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FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Sep 17, 2014, 10:45 am by TanicReminder: 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.
Oct 30, 2017
#768
financialhippie , Dec 26, 2016 4:31 pm
AmEx PRG
$30 left (after using MPX for most of the airline credit
)
Purchased $30 Southwest EGC on 12/20, posted same day
Reimbursed on 12/22
$30 left (after using MPX for most of the airline credit
)Purchased $30 Southwest EGC on 12/20, posted same day
Reimbursed on 12/22
#769
ankitaroramba , Dec 27, 2016 11:07 am
Thanks
Dec 24 purchased gift card $100
Dec 26 reimbursed
Dec 24 purchased gift card $100
Dec 26 reimbursed
#770
wnysupport , Dec 28, 2016 7:29 am
With WN is it possible to just buy a $200 and be done with it.
Since you can only do 4 total payments for a purchase, I'd like to maximize my GC values (since I'll have 2 $300 from CSR credits)
Since you can only do 4 total payments for a purchase, I'd like to maximize my GC values (since I'll have 2 $300 from CSR credits)
#773
maverick915 , Dec 28, 2016 3:06 pm
12/21/16 - $100 GC posted
12/23/16 - reimbursed
12/23/16 - $100 GC posted
12/25/16 - reimbursed
12/23/16 - reimbursed
12/23/16 - $100 GC posted
12/25/16 - reimbursed
#774
Quote:
Since you can only do 4 total payments for a purchase, I'd like to maximize my GC values (since I'll have 2 $300 from CSR credits)
I have done so and been reimbursed but those $200 transactions were several months ago. However, I have no reason to believe that ability has changed. When the calendar rolls to 2017 I fully intend to purchase $200 gift cards again to use this benefit on the several AMEX Platinum cards that I manage.Originally Posted by wnysupport
With WN is it possible to just buy a $200 and be done with it. Since you can only do 4 total payments for a purchase, I'd like to maximize my GC values (since I'll have 2 $300 from CSR credits)
Also, in regards to the limit on the number of gift cards that can be applied to a purchase at once, there's a straightforward workaround once you know for whom you're going to make purchase. Suppose you have a bunch of $100 gift cards and want to make a $600 purchase for one person. Start by finding a just under $400 ticket, for example $390. It can be on some completely unrelated route than the one you actually want to purchase a ticket for. Use Gift Cards #1, #2, #3, and #4. Then cancel that ticket. You now have ticketless travel fund for a named person in the amount of $390. Now purchase the ticket you actually want. You can apply the canceled ticket's value, plus four additional gift card payments. This maneuver is possible and generates useful result because Southwest has no change fees. Be aware that the name of the passenger matters -- ticketless travel funds from a ticket for John Smith can only be used to purchase a new ticket for John Smith. Also, while in my experience the ticketless travel fund of a canceled ticket is often re-usable within a matter of seconds, sometimes it might take a few hours or overnight. Don't panic too quickly if an attempt to re-use fails. Only bother with calling customer support if the re-use still fails the next day.
I do not have any experience of trying to do something like the above if you for some reason want to put multiple people onto the same ticket purchase (same record locator). I'm not sure if the Web site can keep track of your purchasing travel for John Smith and Jane Doe and apply ticketless travel funds from a former John Smith ticket AND apply ticketless travel funds from a former Jane Doe ticket.
To avoid taking this thread too far off topic, please consult the Southwest specific forum for threads related to this maneuver.
#776
wnysupport , Dec 29, 2016 6:36 am
Quote:
Also, in regards to the limit on the number of gift cards that can be applied to a purchase at once, there's a straightforward workaround once you know for whom you're going to make purchase. Suppose you have a bunch of $100 gift cards and want to make a $600 purchase for one person. Start by finding a just under $400 ticket, for example $390. It can be on some completely unrelated route than the one you actually want to purchase a ticket for. Use Gift Cards #1, #2, #3, and #4. Then cancel that ticket. You now have ticketless travel fund for a named person in the amount of $390. Now purchase the ticket you actually want. You can apply the canceled ticket's value, plus four additional gift card payments. This maneuver is possible and generates useful result because Southwest has no change fees. Be aware that the name of the passenger matters -- ticketless travel funds from a ticket for John Smith can only be used to purchase a new ticket for John Smith. Also, while in my experience the ticketless travel fund of a canceled ticket is often re-usable within a matter of seconds, sometimes it might take a few hours or overnight. Don't panic too quickly if an attempt to re-use fails. Only bother with calling customer support if the re-use still fails the next day.
I do not have any experience of trying to do something like the above if you for some reason want to put multiple people onto the same ticket purchase (same record locator). I'm not sure if the Web site can keep track of your purchasing travel for John Smith and Jane Doe and apply ticketless travel funds from a former John Smith ticket AND apply ticketless travel funds from a former Jane Doe ticket.
To avoid taking this thread too far off topic, please consult the Southwest specific forum for threads related to this maneuver.
Thanks for the DP on the gift card, and also very interesting about the travel fund method. It makes sense, and is nice workaround for the limit, definitely appreciate it, thanks!Originally Posted by isocblrg
I have done so and been reimbursed but those $200 transactions were several months ago. However, I have no reason to believe that ability has changed. When the calendar rolls to 2017 I fully intend to purchase $200 gift cards again to use this benefit on the several AMEX Platinum cards that I manage.Also, in regards to the limit on the number of gift cards that can be applied to a purchase at once, there's a straightforward workaround once you know for whom you're going to make purchase. Suppose you have a bunch of $100 gift cards and want to make a $600 purchase for one person. Start by finding a just under $400 ticket, for example $390. It can be on some completely unrelated route than the one you actually want to purchase a ticket for. Use Gift Cards #1, #2, #3, and #4. Then cancel that ticket. You now have ticketless travel fund for a named person in the amount of $390. Now purchase the ticket you actually want. You can apply the canceled ticket's value, plus four additional gift card payments. This maneuver is possible and generates useful result because Southwest has no change fees. Be aware that the name of the passenger matters -- ticketless travel funds from a ticket for John Smith can only be used to purchase a new ticket for John Smith. Also, while in my experience the ticketless travel fund of a canceled ticket is often re-usable within a matter of seconds, sometimes it might take a few hours or overnight. Don't panic too quickly if an attempt to re-use fails. Only bother with calling customer support if the re-use still fails the next day.
I do not have any experience of trying to do something like the above if you for some reason want to put multiple people onto the same ticket purchase (same record locator). I'm not sure if the Web site can keep track of your purchasing travel for John Smith and Jane Doe and apply ticketless travel funds from a former John Smith ticket AND apply ticketless travel funds from a former Jane Doe ticket.
To avoid taking this thread too far off topic, please consult the Southwest specific forum for threads related to this maneuver.
#777
Ed Janowsky , Dec 31, 2016 7:41 am
Business Platinum
11/16 - Picked United to use MPX like I did with my Personal Platinum.
12/28 - Called to change to Southwest because Amazon charges never credited.
12/28 - Bought $75 GC (like a minute later).
12/28 - Bought $63 GC (like two minutes later).
12/28 - Bought $62 GC (like three minutes later).
12/30 - All three credits posted.
11/16 - Picked United to use MPX like I did with my Personal Platinum.
12/28 - Called to change to Southwest because Amazon charges never credited.
12/28 - Bought $75 GC (like a minute later).
12/28 - Bought $63 GC (like two minutes later).
12/28 - Bought $62 GC (like three minutes later).
12/30 - All three credits posted.
#778
Quote:
11/16 - Picked United to use MPX like I did with my Personal Platinum.
12/28 - Called to change to Southwest because Amazon charges never credited.
12/28 - Bought $75 GC (like a minute later).
12/28 - Bought $63 GC (like two minutes later).
12/28 - Bought $62 GC (like three minutes later).
12/30 - All three credits posted.
How did you change from United to WN within a few months? I am not able to change to WN as I get a message saying I can change only once in a year in January (which is within a few hours)Originally Posted by Ed Janowsky
Business Platinum11/16 - Picked United to use MPX like I did with my Personal Platinum.
12/28 - Called to change to Southwest because Amazon charges never credited.
12/28 - Bought $75 GC (like a minute later).
12/28 - Bought $63 GC (like two minutes later).
12/28 - Bought $62 GC (like three minutes later).
12/30 - All three credits posted.
#779
TodayQuote:
That's the rule, but if you have not used any of your benefit in a year Customer Service may agree to change it. It helps to have a plausible story about a change in your travel pattern.Originally Posted by MNSWEEps
...I am not able to change to WN as I get a message saying I can change only once in a year in January (which is within a few hours)
#780
Ed Janowsky , Dec 31, 2016 7:58 pm
Quote:
I never used the credit with United, so knowing it couldn't be changed online (as even you stated), and after reading multiple reports of folks calling in to make the change, I just called the number on the back of my card and told the card services lady that I needed help selecting Southwest as my airline and voila! It was super fast/instant and simple with no questions asked.Originally Posted by MNSWEEps
How did you change from United to WN within a few months? I am not able to change to WN as I get a message saying I can change only once in a year in January (which is within a few hours)
I'd even be willing to bet you could still get it all done in 2016 even at this late hour. The credit for 2016 will of course come in 2017 but...