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)
Jul 11, 2019, 2:12 pm
#1996
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: Whoever Has the Best Bonus
Posts: 5,183
I will have to try again with a sub $100 fare (or remnant after split pay). Annoying thing for me is I actually bought a ticket UNDER $100 each way but used a gift card since I thought it would be a safer reimbursement ploy. Doh!
Jul 11, 2019, 2:49 pm
#1997
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 33
I bought a gift card on June 5th and it has not reimbursed and I'm sure it will never reimburse. Sorry to say yours likely won't either.
I will have to try again with a sub $100 fare (or remnant after split pay). Annoying thing for me is I actually bought a ticket UNDER $100 each way but used a gift card since I thought it would be a safer reimbursement ploy. Doh!
I will have to try again with a sub $100 fare (or remnant after split pay). Annoying thing for me is I actually bought a ticket UNDER $100 each way but used a gift card since I thought it would be a safer reimbursement ploy. Doh!
Jul 11, 2019, 4:30 pm
#1998
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,129
Jul 11, 2019, 4:52 pm
#1999
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
I had AA for my credit and switched to Southwest when the GC credits stopped for AA. Luckily I got my $200 credits before that stopped for Southwest. Next April if there is not a way for me to use the credits I might as well not renew the Platinum Card. I can't justify the annual fee on the Platnium Card. I have Priority Pass on the Chase Reserve Card, most airports I use don't have a Centurian Lounge.
Jul 12, 2019, 8:24 am
#2000
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: Whoever Has the Best Bonus
Posts: 5,183
Bought two $109 tickets with $10 gift card each -- $99 charged to BizPlat in two separate transactions. Will see if it works. If not, I will likely give up and drink myself silly on a future Southwest flight.
Jul 12, 2019, 9:05 am
#2001
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 23
Airfare less than $100
What if the price of the ticket is already less than $100 (ex. JAX-FLL for $64) Do I still need to apply a gift card or will the low cost airfare trigger the credit? Thanks!
Jul 12, 2019, 9:17 am
#2002
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: STL
Programs: Hyatt Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 521
On July 9 I purchased a one-way airfare on Aspire Amex for a total of $94.98 (STL to Des Moines) as a single charge. Today, July 12 I see my Airline credit meter reflects $155, but my Amex transaction doesn't show the fee reimbursement yet....
Jul 12, 2019, 10:12 am
#2003
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
mine was the same; give it little more time, the cr should post shortly
Jul 12, 2019, 2:39 pm
#2004
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 825
it seems to be a mixed bag on dp, it seems like it may be best to buy a $5 gc and then buy the plane ticket but this whole loophole is very ymmv.
Jul 12, 2019, 5:53 pm
#2005
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 31
if GC+ partial ticket payment work
Can I buy refundable ticket, wait until AMEX post partial payment part credit, then cancel the ticket.
By doing so, WN will refund entire Ticket total to travel credit for future use within 12 month.
As long as I can book for WN travel within 1 year, it can be solved.
per reading previous post, better to make Partial ticket payment part < $100
Am I right for all above?
thx
Can I buy refundable ticket, wait until AMEX post partial payment part credit, then cancel the ticket.
By doing so, WN will refund entire Ticket total to travel credit for future use within 12 month.
As long as I can book for WN travel within 1 year, it can be solved.
per reading previous post, better to make Partial ticket payment part < $100
Am I right for all above?
thx
Jul 12, 2019, 6:27 pm
#2006
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,470
if GC+ partial ticket payment work
Can I buy refundable ticket, wait until AMEX post partial payment part credit, then cancel the ticket.
By doing so, WN will refund entire Ticket total to travel credit for future use within 12 month.
As long as I can book for WN travel within 1 year, it can be solved.
per reading previous post, better to make Partial ticket payment part < $100
Can I buy refundable ticket, wait until AMEX post partial payment part credit, then cancel the ticket.
By doing so, WN will refund entire Ticket total to travel credit for future use within 12 month.
As long as I can book for WN travel within 1 year, it can be solved.
per reading previous post, better to make Partial ticket payment part < $100
Jul 12, 2019, 6:36 pm
#2007
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 17
In the past I've booked a ticket and afterwards been offered to upgrade to Business Select for around $150. Would this upgrade count as incidental for reimbursement?
Jul 12, 2019, 7:11 pm
#2008
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 825
iirc upgrades are excluded, also if you bought the upgraded boarding for both ways and a $7 drink would cost $67 to $107 depending on distance of the flight
Jul 12, 2019, 11:08 pm
#2009
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by aopluu
if GC+ partial ticket payment work
Can I buy refundable ticket, wait until AMEX post partial payment part credit, then cancel the ticket.
By doing so, WN will refund entire Ticket total to travel credit for future use within 12 month.
As long as I can book for WN travel within 1 year, it can be solved.
per reading previous post, better to make Partial ticket payment part < $100
---> Are you trying to shift your expense forward by a few months, or build up your WN credit above the $100 threshold?
just think if this way works, better than nothing or wasting that $100 credit
Originally Posted by aopluu
if GC+ partial ticket payment work
Can I buy refundable ticket, wait until AMEX post partial payment part credit, then cancel the ticket.
By doing so, WN will refund entire Ticket total to travel credit for future use within 12 month.
As long as I can book for WN travel within 1 year, it can be solved.
per reading previous post, better to make Partial ticket payment part < $100
---> Are you trying to shift your expense forward by a few months, or build up your WN credit above the $100 threshold?
just think if this way works, better than nothing or wasting that $100 credit
Jul 13, 2019, 1:01 am
#2010
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 17
So, upgraded boarding and drinks would be reimbursed. If I do this for myself and significant other, then it could be possible to use up the credit on a round trip ticket depending on distance and cost.