There’s nothing like that feeling of boarding a flight you didn’t have to pay for. Experienced travel hackers know: It’s really satisfying to get something for practically nothing — especially when that “something” costs hundreds (or even thousands!!) of dollars otherwise.
That buzzy feeling is a gateway to the Narnia of travel rewards. You can’t properly explain it to someone who’s never experienced it, but it is possible to share the joy: With many airline loyalty programs, you can use your own miles to book a ticket for someone else.
Here’s a quick explainer on how to search award flights and redeem miles for friends and family — even if they don’t have their own frequent flyer account.
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How do I use my airline miles to book an award ticket for someone else?
Booking a points flight for someone else is typically as easy as booking your own flight. The only difference is that you’ll enter someone else’s travel details instead of your own.
You’ll need the standard details, such as their full name and birth date. If it’s an international flight, ask for their passport number too. Also, while not compulsory, you should also enter their airline loyalty number and/or trusted traveler number. (Pro tip: If they don’t have a frequent flyer account with the airline, talk them into opening one. They may get extra perks, or even inch closer to elite status, with the flight you’re booking them.)
Not all airlines let you book flights for a friend with your rewards, but many do — including popular U.S. carriers. We’ve outlined the exceptions below.
Alternatives to booking someone else’s ticket with miles
Transfer points and miles from your account
Most airline rewards programs allow you to easily move your miles to another member’s account. But more often than not, the fees make transferring miles to someone else a terrible idea. For example:
- American Airlines charges 0.5 cents per mile.
- Delta charges 1 cent per mile, plus a $30 processing fee per transaction.
- Southwest charges 1 cent per point.
- United Airlines charges 1.5 cents per mile, plus a $30 processing fee per transaction.
As you can see, American Airlines is far and away the most reasonable option among popular U.S. airlines — and it’s still a bad deal in most cases. Transferring your miles to someone else usually only makes sense if your friend has their own stash of rewards points and only needs a paltry couple thousand airline miles for their award flight.
There are a couple exceptions to this rule. Hawaiian Airlines gives you the ability to transfer miles for free as long as the person you’re transferring to has a Hawaiian Airlines credit or debit card. Also, Singapore Airlines allows you to transfer miles from the accounts of your children (ages two through 16) to yourself. You’ll pay a reasonable $5 per 5,000 miles transferred. And Qantas lets you transfer up to 600,000 points to your family for no charge.
Points pooling
Points pooling is slightly different than transferring miles to other members. It gives you the ability to combine rewards with other members for free. By creating a “pool,” you can all deposit rewards into one account — meaning you can earn a free ticket faster than you will with a few thousand miles spread across multiple accounts. You can then squabble over who gets to use the miles for an award ticket.
Here’s a quick rundown of the airlines that offer points pooling, as well as the maximum number of members allowed in each group.
| Airline | Points pooling capacity |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 8 family members |
| Flying Blue (Air France and KLM) | 2 adults and 6 children |
| ANA | 8 family members within 2 degrees of kinship (in-laws, grandparents, grandchildren, etc.) |
| Asiana Airlines | 5 family members (must submit documentation) |
| British Airways | 7 members living at the same address |
| EgyptAir | 5 family members (must submit documentation) |
| Emirates | 8 family members |
| Etihad | 8 family members |
| Japan Airlines | 9 family members (1,000-mile charge per member, once every five years) |
| JetBlue | 2 adults and 5 children |
| Korean Air | 5 family members (must submit documentation) |
| Lufthansa | 2 adults and 5 children |
| Qatar Airways | 9 family members |
| United Airlines | 5 members |
Most frequent flyer programs stipulate that your pool must consist of family members, though there are exceptions — ahem, United Airlines!
Gift miles
Many airline loyalty programs give you the option of purchasing miles for others. This is also a bad deal. Buying airline miles is usually very expensive (think: 3 cents or more per mile). And even when there’s a sale that makes the price slightly more tolerable, the promotion is often only for those buying miles for themselves — not gifting them to others.
Don’t do it. Seriously.
When to book someone else’s flights with your miles
You’re treating them
The main reason to use your miles to book someone else’s flight is because you want to pay for their travel. Perhaps you’re flying family members into town for your wedding. Or maybe you plan to send your parents on a special trip.
If you’re feeling generous, the flexibility to use your frequent flyer miles to book travel for others will come in handy.
You’re traveling together
If you get special perks thanks to a credit card or airline elite status, everyone on your reservation will benefit too.
For example: Your Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card ($150 annual fee — waived the first year; see rates) gives you the first checked bag free and priority boarding on domestic Delta flights. If you’re traveling with your friend, they’ll get those benefits, too — as long as you booked both tickets on the same reservation. That could save a significant chunk of change.
It’s handy to be on the same reservation for simplicity anyway: You can check-in at the same time, drop off your bags at once, find all boarding passes within the same account app, and more.
Some airlines have restrictions
Don’t assume you can book a seat for someone else through your airline loyalty account. Many carriers have no stated rules as to whose travel you can buy with your rewards, but some do. For example:
- ANA only allows you to use your miles for family members that participate in your ANA Family Account.
- Asiana won’t let you book anyone but those registered as immediate family members.
- Cathay Pacific only lets you use miles for your five “Redemption Group” nominees. You can change them periodically, but you’ll have to pay a fee.
- Japan Airlines allows only family, up to “second degree” kinship.
- Korean Air restricts your redemptions to immediate family members.
It’s also worth noting that some airlines may require you to present the card used to book a flight once you arrive at the airport. Plenty of common airlines don’t enforce this rule, but it can be route-specific, so if you’re booking a flight for someone that includes overseas travel, you should do some quick googling to make sure you’re not setting them up for disaster.
Still worried about the process? Let point.me handle it for you
point.me is really, really good at finding you the cheapest award flights in just a few clicks. We don’t discriminate, either — whether you’re booking a trip for yourself or someone else, the search process is equally simple.
Just enter your friend’s home airport and the destination they’re visiting, and point.me will quickly search through more than 30 loyalty programs and 150 airlines for the best deals. You can even filter results by the type of rewards you want to use.
For example, let’s say you want to fly your friend from Indianapolis (IND) to Rome (FCO) in business class this summer. point.me immediately locates the best option — a 62,000-mile sweetheart deal on American Airlines. This seat costs thousands of dollars otherwise!
To book your flight, just click on your favorite itinerary. You’ll be taken to a page with two options:
- Book the award ticket yourself with step-by-step instructions from point.me.
- Request help from one of our expert concierges.
We’ve spent a lot of time crafting an experience that gives you the confidence to book award tickets by yourself. But if you’re nervous about any part of the process (transferring points, booking the flight, overlooking airline-specific rules, etc.), we’re happy to lend a hand.
Frequently asked questions about booking an award flight for another traveler
How do I know when to book an award flight for someone else and when to transfer my points so they can book it themselves?
It’s almost always a better idea to book a flight for someone else via your account. That’s because airlines often charge a significant fee to transfer miles to someone else. However, if a friend needs a few thousand miles to achieve a specific award flight, it could be worth throwing some miles in their direction instead of footing the entire bill.
Which airlines let you pool miles for family members?
Several airlines allow you to either pool or transfer miles between family members. Most familiar are JetBlue and United Airlines, though foreign carriers, such as Air Canada and British Airways, also provide this option.
Can I book an award flight for someone who’s not family?
With most airlines, you can book an award flight for anyone. There are some exceptions, though, so it’s always better to do your research before making any promises.
What logistical and/or personal information do I need to book an award flight for someone else?
Be sure to gather the basic details, like birth dates, an email address and phone number for the airline to contact them when needed, and a passport number if traveling internationally.
Should I use my credit card to pay taxes and fees on a flight I book for someone else?
Some airlines require that the credit card used belong to the account owner when booking award flights. However, if the airline gives you the option to add the traveler’s card number, go ahead and use theirs. Some foreign airlines will want you to present the credit card used to pay for the flight when you arrive at the airport.
Is it possible to earn miles on award flights booked for someone else?
You do not earn miles on award flights. Only paid flights earn miles.
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