Awards for friends
 

Can we gather som info here?

Being an NH Diamond with non-expiring mileage, I find that the main drawback to the scheme is that I can't redeem awards for "non-family members". I'm intrested in figuring out which *alliance partners allow members to redeem awards for anyone? I know UA is one. Your feedback based on knowledge and real-world experience is much appreciated.

Regards,

Scho

SAA allows you to nominate the award to anyone

LH M&M can get an award for anyone.
SQ KF requires a nomination up to 5 only.
UA MP, yes, can be anyone; but if you have a different last name, you have to sign authorization in person at the ticket counter.

BMI Diamond Club can get award tix for anyone.

How does NH determine the "family members"? Usually even family members may have different last names.

They have a chart of "eligible relatives" up to 2 generations.
http://www.anaskyweb.com/us/e/amc/gu...en.html#toku_2

CGK: Can you explain this nomination? Would I add 5 names to my account that are eligible to receive award bookings? Or is it something different?

From the website:
So you can have 5 names to be nominated. You can change the nomination later on, but fee will be involved, except for certain elite levels.

Some FF programmes are that fussy.

I've had no problems redeeming awards for friends and saying that they are my brothers/sisters-in-laws or cousins. That's one way around it.

I agree that programs are fussy. But hey, I wouldn't change my "Airline" because of this. NH has been great to me! I've got a ton of banked miles with them. More than I need to have for family use. I just can't divert the accrual because I need the status.

I'm thinking more alonge the lines of how to "legally" take non-family members along without needing to slime my way through the doable yet often illegal transfer options.

What about TG, OZ?

Real life experience :

1. NH
You are allowed to enter yourself the names of your 'relatives' and their relationship to yourself via the website in your record.
Nothing stops you from entering the name of Ms. X or Mr. Y . Enter a relationship that allows for a different name from yourself.
Once it is in the system the reservation staff will not question or ask for any proof of relationship.
I suppose it is not 'legal' but it works.
I have had tickets and upgrades issued this way.

2. TG
You can nominate up to 5 names (including family) in your ROP record via the website. Changes can be made later but for a fee if more than x changes per year.

make sure to spell the name of your nominees EXACTLY the way it is spelt in their passports ....my friend emailed me a copy of his passport, I inputted his name on the website form and then called reservations to obtain an award ticket ....no problems at all...

No, you don't. I've redeemed three awards for other people in the past year (2 *A and 1 MP) and never had to sign anything.

I beg to differ. I did redeem free tix for friends with completely different last name. I had to go to the airport to sign the paper work.
But for sponsor upgrade on-line, I can do it without any signature.
I have not tried redeeming on-line yet. Always call MP Award desk.

AC Aéroplan & USAirways have no restrictions on using miles for friends.

When I booked a *A award at United's Ireland call-center last year, I only had to send them a fax confirming that I allow the pax to travel on my miles. Obviously that's a perk for MP members from abroad, where airports with UA ticket offices can be a rather rare occurance.

Unfortunately, the Ireland call-center has since closed, and I wouldn't trust UA's Poland/India call-centers (which replaced it) with even the most simple award booking.

With M&M, anything goes: Not only can you use your miles to upgrade a friend or make award bookings, you can also upgrade yourself (or anybody else) or book awards for yourself (or anybody else) using somebody else's M&M account. All you need is his membership number and his PIN. Basically, person A can book an award for person B using miles from person C's account, and each of them can have different names and addresses. Or even upgrade one way of B's trip with person C's miles, and the other way with person D's miles. Of course, doing so with accounts that are spread around the world might end up in some auditing.