Southwest Gift Card

[blossombrd]

I'm thinking about buying a Southwest gift card and using it myself, but I have a few questions.

• If I buy the gift card for $100 to earn 10,000 points, are the points awarded right away? If I book within the next two weeks, will I have the points to use?
• How long does it take to get the gift card?
• Can I use the gift card on a WGA flight?

TIA.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I've never heard of 10k points for a $100 gift card? I'm curious about this too now!

 

[hollypoast]

I've never heard of 10k points for a $100 gift card? I'm curious about this too now!

Me too... do tell.

 

[blossombrd]

It was on their website yesterday! But now it's gone! Or maybe I'm going crazy! I'll have to watch the website to see if they offer it again.

 

[wink13]

It's on the Southwest Airlines other rewards page.

 

[pooch]

It's on the Southwest Airlines other rewards page.

Not finding it, could you direct me?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I think OP is looking at the rewards redemption site that shows that you can redeem 10,000 pts for a $100 gift card.

Unfortunately You don't get 10,000 for buying the gift card.

By the way just for additional information purposes - using 10,000 pts for a $100 gift card is a terrible redemption value. The 10,000 pts are worth close to $150 in flights when you take into account taxes.

 

[msquoted]

I hope it is ok for me to ask some unrelated SW Gift card questions here...

I was considering purchasing Southwest GiftCards from Target using my RedCard to get the 5% off. The most you can get seems to be $100 from the Target website. I saw on the Southwest website that they have a limit on how many forms of payment can be used to buy tickets -- "Up to four Southwest gift cards can be applied toward one reservation. Our payment system limits the total form of payments, so if the balance of the itinerary is more than the amount of all four gift cards, you will only be able to use three of your gift cards so that the balance can be paid with another form of payment that will cover the balance of the reservation (i.e. credit card). The following is our policy in regards to forms of payment: Southwest Airlines accepts up to two unused Ticketless Travel tickets per Passenger (always applied first) and up to four of the following in any combination: Southwest gift cards, Southwest LUV vouchers, Ticketless Travel funds (left over funds not previously used), and one credit card."

Our plan was to buy 6 roundtrip tickets but, obviously, that will be way more than $400. So, I could use three $100 gc and then pay the rest with cc (with a savings of only $15. I'm not one to scoff at "free" money but that really doesn't do much for me). I am thinking of ways that I could utilize more gift cards (split up our ticket purchases, possibly buy two oneway tickets instead of roundtrip, etc.) It doesn't look like you can combine gift cards at all. Was wondering if anyone else has utilized SW giftcards and what you found worked for you?

 

[ahamlet]

Since southwest doesn't assign seats why not purchase a ticket for each person and pay for each ticket with southwest gift cards?

 

[disneyfanatic60]

I was told by a Southwest customer service rep to book your flight there separately from your trip home to better utilize the gift cards. However, I had trouble online using more than one gift card when I booked. When I entered the 2nd card, it wouldn't take it. You may have to call them and let them process the payments. I was disappointed to learn the gift cards can only be used on airfare and not on hotels, etc. booked on their site. Cannot use them for the early bird check in either.

 

[msquoted]

Since southwest doesn't assign seats why not purchase a ticket for each person and pay for each ticket with southwest gift cards?

I have this (maybe irrational) fear that we somehow wouldn't all get on the same flight. I guess the chances of that happening are small.

I was told by a Southwest customer service rep to book your flight there separately from your trip home to better utilize the gift cards. However, I had trouble online using more than one gift card when I booked. When I entered the 2nd card, it wouldn't take it. You may have to call them and let them process the payments. I was disappointed to learn the gift cards can only be used on airfare and not on hotels, etc. booked on their site. Cannot use them for the early bird check in either.

I went ahead and called SW and the rep I spoke to did say it may be easiest to call to purchase the tickets and that they may have to set us up with different reservations for the same flight in order to use the different gift cards. Have the rep handle it also eases my fears of us somehow not getting six seats on the same flight.

Thanks!