MilesBuzz! - The most newbie of newbie questions...

So, since I am still new to the miles game I just started thinking. I am trying to amass miles for a trip next summer for myself and my girlfriend, but will all FF program allow you to use your miles for an award ticket for someone else. I know you can't give them your miles, but can you use yours to get a ticket for them?

I know it's appalling to even ask this question, but am unsure, and didn't know, so...

I know of no major program that would not allow you to use your miles to purchase a ticket for a traveling companion. Off the top of my head, I can't even think of any that will not allow you to "purchase" an award ticket for someone else with whom you are not flying, but there may be one out there.

The most flexible domestic plan on this one is probably Southwest, but I am flying this week to California with someone else for whom I used my miles to secure a ticket on AA, as well.

Stevekoe

Yes, you can, unquestionably.

There is no theoretical limit to how many people you can get tickets for, though there is often a practical limit based on how many award seats an airline makes available on popular flights (and perhaps another practical limit based on how many miles you have, of course).

Getting a ticket in someone else's name is a popular way to try to get around FF program rules against selling awards, so the airlines sometimes check carefully when you do this. This is never a problem when the traveler is on the same itinerary as the person whose miles are being used, as the two of you would be. It only comes up as a concern when you get an award ticket for someone you're not flying with.

simple answer: Yes, you can use your own miles to book a ticket for someone else.

This happens daily with thousands of award tix. My parents would give me award tix, i'd give them to friends as gifts etc..

good luck and have fun amassing the miles to do that. might need to do MRs

I often use my miles to book tix for soemone else. Have even traded awards in this fashion.

Say I have 50k on United and 50k on american and my wife and I want to go to Amsterdam from Boston, where we both live. It is actually better for us to fly the United planes because of their connection and times, and so I would find a friend and see if they can use my 50k AA miles for something they need down the line!

Using my 50k United miles, I could plan to book one of the tix for my wife and then that friend could book one for me with their United miles and we are both set to go. Then, when they need me, I book them their AA flight using my AA miles.

Everyone wins.

just dont HIGHLIGHT these sorts of transaction intentions with an airline CSR!... No one's losing money or anything (it's not like when you scalp a ticket and pay thru the nose, etc) but still, these things are frowned upon... Especially if it is done on places like EBay where you are viewed as someone doing this as some sort of business! The rules are actually there to prevent the "business' aspect of this sort of thing, but in the end no airline will really care if you say, booked a trip with your miles for someone like your mom or your boss or his friend, etc.

You are not supposed to "barter" such things, so for all intents and purposes, dont TELL the airline that the other guy gave YOU their mileage award in return! Nope, instead you can tell them (if they should ask) that they brought you a baseball cap from whatever city they visited as a thank you gift for the award gift!

maybe it was a RED SOX cap. :D

once you have been in this forum a while and have posted so many messages, check out the cupon connection

:)MM

It is not a problem to use miles for an award for someone else.

I have done it many times. Both for a traveling companion, and for others when I don't fly. When living on NV, I used an award for myself to fly LAS-PVD, then for both myself and my sister to fly PVD-LAS, then for my sister to return LAS-PVD. (Her ticket was also an award ticket.) No problems.

Just this past winter, I used 2 awards from PVD-ELP for my sister and her boyfriend. (I did not go.) No problems.

It depends on the program. Some Asian carriers restrict the use of awards to family members.

It depends on the program. Some Asian carriers restrict the use of awards to family members.

Some European programs are similar though in my experience they are generally getting better about how they define "Family members" so that it is not just restricted to spouse.

when i get award tickets for someone else, the tickets are sent to me...no problem w/etickets, just forward the email confirm to toe ticketee....w/paper tickets, i have to mail them....remember to allow more time for paper tickets.