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)
May 13, 2019, 11:56 am
#1771
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 179
Did the following... no credit yet..
May 10: 1x$50 egc
My amex statement is showing a ticket number assigned to the $50 amount, and benefits meter still at full?
May 10: 1x$50 egc
My amex statement is showing a ticket number assigned to the $50 amount, and benefits meter still at full?
May 13, 2019, 12:39 pm
#1772
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,676
I wouldn't worry too much about the ticket number, when I made my last GC purchase it gave a ticket number as well, however what you are looking for on "Document Type" is something other than "PASSENGER TICKET", when you see this you should also see flight info. GCs usually post as "SPD/AIR FREIGHT" without flight info. I believe "SPD" stands for Small Parcel Delivery, which makes sense if you select the GC option for them to ship you a physical card.
My assumption is that when Amex sees this designation they have it coded to excess bag fees or an Express bag service. As long as your Document Type coded to that, I believe the statement credit should show up in the next day or two.
May 13, 2019, 5:40 pm
#1774
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2
Amex Gold:
May 9th: $100 Southwest Gift Card purchased on desktop
May 11: Statement Credit received.
I was just going to use the credit for early check in, drinks, etc. Glad I found this thread. Thank you all!
May 9th: $100 Southwest Gift Card purchased on desktop
May 11: Statement Credit received.
I was just going to use the credit for early check in, drinks, etc. Glad I found this thread. Thank you all!
May 14, 2019, 8:23 am
#1775
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 19
SW $100 Posted for May 11th. As of today still have not received the $100 credit for Amex Gold. Nor have we received the Grub-hub credit.. from May 10th.
Edit: Credit posted 5/14
Edit: Credit posted 5/14
Last edited by Ap105; May 15, 2019 at 8:55 am Reason: more info
May 15, 2019, 9:13 pm
#1776
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,676
Data point with Hilton Aspire
May 9- Selected WN as airline for credit
May 10 (Friday)- bought $250 GC
May 13 (Mon)- Charge posted
May 14- Tracking bar went to $0
May 15- Credit posted
May 9- Selected WN as airline for credit
May 10 (Friday)- bought $250 GC
May 13 (Mon)- Charge posted
May 14- Tracking bar went to $0
May 15- Credit posted
May 17, 2019, 7:29 am
#1777
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 83
AmEx Gold: Bought $100 GC on May 13th. Credit posted on May 16th.
May 18, 2019, 8:22 am
#1778
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1
am plat
designated southwest last year
5/12 purchased 2 x 100 SW GCs
5/14 credit appeared for both on statement
designated southwest last year
5/12 purchased 2 x 100 SW GCs
5/14 credit appeared for both on statement
May 19, 2019, 6:47 am
#1779
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2
AMEX Charles Schwab Platinum
5/18/19 - Designated Southwest
5/19/19 - Purchased single $200 SW GC
5/21/19 - $200 Credit appeared online as "AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement"
I'm still in the bonus spend window for my new platinum card - $5k in 3 months. I assume the $200 purchase will not count towards minimum spend given that I will receive a credit, but I would be glad to be corrected by somebody if I'm wrong.
5/18/19 - Designated Southwest
5/19/19 - Purchased single $200 SW GC
5/21/19 - $200 Credit appeared online as "AMEX Airline Fee Reimbursement"
I'm still in the bonus spend window for my new platinum card - $5k in 3 months. I assume the $200 purchase will not count towards minimum spend given that I will receive a credit, but I would be glad to be corrected by somebody if I'm wrong.
Last edited by mws4ua; May 22, 2019 at 7:33 am Reason: Add info
May 20, 2019, 2:23 pm
#1780
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Silver, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat...basically all the status you can get for free...
Posts: 66
AMEX Hilton Aspire
5/20 - Designated Southwest as airline (recently converted from no-fee Hilton card)
5/21 - Purchased $100 GC
5/23 - Charge posted
5/24 - airline credit of $100 posted
5/20 - Designated Southwest as airline (recently converted from no-fee Hilton card)
5/21 - Purchased $100 GC
5/23 - Charge posted
5/24 - airline credit of $100 posted
Last edited by bsbybms; May 26, 2019 at 6:14 pm
May 21, 2019, 8:28 am
#1781
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 42
Would it work getting a weird amount say a $174 gift certificate? Just wanted to make sure.
Last edited by kiwinuked; May 21, 2019 at 9:00 am
May 21, 2019, 11:21 am
#1782
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 28
Amex Hilton Aspire
May 17- Selected WN as airline
May 18 - bought $250 GC
May 20 - Charge posted
May 20- Tracking bar went to $0
May 21- Credit posted
May 18 - bought $250 GC
May 20 - Charge posted
May 20- Tracking bar went to $0
May 21- Credit posted
May 21, 2019, 2:00 pm
#1783
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,676
Yes, the credit can be used in one or more instances. If you are wanting to use the credit to buy a $174 ticket, I personally recommend to just Max out the credit at once then keep the gift card in a safe place as it doesn't expire.
May 21, 2019, 8:59 pm
#1784
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1
My first $100 got credited!
Data point with Amex Platinum
May 16- Selected WN as airline for credit
May 17 (Friday)- Purchased $100GC
May 20 (Mon)- Charge posted
May 21- Tracking bar went to $100
May 22- Credit posted
May 22- Purchased one more $100 GC
May 23- Charge posted
May 24- Tracking bar went to $200
May 25-
Thanks for the help!
May 16- Selected WN as airline for credit
May 17 (Friday)- Purchased $100GC
May 20 (Mon)- Charge posted
May 21- Tracking bar went to $100
May 22- Credit posted
May 22- Purchased one more $100 GC
May 23- Charge posted
May 24- Tracking bar went to $200
May 25-
Thanks for the help!
Last edited by Trueblue08; May 24, 2019 at 9:31 am
May 22, 2019, 7:35 am
#1785
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2
The intent of the credit is for misc. fees, so 'normals' will charge $15 for early check-in here and $75 for a 3rd bag there. If it's working properly, they'll refund up to $200 whenever you get to that limit, regardless of the amount of each charge.
Probing question... why not the full $200?
