Originally Posted by
RustyShackleford1
Ok, talked wife into getting a card. So good for free bags on the award ticket. I assume the ticket doesn't have to be paid for with the card, not even the fee they charge for the award ticket, in order to get the free bags ?
Unfortunately the bonus points will go into her AAdvantage account. We don't need 'em for this trip. But is there any way to combine 'em with mine, for fufure use ?
All that matters for the cardholder and those traveling on the same PNR to get a free checked bag on domestic flights is for the cardholder's AAdvantage number to be in the reservation record. Form of payment is irrelevant to get the free-checked-bag benefit on AA. Note: If the trip has already been booked, she might have to ask AA to delete and then reinstate her AAdvantage number after she activates the new credit card in order to "refresh" her benefits status in the reservation record.
The only way to combine miles between two different AAdvantage accounts held by different people is to pay to transfer miles. That's usually not a good idea, especially since one-way awards are often (not always) available for half the cost of roundtrip awards.