Jan 7, 2020, 8:01 am
Last edit by: rrgg
Many commonly asked questions are answered in this post.
Reminder: You must enroll and select your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase. http://www.americanexpress.com/airlinechoice -or- "Call the number on the back of your Card to select a qualifying airline."
Wait several hours or even a day before making the purchase, although several DPs show it works without waiting that long.
(Posters often refer to Southwest as WN which is its IATA code. The code SW is assigned to Air Namibia.)
As of late July 2019, direct gift card purchases are no longer reimbursed.
To read discussion from 2011-2019, click HERE
Reminder: You must enroll and select your airline BEFORE making a reimbursable purchase. http://www.americanexpress.com/airlinechoice -or- "Call the number on the back of your Card to select a qualifying airline."
Wait several hours or even a day before making the purchase, although several DPs show it works without waiting that long.
(Posters often refer to Southwest as WN which is its IATA code. The code SW is assigned to Air Namibia.)
As of late July 2019, direct gift card purchases are no longer reimbursed.
- What does appear to work is buying flight tickets less than $109, OR using gift cards to get the charged amount down to less than $109. Given Amex's recent behavior in other areas, some feel there is real risk that Amex will decide to claw back this type of reimbursement someday.
- If you buy a ticket where you use travel funds to reduce the total charge to your Amex below $109, it will be reimbursed.
- Fees can be reimbursed for any traveler. The name doesn't matter as long as the charge is on your American Express or that of an authorized cardholder.n
- As of 1/1/22 Gold card accounts do not qualify for airline credit.
To read discussion from 2011-2019, click HERE
Airline fee $250/$200/$100 reimbursement reports: WN (Southwest) only (2020-21)
Jan 4, 2020, 6:53 am
#61
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 825
EB is good but I don't like paying for EB far in advance. The reason is that I like to check my SW flight to see if the price has dropped to rebook it at that price. If you've already bought EB, since EB is non-refundable, you're basically locked into the flight unless the price drops by more than $25.
Jan 4, 2020, 6:56 am
#62
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 30
Buying a flight for myself and three kids (all under 12) to island hop from Oahu to Kauai. Flights are $49. Can I buy it all 4 tickets at the same time with my platinum and they will code as 4 $49 flights or will it post as a $196 transaction and not get reimbursed? Anybody have any experience with this? Thanks
Jan 4, 2020, 8:01 am
#63
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Platinum, Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, UA 1k, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 109
Previously, my charges were listed on AMEX as "Southwest Airlines - Dallas TX" and I've received the reimbursments.
Just made a purchase using travel funds to bring the ticket to under $100 and the purchase was listed as "$90 Southwest Airlines", with no "Dallas, TX" following.
Has anyone received credit with the charges listed as "Southwest Airlines" and not "Southwest Airlines, Dallas TX"?
Just made a purchase using travel funds to bring the ticket to under $100 and the purchase was listed as "$90 Southwest Airlines", with no "Dallas, TX" following.
Has anyone received credit with the charges listed as "Southwest Airlines" and not "Southwest Airlines, Dallas TX"?
Jan 4, 2020, 8:35 am
#64
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
Previously, my charges were listed on AMEX as "Southwest Airlines - Dallas TX" and I've received the reimbursments.
Just made a purchase using travel funds to bring the ticket to under $100 and the purchase was listed as "$90 Southwest Airlines", with no "Dallas, TX" following.
Has anyone received credit with the charges listed as "Southwest Airlines" and not "Southwest Airlines, Dallas TX"?
Just made a purchase using travel funds to bring the ticket to under $100 and the purchase was listed as "$90 Southwest Airlines", with no "Dallas, TX" following.
Has anyone received credit with the charges listed as "Southwest Airlines" and not "Southwest Airlines, Dallas TX"?
Jan 4, 2020, 11:21 am
#65
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Chicago
Programs: Hertz PC, National EE, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Plat and that is all that matters.
Posts: 12
Previously, my charges were listed on AMEX as "Southwest Airlines - Dallas TX" and I've received the reimbursments.
Just made a purchase using travel funds to bring the ticket to under $100 and the purchase was listed as "$90 Southwest Airlines", with no "Dallas, TX" following.
Has anyone received credit with the charges listed as "Southwest Airlines" and not "Southwest Airlines, Dallas TX"?
Just made a purchase using travel funds to bring the ticket to under $100 and the purchase was listed as "$90 Southwest Airlines", with no "Dallas, TX" following.
Has anyone received credit with the charges listed as "Southwest Airlines" and not "Southwest Airlines, Dallas TX"?
Jan 4, 2020, 11:37 am
#66
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 30
3 <$100 flights purchased (separate transactions -- 2 cards) on 1/1/20
Transactions posted 1/3/20
Meter moved 1/4/20
Will updated after reimbursement
Transactions posted 1/3/20
Meter moved 1/4/20
Will updated after reimbursement
Jan 4, 2020, 12:03 pm
#67
Join Date: Jun 2019
Programs: AC 75k, WN CP, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 11
After not getting the credits for two purchases made shortly after I had selected WN, I elected to try again.
I did $103.80 on 12/30 at approximately 11pm Amex time (Phoenix). This was an Anytime fare (supplemented with travel funds)
I also did $63.88 at the same time. (WGA fare).
I canceled the $63.88 after 20 hours
Both transactions posted on 12-31. On 1-1, the WN refund for $63.88 posted and was backdated to 12/31. On 1/3, both Amex credits posted, backdated to 1/2, $103.88 and one slightly less than $63 since that took me to the $250 cap. They both posted as 2019 credits.
I did $103.80 on 12/30 at approximately 11pm Amex time (Phoenix). This was an Anytime fare (supplemented with travel funds)
I also did $63.88 at the same time. (WGA fare).
I canceled the $63.88 after 20 hours
Both transactions posted on 12-31. On 1-1, the WN refund for $63.88 posted and was backdated to 12/31. On 1/3, both Amex credits posted, backdated to 1/2, $103.88 and one slightly less than $63 since that took me to the $250 cap. They both posted as 2019 credits.
Jan 4, 2020, 2:14 pm
#70
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 83
Amex Gold:
1/1: Purchased 2x $99.98 for a total of $199.98 using a $100 gift card left over from last year's reimbursement to drop the total to $99.96.
1/4: Meter moved showing $0.04 remaining
1/1: Purchased 2x $99.98 for a total of $199.98 using a $100 gift card left over from last year's reimbursement to drop the total to $99.96.
1/4: Meter moved showing $0.04 remaining
Jan 4, 2020, 2:33 pm
#73
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 7
Update: So I purchased two tix on sw for about 93$ each on 12/28 and it posted on 12/29. Today, I still see no reimbursement listed and my meter says $200 to spend til dec 2020. I hope it wasn't because I bought tickets immediately after selecting my airline since I opened the card on 12/26.
Jan 4, 2020, 2:53 pm
#74
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 30
Update: So I purchased two tix on sw for about 93$ each on 12/28 and it posted on 12/29. Today, I still see no reimbursement listed and my meter says $200 to spend til dec 2020. I hope it wasn't because I bought tickets immediately after selecting my airline since I opened the card on 12/26.