Credit Card Required for Checkin?
Mar 27, 2007, 1:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: San Diego Area
Programs: UA Gold MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott Plat LT, HH Gold, IHG Plat, WoH Discvst, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,838
Credit Card Required for Checkin?
Search does not lead me to an answer to my specific question, and have not been flying DL enough lately to have encountered the situation.
Yesterday (Monday) I sprung for an award ticket for our daughter (using my miles), departing this Friday. Did the "purchase" all online, including charging the security and "close to departure" fees on my credit card.
Upon completing the purchase, I see the following message:
In order to purchase and travel on your ticket, you must bring your credit card and photo identification to the airport on or before the day of your flight. Otherwise, you will be denied travel. Also, you will not be able to check in online, but you can check in at the kiosks on the airport using the same credit card that was used to purchase the ticket(s).
Since I (with MY credit card) am not planning to be there on Friday to see her off, and DEFINITELY will not be with her on the return.
So, will there be a problem when she checks in (either outbound or return) without me or my credit card? If so, any recommendations on how to avoid any problems? Thanks.
Yesterday (Monday) I sprung for an award ticket for our daughter (using my miles), departing this Friday. Did the "purchase" all online, including charging the security and "close to departure" fees on my credit card.
Upon completing the purchase, I see the following message:
In order to purchase and travel on your ticket, you must bring your credit card and photo identification to the airport on or before the day of your flight. Otherwise, you will be denied travel. Also, you will not be able to check in online, but you can check in at the kiosks on the airport using the same credit card that was used to purchase the ticket(s).
Since I (with MY credit card) am not planning to be there on Friday to see her off, and DEFINITELY will not be with her on the return.
So, will there be a problem when she checks in (either outbound or return) without me or my credit card? If so, any recommendations on how to avoid any problems? Thanks.
Mar 27, 2007, 3:09 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: DL FO...ex-PM, GM...does it really even matter these days? LOL...
Posts: 1,248
The last time I bought a ticket the night before departure, it said the same thing. I did the kiosk checkin and never had to show my card or ID at checkin. Not sure if I slipped thru or not. 
**Note, I used a DIFFERENT cc at the kiosk b/c the one I charged it to, I couldnt find.**
**Note, I used a DIFFERENT cc at the kiosk b/c the one I charged it to, I couldnt find.**
Mar 27, 2007, 3:15 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: The best state in the USA - Florida!
Programs: Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, AS MVP75K, AA PlatPro, UA Premier, Disney AP
Posts: 14,498
I've never had a problem booking travel using my father's Credit Card number with his miles for travel, even when I'm making a last minute trip - my DL card always worked fine.
Mar 27, 2007, 4:20 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Right here
Posts: 2,940
DL does this as a fraud prevention measure for any non-Medallion using a CC to purchase a ticket within some cutoff period (I think it's a week) of the flight. If your father is a Medallion, that would explain why you haven't encountered this issue. I don't know if there is also an exception for DL-branded cards or now.
Mar 27, 2007, 4:31 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,427
There is a procedure of having to see the CC BEFORE CI. The PNR is inhibited from printing a BP unless what is called a "5SPCL" remark of having seen the CC is removed. An agent can choose to ignore and remove the remark without seeing the CC....but, that's not the correct procedure.
Mar 27, 2007, 4:32 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: The best state in the USA - Florida!
Programs: Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, AS MVP75K, AA PlatPro, UA Premier, Disney AP
Posts: 14,498
DL does this as a fraud prevention measure for any non-Medallion using a CC to purchase a ticket within some cutoff period (I think it's a week) of the flight. If your father is a Medallion, that would explain why you haven't encountered this issue. I don't know if there is also an exception for DL-branded cards or now.
Mar 27, 2007, 5:46 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: DL FO...ex-PM, GM...does it really even matter these days? LOL...
Posts: 1,248
Mar 27, 2007, 6:22 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: San Diego Area
Programs: UA Gold MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott Plat LT, HH Gold, IHG Plat, WoH Discvst, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,838
From the replies, it looks like it may not be a problem, but since neither of us currently have any status with DL, it very well could be a problem.
My current solution: Have written a letter for the daughter to carry with her that explains the situation and includes salient info (e.g., last 4 digits of CC, PNR, SkyMiles numbers [hers and mine]), and phone numbers (office & cell) to contact me.
Any better suggestions?
My current solution: Have written a letter for the daughter to carry with her that explains the situation and includes salient info (e.g., last 4 digits of CC, PNR, SkyMiles numbers [hers and mine]), and phone numbers (office & cell) to contact me.
Any better suggestions?
Mar 27, 2007, 6:49 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New Orleans (for now)
Programs: DL PM, WN, SC, various other programs of lowly status
Posts: 1,674
Any better suggestions?
Apr 13, 2007, 4:23 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: Priority Club Plat./Ambassador; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Kempinski Platinum
Posts: 388
Virtual Account Number
I just bought a ticket using a virtual account number, so there is no card at all. The first flight is on Tuesday; I hope it's not a problem and that, at a minimum, my lowly FO status will save me.
Inconveniently, as far as I can tell, this notation:
Note: If ticket purchase was by credit card and within 5 days of travel, you must present this card at time of travel.
didn't come up until the e-mail confirmation (i.e., I didn't have a chance to get smart and use a "real" credit card).
Inconveniently, as far as I can tell, this notation:
Note: If ticket purchase was by credit card and within 5 days of travel, you must present this card at time of travel.
didn't come up until the e-mail confirmation (i.e., I didn't have a chance to get smart and use a "real" credit card).
Apr 13, 2007, 4:26 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: 45 North
Programs: DL DM MM, HH Diamond
Posts: 10,196
I just bought a ticket using a virtual account number, so there is no card at all. The first flight is on Tuesday; I hope it's not a problem and that, at a minimum, my lowly FO status will save me.
Inconveniently, as far as I can tell, this notation:
Note: If ticket purchase was by credit card and within 5 days of travel, you must present this card at time of travel.
didn't come up until the e-mail confirmation (i.e., I didn't have a chance to get smart and use a "real" credit card).
Inconveniently, as far as I can tell, this notation:
Note: If ticket purchase was by credit card and within 5 days of travel, you must present this card at time of travel.
didn't come up until the e-mail confirmation (i.e., I didn't have a chance to get smart and use a "real" credit card).
It would save the worry.
Apr 13, 2007, 4:48 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: Priority Club Plat./Ambassador; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Kempinski Platinum
Posts: 388
Actually, I called SMS and they confirmed Medallion flyers don't need to show their credit card. I'll rely on that rather than going through the whole cancellation and rebooking processes, but that would have been a good idea absent this info by phone.
Apr 15, 2007, 1:52 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Charleston, SC, USA
Programs: Delta FO, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,016
I routinely purchase tickets online for my dad and his retired buddies to fly back and forth from Michigan to Florida. One of the guys operates on a strictly cash basis and doesn't even own a credit card, so I use mine and he gives me the dough in greenbacks. At least 50% of the time he gets asked for the credit card when he checks in (the checkin locations he goes to don't have kiosks). He just tells them that he's a friend of the family and that they can call me if they want. I've only had one agent take him up on that offer in about five years. And none of the tickets were purchased that close to the departure (usually at least 2 weeks in advance).
Apr 15, 2007, 7:21 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Sunny Florida
Programs: SPG Platinum
Posts: 759
The best advice you could take is to go to any airport and show your CC and ID prior to your daughers departure.
This could most definately be a problem. People get denied check in all the time because the cannot present the CC. As mentioned earlier, agents cannot check in unless they remark is removed. This is for fraud prevention.
Many times we will refund the ticket to the original CC and then sell it again on the CC of the person who is traveling. Since this is an award ticket an agent won't have that option.
This could most definately be a problem. People get denied check in all the time because the cannot present the CC. As mentioned earlier, agents cannot check in unless they remark is removed. This is for fraud prevention.
Many times we will refund the ticket to the original CC and then sell it again on the CC of the person who is traveling. Since this is an award ticket an agent won't have that option.