Flying with Southwest Airlines just got easier! The airline has always been known for offering budget-friendly travel services to its customers, including those no-fee cancellations and changes. But different forms of payment always left passengers scratching their heads. The Southwest Gift Cards, Travel Funds, and LUV Vouchers are the three forms of payment available to customers. However, these payments have endless terms and conditions, which totally baffle many travelers.
Luckily, not anymore! Whenever you are stuck on the payment page, use this guide to decide which method to choose to purchase your trip!
What Are These Southwest Payment Options All About?
Southwest payment options are like having three multiple wallets in your pocket for flight bookings. Each one is used for a different purpose, but they help you get where you want to go. Southwest gift cards service works like a prepaid debit card for flights. Whereas, the Southwest travel funds are the leftover money from canceled or changed flights. Lastly, the Southwest Airlines LUV vouchers are special credits that the airline gives you when things don’t go as planned (flight issues, delayed luggage, or cancellations within the airline’s control).
Wanna know what the best part of all this is? You can mix and match these payment methods just like layering your perfect travel budget sandwich. But first, let’s understand each method separately.
Southwest Gift Cards Terms and Conditions
Simply put, Southwest gift cards are prepaid travel money that never expires. Yes, there is no expiration date! It’s your own piggy bank that is always ready for your next trip budget. You can buy them for yourself or give them as gifts to your travel-loving friends and family.
- No expiry – Pay for this card once and enjoy its benefits forever.
- Fully transferable – Pass them around like a good Netflix password (but this time, legally!)
- Use anywhere Southwest flies – No matter where you’re flying to, these cards won’t lose their magic!
How to check Southwest Gift Card Balance?
Want to know how much travel money you have stashed away? Check your Southwest gift card balance easily with these steps.
- Go to Southwest.com and look for the gift card section.
- Enter your 16-digit card number and 4-digit security code.
- Boom! Your balance will appear fast!
Tip: Screenshot your balance or write it down somewhere. Just trust this. You will thank yourself later when you’re booking that last-minute getaway.
Add Southwest Gift Card to Account
You can add your Southwest gift cards to your account for easier booking. You are just putting your money on the speed dial so as to skip the lengthy process. Instead of digging around for your card number every time you book, everything’s already in your account.
This is especially good if you are one of those organized people who plan trips months ahead.
How to Redeem Southwest Gift Cards Like a Pro
Redeeming your Southwest gift card is very simple and even easier than ordering pizza online. You just have to:
- Pick your flights and get to the payment page.
- Select “Gift card” as your payment method.
- Enter your card number and security code.
- Watch your dream vacation get confirmed.
Don’t worry if your flight is costlier than the gift card balance. Southwest lets you combine up to three payment methods. Mix that gift card with a credit card, and you’re good to go!
How to Buy Southwest Gift Cards Online?
All set to grab some Southwest Gift Cards for yourself or as gifts? This step-by-step process will make it happen!
Navigate Thoroughly
- Head to Southwest.com.
- Scroll all the way down to the button.
- Look for “Southwest Products” and click “Southwest gift card.”
Pick Your Account
- Choose anywhere from $50 to $1,000 per card.
- Decide if you want it digital (instant gratification) or physical (old school way).
- Physical cards will include extra cost for shipping, but they are perfect for gift-giving.
Make It Personal
- Add a custom message if it’s a gift.
- Enter the recipient’s email for digital cards.
Pay and Celebrate
- Enter your payment information.
- Hit purchase and do a little happy dance.
- Your gift card is ready to buy you a dream vacation.
Buying Gift Cards in Bulk: Corporate and Volume Sales
Planning a company R&R ceremony or buying gifts for your entire family? Southwest has got your back with its bulk purchase option. Since the regular website caps you at $1,000 per transaction, the airline has a special corporate order form for bigger purchases.
Just look for the “Corporate and Volume sales” option when you’re on the gift card page.
Southwest Travel Funds/ Travel Credits
When you cancel or change a flight, instead of losing that cash forever, the airline turns it into Southwest Airlines travel funds that you can use later. It’s like getting a rain check for your vacation.
These funds are very handy because life can happen anytime, anywhere, right? Maybe you got sick, work got crazy, or your plans just changed. Instead of saying goodbye to your invested money, you get to use it for the future, just in another form.
Smart Ways to Use Travel Funds
Here’s the thing with this credit: Southwest travel funds are tied to the original traveler, so you can’t pass them around like gifts. But they are perfect for rebooking that trip you had to postpone or planning a completely new trip.
Key things to remember:
- Unlike gift cards, Southwest travel credits have expiration dates (usually one year from the original booking).
- Only the credit holder can use them.
- They cover the flight portion of your trip.
Tip for saving money: If you come across a great flight deal but already have travel funds, book with the funds and save your cash for vacation spending money.
Southwest LUV Vouchers: SW Way of Saying “Sorry!”
LUV vouchers are Southwest’s way of saying “our bad” when something goes wrong. Flight delayed for hours? Here’s a voucher. An overbooked flight ruined your plans? LUV voucher to the rescue! Think of them as the airline’s apology gifts that actually have value.
Southwest Airlines LUV vouchers are different from gift cards and travel funds because they usually come with expiration dates and stricter rules. But free money is free money.
How Southwest LUV Vouchers Work
These vouchers are simple but come with some rules:
- Expiration dates matter: Use them or lose them!
- Maximum two per passenger: You cannot stack a million vouchers (yes, we checked).
- Flight portion only: They won’t cover your hotel or rental car expenses.
For instance, let’s say Southwest delayed your flight for three hours and gave you a $100 LUV voucher. You can use that voucher, plus a gift card, plus a credit card to book your next trip.
Quick Glance at the Payment Rules: Do’s and Don’ts
Taking a look at these terms and conditions will help you use your Southwest Gift Cards Travel Funds LUV Vouchers better.
Mixing and Matching the Payment Methods
Southwest is pretty cool about letting you combine different payment methods. Here’s what you can do:
- Up to three payment methods per person, per booking.
- Only one credit card per reservation.
- Maximum of three gift cards per person.
- Maximum two LUV vouchers per person.
Southwest applied these methods in the following Payment Order:
- Travel funds first.
- LUV vouchers second.
- Gift cards third.
- Credit card or digital wallet for the rest.
What You CAN’T Use These For
These payment methods are beneficial, but their perks have limits.
Gift cards, travel funds, and LUV vouchers WON’T work for:
- Southwest Vacations packages (bummer, we know)
- Hotel bookings
- Rental cars
- EarlyBird Check-in
- Baggage allowance
- In-flight snacks and drinks
The good news is that they cover taxes and fees on flights, which is pretty sweet!
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can buy Southwest gift cards on Southwest.com by scrolling to the bottom, clicking “Southwest Products,” then “Southwest gift card,” and selecting “Buy a gift card.
To check Southwest gift card balance, go to Southwest.com’s gift card section, enter your 16-digit card number and 4-digit security code, and your balance appears instantly.
These gift cards are available exclusively on Southwest.com. Go to the bottom of the homepage, find “Southwest Products,” click “Southwest gift card,” then purchase online.
To redeem a Southwest gift card, select it as payment during booking, enter your 16-digit card number and 4-digit security code. You can combine multiple payment methods.
LUV vouchers are compensation credits Southwest gives when flights are delayed, overbooked, or other service issues occur.
The gift cards can only be used for Southwest flights, taxes, and fees. They won’t work for hotels, rental cars, baggage fees, or Southwest Vacations packages.
