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 24, 2015, 10:43 am
#571
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: TYS/BNA/ATL
Programs: UR, TYP, MR, C1, AA, UA, WN, BA, AS, AV, AC, Choice, Hyatt, IHG, Hilton, Wyndham, Marriott
Posts: 1,972
Do they reimburse WN fees? I paid for the fees on award flight, and it shows as Southwest, then there is an itinerary, and a type is passenger ticket.
Dec 25, 2015, 1:48 pm
#572
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 119
If I make the purchase now and get reimbused next year, am I screwed out of the credits for this year?
Dec 26, 2015, 6:57 am
#573
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: AI, AA, AC, AS, BA
Posts: 14
PRG
Purchased $100 GC on Dec 14
Reimbursed $100 on Dec 22 evening.
Purchased $100 GC on Dec 14
Reimbursed $100 on Dec 22 evening.
Dec 27, 2015, 5:22 pm
#574
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 9
Reimbursement Worked
Bought a $100 Southwest gift card from Southwest's website in December 2015, and was reimbursed about 10 days later.
Jan 2, 2016, 4:41 am
#576
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: BOS/MHT/PVD/BDL
Programs: Belong to Many but No Longer Loyal to Any
Posts: 880
Just a quick PSA...As we are in a new calendar year now, you can change you're airline for reimbursement, however, if you want to keep it the same, no action is required.
From AMEX: "You are eligible to change your airline selection once per calendar year in January. No action is required if you would like to keep your current airline selection in the future."
From AMEX: "You are eligible to change your airline selection once per calendar year in January. No action is required if you would like to keep your current airline selection in the future."
Jan 3, 2016, 11:08 am
#577
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 480
I did not end up getting reimbursed after 28 days, so I ended up having to call and ask about the status of the reimbursement for Southwest Airlines "pet fees." After calling, they processed the reimbursement the next day. Given my trouble with the $200 reimbursement vs everyone else's relative ease with ~$100 reimbursements, perhaps we should put it on the top of the thread that it's best practice to do smaller amounts? That way more folks won't have to call and alert.
Jan 3, 2016, 11:15 am
#578
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Jan 4, 2016, 1:17 pm
#580
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 77
Bought 2 $100 southwest gift card from southwest.com on 01/01/2016. I received 2 $100 on 01/04/2016.
Jan 4, 2016, 3:37 pm
#581
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SMF
Posts: 1,251
I did not end up getting reimbursed after 28 days, so I ended up having to call and ask about the status of the reimbursement for Southwest Airlines "pet fees." After calling, they processed the reimbursement the next day. Given my trouble with the $200 reimbursement vs everyone else's relative ease with ~$100 reimbursements, perhaps we should put it on the top of the thread that it's best practice to do smaller amounts? That way more folks won't have to call and alert.
Jan 5, 2016, 10:21 am
#582
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SFO/SJC
Posts: 42
Bought 1 $100 southwest gift card from southwest.com, e-mail delivery on 01/02/2016, received the credit on 01/04/2016. Buying second one now.
Jan 5, 2016, 2:31 pm
#583
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Reisterstown, MD, USA
Posts: 117
On Jan 1, I bought a $200 SW GC with my Amex Platinum card ($202.95 with shipping.)
I checked today (Jan 5) and saw JAN 3 AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement $200.
On Jan 1, I bought a $100 SW GC with my Amex PRGold card ($102.95 with shipping.) I checked today (Jan 5) and saw JAN 3 AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement $100.
I checked today (Jan 5) and saw JAN 3 AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement $200.
On Jan 1, I bought a $100 SW GC with my Amex PRGold card ($102.95 with shipping.) I checked today (Jan 5) and saw JAN 3 AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement $100.
Jan 5, 2016, 3:08 pm
#584
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DEN
Posts: 136
On Jan 1, I bought a $200 SW GC with my Amex Platinum card ($202.95 with shipping.)
I checked today (Jan 5) and saw JAN 3 AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement $200.
On Jan 1, I bought a $100 SW GC with my Amex PRGold card ($102.95 with shipping.) I checked today (Jan 5) and saw JAN 3 AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement $100.
I checked today (Jan 5) and saw JAN 3 AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement $200.
On Jan 1, I bought a $100 SW GC with my Amex PRGold card ($102.95 with shipping.) I checked today (Jan 5) and saw JAN 3 AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement $100.
Jan 5, 2016, 3:50 pm
#585
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: MEM, MSP, GUA
Posts: 20
Data point:
Purchased a $100 e-gift card with my PRG on Jan 2 and was reimbursed on Jan 4.
Opened the card last Feb and used it for a $100 credit with Delta last year.
Switched airline preference to Southwest on Jan 2 minutes before buying the $100 gift card.
AF comes due next month, so guess we'll see if they offer anything to offset it.
Purchased a $100 e-gift card with my PRG on Jan 2 and was reimbursed on Jan 4.
Opened the card last Feb and used it for a $100 credit with Delta last year.
Switched airline preference to Southwest on Jan 2 minutes before buying the $100 gift card.
AF comes due next month, so guess we'll see if they offer anything to offset it.