Question about buying a ticket for someone else?
 

I wanted to purchase a ticket online for my gf and put it on my credit card. It is with Delta. Is there any problem doing this if I just put her name as the passenger even though I am the one buying it? She is an international student going to college here, does this cause any stange problems? Also, can I use my frequent flyers # if I purchase the ticket but she is the one using it?

Thanks
aero

Yes, you can buy a ticket for someone else. No, you can't claim mileage credit for it.

Mike

you can buy a ticket for anyone.
you can use your award miles to get a ticket for anyone.
if you buy a ticket for someone, they earn miles for flying, but if you used a mileage-earning credit card to pay for it, you can earn miles for the cost of that ticket.

For example, it is $500 to send her from A-B. You use your Citibank Mastercard that earns you miles on American Airlines to buy her a ticket to fly on Delta.

You earn 500 miles for making a $500 purchase.
She earns miles for traveling on Delta on her Delta account.
The two matter not together, for they are separate things.

If you have many Delta miles and you wish to use them to get a FF award for travel, you can tell the airlines to book the award in any person's name. You could use your, say, 50,000 Delta miles to send your friend from Amsterdam to Boston and back. (if they have an award seat, that is. Good luck with Delta!)

Don't barter or sell any awards! Certainly don't tell the airlines that she'd ever 'give' you anything for it! You are giving it to someone. Remember this. ;)

Her being an international student does not cause any problems. If she has Visa issues with this or another country, and if these cause problems with the flight, that is beyond your control. She could lose the ticket if there's something wrong with her travel and residency status but assuming all of that is in order, she'll be fine.

You cannot earn miles for the flight if she flies but you do not. If you try to put in your FF number it will do nothing unless you both share the exact same name. I suppose if you were both named Kim Johnson or something, it could potentially work, but I am assuming that is not the case, nor would I recommend changing my name to a woman's unless that were my thang. It's not.

I hope this helped.

:)MM

Thanks for the quick responses guys...this is what i figured but just wanted to make sure.

Thanks
aero

cheers, mate!

BTW, so what airline do you work for anyway, and how long you been lurking?

Just kidding. Welcome to FT.

Your GF might have to check in at the counter instead of the self-service machine. Some airlines require using the credit card that the ticket was charged on to check in at the kiosk.

I thought that was old. most airlines I know do not care about that anymore--thankfully! I once was turned down because I had a newly issued exp date on my card. had to get the CC CSR on the tel to chat with desk. They let me fly. it stunk.

tell the GF to keep all boarding passes. Maybe I am worrying too much but when an airline screws up and forgets to post one's miles, one can mail in copies of such things to prove flight activity.

Certainly..you can buy a ticket for someone else on your card but the date of travel shouldn't be within the time span of 48 hrs of booking.The airline needs atleast 48 hrs to get the authorisation from the bank for the transaction made.
But I am afraid you can't claim mileage credit for it.

You can use your credit card to pay for the ticket, but it is the person flying who gets the FF mileage (BIS - butt in seat). However, as stated earlier, if your CC earns points/mileage, you earn those points/mileage for the cost of the ticket.

:confused: If I can walk into a store, buy something on a credit card, and walk out with it instantly, why do you really think that buying an airline ticket is any different?

Mike