[Repost] What Triggers The Bank of America Premium Rewards $100 Travel Credit?

(Update 1/14/23: Bank of America Premium Rewards meter tracker has reset today and is now showing the $100 as available to be used. Some people like waiting for the tracker to reset so as to be extra safe.)

Bank of America recently launched the Premium Rewards credit card. One of the card benefits is a $100 annual travel incidental credit, this credit is based on a calendar year. As long as your purchase posts within the calendar year it will count towards that credit (even if the credit itself posts the next calendar year). Officially the following qualify for the credit:

• Fees on domestic-originated flights on certain U.S.-domestic airline carriers that include: preferred seating upgrades, ticket change/cancellation fees, checked baggage fees, in-flight entertainment, onboard food and beverage charges, and airport lounge fees affiliated with eligible airline carriers.

They list the following merchant category codes as qualifying:

• 3000, 3001, 3057, 3058, 3063, 3066, 3132, 3174, 3196 or 3256
  • 3000 – United.
  • 3001 – American Airlines.
  • 3057 – East/West Airline (Australia)
  • 3058 – Delta
  • 3063 – US Airways
  • 3066 – Southwest
  • 3132 – Frontier
  • 3174 – Jet Blue
  • 3196 – Hawaiin
  • 3256 – Alaskan

These don’t qualify:

• Allegiant Air, Spirit Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines.

They specifically exclude the following in the fine print:

• Airline ticket purchases, mileage point purchases, mileage point transfer fees, gift cards, duty-free purchases, award tickets and fees incurred with airline alliance partners do not qualify. Airline incidental fee transactions must be separate from airline ticket charges

As we know what’s listed in the fine print isn’t always what happens in reality so this post aims to provide data points on what does/doesn’t trigger the credit. The easiest way to see if something has worked is to do the following (hat tip to Mr G)

• Use the Bank of America app
• Select your Premium Rewards Credit Card
• Click Premium Rewards Benefits
• Indicator shows how much of the credit you’ve used
• Click view activity and it will show an itemized list of the transactions that have triggered the credit

Keep in mind that the fine print also states that it takes up to seven days for the credit to post to your account after the charge has posted to your account.

What Works To Trigger The Credit

Below is a list of things that have successfully triggered the credit:

• American Airlines:
  • Baggage check: 1, 2,
  • Award close in fee: 1 ($75), 2, 3,
  • Award taxes & fees: 1 ($11.20), 2, 3 (didn’t work, was for $132), 4,
  • eGiftcard: 1 ($50), 2 ($100), 3 ($50 & $50), 4 ($100), 5 ($100), 6 ($100), 7 ($100), 8 ($100), 9 ($100), 10, 11 ($100), 12 ($100), 13 ($100), 14 ($50), 15 ($100), 16 ($55) 17 ($100), 18 ($88.xx), 19, 20 ($100), 21 ($100), 22 ($100), 23 ($50), 24 ($100), 25 ($100), 26 ($100), 27 ($100), 28 ($100), 29 ($100), 30 ($100), 31 ($100), 32 ($100), 33 ($100), 34 ($100), 35 ($100), 36 ($100), 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46,
  • Change fee: 1
  • International Preferred Seat: 1
  • Miles transfer: 1
• Alaska:
  • Award taxes: 1
  • Fare change cost: 1
  • In flight food/beverages: 1,
• Delta:
  • Award taxes: 1
  • Comfort+: 1,
  • Change fees: 1
  • Checked baggage: 1
  • In flight food: 1,
  • First class upgrade: 1
• Frontier:
  • Exit row seat fee: 1
  • First checked bag: 1
  • Regular fare: 1,
  • Seat fee: 1
• JetBlue:
  • $5.60 taxes: 1
  • Bags: 1
• Southwest:
  • Early bird check in: 1, 2, 3,
  • Fare: 1 (under $60), 2 ($49)
  • $5.60 taxes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
  • In flight internet: 1,
• United:
  • Award booking taxes: 1, 2,
  • Baggage: 1
  • Flight change fee: 1
  • Additional check in baggage on international flight: 1
  • Seat Upgrade: 1, 2 (didn’t work, but did work after manual intervention)

What Doesn’t Work To Trigger The Credit

Below is a list of things that haven’t triggered the credit:

• Alaska Airlines:
  • Gift card: 1, 2,
  • WiFi: 1,
• British Airways:
  • Award taxes: 1
•  Delta:
  • Comfort Plus: 1 (you should be able to get this manually adjusted though)
  • eGiftcard: 1 ($50)
  • Skyclub drinks: 1 (got it credited after calling)
• Hawaiian:
  • Gift card: 1 ($100)
• Jetblue:
  • In flight meal: 1,
• Southwest:
  • Award fee: 1
  • Giftcard: 1 (under $20), 2 ($100), 3 ($100), 4 ($50), 5 ($50)
  • Internet: 1,
• Spirit (seems it’s not a covered airline):
  • Bag fees: 1, 2, 3
  • Seats: 1
  • Inflight food: 1
• Sun Country:
  • Change fee: 1
• United:
  • Award taxes: 1
  • Close in fee: 1
  • Seat upgrade: 1,

Share Your Datapoints

Please share your datapoints in the comments, make sure you use the app method to see if it has triggered the credit or not. List what you purchased, what airline it was for and how much the charge was as well.