Redeem guide

How to Redeem a Southwest Gift Card

Q: How do I redeem a Southwest gift card?

Book a flight on southwest.com or in the Southwest app, and at the payment step select Apply Gift Cards and enter the gift card number and security code. The card isn’t loaded into your account — it’s applied as a form of payment toward the fare, taxes, and fees.

Q: Where do I enter my Southwest gift card number and security code?

On the Payment method section of a flight booking. After you choose your flight and enter passenger details, select Apply Gift Cards , then type the card number and the security code from the card. The same panel appears on the website and in the app.

Q: How many Southwest gift cards can I use at once?

Up to three Southwest gift cards per passenger on a single reservation, and up to three forms of payment in total per passenger — gift cards, LUV Vouchers, flight credits, and a credit card combined. If a card is refused after that, split the booking or pay the rest with a credit card.

Q: Why won't my Southwest gift card work at checkout?

The usual causes are an unreadable security code, trying to pay for something a gift card can’t cover (EarlyBird, bags, seats, inflight), or a card balance below the fare with no second payment added. See the troubleshooting section above for the fix for each.

Q: What can't I buy with a Southwest gift card?

It can’t pay for EarlyBird Check-In, upgraded boarding, checked-bag fees, a Pet Fare, an Unaccompanied Minor fee, inflight purchases, Getaways by Southwest packages, hotels, rental cars, or merchandise. It covers passenger airfare plus the ticket’s sales tax, security fees, and facility charges.

Q: Do Southwest gift cards expire?

No. A Southwest gift card has no expiration date, and any unused balance stays on the card until it reaches zero. It’s also fully transferable, so it can be passed to another traveler.

Q: Is a Southwest gift card the same as a LUV Voucher or travel funds?

No. A gift card is purchased and never expires, and it can pay taxes and fees. A LUV Voucher is issued as compensation and can’t cover taxes or fees, and flight credits (travel funds) come from a canceled or changed trip and do expire. They’re applied separately at checkout.

Apply it at the payment step when you book a Southwest flight

A Southwest gift card isn't loaded into your account — it's a form of payment you apply at checkout. Enter the card number and security code in the Apply Gift Cards panel when you book a flight on the web or in the app.

Code format

gift card number + security code

Enter both parts exactly as shown on your card.

Jump to redeem steps

Quick Answer: Using Your Southwest Gift Card

To redeem a Southwest gift card, book a flight on southwest.com or in the Southwest app, and at the payment step select Apply Gift Cards, then enter the card number and security code. The card pays for your airfare, taxes, and security fees instantly; any balance left over stays on the card for your next trip.

Where to Apply a Southwest Gift Card

A Southwest gift card is used as a form of payment when you book a flight — you don’t load it into your Rapid Rewards account first. The card number and security code go in at the checkout payment step, whether you book on the web or in the Southwest app, and whatever you don’t spend stays on the card.

On southwest.com

The website is the most common way to book and gives you the full fare grid before you reach payment. Sign in to Rapid Rewards or continue as a guest — either works for applying a gift card.

Go to southwest.com and search for your flight, then choose your dates and fare.
Enter passenger details and continue to the Payment method section.
Select Apply Gift Cards and enter the gift card number and security code.
If the fare is more than the card balance, add a second form of payment for the difference.
Review the total and complete the booking to confirm your reservation.

You can apply up to three Southwest gift cards per passenger on one reservation, and any unused balance remains on each card until it reaches zero.

In the Southwest App

The Southwest app on iPhone or Android uses the same booking flow and accepts gift cards on initial flight purchases. Use it when you’re booking on the go.

Open the Southwest app and tap Book, then search and select your flight.
Continue past passenger details to the payment screen.
Tap Apply Gift Cards and enter the card number and security code.
Add a credit card for any amount the gift card doesn’t cover, then confirm to book.

Gift card redemption in the app is for the initial flight booking; to apply a card to a change or to a charge after booking, call Southwest at 1-800-435-9792 or use a ticket counter.

What a Southwest Gift Card Pays For

A Southwest gift card covers passenger airfare on Southwest Airlines, plus the sales tax, security fees, and Passenger facilities charges that come with the ticket. That makes it different from a Southwest LUV Voucher, which can’t be used toward taxes and fees, and from flight credits or travel funds, which are issued when a trip is canceled or changed rather than purchased.

The card does not cover optional and add-on charges. EarlyBird Check-In, upgraded boarding, checked-bag fees, a Pet Fare, an Unaccompanied Minor fee, inflight purchases, Getaways by Southwest packages, hotels, rental cars, and Southwest merchandise all have to be paid another way. The gift card has no expiration date and is fully transferable.

Use it for: Southwest passenger airfare, plus the sales tax, security fees, and facility charges on the ticket.
Won’t work for: EarlyBird Check-In, bag fees, upgraded boarding, inflight purchases, pet or unaccompanied-minor fees, hotels, rental cars, or vacation packages.

Why Your Southwest Gift Card Isn’t Working

Most gift card problems at Southwest checkout come down to the security code, what the card is allowed to pay for, or how the payment is split. Match what you’re seeing to the cases below before calling support.

The security code is rejected or unreadable

The card number and security code must both be entered exactly, and online booking depends on the security code. If the code’s scratch-off layer tore away part of the digits, the card may be declined online. The security code isn’t required for in-person transactions, so a ticket counter can sometimes process a card with a damaged code — or, if you bought the card from MyGiftCardSupply, contact support with your order number for a replacement.

You’re trying to pay for something the card can’t cover

A Southwest gift card only applies to airfare and the taxes and fees on the ticket. If you’re adding EarlyBird Check-In, upgraded boarding, a checked bag, or any inflight or optional charge, the card won’t apply to it — you’ll need a credit or debit card for those items even when the gift card covers the fare itself.

The gift card doesn’t cover the full fare

If the card balance is less than the total, Southwest expects a second form of payment for the difference. Add a credit or debit card on the same payment screen; the gift card is drawn down first and the remainder is charged to the second method, so the booking won’t go through on the gift card alone.

You’ve hit the gift cards or payment-methods limit

A maximum of three Southwest gift cards can be applied per passenger on one reservation, and a passenger can use up to three forms of payment total — including gift cards, LUV Vouchers, and flight credits. If a fourth card is refused, split the purchase across separate reservations or pay the balance with a credit card.

Where to Buy a Southwest Gift Card Online

People look for a Southwest gift card for a few reasons: they spent the balance on a previous flight, they’re paying for a trip from outside the US and want to settle the fare in dollars, or they want to gift travel without committing to specific dates. A gift card covers the airfare directly and never expires, so it sits ready until the trip is booked.

Buy a Southwest gift card online from MyGiftCardSupply — the digital card is delivered by email within minutes, so you can apply the card number and security code at southwest.com checkout the same day. It’s the simplest way to fund a Southwest booking without putting a personal card on file for the full fare.

Sources

Southwest — Gift Card Terms & Conditions, Southwest Help Center — Redeeming LUV Vouchers & Gift Cards, Southwest Help Center — Purchase a Southwest Gift Card, Southwest — Travel Gift Cards.