Discounted Airline Holiday Gift Cards: Delta, Southwest, Hawaiian

Update: The offers mentioned below have expired and are no longer available.

We’re in the midst of the holiday season, which means there are sales galore as various companies vie for your business. Happily, among the heaps of discounted electronics and clothing, we’re seeing some pretty awesome travel discounts. This isn’t unexpected; these types of sales come around every year, but if you’re looking to travel in 2022, it might be a good time to stock up.

Table of Contents

Offer Details
Is It Worth It?
Which Credit Card To Purchase Your Gift Card With
Final Thoughts

Offer Details

At this point, there are 3 different airline gift cards featuring discounts: Delta, Hawaiian, and Southwest.

Delta Air Lines

Although not technically a sale, you’ll receive a $25 Lyft gift card when purchasing a Delta gift card worth $250 or more:

Buy your gift card directly via Delta’s website
Receive a $25 Lyft ride credit when purchasing $250 or more in gift cards
Available while supplies last; offer expires December 20, 2021
E-delivery available
Free shipping for physical gift cards
Valid for Lyft car rides
Only available for U.S. residents 18 and older
Delta gift cards have no expiration date
Gift cards only redeemable for flights or vacation packages including airfare
No maximum purchase amount

Hawaiian Airlines

Although Hawaiian Airlines isn’t quite as big as other U.S. competitors, it features a decent lie-flat seat and a great way to get to Hawaii. You’ll find these gift cards at Costco with a 10% discount:

$449.99 for a $500 gift card
Available via Costco.com
Must be a member to purchase
E-gift card
Must be redeemed online
Limit of 5
Valid only for airfare and Extra Comfort seat purchases, mileage award redemption fees, and purchasing miles

Southwest Airlines

Just like Hawaiian Airlines, you can find these discounted gift cards over at Costco with a 10% discount:

$449.99 for a $500 gift card
Must be a member to purchase
Available via Costco.com
E-gift card; delivery usually within an hour
Can be redeemed online, via the phone, or in-person
Limit of 5
Valid only for Southwest Airlines flights; does not include bag fees, EarlyBird Check-In, etc.

Is It Worth It?

Here at Upgraded Points, we tend to focus on — as would seem obvious — using your points. However, there are inevitably situations in which you’ll use cash to pay for flights. Rigid travel dates and chasing elite status are some obvious examples, which means it may make sense for you to buy these gift cards.

Although Delta’s gift card isn’t technically discounted, the $25 Lyft credit is nice for anyone who often relies on the rideshare program. Even better, Delta’s promotion doesn’t include a limit, which means you can purchase as many cards as you’d like. After all, who doesn’t want $1,000 in promotional Lyft credits?

Before purchasing any of these cards, however, you’ll want to consider their limitations. Each of these airline gift cards features restrictions, and although Hawaiian Airlines has the loosest rules, you’re still unable to charge bag fees or upgrades to your gift card. This can be frustrating, especially if you’re on, say, Delta and see a nice first-class upgrade offer on your flight.

However, if you already have travel plans and airfare in mind for these cards, this is a decent way to get a discount on your flights.

Which Credit Card To Purchase Your Gift Card With

Woman buying Christmas gifts online with credit card — Image Credit: flowertiare via Adobe Stock

Consider, also, the credit cards with which you decide to purchase your gift cards.

Since Delta’s gift cards are sold directly via the carrier, your purchase should code as airfare. This means that credit cards offering a bonus on airfare or travel purchases can earn you quite a few points.

Here are a few good options to maximize your Delta gift card purchases:

The Platinum Card® from American Express — 5x points per $1 spent on airfare booked directly with the airline (up to $500,000 per year)
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express — 5x points per $1 spent on airfare booked directly with the airline
Citi Prestige® Card — Earn 5x points per $1 spent on air travel
Chase Sapphire Reserve® — Earn 3x points per $1 spent on all travel

Hot Tip: Though we don’t value Delta SkyMiles as highly as transferrable currencies from Amex, Chase, and Citi, Amex Delta credit cardholders could earn 2x to 3x SkyMiles for their Delta purchases. See our guide to the best Amex Delta credit cards for a comparison of the benefits and perks.

In contrast, gift cards purchased through Costco should code as a warehouse purchase. In-store, you’ll only be able to use a Visa card to pay for your purchases, but since you’re navigating through Costco.com you have a lot more freedom. Here are some excellent options for cards to use with your Costco purchases:

Capital One Venture Rewards Card — Earn 2x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
Citi® Double Cash Card — Earn 2x points per $1 spent on all purchases; 1 point when you purchase and another point when you pay your statement

Final Thoughts

If you’re already planning on buying airfare with any of these airlines, purchasing one of these gift cards can be a good option for you. After all, it’s not often that you see airlines handing out 10% discounts on their flights. Before you do so, however, be aware that these cards come with restrictions and cannot be used for all types of purchases on your airline. You’ll also want to make sure that when purchasing these cards, you’re doing so with a credit card that’ll maximize your bonus points.

The information for the Citi Prestige® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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[Expired] Discounted Airline Gift Cards for the Holidays: Delta, Southwest, Hawaiian