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 14, 2017, 4:43 am
#872
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 134
Changed my airline to Southwest and purchased $100 GC right after that. Charge was posted on Jan. 11 but have not seen credit yet. I wonder I should have waited for a day or so before buying GC to make sure that the change was complete.
Jan 14, 2017, 6:45 am
#873
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 252
1) Their system simply failed to send the codes
2) You typed in the email address wrong and the code was sent to someone else.
Jan 14, 2017, 3:46 pm
#874
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: Hyatt: Diamond, HHonors: Diamond, SPG: Gold
Posts: 193
I had a similar situation to yours although I was not as brazen. My first 100 did not go through. All of my subsequent attempts have worked. 75 and 75 dollar amounts so far. My first 100 has still not posted and probably never will. I changed to WN just like you and bought like 10 minutes later initially. Waited a few days until I tried the second and third purchases which worked just fine.
As of 1/14 still no credits. Going to give it a few more weeks then try again if it doesn't post in the 2 - 4 week time frame.
Jan 15, 2017, 12:05 pm
#875
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 119
Personal Platinum
Purchased $200 GC on 1/11/17
Posted on 1/12/17
Credited 1/14/17
Purchased $200 GC on 1/11/17
Posted on 1/12/17
Credited 1/14/17
Jan 15, 2017, 4:35 pm
#876
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 40
report my experience again.
1/2 change airline from UA to SW
1/2 Then 10 min later, buy $20 eGift card
1/4 post ---> wait till 1/7 or 8 still NO Credit (till today 1/12 still NO)
Don't know if amount too small or place order too fast (10 min after changing airline)
try $50 again
1/7 $50 eGC
1/9 Post
1/11 $50 shown up credit
but 1st $20 still NO credit
---> my experience , I think DON'T place order too fast same day or right after changing airline. I doubt their system need some times to update ur info~
I will do NEW order and report later again~
thanks
1/2 change airline from UA to SW
1/2 Then 10 min later, buy $20 eGift card
1/4 post ---> wait till 1/7 or 8 still NO Credit (till today 1/12 still NO)
Don't know if amount too small or place order too fast (10 min after changing airline)
try $50 again
1/7 $50 eGC
1/9 Post
1/11 $50 shown up credit
but 1st $20 still NO credit
---> my experience , I think DON'T place order too fast same day or right after changing airline. I doubt their system need some times to update ur info~
I will do NEW order and report later again~
thanks
I had a similar situation to yours although I was not as brazen. My first 100 did not go through. All of my subsequent attempts have worked. 75 and 75 dollar amounts so far. My first 100 has still not posted and probably never will. I changed to WN just like you and bought like 10 minutes later initially. Waited a few days until I tried the second and third purchases which worked just fine.
Last edited by Voli; Jan 15, 2017 at 10:19 pm
Jan 16, 2017, 10:07 am
#877
Join Date: Aug 2015
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, JB Mosaic, SW AList + CP
Posts: 383
200 x 1. Amex biz plat
200 x 1. Amex mbz personal plat
100 x 1. Amex prg
purchased Jan 1
reimbused Jan 3
200 x 1. Amex mbz personal plat
100 x 1. Amex prg
purchased Jan 1
reimbused Jan 3
Jan 16, 2017, 10:54 am
#878
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 18
Switched from UA to SW for the gift cards today.
Will wait til tomorrow or Wednesday to buy the GCs. Best to do it in 2 $100 increments or just do one single $200 purchase?
Will wait til tomorrow or Wednesday to buy the GCs. Best to do it in 2 $100 increments or just do one single $200 purchase?
Jan 16, 2017, 12:08 pm
#879
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BOS, PVD, HYA
Programs: MR, TYP, AA, B6, DL, WN, HH, MB, 2V
Posts: 658
Jan 17, 2017, 4:47 am
#880
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 134
Still have not received credit. Charge was posted on Jan. 12. Should have waited a day or so after switching airline.
Jan 17, 2017, 8:38 am
#881
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Denver
Posts: 21
$200 SW GC reimbursed
Data point: I purchased a single, $200 Southwest e-gift card with my AMEX Platinum on 1/12. It was reimbursed on 1/14.
Jan 17, 2017, 3:07 pm
#882
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 97
Data point that I don't recommend trying unless you just can't help yourself:
I recently booked several short-haul flights on Southwest using my Platinum card since I was expecting 5x points per dollar for this recently announced benefit:
I was surprised and delighted to learn that the flights I booked on 1/13 and 1/14 were automatically reimbursed (up to $200 total using the $200 Airline Fee Credit benefit) on 1/16. Wouldn't recommend anyone trying this just to "see if it works" since obviously it does, but heck. Pretty cool.
I recently booked several short-haul flights on Southwest using my Platinum card since I was expecting 5x points per dollar for this recently announced benefit:
Earn 5X Membership RewardsŪ points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Terms and limitations apply.
Jan 17, 2017, 8:39 pm
#883
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BOS, PVD, HYA
Programs: MR, TYP, AA, B6, DL, WN, HH, MB, 2V
Posts: 658
Data point that I don't recommend trying unless you just can't help yourself:
I recently booked several short-haul flights on Southwest using my Platinum card since I was expecting 5x points per dollar for this recently announced benefit:
I was surprised and delighted to learn that the flights I booked on 1/13 and 1/14 were automatically reimbursed (up to $200 total using the $200 Airline Fee Credit benefit) on 1/16. Wouldn't recommend anyone trying this just to "see if it works" since obviously it does, but heck. Pretty cool.
I recently booked several short-haul flights on Southwest using my Platinum card since I was expecting 5x points per dollar for this recently announced benefit:
I was surprised and delighted to learn that the flights I booked on 1/13 and 1/14 were automatically reimbursed (up to $200 total using the $200 Airline Fee Credit benefit) on 1/16. Wouldn't recommend anyone trying this just to "see if it works" since obviously it does, but heck. Pretty cool.