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)
Nov 5, 2019, 7:48 pm
#2326
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 18
Assume next summer I could use $1000 of credit for wife and I and x amount of UR points (say 60K whatever 3 kids roundtrip would be) as one big purchase. Again I ask for forgiveness as I am not intentionally being obtuse I just have always used my MR's/UR's/TY points for cash until the gift card loophole died last June.
Nov 5, 2019, 7:55 pm
#2327
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: reddit churning
Posts: 26
For adults though it can all be done online though right? Will probably just do that and if I get enough credit maybe take the wife for a weekend somewhere.
Assume next summer I could use $1000 of credit for wife and I and x amount of UR points (say 60K whatever 3 kids roundtrip would be) as one big purchase. Again I ask for forgiveness as I am not intentionally being obtuse I just have always used my MR's/UR's/TY points for cash until the gift card loophole died last June.
Assume next summer I could use $1000 of credit for wife and I and x amount of UR points (say 60K whatever 3 kids roundtrip would be) as one big purchase. Again I ask for forgiveness as I am not intentionally being obtuse I just have always used my MR's/UR's/TY points for cash until the gift card loophole died last June.
Nov 5, 2019, 8:12 pm
#2328
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 18
Yes, that would be easy. Get flights in the right cash range for each of you, cancel. When ready pool them. Keep in mind the expiration windows of the wanna get away are 1 year. I think ultimately the way you are setting up to do this will require you to do UAM for your kids but that should just involve one call.
Nov 6, 2019, 2:10 am
#2329
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: Marriott Platinum, HH Diamond, BW Diamond Select
Posts: 469
It doesn't matter when since you have a year from your original date of purchase to use the credit (so Nov 5).
Nov 6, 2019, 7:46 am
#2330
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 37
I see the latest updates... but am unable to find an answer to this: are purchases of points that total < $100 being reimbursed?
Nov 6, 2019, 8:07 am
#2331
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
If Southwest sells miles through Points.com (or similar) the transaction would not be reimbursed because Southwest would not be the merchant.
Nov 6, 2019, 8:13 am
#2332
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 37
Nov 6, 2019, 6:28 pm
#2333
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,029
Looks like it's through Southwest.com: https://www.southwest.com/account/ra...nts/buy-points
The fact that SWA provides the opportunity to buy points from their website, does not mean that SWA is actually the party to complete/fulfill the transaction. It's well documented that SWA, like many (most?) airlines uses Points.com to handle the sale of their miles/points. Thus when you buy SWA points you are actually buying them from Points.com, not Southwest and that is what shows up on your credit card. And obviously and purchase from Points.com will not trigger the airline credit with Amex since the transaction didn't post from SWA.
Regards
Nov 7, 2019, 6:45 am
#2334
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Irvine, CA
Posts: 184
4,4,6. That was the issue. I know I have to fly with them and of course will fly with them when we actually travel next summer. Just didn't know if there was any way to accrue refund credits for them since eventually through my 3 cards I should have plenty for my wife and I.
Nov 7, 2019, 7:01 am
#2335
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 33
If you cancel the award ticket, do you know how SW refunds the taxes and upgrade fee? Is it a travel credit? Or statement credit back to CC?
Nov 7, 2019, 10:29 am
#2336
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Western US
Programs: Costco Executive Member, Amazon Optimus Prime
Posts: 1,251
Nov 7, 2019, 7:21 pm
#2337
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 6
DP: AmEx Platinum Split with Gift Card
Two one-way Southwest tickets on separate reservations
Each $140.98 ($50 on gift card, $90.98 on AmEx Platinum)
11/5: Tickets purchased
11/8: Meter down to 18.04
11/8: Credit for both flights posted
Each $140.98 ($50 on gift card, $90.98 on AmEx Platinum)
11/5: Tickets purchased
11/8: Meter down to 18.04
11/8: Credit for both flights posted
Last edited by bhan1987; Nov 8, 2019 at 6:53 am Reason: DP update
Nov 7, 2019, 7:58 pm
#2338
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Lodi, CA
Posts: 592
Amex Aspire card
11/5: Selected Southwest as airline of choice in the morning. Got email confirmation within minutes.
11/5: Bought two separate tickets on separate PNR for $88.98 each
11/7: Shows posted charge from pending charge. No change in meter yet.
11/5: Selected Southwest as airline of choice in the morning. Got email confirmation within minutes.
11/5: Bought two separate tickets on separate PNR for $88.98 each
11/7: Shows posted charge from pending charge. No change in meter yet.
Nov 8, 2019, 9:04 am
#2339
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 19
Amex Biz Plat
11/5: bought one-way ticket for $98.98 (cancelled immediately, refunded as travel funds)
11/7: charge changes from pending to posted
11/8: reimbursed $98.98, meter adjusted accordingly
11/5: bought one-way ticket for $98.98 (cancelled immediately, refunded as travel funds)
11/7: charge changes from pending to posted
11/8: reimbursed $98.98, meter adjusted accordingly
Last edited by bwin29; Nov 11, 2019 at 8:01 am
Nov 8, 2019, 1:39 pm
#2340
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 200
Paid AF 3 weeks ago . got my free night cert. My calender year starts from Jan, so too early to get flight credit?
I have to book southwest flight for travel next month. Will work?
I have to book southwest flight for travel next month. Will work?