Buying Airline Ticket for Someone Else?
 

I'm in the midst of a dilemma. I'm trying to buy a R/T plane ticket on the internet (where it's cheaper)for my adult nephew but I am not traveling at the same time. Is there any way to do this on the internet or is it impossible? The tickets are at least $30 more if not purchased on the internet, so I'd like to save the money if possible.

I do it by phone but I think what you would do online is fill out the info for the passenger and just put your name and info for the payment..since you will be using your credit card #.
Then have the E-ticket sent to you and to him online, copy it and there you go!
I have my little visitor flying in tomorrow, having been sent for just that way:)

Hmmm, Delta won't allow me to use my credit card unless I'm traveling on the same ticket. Which airline allowed you to do that?

i bought my family tickets for my graduation thru Priceline and Orbitz, no problems with ticketing.

Hi Postal, I use Continental. We fly him here non-stop since he is an unaccompanied minor, so Continental is the only airline we use.
How can you buy tickets without using a credit card? That is weird.
Why don't you call them and find out exactly how to do it online?

I have read here before about this credit card/not the travelers credit car problem. I am not doubting those that report this problem, but I guess we have been lucky. I have routinely made reservations for my husband and/or son using my credit card (neither of them share the card) and my last name is different than either of them. Have never had any problems on a number of airlines. Have used both individual airline site or Orbitz/Expedia/Travelocity.

Northwest told me this was no problem, United told me it was a no-no.

Is there a Delta ticket office in your area? Check with Delta. You can buy an online e-ticket, then take the receipt to the ticket office, showing them your I.D. and your credit card. They'll put a note in the system that your I.D. has already been verified.

Clark makes a good point, if you live near a Delta airport or city ticket office.
Another suggestion if there is time, is to request a paper ticket, which will be send to you and then you could mail it to the pax. That also may cost extra.
I believe Delta, UA and AA have the same policy. It has something to do with CC fraud and stolen tickets. They are just protecting themselves from the above. Paper ticket solves the problem, and I do know that AA will not charge you for a paper ticket and they actually insist in an instance like that.
Good Luck!

Don't know if this is helpful but add Southwest to the list on the internet.

I've been flying for a couple of years
using someone else's Creditcard #
& haven't had any problems.

Travelocity will let you purchase tickets for someone else, online.

Keith

Keith,
Others will let you purchase it on line as well, it's just that they require the purchaser to present the CC when the other person is flying. But if the two of you are in different cities, then a quick trip to the purchasers airport or city ticket office will take care of that.
Also, once you do this for the first time, you will be able to buy e-tickets for the same person without being there with the person on the day of travel.
Another thing to consider is that some ticket agents don't ask for verification, they are suppose to, but they don't, but if the ticket was stolen or a stolen CC was used the agent would get in trouble, so for their own good they should.

Since I never use onlinen ticket sellers, I cannot say what happens with the Credit Card/Ticketing, but every year for 7 years now I have called Continental on the phone and booked an Eticket for a little boy to come visit us. He only needs his ID and ETicket which we/he copies off the computer.
This is so easy for us, I am surprised so many have a problem!
We checked the prices, there was no difference in online purchase vs calling directly.

BA also will not allow you to buy a ticket for someone else online. It's no problem on the phone - once you get hold of someone, and when I did it for my mum, the phone price was actually less than the internet price.

I bought a plane ticket for my SigO's mom through aa.com-- E-Ticket and all-- and there was no problem at all. I was concerned that there would be problems at check-in (do they need to swipe my CC?), but I called American to ask and they said no, just have her bring her photo ID. Once the ticket's bought, all they care about is that the passenger has matching government ID to get the boarding pass.

AAFrequentFlyer,

I purchased a ticket on Travelocity for the daughter of a friend, flying from another city to this one.

She didn't have my credit card when she flew.

Keith

I fly all the time with tickets purchased by someone not related to me and not flying with me. I've done it at alaskaair.com, aa.com and expedia.com. Just enter his name as passenger and yours under billing. I haven't been asked to show the card I used for purchase in years!

I'm sure if you were to explain your problem to the phone agent, they would match the online price. They'd almost have to, wouldn't they?

Yes, you can buy tickets for anyone on aa.com, but an e-ticket is NOT an option--you have to take the paper ticket, which has to be mailed to the billing address of the credit card that is paying. This is in spite of the fact that my daughter (who I am buying the ticket for) could show them her own copy of the credit card when she checked in for the flight--it just isn't an option on the web site unless they have changed it within the last month or so.

I have bought plenty of other tickets, though, from (for example) Orbitz and Midwest Express. This is really much easier cause the passenger just needs the e-ticket. People I've bought for include: daughters, friends, boyfriends, etc. Nobody cares but American in my experience.

Marilyn
Just curious..was there an extra charge for the paper ticket you just purchased?A month ago I got an email from my TA stating that effective May 1,AA would increase the paper ticket fee from $25 to $50.Yet a previous poster indicated there was no charge at AA.I always do e-tickets,and most of my trips "qualify" for e-tickets.So I wouldnt use a paper ticket unless I had to.Just curious.
S

BeachBoi,
AA will not charge you for a paper ticket IF there is no other option. If a e-ticket is an option, there will be a charge, and I can't tell you how much, because I did not have a need for a paper ticket for about 3 years now.

No, there is not a charge for the paper ticket when you are buying a ticket for someone other than yourself at aa.com. As I said, a paper ticket is the ONLY option the website gives you in that case--I buy tickets all the time for my daughter and others, and when she comes home to Chicago from Miami, aa.com makes me buy a paper ticket and mail it to her.

Thank you both AAFF and Marilyn.These days e tickets are soooo convenient.I have a hard time just packing gear for my trips so not having to keep up with a ticket is a real plus.

We do this frequently while buying tickets for family in other states and we have had no problem with Northwest, American, United or Delta so am surprised that United said you can't. We never have the paper tickets - just the e-ticket info from the internet.