or bike fees but wasn’t even asked.
The # on back of the card is an executive level # where they go the extra mile to please the customer. Always had luck with it.
Also you can phone immediately and even though the charge is pending, they will tag it so it’s taken off when it hits. Sweet.
Delta, Singapore and Blu Jet Airlines. For unaccompanied minor and baggage fees. Called and they saw charges, added them up and gave me credit. I did not have to justify other than my word. Easy, I was impressed.
I purchased a $50 Delta gift card with my Ritz Carlton card on 10/9/18. It posted as “Delta Gift Card”. I sent a secure message (on 10/12) asking to apply travel credits to the charge and was denied. I then called the executive line and asked for a one time exception and was denied again.
Did you buy it on mobile or desktop?
This was likely purchased on mobile and this is why it coded as such.
I also just purchased a delta gift card on my desktop, and it came up as delta gift card… i didn’t even bother contacting Chase to get it reimbursed.
Seat assignment/upgrades on AA last month. No issue whatsoever, did it by phone.
“did it by phone” — the upgrade or the request for credit?
If you are willing to lie it’s still easy to use. If you are not willing to lie but willing to risk finding a rep who doesn’t ask questions it can still be used occasionally for things outside the terms. The easiest use for the Ritz card is follow the terms. Each time I’ve called they have asked me what the charge was for and I’ve been able to say exactly what it was because it was specifically listed in the terms, no problems.
Am I crazy for seeing lying to someone as different than allowing amex to auto refund my gift card purchase?
Type of Charge: Southwest Ticket Fare
Date of Charge: April 2018
Request: Secure Message – just said “for these charges on Southwest”
Success x2
used it on 3 occasions of lounge access outside the priority lounge program, twice for on flight internet accesses, 1 time for united upgrades, all through secured messages, all were refunded within 12 hours no questions asked.
1. AA Award Fees & Taxes
2. June 2018
3. Phone
4. Success
1. AA Gift Card (purchase from desktop aa site)
2. July 2018
3. Phone
4. Success
1. United baggage
2. March 2018
3. Phone
4. Success
1. Amtrak coach tickets for 2 adults and 2 kids
2. July 11 2018 at Amtrak.com
3. Phone call request to use credit for the $174 charge
4. Success. First was told that the credit wouldn’t work if it was simply for ticket purchase, but WOULD work if it was for an upgrade or something similar. So I told the rep it was an upgrade from coach to business class and she approved it immediately. I have a sneaking suspicion I got lucky with a nice rep.
You are not the only one got lucky! I just got approved within 20 mins without question asked. $133 out of $246 for train.
I wouldn’t call it luck I would say you lied. Maybe if you are saying you were lucky that you found a rep who didn’t care you were lying.
Thanks for your insight karma police.
United mileage transfer fee
01/2018
Phone
Success
Used the whole credit in one transaction for $421 in AS upgrades (via upfare to instant-upgrade fare class), via phone. That’s a legitimate expense, but I wasn’t asked and didn’t volunteer anything but the amount and the date.