Plan to send mom on trip -I want the miles
May 2, 2016, 11:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: TPE
Posts: 22
Plan to send mom on trip -I want the miles
For my mom's upcoming birthday, I intend to purchase her airfare for an upcoming trip to Europe -however, I would like to collect the mileage (star alliance) myself, as I'm purchasing the the ticket, although not travelling.
What is the best way to do this?
thanks
What is the best way to do this?
thanks
May 3, 2016, 12:26 am
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: FLL -> Where The Boyars Are
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Miles are earned by the person flying - it doesn't matter who pays (this is where the term "butt in seat" comes from).
May 3, 2016, 7:23 am
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
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May 3, 2016, 7:37 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
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May 3, 2016, 8:16 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
TK has a program for family sharing. http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-in...ily-is-smiling
May 3, 2016, 4:26 pm
#6
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May 4, 2016, 7:10 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Cary, NC, USA - AA Plt 3mm/DL Dia 2mm, Hil/Dia Life, Bonvoy/Titanium Life, Spire
Posts: 3,261
Go ahead and set up an ff account in her name. If she passes, AA and United will allow a beneficiary to inherit miles, Delta will not (2013 data). I got my mom a Delta Amex card and using accrued and bonus credit card miles, was able to get a award roundtrip to Tokyo for 70,000 ff miles using her account, which went to one of mom's friends. She, in turn thought it was worth at least $1000 gift back to my mom. Mom likes to share gifts with me. Everybody's happy.
-outoftown
-outoftown
May 4, 2016, 9:38 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: London
Posts: 517
If you're based in TPE, EVA allows a set number of free transfers to a fixed list of nominees 
Set up your mother, transfer the miles over to yourself.
Otherwise, agreed on a household account being the easiest. On A*, I'm only aware of Aegean, ANA, Asiana, Turkish.
Set up your mother, transfer the miles over to yourself. Otherwise, agreed on a household account being the easiest. On A*, I'm only aware of Aegean, ANA, Asiana, Turkish.
May 5, 2016, 10:57 pm
#10
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Before opening a family account, be sure to read the rules carefully, including each airline's own definition of who can be considered family. The terms are not the same across programs.
May 6, 2016, 1:56 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,976
I would very surprised if my mother(!) wouldn't be considered part of my family by common sense... but then we are talking about airlines and sadly you're right. There are some caveats like 'all persons need to live at the same address', limited to some age or similar nasty constraints.
May 6, 2016, 7:41 pm
#12
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I would very surprised if my mother(!) wouldn't be considered part of my family by common sense... but then we are talking about airlines and sadly you're right. There are some caveats like 'all persons need to live at the same address', limited to some age or similar nasty constraints.
May 8, 2016, 11:58 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: SJC, SFO
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I would very surprised if my mother(!) wouldn't be considered part of my family by common sense... but then we are talking about airlines and sadly you're right. There are some caveats like 'all persons need to live at the same address', limited to some age or similar nasty constraints.
May 9, 2016, 9:05 am
#15
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Location: home = LAX
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To be more precise, I think what you meant to say is that some of these programs have a "hard" (non-extendable) expiration, while US-based FFPs that have expiration usually have easy / low-cost ways to extend that expiration indefinitely (what is known as "soft" expiration).