Excel 2013 Structured Reference - SUMIFS Multiple Possible Criterion using OR?

how about:
=SUMIFS(D5:D8,E5:E8,"y")+ SUMIFS(D5:D8,E5:E8,"b") + SUMIFS(D5:D8,E5:E8,"e")

I know I can do that, however, the formula has 3 or 4 other criteria and that makes for a long formula.  I am also using absolute values which adds to the length.

One way is this...

Assuming the criteria range is B2:B20 and range to be summed is A2:A20 then try this....
You can add more criteria inside the curly braces.

=SUMPRODUCT((ISNUMBER(SEARCH({"Y","B","E"},B2:B20)))*A2:A20)

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Here is the formula I put in the Letters after Flight Code not using all of the criteria just the first

=SUMIFS(DataTable[[Bus Leg Miles]:[Bus Leg Miles]],DataTable[[Serial]:[Serial]],'Paper Report Reconciliation'!$H15,DataTable[[Flight Code]:[Flight Code]],{"B","Y","E"},DataTable[[Unique Code]:[Unique Code]],1,DataTable[[Passenger Usage Code]:[Passenger Usage Code]],"Personal Entertainment",DataTable[[Both P&E Code]:[Both P&E Code]],"0")

Bus Leg Miles is the sumrange, the criteriaranges are the other items.

Great work.