United MileagePlus (Consolidated) - Credit card needed at check-in BKK-PHX-BKK

I got a new Chase card with all those free miles sent to my home address in the USA and I'm going to book a ticket for a short-trip home BKK-PHX-BKK. I am going to purchase the ticket online with all the details of the card, but I know that sometimes (Thai Airways especially, but also Emirates I think) they ask for the credit card used for the purchase at the check-in desks at BKK.

Any ideas of United is doing that now (I am ex-Continental guy) in Bangkok, and if a printed copy would be sufficient? Any way around the requirement if they do ask for it? With Thai you can go confirm at a city ticket office, for example.

Cheers, Powers!

I got a new Chase card with all those free miles sent to my home address in the USA and I'm going to book a ticket for a short-trip home BKK-PHX-BKK. I am going to purchase the ticket online with all the details of the card, but I know that sometimes (Thai Airways especially, but also Emirates I think) they ask for the credit card used for the purchase at the check-in desks at BKK.

Any ideas of United is doing that now (I am ex-Continental guy) in Bangkok, and if a printed copy would be sufficient? Any way around the requirement if they do ask for it? With Thai you can go confirm at a city ticket office, for example.

Cheers, Powers!

UA never requires a CC. I happened to recently ask them this as well, applies whether or not your name is on the ticket and doesn't matter if the name on the ticket matches the name on the card used to pay, or the name on the MP account if miles were used.

Be aware though that if you are on a UA codeshare operated by TG, then they may ask for it. My comments above are for UA metal purchased via UA only.

TG ALWAYS requires that you present the CC used for purchase --- UA does not. A few years ago I was required to have our son (13 at the time) put on my Visa account and a CC issued in his name so that he could fly from KKC (Khon Kaen) to BKK (alone) to meet us upon our arrival from the States. Ironically he did not have any I.D. and was not required to show it as he was a minor. Go figure!

TG ALWAYS requires that you present the CC used for purchase

Even for award tickets?

I got a new Chase card with all those free miles sent to my home address in the USA and I'm going to book a ticket for a short-trip home BKK-PHX-BKK. I am going to purchase the ticket online with all the details of the card, but I know that sometimes (Thai Airways especially, but also Emirates I think) they ask for the credit card used for the purchase at the check-in desks at BKK.

Any ideas of United is doing that now (I am ex-Continental guy) in Bangkok, and if a printed copy would be sufficient? Any way around the requirement if they do ask for it? With Thai you can go confirm at a city ticket office, for example.

Cheers, Powers!

Emirates only does that in some countries. They do it in France but not Germany, do it in Thailand but not Singapore. I've seen lots of airlines do this but never UA.
If you ever fly an airline that does require seeing the CC used to book the tkt (SQ does this in most countries), the simple way around it is but the tkt from an on line travel agency (Expedia, etc). The airlines that do require seeing the CC only require it when you use their web site to book

TG ALWAYS requires that you present the CC used for purchase --- UA does not. A few years ago I was required to have our son (13 at the time) put on my Visa account and a CC issued in his name so that he could fly from KKC (Khon Kaen) to BKK (alone) to meet us upon our arrival from the States. Ironically he did not have any I.D. and was not required to show it as he was a minor. Go figure!

You could have just visited any TG office and signed a letter of indemnity. All airlines that require seeing the CC know some people buy tkts for others and all have this letter you can sign before travel. (unless your stuck in some village, far from a TG office :)

Another datapoint - If you buy a ticket with your own credit card (your name on the card) for another person (their name on the ticket), you can call TG and they will tell you what to FAX them (copy of credit card front and back and photo ID I believe, as well as a signed written statement) and they will forgo the credit card check for the individual you bought the ticket for upon check in. I've verified this process having used it myself previously.

Credit card is often the standard default for the form of ID required on check in. Have the agent ticketing enter SSR FOID PP followered by the passport number rather than SSR FOID CC followed by the credit card number. This is a seperate entry from the PP number field entered for international travel. This should work for any airline requiring ID checks against e-tickets.

Even for award tickets?


No personal experience with that, but I think I remember reading somewhere once that someone was asked to show the credit card used to pay the taxes and fees on an award ticket.

Even for award tickets?

:confused:The countries motto is,"Same-Same, but different", so who knows???:confused:

Even for award tickets?

No personal experience with that.

Personal Experience:

Two flights, USA-PEK-USA and USA-PVG-USA on United, then TG in Biz using MP miles (late last year and spring this year).

Checkin at PEK, BKK, JKT, BKK, PVG, BKK and never asked for CC. Return leg was Aziana, and they did not ask for a CC either.

:confused:The countries motto is,"Same-Same, but different", so who knows???:confused:

I can think of a few more, but won't go there :)

EmailKid

Even for award tickets?

Personal experience.

No credit card required for either paid or award tickets on Thai (my experience). Now it may have been because I was not in coach, but I don't think that's it.

Flew them in the last year (months): Bkk-HKT-BKK, SIN-BKK, BKK-FRA

Billy

Just to confirm, I did not need to show the credit card at check-in. :) Cheers, Powers

I've always been requested by TG/PG/SQ to show a CC upon checkin for flights purchased directly through their online sites. When flying on awards they've never asked for the CC. I've also gone to TG offices to declare it was my CC that was used for other people (family in each case).

As for UA, they've never asked for a CC even when the itin begins in Thailand.