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 22, 2017, 12:41 am
#1051
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1
AMEX PRG
12/15: Received card and set Southwest for airline fee credit.
12/18: Bought one $100 Southwest egift card.
12/20: American Express $100 airline fee credit processed.
12/15: Received card and set Southwest for airline fee credit.
12/18: Bought one $100 Southwest egift card.
12/20: American Express $100 airline fee credit processed.
Dec 22, 2017, 1:25 am
#1052
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 4
I have a Gold card, got the last reimbursement on Dec 30 2016. I haven't selected SW, but seems like I can only change in Jan, is that true? Any way to modify to get SW GC before Jan 2018?
Dec 22, 2017, 6:22 am
#1053
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 171
If you can't make the change yourself online call Amex ASAP and ask them nicely to change your selected airline to Southwest.
Dec 22, 2017, 10:10 pm
#1054
Join Date: May 2016
Location: In btw SJC & SFO
Programs: Marriott Titanium & LTP, Hilton Diamond (Aspire card), Hyatt Globalist, UA Gold (almost free agent)
Posts: 510
In addition to calling CS, you better on line chat with them to change your airline selection, which is super easy and quick. I successfully changed UA to WN via chat one week ago and immediately bought $200 WN EGC then got $200 credit posted 3 days later.
Dec 22, 2017, 10:14 pm
#1055
Join Date: May 2016
Location: In btw SJC & SFO
Programs: Marriott Titanium & LTP, Hilton Diamond (Aspire card), Hyatt Globalist, UA Gold (almost free agent)
Posts: 510
So based on my experience and other posts, the suggestion that you have to wait a day or more to purchase WN gift card after airline change does not hold true.
Dec 22, 2017, 10:27 pm
#1056
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
There are anecdotal reports both ways. When the feature was first introduced the terms mentioned a 48 hour wait, but this is gone. Your example proves that it isn't always necessary to wait, but other examples suggest that it is sometimes necessary. There's no way for an individual know if the change has registered across all the relevant Amex systems. I would wait.
Dec 23, 2017, 11:19 am
#1057
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1
purchasing the gift card
Does it matter which email to use when purchasing the gift card, or is it okay to use my own?
Dec 23, 2017, 1:03 pm
#1058
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 22
haven't had the credit posted since
12/16 purchase $100 giftcard, still no credit yet
12/16 purchase $100 giftcard, still no credit yet
Dec 23, 2017, 7:04 pm
#1059
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 39
Waited at least 36 hours betwen selecting WN and buying giftcard. Bought $200 gc's on the plats and $100 gc on the bgr
12/2 amex plat
12/2 amex biz plat
12/3 bgr
12/6 all credited
----
12/19 girlfriend's amex plat
12/23 credited
12/2 amex plat
12/2 amex biz plat
12/3 bgr
12/6 all credited
----
12/19 girlfriend's amex plat
12/23 credited
Dec 24, 2017, 10:42 am
#1060
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 171
Looking for advice and/or personal experience. Have had the personal Plat for just over a year. Doubled dipped the $200 annual travel credit in Dec. 2016 and Jan 2017. The $550 annual fee just hit 12/18 and is due 1/12/18. If I use the $200 credit again in early Jan 2018 and then cancel before 1/12 am I risking a shutdown by the RATS?
Dec 24, 2017, 2:43 pm
#1061
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 4
12/19 AMEX plat approved; online account registered
12/20 select Southwest
12/21 $200 SW e-gift
12/23 credited
12/20 select Southwest
12/21 $200 SW e-gift
12/23 credited
Dec 24, 2017, 2:46 pm
#1062
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 4
Looking for advice and/or personal experience. Have had the personal Plat for just over a year. Doubled dipped the $200 annual travel credit in Dec. 2016 and Jan 2017. The $550 annual fee just hit 12/18 and is due 1/12/18. If I use the $200 credit again in early Jan 2018 and then cancel before 1/12 am I risking a shutdown by the RATS?
AMEX RAT team targets those who “have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with earning or using points.”
Airline credit is unlikely to be considered "points".
Dec 26, 2017, 11:36 am
#1063
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 2
12/23/2017 changed airline to SW
12/23/2017 bought 100$ gift card
12/26/2017 still waiting. If I don't hear tomorrow I will buy another $100 gift card.
12/23/2017 bought 100$ gift card
12/26/2017 still waiting. If I don't hear tomorrow I will buy another $100 gift card.
Dec 27, 2017, 8:31 am
#1065
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 138
Does anyone know, if I make the purchase today or tomorrow and the charge posts this year, but the credit posts after Jan 1, what yr does the airline credit count for?
Thanks!
Thanks!