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)
Sep 18, 2015, 1:34 pm
#466
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: SJC
Programs: Spire Amb IHG, HH Gold, TR Diamond, Mlife Plat, National Exec, Avis Pref Plus
Posts: 144
AMEX needs to up their game on this credit. With the $250 any airline credit/best PP out there/4th night free/actual category bonuses the Citi Prestige is becoming my favorite card.
I hate the guessing game on whether or not this damn AMEX credit will post or not.
I hate the guessing game on whether or not this damn AMEX credit will post or not.
Sep 18, 2015, 1:43 pm
#467
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 375
If I buy Earlybird with my ticket purchase and then cancel my flight - will I get Earlybird fee back?
Sep 18, 2015, 3:59 pm
#468
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3
$100 Gift Card purchased August 26 never reimbursed. Oh well, on the bright side at least the card never expires and I live near their main hub in Dallas. Shouldn't be too hard to find a way to actually use it. Beats selling it on cardcash.com for $75.
Sep 20, 2015, 8:52 am
#469
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 493
I'm waiting for a month to go by than if I'm NOT reimbursed, goodbye plat!
Last edited by lbotez; Sep 24, 2015 at 9:52 am
Sep 20, 2015, 1:21 pm
#470
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
Actually, I use my prestige card for most travel stuff. They give you 3X on air travel and hotels, 2X on dining & entertainment; Plat card not so much. Mainly I use the plat card for Delta lounge, GoGo Internet, Boingo and Amex Offers. That's pretty much it. It's not worth $450.
I'm waiting for a month to go by than if I'm reimbursed, goodbye plat!
I'm waiting for a month to go by than if I'm reimbursed, goodbye plat!
Sep 20, 2015, 4:18 pm
#471
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 2
This is so frustrating. 
I got my card in June and procrastinated on trying out the credit. Bought a $100 card on August 31, still no credit and starting to seem like they may have just stopped refunding them. Damn, it makes this card significantly a worse value for me.
I got my card in June and procrastinated on trying out the credit. Bought a $100 card on August 31, still no credit and starting to seem like they may have just stopped refunding them. Damn, it makes this card significantly a worse value for me.
Sep 20, 2015, 11:33 pm
#472
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: California, SMF
Programs: UA, AA, AS, DL, BA, HA, WN, SPG-PL, Hyatt-Dia, HH-Dia, Marr-Pl, US Mint/VR(retired)
Posts: 945
I would hold on. I have a number of early boarding $12.50 charges that are actually legit reimbursable items and have not been reimbursed. I did a chat with Amex and they said if credits are not posted by 4 weeks, chat back or call and they will manually post.
I also have gift cards on another Amex Plat, but the unreimbursed $12.50 EB charges lead me to think it is actually a wait 4 weeks for posting situation.
Also, I buy $40 gift cards, as that is the cost of A1-15 charge at the gate.
I also have gift cards on another Amex Plat, but the unreimbursed $12.50 EB charges lead me to think it is actually a wait 4 weeks for posting situation.
Also, I buy $40 gift cards, as that is the cost of A1-15 charge at the gate.
Sep 21, 2015, 2:20 am
#473
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 8
Posted 100 GC on 8/29 reimbursed 9/19 prg card.
Sep 21, 2015, 11:35 am
#475
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 375
I know that tax fees related to awards ticket purchases are not eligible, but I noticed that tax fees posted for international flights look different from regular tax fees ($5.60 per ticket). Has anybody ever got credits for $5.60 (or $11.20) charges?
Sep 21, 2015, 11:39 am
#476
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 64
I would hold on. I have a number of early boarding $12.50 charges that are actually legit reimbursable items and have not been reimbursed. I did a chat with Amex and they said if credits are not posted by 4 weeks, chat back or call and they will manually post.
I also have gift cards on another Amex Plat, but the unreimbursed $12.50 EB charges lead me to think it is actually a wait 4 weeks for posting situation.
Also, I buy $40 gift cards, as that is the cost of A1-15 charge at the gate.
I also have gift cards on another Amex Plat, but the unreimbursed $12.50 EB charges lead me to think it is actually a wait 4 weeks for posting situation.
Also, I buy $40 gift cards, as that is the cost of A1-15 charge at the gate.
Sep 23, 2015, 6:38 am
#477
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 288
Got it finally
Bought two $100 gift cards on 8/29. Called today and they issued me a $200 credit.
Sep 23, 2015, 9:07 am
#478
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: Whatever's Cheapest, Accruing Miles, Redeeming for Premium Cabins, Not Chasing Status Unnecessarily
Posts: 2,264
Been 5 weeks or so. Called in. Nicest agent ever. She said I actually had about more available left for reimbursement then what I thought I had.
So I think they actually have the empowered hardwired ability to waive like $20 more or so than the $200. Not that I would want to abuse this by calling in.
I did the math for the year 5 times, and it was complicated because I had some random points reservations taxes waived earlier in year.
What type of purchase was this? a change fee? (umm no southwest doesn't have change fees) some other fee?
You know it's been so long I just don't remember, ok no problem!
Should I go for the $20 or so more and call in? Nawww, pigs get fat n all....
So I think they actually have the empowered hardwired ability to waive like $20 more or so than the $200. Not that I would want to abuse this by calling in.
I did the math for the year 5 times, and it was complicated because I had some random points reservations taxes waived earlier in year.
What type of purchase was this? a change fee? (umm no southwest doesn't have change fees) some other fee?
You know it's been so long I just don't remember, ok no problem!
Should I go for the $20 or so more and call in? Nawww, pigs get fat n all....
Sep 24, 2015, 3:36 pm
#480
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CA
Posts: 188
Obviously the tax fee for domestic routes will be different from international routes. I had the same case recently. I charged my tax fees for award travel on my prg and it showed as "passenger ticket". This makes it even bad to get reimbursed by amex. Still ymmv.