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)
Jun 23, 2016, 10:37 pm
#691
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: ORD
Posts: 132
Denied?
Enrolled MB Plat with WN on 6/14. On 6/15 purchased two $100 GCs. If memory serves, I saw the charges pending on 6/16. A couple days later all traces of the purhcase had disappeared. I'd read some early posts that this could happen but didn't expect it based on recent reports. Charges have now posted sometime in last 48 hours and are dated 6/15. Wondering if I should expect success here. What stokes my fear is category listed for transaction is "Travel-Airline". Perhaps Amex has closed the hole here? Fingers crossed they haven't...
Jun 24, 2016, 12:13 pm
#692
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: ORD
Posts: 132
well, i posted too soon. logged in today and credit has posted. gave me a bit of a fright.
Jun 29, 2016, 10:40 pm
#693
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3
Fail!
Purchase 2 100$ GCs on single purchase with Plat on jun 15. Charge disappeared for almost a week. Came back and posted around june 23 (dated for june 15). Been a week since then, still no refund.
Jul 2, 2016, 10:57 pm
#695
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 59
do you have to buy them in a separate transaction? do you buy an email gc?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Jul 5, 2016, 9:33 pm
#697
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 5
Chose southwest and bought $80 gift card five minutes after, credit appeared a few days later. Was also credited for the taxes/fees from a reward flight 
Jul 8, 2016, 7:30 am
#698
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: DL FO
Posts: 236
Recently received new MB Platinum card. Selected WN as my airline on the Amex site and immediately bought two $100 gift cards via the link in the wiki above on 7/5. To be safe, I purchased the gift cards in separate transactions, one right after the other.
Two $100 charges posted to my account on 7/7 and the two $100 statement credits posted on 7/8.
Two $100 charges posted to my account on 7/7 and the two $100 statement credits posted on 7/8.
Jul 10, 2016, 6:11 am
#699
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: Whatever's Cheapest, Accruing Miles, Redeeming for Premium Cabins, Not Chasing Status Unnecessarily
Posts: 2,264
not sure about dates but i think i waited 3 days after electing southwest for both plat and PRG
bought $100 GC x 3 separate transactions (2 on plat, 1 on PRG)
Posted July 6
No reimbursement yet (July 10)
bought $100 GC x 3 separate transactions (2 on plat, 1 on PRG)
Posted July 6
No reimbursement yet (July 10)
Jul 14, 2016, 3:42 am
#700
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: Whatever's Cheapest, Accruing Miles, Redeeming for Premium Cabins, Not Chasing Status Unnecessarily
Posts: 2,264
reimbursements did post finally and were backdated to the 9th
so... still works
so... still works
Jul 15, 2016, 9:23 am
#701
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 78
got my mb platinum on 7/11, bought $200 gc on 7/12, got my reimbursement 7/14.
Jul 19, 2016, 1:05 pm
#702
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SMF, SNA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, IHG Diamond
Posts: 175
M-B Plat:
July 11 - purchased a $100 WN gc
July 13 - reimbursed in full ^
July 11 - purchased a $100 WN gc
July 13 - reimbursed in full ^
Aug 7, 2016, 8:09 pm
#703
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 18
AMEX PRG
Purchased $50 southwest GC 8/4
Reimbursement posted 8/6
Purchased $50 southwest GC 8/4
Reimbursement posted 8/6
Aug 12, 2016, 6:25 am
#704
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Spokane Valley, Wa
Posts: 17
Long time lurker. Decided to register to show my appreciation for all the posts.
I purchased two $100 southwest E-giftcards on 8/9 and 8/10. First credit has posted. Waiting on the second, but I am sure it will post shortly.
I purchased two $100 southwest E-giftcards on 8/9 and 8/10. First credit has posted. Waiting on the second, but I am sure it will post shortly.