【2020.1 Update】The bug where refunds only returned 1 x MR seems to have been fixed. If it had not been fixed, you really could have farmed quite a lot of MR.

【2019.11 Update 2】Purchases earn 3X, refunds post as 1X. For LoungeBuddy, I spent 109, then later canceled it and got clawed back, but the LoungeBuddy purchase and the clawback transaction both counted as 3 x MR, while the refund and the reimbursement were both -1 x MR.

Simply put, if you spend $100 (3 x MR), trigger the reimbursement (-1 x MR), cancel (-1 x MR), and then get a clawback (3 x MR), you end up with 4 x MR overall. Even ignoring the reimbursement, if you make a purchase and then cancel it, a larger amount reliably yields 2X (LoungeBuddy supports buying passes for up to 13 people in one purchase, and some lounges are expensive). But do you really want to do that? If AMEX decides you are gaming the system, that could be pretty risky. YMMV.

【2019.11 Update 1】After refunding the LoungeBuddyPass, the $100 Credit that had already been reimbursed was also taken back. No matter how long ago the reimbursement posted, it was all ultimately clawed back on 11.05. So based on this, the reimbursement mechanism for LB appears to be similar to an AMEX Offer, and different from Hilton and Marriott hotel Credit reimbursements, as well as airline reimbursements. So for now, it looks like the only practical use is either choosing a lounge at the airport that is not part of Priority Pass, or using it for someone who does not have PP.

Before We Begin

First, let’s review the previous two posts:

After the “evil” big-capitalist AMEX acquired LoungeBuddy, a free airport lounge finder app, it revamped its classic AMEX Green credit card and raised the annual fee. To placate users, AMEX added two annual statement credits, including a $100 annual LoungeBuddy credit. That money gets moved around only to end up back in AMEX’s own pocket, and this benefit often overlaps heavily with the PP membership offered by premium credit cards.

Given how attractive the new-card welcome bonus really is, and because many of our readers also hold older versions of the card, we already added quite a few usage ideas in our LoungeBuddy overview post, though we did not go into detail there. So this article takes a separate look at some unconventional (but effective) ways to use up this credit. I think there are several approaches, and KUKU will walk through them one by one.

Features of LoungeBuddy Passes

Let’s first go over a few characteristics we discovered about LoungeBuddy Passes. These will be referenced later, so we will not repeat them again.

  • Supports both immediate purchases and purchases for any time within the next month (it is still unclear how same-day timing works exactly; it shows the entry time you selected when purchasing);
  • You can view the pass in the app;
  • Supports exporting the electronic pass and transferring it to friends (via Apple Wallet between devices, or by emailing the pass);
  • You will also receive the electronic pass by email, including the QR code and an Add to Apple Wallet button;

Changing the Name on the Account Is Allowed

If the name can be changed, that opens up a lot of possibilities. As shown above, follow the path marked by the red boxes. After changing the name, even a pass that has already been purchased will reflect the newly updated name as of the time of writing.

Cancellation Is Allowed

Cancellation is allowed up to 24h before the scheduled entry time. More details are explained below—you know where this is going.

Note: this refers to the entry time, not the time you placed the order. In my example, I placed the order on 10/29, bought a pass for 12/30, and the cancellation policy allowed cancellation on 12/29.

How to Buy

As for which card to use, nothing is more suitable than the AMEX Green credit card.

Adding a Credit Card

  • You can only use AMEX credit cards, and you only need to enter the card number, mm/yy, and CVC
  • Apple Pay AMEX credit cards are supported (but Apple Pay + AMEX Green may not trigger the reimbursement; more DP is needed, so I suggest not using Apple Pay for now)

Purchase Methods

LoungeBuddy itself does not officially support transferring lounge passes (perhaps lounges do not actually verify names anyway), but the generated pass can change when you change the name on your account. That gives us several ways to use it:

【Purchase Method 1】In the app home page — Purchase Access — select airport — select lounge — choose a lounge marked “Get Access” or “How to Access”

【Purchase Method 2】Buy on the website. Website purchases cannot use the Credit you received from being referred or from referring others, because there is no way to log in there. (Thanks to reader az for the reminder.)

【Changing the account name】For app purchases, you can change the account name either before or after purchase (the name on the pass will automatically update with the account). To be safe, change it before buying. For website purchases, you need to make sure the name is correct before purchase.

Several Ways to Trigger the Reimbursement

Use It for a Real Need

Just buy it through one of the methods above and use it yourself.

Visit Lounges That Do Not Partner with PP

Since this benefit overlaps quite a bit with PP, you can use this credit for airport lounges that are not part of PP but do partner with LoungeBuddy (thanks to xhl1212 for the suggestion). I found one example in each category:

  • Golden Century VIP Lounge at XMN, $17 USD (BASIC)
  • Temporary Lounge at PHX, $31 USD (SOLID)
  • Lufthansa Business Lounge at JFK, $59 USD (FRESH)
  • Plaza Premium First at HKG, $89 USD (LUXE)

Transfer It to Parents, Your Significant Other, or Relatives

To maximize value, the best recipient is someone who does not have a PP membership or airline elite status, and therefore cannot get into airport lounges for free when you are not traveling with them. In that case, this $100 credit can help you remotely get your parents, LD, or other relatives into a lounge. After all this time playing the points-and-miles game, it is time to help your family remotely. If you are buying across time zones, pay attention to the timing.

1. Add your Green card to the other person’s LoungeBuddy account and buy there

There is not much to explain here—just have the other person complete the purchase. It is very straightforward. If they are not very familiar with it, you can do it on their behalf.

2. Buy the lounge pass yourself and then transfer it to the other person

Purchase directly in the app or on the website under your own account. To avoid issues with the lounge not recognizing the pass, remember to change the account name to the recipient’s name either before or after purchase. Then complete the purchase. The LoungeBuddy app can also be logged in from multiple locations at the same time, so you can buy it in the US while the other person in China opens the same account in the app to view it. You can also forward the email, send the Apple Wallet pass, etc. For example, as shown below, simply forwarding the email can let your parents remotely add it to Apple Wallet themselves, or they can just scan the electronic admission pass in the email directly.

Reselling to Someone Else

Using this name-change method, you can sell the pass to a friend who needs it.

Cancellation Method (No Longer Works!)

LoungeBuddy does allow cancellations: you just need to cancel at least 24h before entry to receive a full refund. For cancellation instructions, see LoungeBuddy’s official guide [click here]. Thanks to readers az and Paul Zhang for the inspiration.

Alternately you can send an email to [email protected] to request cancellation and refund of your booking. Please provide us with the email address used to make the booking and/or the first and last name of the guest listed on the reservation. Once we have initiated the cancellation, your refund may take to 10-12 business days to appear on your credit card statement.

Please note that in order to receive a full refund cancellation requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance. If a cancellation request is made within 24 hours of your reservation time, please let us know the reason for the cancellation and we will do our best to accommodate your request.

  • Self-service cancellation link, or email customer service to cancel (not recommended)
  • You need to cancel more than 24h before the scheduled entry time. If it is within 24h, you need to contact customer service to cancel and explain the reason.
  • You need the Order number and the account email

Note: this is based on the entry time, not the time you placed the order. You can buy a Pass for entry within 2 months from the purchase date.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Go to the link to find your reservation, and enter the reservation number (note: this is different from the confirmation number; you can find it in the purchase email)

2. Select cancel

3. Enter the airport code to confirm cancellation

4. It shows the refund was successful

Things to Keep in Mind

  • Since you can pre-purchase lounge passes up to two months in advance, try to book farther out, but remember you must cancel more than 24h before the entry time
  • It is recommended to wait until the credit posts before canceling
  • After canceling, wait patiently for the refund! Do not contact customer service, do not contact customer service, do not contact customer service!
  • Canceling while still receiving the reimbursement is not in AMEX’s interest, so a future Claw Back is possible. If that concerns you, consider the legitimate-use methods discussed above.

Data Point on Getting the Credit

Below is my reimbursement DP. My AMEX Green was applied for before the refresh, the version with the first-year annual fee waived, and after the refresh it came with the $100 LoungeBuddy credit. Here is the overall timeline:

  • October 29: purchased 2 passes totaling $100
  • October 31: received the -$100 credit (you can see the extra detail mentioning LB AMEX Credit, i.e. the reimbursement)
  • October 31: canceled the pass
  • November 2: received the refund

Will It Be Clawed Back? Yes

Author KUKU’s test was not clawed back for more than a week (successful test on 10.25 through publication on 11.04, but claw back happened on 11.05 and appeared on the statement on 11.07), so you can decide for yourself whether it is worth using this cancellation method to trigger the credit. That said, even if it is clawed back, you can still buy a pass through normal means and use the credit that way. Or you can use the methods above to transfer it to family members or others.

Can a Downgraded Card Still Use the Credit?

The answer is yes. As long as the card shows as Green on the website, you can enjoy the credit. The previous card’s annual fee will also be refunded to you on a prorated basis. If you have a Gold card or AMEX’s own Platinum and need to downgrade (ideally in compliance with AMEX RAT rules), year-end is indeed a pretty good time to do it. You could also wait until January next year to downgrade.

Other Useful AMEX Green Credit Card Benefits

If you can consistently use the $100 LoungeBuddy credit every year, then the effective annual fee of the AMEX Green is only 50, and its return rate is almost the same as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, while the annual fee easily beats the CSR.

If you can also use the Clear credit each year (for example, whether there is a way to resell $25/$50), then this card is definitely worth keeping long term. By the way, if you want to get the credit three times, getting your card number in December is the best option. Considering that this trick may die quickly after being made public, if you want to open more cards, it is better to act sooner rather than later. There is no bonus for opening multiple cards anyway, so feel free to use our link while you’re at it~

LoungeBuddy Registration

Feel free to use our refer code. Registering gives you an extra $10. If you previously registered directly, you can still add this code and get the same $10. Pick any of the three below:

  • CAUydx7hG7
  • ZO4aYw0W1f
  • ZsvmDEvEgY

AwayTravel Credit for New Cardholders

  • This is part of a recent welcome offer, and only those who are eligible for that welcome offer have this credit.
  • Away purchase link ($20 bonus for new users) (US IP required) If it doesn’t open, try this link
  • It’s recommended to register an account directly so you can track the shipment. If you don’t register, you can also buy through the link above as a Guest (you’ll need to enter your email). The $20 off will then appear at checkout as Referral Credit.
  • Can gift cards trigger it? Away offers gift cards starting at $50. The terms say they do not qualify, but the real-world outcome is unknown for now; waiting for brave readers’ DP.

Using Clear

  • Registration generally only requires a valid driver’s license and usually does not ask for visa type or nationality, but please use your own judgment.
  • TopCashback has $20 cash back for Clear, which stacks quite nicely.
  • For Clear, if you have Hertz President Circle, you can get a 4-month free Clear trial. Alternatively, UA or Delta credit cardholders (you do not need to pay with the co-branded card) can get an annual fee of 109. Readers can explore the details themselves. H/T: reader xhl1212
  • If you can’t use it yourself, you can also give/transfer it to someone else to use.

enjoy～！