chfenton

Hi,

Apologies in advance as I know I have read about this before but the search used too common words like "name" and "award" and I couldn't find what I needed.

I am just looking for the way to take miles out of my minor son's account for an award ticket for me as he "wants" to give me the award. If I recall when I do this from his account and it comes time to pay the taxes or fees, I believe the system asks for a credit card in his name (which he does not have). I also think there is a work around if anyone knows it. Thanks.

FriscoHeavy

That is a great question and I'd be happy to receive an answer as well.

As a matter of fact, last week I tried booking an award ticket for my wife and I with "her" miles. I was out of town at the time and didn't have a credit card with her name on it and it wouldn't let me book it with a credit card in my name.

As a result, I had to call her and ask her to give me the card number/information from our joint AA Citicard -- not the end of the world, but a little bit of a pain, especially as I was trying to surprise her. So much for that.

How do you get around that?

ericgdukie44

Just get an "authorized user" card for the credit card with their name on it. So, if your name is John Doe and your son is Chris Doe then just get a card with Chris Doe on it. It will be the same CC number and you can just keep it in your wallet.

Apieinthesky

Here are the threads discussing this.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...edit-card.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ust-match.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-accounts.html

I was able to find them easily because I knew was looking for, so I did a Google search, constrained to flyertalk.com, for "aa book award for minor no credit card". Those three threads were the top three hits.

It seems that the AA website will accept your credit card with the name of the traveling passenger. Authorized user cards will work too.

planodiver

Just my $.02 The airlines only run the cc number expiration date, cvn, and zip code. They don't check the name used against the card unless there is a dispute.

Having said that you can transfer the miles to your own account and book the ticket.

pandaperth

Yes, that can be done, however be aware that transfers are not free

Arsey00

This also carries a fee (but Much less than a miles transfer), but I've never had any trouble when paying over the phone. Although I haven't booked a ticket out of either of my kids' accounts for about a year.

longleaf

Does AA's website let you book an award ticket using a credit card whose name doesn't match the FF's account name?

I would like to book an award using my miles, but using my mother's Citi Prestige card to pay for the award taxes/fees. (I would like her to use up her $250 airfare credit on her Prestige credit card).

Neither of us will be traveling if that matters. I'm booking the tickets for her relatives to come visit her.

longleaf

I'll answer my own question.

The credit card holder's name must match the frequent flyer acct holder's name.

aktchi

She can make you a secondary user, which will give you a credit card that has your name on it but charges post to her account.

Carl

I discovered this recently when booking an AA award for the first time ever. It certainly surprised me as I'd not encountered this situation with other airlines. I don't have any credit cards bearing my legal name, as it's one that I do not use except when required by law. Anyway, I finally made this work by entering the name exactly as it appears in the AA account (which doesn't match the card). Bingo. Craziness.

T Q

So, I had this very problem today. Got my daughter's permission to book her first class one way award flight to midwest for her friend's wedding. My daughter was married a few years ago and uses her married last name, not the one on her AA profile. So, when it came time to pay taxes on her one way flight ($5.60), it said it couldn't use my credit card - had to match her account. So I asked what her card was and it wouldn't take it since her last name is different than what her account shows. Thank goodness someone above posted that the card will take even if not identical to person's account. I put her new last name in the Middle Name section and put her old last name as the last name for the credit card. OMG.. such a pain this is. But the good news is that it worked.

She's emailed AAdvantage w/ her marriage cert to get her profile name updated. How long that will take who knows.

MSPeconomist

Be careful that your daughter travels with government issued photo ID that matches the name on the ticket regardless of whether both use her maiden name or both use her "married" name.