SW Gift Cards - bigger than $100?
Jul 9, 2019, 4:26 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,285
SW Gift Cards - bigger than $100?
I've bought a bunch of SW giftcards recently. The largest denomination offered is $100. That makes them a bit of a nuisance to use as WN now limits you to 3 methods of payment per purchase. If a flight's over $300 I can only use $200 of GCs and must pay the rest in cash. I'm familiar with how to squish GCs together into TTFs by booking and cancelling flights, but that's a nuisance, too. (And raises concern about being flagged for fraud, IMO.) Did larger denominations like $200 GCs ever exist before? Do they come around occasionally as promotions?
Jul 9, 2019, 5:11 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
I bought a $200 card a week or so ago via Paypal I think it was.
Just checked raise.com and they sell $500 ones at a 3.2% discount.
I have probably spent $4k - or more - buying cards from them.
Just checked raise.com and they sell $500 ones at a 3.2% discount.
I have probably spent $4k - or more - buying cards from them.
Jul 9, 2019, 5:34 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: AA Plat Pto, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,538
I have seen variable load up to $500 in grocery stores and possibly Lowe's.
I fly cheap so get my gift cards when there is a less than face value option online or rare in store AMEX offer and don't mind the hassle of combining funds.
I fly cheap so get my gift cards when there is a less than face value option online or rare in store AMEX offer and don't mind the hassle of combining funds.
Jul 9, 2019, 5:39 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,699
They really need larger denominations readily available given their much higher non sale fares of recent memory. Then again, I don't know why anybody would trade perfectly good cash or credit usable anywhere for a single merchant restriction unless a significant discount was given. 10%, maybe.
Jul 9, 2019, 6:28 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
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They really need larger denominations readily available given their much higher non sale fares of recent memory. Then again, I don't know why anybody would trade perfectly good cash or credit usable anywhere for a single merchant restriction unless a significant discount was given. 10%, maybe.
I only buy them a few minutes before I am going to use them.
Applies to WN, or DL, or Macys, or... so many other places that I shop online. But to just buy them at face value makes little sense.
Jul 10, 2019, 6:57 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,699
Marriott used to have an annual December promotion where you could buy $1,000 of GC's at 10% off and they would throw in some Skypesos too.
That was a no brainer given my travels back then.
But then you had to teach the desk clerk at every Courtyard how to actually apply them, which became tedious...
That was a no brainer given my travels back then.
But then you had to teach the desk clerk at every Courtyard how to actually apply them, which became tedious...
Last edited by joshua362; Jul 10, 2019 at 7:05 am
Jul 11, 2019, 3:11 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
Jul 11, 2019, 6:22 pm
#13
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Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
The link did not work.
But, if you spent 10,000 points to get a $100 gift card, I apparently am missing something.
With 10,000 points I can get around $160 in free flights via points. (1.6 is a wild ... guess... I think it is a bit more and open to lots of discussions)
But, if you spent 10,000 points to get a $100 gift card, I apparently am missing something.
With 10,000 points I can get around $160 in free flights via points. (1.6 is a wild ... guess... I think it is a bit more and open to lots of discussions)
Jul 11, 2019, 7:11 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
There is the incremental value of earning RR points and segments toward A List or CP when using a GC to buy a revenue ticket (but it's not 60% more).