Adding an FF# after flight is already booked?
 

So despite telling all my friends and family that I am a mileage junkie and to ALWAYS use your ff# when you book a flight, a lot of them don't. I just recently found out two of my friends have some long haul flights coming up that they already booked, is there anyway to add a frequent flier number AFTER you have already purchased the ticket, but haven't actually flown yet? More specifically, is there any way to add MY FF# to their ticket. Somebody ought to be getting miles for these flights!

Not your FF#. You can have them send back their boarding pass and their FF# and usually they will be credited with the missing miles. Or you have them call the airlines and give the FF#...

You can't earn miles for other people's flights, so no point in trying to use your number.

If they take the time to set up personal FF accounts, they can either call the airline's customer support and have it added to their PNR, or provide it at the counter when they check in at the airport. I've added an AA number to a BA ticket at the airport before with no problem.

In my specific situation they are both flying on Virgin. I got their ticket info and pulled it up online, when you go to "view itinerary" there is a spot to add a FF#, but wondering if since the name for my account is different from the name of the person flying, if that will totally mess up their reservation...

I've used my miles to book flights for other people, and I've read in situations like using companion passes you would be credited the miles for the other passengers as well. And isn't that the whole point of business FF# accounts, that you earn points you buy for other people/employees? (I am trying to use just my personal account, but it seems to me if you could do it for the one, you could do it for the other?)

You can't earn miles for other peoples flights. You can have them signup or better yet ask to manage their accounts.

If they are willing to let you have control of their accounts and use the miles if they ever get enough for a free flight, go for it.

Otherwise there's not much you can do,

No experience with Virgin, but for all the big airlines personal accounts are just that - personal. DL for example, strictly differentiates between SkyMiles (miles earned for the specific individual who is flying) and SkyBonus (points earned for company based on spend) programs. To the point where individuals opening SkyBonus accounts without a legitimate business get their accounts frozen.

Short story: as other posters have said, if your friends set up their own FF accounts, it's a simple call to add their # to the PNR. You may even be able do this at the check-in counter or gate without blinking (DL will actually let you set up a new SkyMiles account and add the current flight on board while in air). But the FF# should match the passenger, not the purchaser.

The only way you can earn miles for someone else's flights if you share the same name - possible scenario for a father-son duo.

True. But I think that's technically against most FFP's T&Cs, so at your own risk.

Would also potentially raise a flag and cause issues if father/son (or mother/daughter, sibling/sibling) were to ever travel together or on competing routes (e.g., someone boards a flight while other person is in-air) and try to share the FF#.

yes, I had the same experience with united. another short story :P. my wife got her united ff account after we got married. so her last name on the united account is my last name. but her passport still had her maiden name. on an international flight, they removed the FF# from the ticket because the name mismatch.

I believe that most airlines will let you setup a FF account after your flight and credit the flight retroactively along with any other flights you've taken during the previous 30(?) days.

Ahh, what a hassle. Though in a way understandable, I suppose. Were you able to get the flight credited back to her after the trip?