Sep 17, 2014, 10:45 am
Last edit by: Tanic
Reminder: you must enroll and select Southwest as your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase.
Some have suggested the need to wait several hours or even a day before making the purchase, but there are also several DPs that worked without waiting that long.
(BTW, you will often hear people refer to Southwest as WN. WN is the IATA code for Southwest Airlines. SW is the IATA code for Air Namibia.)
Caution: As of late July 2019, reports are that direct gift card purchases are no longer being reimbursed.
To purchase click here: https://www.southwest.com/gift-card/create-card.html Caution: Do NOT login to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account when making the purchase.
What does appear to work is buying flight tickets less than $100, OR using gift cards to get the charged amount down to less than $100.
Always read the last few pages to get up-to-date DPs.
Some have suggested the need to wait several hours or even a day before making the purchase, but there are also several DPs that worked without waiting that long.
(BTW, you will often hear people refer to Southwest as WN. WN is the IATA code for Southwest Airlines. SW is the IATA code for Air Namibia.)
Caution: As of late July 2019, reports are that direct gift card purchases are no longer being reimbursed.
What does appear to work is buying flight tickets less than $100, OR using gift cards to get the charged amount down to less than $100.
Always read the last few pages to get up-to-date DPs.
Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: WN (2011-2019)
Dec 15, 2014, 9:43 am
#286
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: MSY/MCI
Programs: AMEX Plat.
Posts: 3
What is the link you used to purchase your SW voucher? Is it the normal one on the website or does need to be purchased through different process?
https://www.southwest.com/gift-card/home.html
https://www.southwest.com/gift-card/home.html
Dec 16, 2014, 7:46 pm
#287
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: LIT
Posts: 40
What is the link you used to purchase your SW voucher? Is it the normal one on the website or does need to be purchased through different process?
https://www.southwest.com/gift-card/home.html
https://www.southwest.com/gift-card/home.html
Dec 18, 2014, 6:59 am
#288
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 224
Can the WN gift cards be used to pay just taxes on WN reservations? With 110k points and a companion pass, we'll be flying a lot on WN next year, but we would only have ~$25/flight in taxes. I figure 200 will get us to 8 flights, or I can sell the e-gift cards that I don't use.
Dec 18, 2014, 8:45 am
#289
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Tucson
Posts: 60
Can the WN gift cards be used to pay just taxes on WN reservations? With 110k points and a companion pass, we'll be flying a lot on WN next year, but we would only have ~$25/flight in taxes. I figure 200 will get us to 8 flights, or I can sell the e-gift cards that I don't use.
I used a gift card to pay the $5.60 fees on an award booking yesterday.
Dec 20, 2014, 9:27 am
#290
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 62
I purchased four $50 SW giftcards (four different transactions, back-to-back). The charges appeared on 12/15, the AMEX airline credits appeared on 12/19. Hooray!
Dec 22, 2014, 12:16 am
#291
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 333
I can also confirm that a $100 Southwest gift card, purchased online, results in a $100 fee credit several days later (4 days for me). Purchased my second now, following that confirmation (just to put my mind at ease).
Here's how the charge looks to Amex:
SW AIR DALLAS TX
DOING BUSINESS AS: SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
MERCHANT ADDRESS: PO BOX 36611, DALLAS, TX 75235 UNITED STATES
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: xxx (214) 792 - 4223
REFERENCE NUMBER: xxx
CATEGORY: TRAVEL - AIRLINE
I'm quite thankful that Amex allows this to happen, and hope it'll continue. This is one of the great benefits, and part of why I'm fiercely loyal.
Here's how the charge looks to Amex:
SW AIR DALLAS TX
DOING BUSINESS AS: SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
MERCHANT ADDRESS: PO BOX 36611, DALLAS, TX 75235 UNITED STATES
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: xxx (214) 792 - 4223
REFERENCE NUMBER: xxx
CATEGORY: TRAVEL - AIRLINE
I'm quite thankful that Amex allows this to happen, and hope it'll continue. This is one of the great benefits, and part of why I'm fiercely loyal.
Jan 2, 2015, 6:42 pm
#292
Join Date: May 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: Lotz
Posts: 1,534
Can both reimbursements be in the same year? ie buying $200 gc's on 12/30/14 and on 1/2/15. Both reimbursements would be in the same year , 2015.
Jan 6, 2015, 8:11 am
#293
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BOS/PVD/BDL
Programs: PC Plat, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold,HHonors Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, National Exec Elite
Posts: 726
Bought $100 GC through SW.com on 1/2, got $100 credit on 1/5.
Going to buy 2nd $100 GC today.
Going to buy 2nd $100 GC today.
Jan 6, 2015, 8:33 am
#294
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 224
Quick question - can gift certificates be used to pay taxes and fees when booking flights on points or via companion pass?
Jan 6, 2015, 9:14 am
#295
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BOS/PVD/BDL
Programs: PC Plat, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold,HHonors Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, National Exec Elite
Posts: 726
It would depend on when the charges appear on your account. If the charges posted on 12/30 and 1/2 you should get two credit. If both posted in 2015 then you may have issues.
Jan 6, 2015, 10:56 am
#296
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: FL, but want to Expatriate to SE Asia ASAP
Programs: WN,DL,AA,UA,B6,more!
Posts: 810
Jan 6, 2015, 10:57 am
#297
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: FL, but want to Expatriate to SE Asia ASAP
Programs: WN,DL,AA,UA,B6,more!
Posts: 810
Bought 2x $100 gift cards in a single $200 transaction on 1/1 and got my credit for $200 yesterday 1/5.
Last year I bought a single $200 gift card and had similar results ^
Last year I bought a single $200 gift card and had similar results ^
Jan 6, 2015, 4:35 pm
#298
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: CSP
Posts: 26
Bought 2 x $100 GCs on 1/2, credits posted today 1/6. 
Jan 6, 2015, 4:54 pm
#299
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 9
Purchased $100 GCs on 12/28 and 12/30, credit posted 12/31 and 1/2
Jan 6, 2015, 5:41 pm
#300
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: BOS
Programs: MR, UR, AA, AS, HH Gold, SPG Gold, HGP, RR
Posts: 708