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)
Jan 2, 2018, 11:32 am
#1081
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
Based on what your statement shows, and what the website shows (that you have $200 in credits available through Dec 2018), I agree that you should be good to go...
It assumes that the website balance graphic is updated in near realtime and that it is accurately reflecting your 2018 remaining balance. I have found that sometimes these charts are not realtime reflections and are only updated on some regular schedule (like a nightly scheduled job).
I hope that this is accurate because it means that the credit is based on the transaction date and not the credit date (just for future reference).
It assumes that the website balance graphic is updated in near realtime and that it is accurately reflecting your 2018 remaining balance. I have found that sometimes these charts are not realtime reflections and are only updated on some regular schedule (like a nightly scheduled job).
I hope that this is accurate because it means that the credit is based on the transaction date and not the credit date (just for future reference).
for future ref, any way to get a acct # after the appl was approved? still not sure as was told by an agent in new acct dept that he had no access to an instant acct # or amex no longer provided immediately after...
Last edited by danhouston; Jan 2, 2018 at 11:55 am
Jan 2, 2018, 12:58 pm
#1082
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 12
I got my instant account number right after the website approved my application. It said that I only had three minutes to write it down and that it was impossible to get the account number after those three minutes other than waiting on the card to arrive.
Thanks for all the responses. I'll check back in a few days to see if that graphic updates. I'm glad it seems to have been based on transaction date and not reward date.
Thanks for all the responses. I'll check back in a few days to see if that graphic updates. I'm glad it seems to have been based on transaction date and not reward date.
Jan 2, 2018, 3:23 pm
#1083
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
I got my instant account number right after the website approved my application. It said that I only had three minutes to write it down and that it was impossible to get the account number after those three minutes other than waiting on the card to arrive.
Thanks for all the responses. I'll check back in a few days to see if that graphic updates. I'm glad it seems to have been based on transaction date and not reward date.
Thanks for all the responses. I'll check back in a few days to see if that graphic updates. I'm glad it seems to have been based on transaction date and not reward date.
Jan 4, 2018, 7:36 am
#1084
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 6
Datapoint:
Amex PRG -
1/1 - Changed airline to Southwest
1/1 - within a few hours of receiving the confirmation email of the airline change, i purchased a $100 gift card
1/3 - Transaction posted
1/4 - $100 Credit posted
Amex PRG -
1/1 - Changed airline to Southwest
1/1 - within a few hours of receiving the confirmation email of the airline change, i purchased a $100 gift card
1/3 - Transaction posted
1/4 - $100 Credit posted
Jan 4, 2018, 8:13 am
#1085
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 12
Can anyone please tell me how I can tell if I got my credit on time for 2017?
I was approved for the card 12/29, selected Southwest as the airline, waited until the next day for gift cards since this post suggested doing that.
Here's what my online statement looks like:
Jan 01 AMEX AIRLINE FEE REIMBURSEMENT -$100.00
Jan 01 AMEX AIRLINE FEE REIMBURSEMENT -$100.00
Dec 30 SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DALLAS TX $100.00
Dec 30 SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DALLAS TX $100.00
On the benefits page, in the section for the credit, it looks like this :
Would that graph normally show a declining amount as it used? If my credits were used in 2018, would this chart say $0 today or at some point when it updates? Sorry, this card is new for me and these didn't post in time for the graph to update for 2017 if it does actually update.
I was approved for the card 12/29, selected Southwest as the airline, waited until the next day for gift cards since this post suggested doing that.
Here's what my online statement looks like:
Jan 01 AMEX AIRLINE FEE REIMBURSEMENT -$100.00
Jan 01 AMEX AIRLINE FEE REIMBURSEMENT -$100.00
Dec 30 SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DALLAS TX $100.00
Dec 30 SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DALLAS TX $100.00
On the benefits page, in the section for the credit, it looks like this :
Would that graph normally show a declining amount as it used? If my credits were used in 2018, would this chart say $0 today or at some point when it updates? Sorry, this card is new for me and these didn't post in time for the graph to update for 2017 if it does actually update.
Jan 4, 2018, 8:45 am
#1086
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: HHonors Gold, Hertz 5*, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat, buys Spirit tickets at the airport ticket counter ;-)
Posts: 498
Does AMEX cover Southwest Wi-Fi on board under the $200 credit?
Jan 4, 2018, 8:55 am
#1087
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 400
Bought two separate $100 GCs (10 minutes apart)
Jan 01 (2018) SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DALLAS TX $100.00
Jan 01 (2018) SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DALLAS TX $100.00
Statement credit applied 2 days later
Jan 03 (2018) AMEX AIRLINE FEE REIMBURSEMENT -$100.00
Jan 03 (2018) AMEX AIRLINE FEE REIMBURSEMENT -$100.00
Jan 01 (2018) SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DALLAS TX $100.00
Jan 01 (2018) SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DALLAS TX $100.00
Statement credit applied 2 days later
Jan 03 (2018) AMEX AIRLINE FEE REIMBURSEMENT -$100.00
Jan 03 (2018) AMEX AIRLINE FEE REIMBURSEMENT -$100.00
Jan 4, 2018, 10:27 am
#1088
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 31
I think the answer is going to depend on whether the charge is from Southwest or from a 3rd party provider.
It clearly is an airline incidental charge... So as long as the charge comes up as "Southwest", you should be good. Even if the credit is not automatically applied, I think you'd have good grounds to call them and request the credit... But if the charge appears as "Joe's Airline Internet Service", then I think you might be SOL.
It clearly is an airline incidental charge... So as long as the charge comes up as "Southwest", you should be good. Even if the credit is not automatically applied, I think you'd have good grounds to call them and request the credit... But if the charge appears as "Joe's Airline Internet Service", then I think you might be SOL.
Jan 5, 2018, 3:18 am
#1089
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: NY
Programs: MR, UR, UA
Posts: 180
Here with some positive DP's to share:
2x Plat + 1x PRG:
Jan 1 2018: changed airline selection to WN around 5am ET
Jan 1 2018: bought 2x$200+1x$100 eGC right away, minutes apart
Jan 3 2018: purchases posted, dated Jan 1
Jan 4 2018: credited, dated Jan 3
2x Plat + 1x PRG:
Jan 1 2018: changed airline selection to WN around 5am ET
Jan 1 2018: bought 2x$200+1x$100 eGC right away, minutes apart
Jan 3 2018: purchases posted, dated Jan 1
Jan 4 2018: credited, dated Jan 3
Jan 5, 2018, 7:24 am
#1090
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 171
Triple dipping my Amex Plat before closing it next week. Jan. 1 at 9 am changed airline from United to Southwest. Jan. 2 at 3 pm purchased two $100 SW e Gift cards in separate transactions. Jan. 4 charges cleared my Amex. Jan. 5 received two $100 credits.
Now for one final Uber Eats credit and then sayanora Amex Plat.
Now for one final Uber Eats credit and then sayanora Amex Plat.
Jan 5, 2018, 11:20 am
#1091
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 302
I was curious about this as well. After a quick Google search turned up nothing, I decided to reach out to Southwest's amazing social media team on Twitter. They said the credit card charge will code as follows...
SWA INFLIGHT WIFI $8.00
May not auto-credit with Amex but at least it codes well enough that you should be able to call in and have them apply it manually. There's definitely no denying its a Southwest charge.
Here's the full reply from @SouthwestAir...
SWA INFLIGHT WIFI $8.00
May not auto-credit with Amex but at least it codes well enough that you should be able to call in and have them apply it manually. There's definitely no denying its a Southwest charge.
Here's the full reply from @SouthwestAir...
Originally Posted by Southwest Twitter
Okay Coach, thanks for your patience. On your statement, (I just got an actual statement from my Marketing folks) it should read: SWA INFLIGHT WIFI $8.00. Does that help? ^SO
Jan 5, 2018, 11:36 am
#1092
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
This indicated that they have created a separate merchant account for these charges, just as Alaska Airlines (?) did for gift card sales. That should preclude automated reimbursement.
Then there is this language in the terms which uses in-flight WiFi as an example of an ineligible expense:
Then there is this language in the terms which uses in-flight WiFi as an example of an ineligible expense:
Fees not charged by the Card Member's airline of choice (e.g. wireless internet and fees incurred with airline alliance partners) do not qualify for statement credits.
Last edited by mia; Jan 5, 2018 at 11:43 am
Jan 5, 2018, 12:21 pm
#1093
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 302
I guess on my next WN flight, I'll be the guinea pig and buy the WiFi on my Platinum card to see what happens. Its only an $8 "loss" if it doesn't work out.
Jan 5, 2018, 9:14 pm
#1094
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 31
This just seems wrong... How can a charge that appears like "SWA INFLIGHT WIFI $8.00" not be considered a Southwest incidental charge???
<sigh>... Just seems like it is near impossible to legitimately accrue $200 in incidentals based on examples like this...
<sigh>... Just seems like it is near impossible to legitimately accrue $200 in incidentals based on examples like this...
Jan 6, 2018, 12:44 am
#1095
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,431
My wife has both personal Premier and Plus cards. Application date was 10/1/17. Statement date is the 1st of each month. One of the cards completed $2k spend on 12/27 and the 60k points are coming. The other card completed spend on 12/31 with multiple grocery and restaurant purchases at night (but before midnight Eastern time). Statement for 1/1 closed and one supermarket charge ($90ish) didn't make the cut. Transaction activity history shows transaction on 12/31 but posted on 1/2/18. Obviously she didn't get the 60k on this statement and that's fine; should she expect a problem due to the 1/2/18 post date? (3 month mark is 1/1/18) Basically, does the transaction date or post date matter more for these deadlines?