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)
Dec 27, 2017, 6:23 pm
#1067
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: JFK
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 325
12/19 $200 e-gift card posted
12/21 credit
12/21 credit
Dec 28, 2017, 9:47 am
#1068
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 115
Does anybody know how soon the transaction posts? I've made a purchase on my Platinum for Southwest on 12/27 evening (it shows as 12/28 on AMEX website). Hopefully it will count towards 2017 quota.
Dec 28, 2017, 10:39 am
#1069
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: LGB
Posts: 31
Amex Plat DP:
12/23/17 - Added WN on benefits page
12/25/17 - Purchased 2x $100 GC
12/27/17 - Charge posted to account
12/27/17 - $200 credit issued
12/23/17 - Added WN on benefits page
12/25/17 - Purchased 2x $100 GC
12/27/17 - Charge posted to account
12/27/17 - $200 credit issued
Last edited by rawrbot; Dec 28, 2017 at 4:37 pm
Dec 28, 2017, 2:31 pm
#1070
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: Diners Club
Posts: 35
I don't want to contact the chat line for help--so I guess I'll have to eat the $100 charge to SW and try again to get the credit?
Dec 29, 2017, 12:09 am
#1071
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 31
I am a relatively new Amex Platinum cardholder and hadn't thought about the fact that the $200 airline incidental credit was calendar year based, so I haven't had the sense of urgency to try and take care of this before the end of the year...
So this evening, 12/28 @ 11PM Pacific Standard, I went into my Amex account and chose Southwest Airlines as my airline selection. Based on what I am reading, it sounds like I should wait for the airline selection to be processed. I think I read 48 hours, but I am not sure I have the luxury of waiting for 48 hours at this point.
My plan is to purchase a $200.00 gift card in about 24-36 hours (sometime during the middle of the day on 12/30), and hope that I will see a credit in the early part of January for the 2017 calendar year credit.
Any suggestions on a change to my approach to increase the odds of success? I am open and game to try anything (I am obviously running out of time)...
So this evening, 12/28 @ 11PM Pacific Standard, I went into my Amex account and chose Southwest Airlines as my airline selection. Based on what I am reading, it sounds like I should wait for the airline selection to be processed. I think I read 48 hours, but I am not sure I have the luxury of waiting for 48 hours at this point.
My plan is to purchase a $200.00 gift card in about 24-36 hours (sometime during the middle of the day on 12/30), and hope that I will see a credit in the early part of January for the 2017 calendar year credit.
Any suggestions on a change to my approach to increase the odds of success? I am open and game to try anything (I am obviously running out of time)...
Dec 29, 2017, 8:05 am
#1072
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Silver, whatever the Amex plat gets me and somehow still IHG Diamond after 3 years of no nights
Posts: 693
12/22 Applied for card
12/26 Card Arrived
12/26 Selected SW as airline (mid day-ish)
12/26 Purchased 1x $200 email GC on SW website (8-9pm)
12/28 Credit Posted
I'd call that a pretty efficient couple of days for Amex considering there was a weekend and a holiday in there.
12/26 Card Arrived
12/26 Selected SW as airline (mid day-ish)
12/26 Purchased 1x $200 email GC on SW website (8-9pm)
12/28 Credit Posted
I'd call that a pretty efficient couple of days for Amex considering there was a weekend and a holiday in there.
Dec 29, 2017, 10:46 am
#1073
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 31
Any experience whether e-giftcards are processed any faster (or the same) as physical gift cards sent by mail?
I'd like the option of giving these as gifts in the future, but if experience says that e-giftcards are processed quicker (especially with 2017 days quickly dwindling away), I will go with e-giftcards!
I'd like the option of giving these as gifts in the future, but if experience says that e-giftcards are processed quicker (especially with 2017 days quickly dwindling away), I will go with e-giftcards!
Dec 29, 2017, 11:23 am
#1074
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 31
Update: I ended up pulling the trigger a few minutes after I posted this message (at around 10:30am). Will report back my results!
Update 2: Shoot, my assumption that the benefit is based on the transaction date of the purchase may not be true. I just went into my Amex account online, and the exact text says "Credit Available through Dec 2017", which (if taken literally) means that you need to have the credit issued to you by December 2017, otherwise it is considered a 2018 credit. I am hopeful since many have reported getting their credit in two days, though I am concerned because if it's two business days, I am probably not going to see this credit in 2017.
Crossing my fingers...
Last edited by MikeekiM; Dec 29, 2017 at 1:52 pm
Dec 30, 2017, 1:36 pm
#1075
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 138
DP:
12/26 Picked SW ~4:30PM
12/27 Bought E-Gift ~8AM
12/29 Credit Posted
Definitely cut this one close...in for the triple dip!
12/26 Picked SW ~4:30PM
12/27 Bought E-Gift ~8AM
12/29 Credit Posted
Definitely cut this one close...in for the triple dip!
Jan 1, 2018, 10:15 am
#1076
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 31
OK... Here is my update...
12/28 @11:00PM - Selected SW as my airline (1st time selection, not a change)
12/29 @10:30AM - Purchased eGiftcards
12/31@11:59PM - Logged into my account and confirmed that NO CREDIT APPLIED for 2017
1/1 @8:00AM - Credit Applied and Post was effective 12/31
12/28 @11:00PM - Selected SW as my airline (1st time selection, not a change)
12/29 @10:30AM - Purchased eGiftcards
12/31@11:59PM - Logged into my account and confirmed that NO CREDIT APPLIED for 2017
1/1 @8:00AM - Credit Applied and Post was effective 12/31
Jan 1, 2018, 2:12 pm
#1077
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 2
OK... Here is my update...
12/28 @11:00PM - Selected SW as my airline (1st time selection, not a change)
12/29 @10:30AM - Purchased eGiftcards
12/31@11:59PM - Logged into my account and confirmed that NO CREDIT APPLIED for 2017
1/1 @8:00AM - Credit Applied and Post was effective 12/31
12/28 @11:00PM - Selected SW as my airline (1st time selection, not a change)
12/29 @10:30AM - Purchased eGiftcards
12/31@11:59PM - Logged into my account and confirmed that NO CREDIT APPLIED for 2017
1/1 @8:00AM - Credit Applied and Post was effective 12/31
Jan 2, 2018, 8:29 am
#1078
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 2, 2018, 9:20 am
#1079
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: JFK
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 325
You should be fine for another $200 this year.
Jan 2, 2018, 10:55 am
#1080
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 31
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).