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)
Mar 4, 2017, 7:21 pm
#931
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: COS - Colorado Springs, CO
Programs: Hilton Diamond. National Biz Exec. AMX Plat. CSR. Bonvoy Brilliant. Delta Reserve.
Posts: 162
Just purchased $200 SW Giftcard. Nice addition to my new Companion Pass! 
Mar 6, 2017, 7:04 pm
#932
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SEA
Posts: 13
Bought 2x $100 SW gift cards on 3/3. Credits posted 3/6.
Mar 7, 2017, 11:27 am
#933
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1
PRG
Selected Southwest and received confirmation email right away
Purchased $100 GC about 30 mins later
Charged 2/27
Still no credit as of 3/7
It seems like there is something to the idea of waiting a day or so after selecting...
Has anyone tried to contact them to get the credit?
Selected Southwest and received confirmation email right away
Purchased $100 GC about 30 mins later
Charged 2/27
Still no credit as of 3/7
It seems like there is something to the idea of waiting a day or so after selecting...
Has anyone tried to contact them to get the credit?
Mar 7, 2017, 11:48 am
#934
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BOS, PVD, HYA
Programs: MR, TYP, AA, B6, DL, WN, HH, MB, 2V
Posts: 658
PRG
Selected Southwest and received confirmation email right away
Purchased $100 GC about 30 mins later
Charged 2/27
Still no credit as of 3/7
It seems like there is something to the idea of waiting a day or so after selecting...
Has anyone tried to contact them to get the credit?
Selected Southwest and received confirmation email right away
Purchased $100 GC about 30 mins later
Charged 2/27
Still no credit as of 3/7
It seems like there is something to the idea of waiting a day or so after selecting...
Has anyone tried to contact them to get the credit?
Mar 14, 2017, 8:43 am
#935
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 7
Platinum Amex
Purchased 2x$100 gift cards 3/8, reimbursed $200 3/10.
Purchased 2x$100 gift cards 3/8, reimbursed $200 3/10.
Mar 19, 2017, 8:57 pm
#936
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: New York
Programs: Delta Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 68
Bought 2x$100 gift cards on personal Platinum card on 3/16. Both reimbursed on 3/18.
Mar 19, 2017, 11:09 pm
#937
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 88
Platinum AMEX. Just selected Southwest and received confirmation about an hour later.
Will try to purchase gift cards in about 48 hours to ensure the system is updated.
Will try to purchase gift cards in about 48 hours to ensure the system is updated.
Mar 20, 2017, 7:29 am
#938
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: DL FO
Posts: 236
Purchased one $200 SW gift card 3/16. Statement credit posted 3/18.
Nice to not have to split into two separate $100 transactions!
Nice to not have to split into two separate $100 transactions!
Mar 24, 2017, 2:45 pm
#939
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 88
Data Point
15 March: brand new personal Platinum Card, received in mail and then activated.
19 March: selected Southwest as airline choice for fee reimbursement. Confirmation email from AMEX received in an hour.
21 March: purchased one $200 Southwest eGC. Southwest emailed the eGC in minutes.
23 March: purchase posted onto account.
24 March: full amount $200 reimbursed by AMEX.
19 March: selected Southwest as airline choice for fee reimbursement. Confirmation email from AMEX received in an hour.
21 March: purchased one $200 Southwest eGC. Southwest emailed the eGC in minutes.
23 March: purchase posted onto account.
24 March: full amount $200 reimbursed by AMEX.
Last edited by PatrickTM; Mar 24, 2017 at 2:58 pm
Mar 27, 2017, 7:37 pm
#940
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 42
2x $100 WN e-gift cards ordered 3/24, posted 3/26, reimbursed 3/27
Apr 3, 2017, 1:04 pm
#941
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4
PRG
Selected Southwest and received confirmation email right away
Purchased $100 GC about 30 mins later
Charged 2/27
Still no credit as of 3/7
It seems like there is something to the idea of waiting a day or so after selecting...
Has anyone tried to contact them to get the credit?
Selected Southwest and received confirmation email right away
Purchased $100 GC about 30 mins later
Charged 2/27
Still no credit as of 3/7
It seems like there is something to the idea of waiting a day or so after selecting...
Has anyone tried to contact them to get the credit?
Apr 3, 2017, 3:48 pm
#942
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 2
how long should i wait after selecting Southwest before I buy the cards
Apr 6, 2017, 7:30 am
#944
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: BOS
Programs: MR, UR, AA, AS, HH Gold, SPG Gold, HGP, RR
Posts: 708
PRG - ordered $100 gc 4/2, the charge posted 4/3, credit posted 4/5.
Apr 6, 2017, 5:39 pm
#945
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.