Help: Booking Flight Using United.com for Someone Else
 

I used my credit card for my Mother whose traveling to visit me.

The email I received said she needs to show the credit card that I use

or

I can go to the airport and show it myself.

Is there an easier way to this? Like calling?

Thanks!

I've rarely been asked for the card even when they say they need it. However, I wouldn't count on that behavior. This is done for security reasons. Be thankful they do it or anyone could book tickets using your card.

Interesting. I have bought many tickets for my parents, parents-in-law, etc and was never ask that questions. They were traveling by themselves. They used their own credit cards to check-in with Mr. Chicken and was never asked about the details of my credit card.

UA is actually the only airline where I have been asked! My nephew was flying BOS-SFO to see us and his parents dropped him off at the airport and continued on for a vacation - unfortunately, out of cell phone range. He called me in a panic at the check in because the CSR was not going to allow him to check in for the flight since it was purchased with his father's cc. After about 20 minutes of me on the phone to the 2P line and him basically begging at the airport, the agent finally relented since he knew a lot of the info on the account (but not all since his father traveled extensively). This worried me since I had just bought my mother a ticket on AS so I called them and they said not to worry - they don't ask for the credit card.

Personally, to avoid any hassles, I would go to the airport and sign an authorization form.

OLCI; if no joy, plenty o' time to fax appropriate info to ticketed party to present at airport, if necessary. Think letter of intent, similar to what FT'ers have discussed when booking awards/sponsoring upgrades for others.

Good luck! :)

Pat

SQ asked me for the credit card last year when I wanted to check in from Bali to SIN. I had booked that flight half a year in advance and the eticket didn't mention anything about showing the card, but when the SQ agent asked for it, I began to vaguely remember that their site had mentioned it during the booking process (which in the meantime I had long forgotten). I was lucky that it was one of the three cards that I had taken on the trip; not sure what would have happened otherwise. And it took me only three minutes and the agent giving me the last four digits of the card to pull the right one out...

Quite honestly, this just silly. People lose credit cards or cards get replaced for damage or expiration. When I checked in, I had to show my passport, and I hadn't disputed the six-month-old charge. So what risk is SQ taking?

After this little episode, I have been very careful to use my wife's card whenever I book a trip for just her.

That's not a big concern. I have had people buy a wedding dress from an online store using my United VISA (hope they enjoy a long married life that begun with a crime).

They haven't asked in a while, but then we usually use OLCI whichever one of us bought the tix.

However, shortly after 9/11 Mr asya999 and I were flying together (SFO-LAX) on a cheap fare that I booked for us, but then I ended up going standby a few hours earlier to have dinner with a friend. I specificially asked GA about Mr asya999 checking in without my CC and he told me he noted on the PNR that it was fine and he saw my CC. That was back in the days that I believed that if they said they made a note of it, they made a note of it.

Well, a few hours later, Mr asya999 shows up and they won't check him in for the flight because he doesn't have the CC and there is no note about that on the record. He explains that we were both on this record and i went standby a couple of hours before and they saw all that but they wouldn't let him check in!

Eventually, they did him a "favor" and gave a credit for this flight back to my CC and allowed him to buy a new ticket at the gate for this flight at the advance purchase discount fare. Ridiculous. :(

Anyway, OLCI has helped us avoid all problems, in fact I can't remember last time I checked in with a human... Other than internationally at some airports.

I purchase both domestic and international tickets for my bf and his cousins several times, and there is never any problem. Actually the cousin just completed his travel yesterday. I didn't pay attention to whether they (or I) ever receive any email asking for the credit card though

Lots of experience dealing with this - basically, united "officially" requires you to present the purchasing credit card when you check in if you are not the buyer. However, if you use the kiosks, it bypasses the whole issue (with the caveat that if you end up having to speak to a counter person, you could be stuck).

The easiest way to deal with this is to purchase a ticket through expedia (and probably others, but I know expedia doesn't care). According to expedia, they accept the risk of a chargeback/fraudulent transaction so united doesn't care anymore.

I was asked once and it was years ago. I would not worry.

Thanks everyone!