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Amex Is Closing the United TravelBank Loophole: What You Need to Know
July 1, 2025
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For years, savvy American Express Platinum Card® cardholders have used a clever workaround to maximize their annual up to $200 airline credit: depositing funds into United TravelBank. This method effectively converted the "incidental fees only" benefit into flight credit that could be used for actual airfare. But recently, multiple reports suggest Amex has closed this loophole. Here's what happened and how to adapt your strategy.
What Was the United TravelBank Workaround?
The American Express Platinum Card®and the Business Platinum Card® from American Express both offer up to $200 in annual airline fee credits. While Amex's official terms limit reimbursements to incidental fees like checked bags and seat selection, United TravelBank deposits often triggered these credits anyway. Cardholders could make deposits of $50 or $100 into their TravelBank account, and Amex would reimburse them as "incidental" charges. This created a pool of flight credit usable for future United purchases, much more valuable benefit than paying for checked bags.
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "106", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint": "Serious Points on Flights"} ]]
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "2290", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Business Travelers", "headerHint": "Luxury Benefits"} ]]
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Why It Stopped Working
Starting in early February 2026, cardholders began reporting that TravelBank purchases were no longer being reimbursed. According to reports from Doctor of Credit and Reddit users, these charges now appear to be categorized as general "travel" purchases rather than qualifying airline fees. Importantly, this workaround was never officially endorsed by American Express. The benefit terms have always specified which fee types qualify. TravelBank simply happened to code in a way that triggered credits—until it didn't.
What Still Works for the $200 Airline Credit
With the TravelBank option unreliable, focus on what Amex officially allows. According to the benefit terms, eligible expenses include:
- Checked bag fees
- Seat assignment and selection fees
- Inflight food and beverages
- Inflight entertainment
- Flight change or cancellation fees
- Airport lounge day passes (purchased directly from the airline)
- Some airline club membership fees
- Pet transportation fees (in certain cases)
What doesn't qualify:
- Airfare
- Cabin upgrades
- Mileage purchases
- Gift cards
- Award ticket taxes and fees
- Travel vouchers
To use the benefit, you must first select a preferred airline in your Amex account. Only purchases from that airline will qualify for reimbursement.
Available Airlines
You can select from these eight qualifying U.S. carriers:
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- JetBlue Airways
- Southwest Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
- United Airlines
Managing premium card benefits across multiple cards can be complex. Kudos automatically tracks which cards offer the best rewards for each purchase, ensuring you're maximizing value across your entire wallet—not just one benefit at a time. With Kudos Premium, you can also activate card-linked offers automatically, so you never miss opportunities to stack rewards with your airline credit spending.
What This Means for Your Card Strategy
If you were relying on the TravelBank method, you still have options:
- Change your preferred airline. If you haven't used any credits yet this year, you can select a different airline that offers eligible fees you'll actually use.
- Plan ahead for incidental fees. If you regularly check bags or pay for seat selection, those expenses can still offset a meaningful portion of your annual fee.
Consider the full card value. The airline credit is just one benefit. Premium Amex cards also offer lounge access, hotel status, statement credits, and strong rewards earning, all of which Kudos can help you maximize automatically.
While the TravelBank workaround may be gone, your Amex Platinum card still offers substantial value when used strategically. Focus on the benefits that work reliably, and let Kudos handle the rest.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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