Southwest Gift Cards

[cmfitz14]

I have not booked a flight via southwest since our last trip to WDW in 2015. I am starting to plan for 2018 (I know flights are not released for our dates yet, just planning). Family members plan on giving us & our children SW gift cards over the next few months as birthday gifts (they did the same thing 2 years ago). I see that there is a change to the gift card policy now. I just spoke with Southwest, but I'm still confused! Can someone clarify for me?

When it's time to book, there will be 4 passengers that I'll be booking for. We will have a total of 4-5 gift cards totaling less than the grand total of the round trip flights (I'm assuming), so I'll also need to use our credit card. How do I use all 4-5 gift cards on the same reservation? Is it true that I can use up to two gift cards per person and a credit card to cover the difference? My assumption would be apply a gift card to each person and a credit card to cover the difference. Is that correct? So I'll have 4 people on the reservation, but I can apply up to two gift cards per person and a credit card... is that correct?

I guess the fact that I'm applying payment per person on the same reservation instead of payment options for the WHOLE reservation is just totally throwing me for a loop. And before I give the green light for family members to go ahead and buy the gift cards, I want to make sure that we can use them all. Nothing worse than getting 5 gift cards and only being able to use 2 of them (since we don't fly very often). Thanks in advance!!

 

[bop28]

I booked it this way. Instead of ONE round trip flight for everyone, I booked TWO one way flights so I could use several gift cards.

 

[MrPTato]

I booked it this way. Instead of ONE round trip flight for everyone, I booked TWO one way flights so I could use several gift cards.

This is what I did back in February for our upcoming flights. I think it was 4 payment types per reservation. I ended up doing 3 different reservations. Entire family down as one, 4 people return as a reservation, and I had enough points for a free flight on the return.

I did end up getting early bird as they were release day and I didn't want to bother with trying to check in while at a park with 2 different reservations.

 

[cmfitz14]

I booked it this way. Instead of ONE round trip flight for everyone, I booked TWO one way flights so I could use several gift cards.

But you did it as ONE reservation?
so in my case, we'd have 4 one way flights to Orlando, and 4 one way flights home from Orlando. Correct? The 4 to Orlando would be one reservation and the 4 coming home from Orlando would be a separate reservation?

 

[cmfitz14]

This is what I did back in February for our upcoming flights. I think it was 4 payment types per reservation. I ended up doing 3 different reservations. Entire family down as one, 4 people return as a reservation, and I had enough points for a free flight on the return.

I did end up getting early bird as they were release day and I didn't want to bother with trying to check in while at a park with 2 different reservations.

I believe in May it was changed from 4 types to 3... now if you use gift cards (that are less than the total of the cost), you can only use 2 gift cards and 1 credit card to cover the difference. It's my understanding though that this is PER PASSENGER, not per reservation... correct?

 

[MrPTato]

I believe in May it was changed from 4 types to 3... now if you use gift cards (that are less than the total of the cost), you can only use 2 gift cards and 1 credit card to cover the difference. It's my understanding though that this is PER PASSENGER, not per reservation... correct?

I think per reservation. That is why I had to split it. I had 6 gift cards total and if that was the case, I should have been able to complete without separating as I was booking 5 people. Hoping others chime in. Wish there was a way to combine SW gift cards.

 

[bop28]

Yes. You would book one reservation to Orlando for the family, then you will book one reservation from Orlando for the family.

 

[cmfitz14]

Yes. You would book one reservation to Orlando for the family, then you will book one reservation from Orlando for the family.

So the concept of applying gift cards per passenger (as was explained on the phone) is inaccurate? It's per reservation? The website also says per passenger.... I'm so confused!
If it's per reservation, then the max gift cards I can use would be 4 - and I'd have to do a reservation for the flight down and the flight home. If it's per passenger, then I'd be able to use 2 gift cards per person (they'll be for amounts of about $100, so they most likely won't fully cover a flight).

 

[cmfitz14]

Yes. You would book one reservation to Orlando for the family, then you will book one reservation from Orlando for the family.

Also, when did you book? It's my understanding the process changed in May 2017 to the maximin of 3 gift cards per passenger (or 2 and 1 credit card to cover the difference)...

 

[bop28]

I booked March 2017 so maybe things have changed. Not sure now.