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)
Apr 7, 2017, 11:41 am
#946
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 399
SW gift cards can only be used for flights, right? They can't be used for EBCI or drinks/food?
Apr 7, 2017, 12:51 pm
#947
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
What can I purchase with my Southwest gift card, and how do I redeem it?
A Southwest gift card may be used for Passenger travel on Southwest Airlines. A Southwest gift card may only be redeemed at southwest.com, by calling Southwest Airlines at 1-800-435-9792 (1-800 I FLY SWA), and at Southwest Airlines ticket counter locations. Please note that a Southwest gift card is not valid for the purchase of Southwest Airlines Vacation Packages, cargo, hotel, rental car, Southwest Airlines Merchandise, EarlyBird Check-In, additional Southwest gift cards, or inflight purchases.
A Southwest gift card may be used for Passenger travel on Southwest Airlines. A Southwest gift card may only be redeemed at southwest.com, by calling Southwest Airlines at 1-800-435-9792 (1-800 I FLY SWA), and at Southwest Airlines ticket counter locations. Please note that a Southwest gift card is not valid for the purchase of Southwest Airlines Vacation Packages, cargo, hotel, rental car, Southwest Airlines Merchandise, EarlyBird Check-In, additional Southwest gift cards, or inflight purchases.
Apr 10, 2017, 3:52 pm
#948
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 159
Just ordered my egiftcard. I'll let you know if/when the credit posts.
Can a Southwest gift card be applied to the account before it's used? So that it's used the next time a fare is purchased? Similar to how Amazon gift cards work? If so, I'm having difficulty locating that option on their page.
Can a Southwest gift card be applied to the account before it's used? So that it's used the next time a fare is purchased? Similar to how Amazon gift cards work? If so, I'm having difficulty locating that option on their page.
Apr 14, 2017, 6:34 am
#949
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DFW
Posts: 522
Bought 1x $100 gift card with my Amex PRG.
Purchase date: 4/11
Posted: 4/13
Reimbursement posted: 4/14
Purchase date: 4/11
Posted: 4/13
Reimbursement posted: 4/14
Apr 14, 2017, 6:38 am
#950
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: CHS
Programs: DL Diamond, WN A-List, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 685
Purchased a $200 Southwest Gift Card using my AMEX Platinum Business Card on 4/6 and the $200 credit posted on 4/8.
Apr 22, 2017, 8:21 am
#951
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 17
Purchased $100 Southwest gift card using Amex Premier Rewards Gold on 4/17.
Amex PRG credit of $100, posting date 4/20.
Amex PRG credit of $100, posting date 4/20.
Apr 26, 2017, 1:49 pm
#952
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 29
4/18 Requested Airline Change
4/22 Purchased $100 GC and Posted
4/24 Reimbursed
MB Plat
EDIT: Earned 5x points on this purchase
4/22 Purchased $100 GC and Posted
4/24 Reimbursed
MB Plat
EDIT: Earned 5x points on this purchase
Last edited by JazzyJosh; Jul 24, 2017 at 11:21 pm
Apr 27, 2017, 10:29 pm
#953
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: UA AA DL SW Marriott
Posts: 251
I got tons of SW points, (just did a Marriott travel pack to transfer 120K in). Can I use the SW Gift card to pay for the taxes with award booking with points?
May 1, 2017, 1:03 pm
#954
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 1
So I see a lot of people being reimbursed for their $100 and $200 Southwest GC fast I bought a $50 GC back on 4/22 and still haven't seen a reimbursement and its 5/1? Maybe it only works on $100 and above cards?? anyone else having a similar problem on Southwest gift cards UNDER $100??
May 3, 2017, 8:17 am
#955
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BOS, PVD, HYA
Programs: MR, TYP, AA, B6, DL, WN, HH, MB, 2V
Posts: 658
terms and conditions on Southwest gift cards"Sales tax, security fees, and passenger facilities charges may be paid for with a Southwest gift card."
Though they did take away the ability to pay domestic oversized and excess baggage fees, upgraded boarding at the airport, Pet Fare, and unaccompanied minor service charge for travel after May 9th, 2017.
May 3, 2017, 8:30 pm
#956
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 818
Does paying the fee on an international award ticket (say $73) work to trigger credit?
May 3, 2017, 8:36 pm
#957
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BOS, PVD, HYA
Programs: MR, TYP, AA, B6, DL, WN, HH, MB, 2V
Posts: 658
May 4, 2017, 8:31 pm
#958
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: UA AA DL SW Marriott
Posts: 251
Quick google search terms and conditions on Southwest gift cards
"Sales tax, security fees, and passenger facilities charges may be paid for with a Southwest gift card."
Though they did take away the ability to pay domestic oversized and excess baggage fees, upgraded boarding at the airport, Pet Fare, and unaccompanied minor service charge for travel after May 9th, 2017.
terms and conditions on Southwest gift cards"Sales tax, security fees, and passenger facilities charges may be paid for with a Southwest gift card."
Though they did take away the ability to pay domestic oversized and excess baggage fees, upgraded boarding at the airport, Pet Fare, and unaccompanied minor service charge for travel after May 9th, 2017.
May 5, 2017, 12:10 pm
#959
Join Date: Oct 2016
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards
Posts: 19
Is there a way to return the gift cards for cash? I'm looking for a way to liquidate my $100 PRG credit.
May 6, 2017, 1:05 am
#960
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: DL gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 305
4/24 2 $100 GC's fee's reimbursed 4/26