msv

I've traveled exentisively when my kids were 2 plus but can anyone help when kids turns 18 or 21? Who owns the miles when I payed?

msv

Bigpops

If their names are on the account they own the miles.

msv

Can you help if this is 18 or 22? Makes big difference for me.

Thanks,

mrsv

Max The Distance

It doesn't matter what age they are - 8 months, 8 years, 18 years, 22 years, 80 years - if the account is in their name, the miles belong to them.

uthornsgo

Of course, if you know their ff numbers and the password to the account, you could log in and book yourself a flight anytime.

I do this on my parents' accounts all the time- not to "steal" their miles, but because they have so many and don't care. If my parents ever needed to travel and wanted to do so on my miles, I'd glady let them, though it doesn't sound like your kids would. Good luck!

Jaimito Cartero

They keep the miles. However, if they're not 18 yet, you can sell a lung here, a kidney there, and recoup a bit of your losses. Makes sense, right?

KosraeTV

From my experience:

Yes, whoever's name is on the account it belongs to them; however as mentioned if the kids are under 18 the parent "represents the child's best interest" and can do whatever they want with it as long as you know the password and such. Even if the parent blows it on themself or whatever, the parent has the legal right to do whatever unless the minor child challenges it. Could a child under 18 legally challenge this, sure, anyone can challenge anything. I mean a child could tell a parent no and the parent does it anyways and the child could take the parent to court over it.

If the child is over 18 then the parent has no right to the miles no matter when the miles were flown or who paid for it. If a parent used the miles of their child who is over 18 without that person's approval then the child could have a legal claim on the parent who used their miles for the value of the flight or whatever the miles were used on. If the parents are divorced or getting a divorce and one parent finds out that the other parent used miles of the child under 18 then there could be a claim there.

If the child is under 18 and the parents are getting a divorce then I know that the child's FF account can come up as to which parent has the right to administer it or the judge can claim it is held in reserve and neither parent can touch it until the child turns 18 and they can decide for themselves.

Only reason I know the above is that my sister went through this with her JackA$$ ex-husband and I'm sure it could vary by state and I only know this from hearing about her situation and what she was saying on this one particular case which could mean nothing. I'm also sure that it could vary by what judge there was.

mbreuer

I'm missing something... I always thought that it'd be nice to start my kids off with miles... especially nice when they're in college vs. asking for $$ for a spring break ticket

msv

Over the years I flew on many carriers and some of the miles were going to expire so I got some magazine subscriptions and turned some into Hilton Points but it was the Continental miles that I exchanged via Amtrak for some more useful things I was questioning. I didn't think twice about my minor kids but not all are. After your advice I'll let the oldest know she can do this too. 29K Continental non-pass miles won't help her as much as some gift cards. My kids don't know their own passwords and almost all were established before they even thought about an internet account. Poor mom is really struggling these days with number 3 just about to enter college and number 2 still attending (oh, and I still have loans from #1). Really wasn't trying to cheat anyone.

Thanks for all your help.

msv

KebaNYC

My 2 y.o. took me, my wife and himself on a trip this summer to Toronto. ^ We paid for the hotel of course.

Thanks Keba Jr.

Jaimito Cartero

When I want to punish my teenager, I pretend that I'm going to go to Asia in business class with their miles! It's funny that when it's *my* miles, they don't mind using them. Amusing, eh?

climbermom

I have allowed my kids' Onepass miles to accumulate since they started earning them. This way, when they are (hopefully) self-supporting, they can still travel.

msv

I guess I'm fortunate that in the replies that my divorce didn't include miles. I was smart enough to book the kids on a trip using most of his miles before bad when to truly ugly (don't feel bad for him I paid for everyones ticket to earn them). I think I deserve compensation trying to keep the kids accounts active in so many that expire but you have to be 18 to use most non-flying miles! In all my married years all the miles were always pooled. I can't even remember who-bought-who's ticket and I did it. It was awful when you needed 5 free tix (although I never got more than 4 at time). If you went on line you had to log into each individual account and if more than 1 ticket had to be purchased for a high amount it could knock us right out of going. So frequently I would let one kids account grow to get 2 tickets before cashing out. When I got the Citibank card with the reduced mileage (my best investment ever) it made so much sense to book from my miles that I let the kids account build (to keep them active I rotated who had the paid ticket) although when my son was under 13 he won that position most often on a cheaper fare). Sure wish I knew of that wonderful website to transfer miles/points years ago! I just hope all you parents traveling with minor children use this thread as a big heads up!

msv

ps the X doesn't even know he has 24,500 onepass miles (he never asked).

KosraeTV

Yup, using the wifes miles for upgrades when i have to upsets her, my kids are too young to understand , however using my miles for two overseas trips a year for the entire family never get's talked about

SteveHK

My father travels a dozen times a year between Abu Dhabi, Europe, and the US on full fare J/F tickets. Fortunately for me, I'm the one charged with booking his flights and handling his FF account. The bad son I am, I always book him on AF/KL/CO to build up his Onepass account and use those miles for my own vacations. He barely understands the concept of frequent flyer accounts, so I get him some magazine subscriptions using miles to pacify him into thinking it's worth while.

Ahh, the priviledges of being a bad son with a confused father