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)
#1621
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,078
#1623
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,680
You completely missed the point on what Tanic was trying to express. By reaching out to Amex customer service, you're letting them know how we take advantage of a loophole. What do you think will happen when they realize we skirt the airline credit with gift cards? They will take it away and everyone loses...
Now, Amex isn't completely clueless about the loopholes either. This site is public, as are the blogs that talk about how to use the airline credits. At least a few people who are in charge of policy have to be reading this stuff. But, they tolerate it similar to how China tolerates VPN use. They know that if they cracked down on it too hard, there would be drastic consequences for their country as companies and people started to leave. Similarly, if Amex cracks down on the airline credit to the point where I can't use it, guess what I'm doing? I'm calling to cancel, and I'm citing the loss of the "airline credit loophole" as the reason. 4 Plat cards, 1 primary and 3 AUs, will go bye-bye if Amex tries to do this.
#1625
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,078
#1626
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 22
My only concern is that it won't be reimbursed now if I do it, given there are no much DPs on this.
If I wait, I can at least use it for the seat upgrades, etc.
If I wait, I can at least use it for the seat upgrades, etc.
#1627
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 178
Hilton Aspire
1/29 - Purchased $250 GC
As of today, no reimbursement
1/29 - Purchased $250 GC
As of today, no reimbursement
#1628
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: Grounded
Posts: 669
Purchased a $200 e-gift card on 2/5, reimbursed on 2/7.
#1630
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 107
American Express Gold (Personal)
02/11 - Purchased $100 GC
02/13 - Reimbursement Posted (Didn't show up on my activity until 02/15 but with 02/13 post date).
02/11 - Purchased $100 GC
02/13 - Reimbursement Posted (Didn't show up on my activity until 02/15 but with 02/13 post date).
#1631
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 33
Amex Plat
02/13 - $200 GC Purchased and posted
02/16 - no credit and nothing on tracker....
02/13 - $200 GC Purchased and posted
02/16 - no credit and nothing on tracker....
#1633
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 244
Looks like all is well is with WN, purchased $250 on 2/13 (Hilton Aspire), reimbursed on 2/15 (actually showed up on account on 2/16)
#1634
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 29
AMEX Personal Platinum
02/13 - $200 GC Purchased
02/15 - GC posted
02/16 - Credit posted (with 2/15 as date of credit)
02/13 - $200 GC Purchased
02/15 - GC posted
02/16 - Credit posted (with 2/15 as date of credit)
#1635
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 9
AMEX EXPRESS GOLD (Personal)
02/12 - $100 GC Purchased
02/14 - $100 Credit Posted
02/12 - $100 GC Purchased
02/14 - $100 Credit Posted