Can You Book Award Flights for Other People?

Most frequent flyer programs let you redeem your points to book award flights for both yourself and other people. This can be handy if one person in your household collects most of the points, or if you perhaps want to book a flight for a friend or relative using your points.

But the exact rules vary by frequent flyer program. Some airlines only allow you to redeem your points for immediate family members. Others place a limit on the number of other people you can book award flights for.

If you aren’t able to redeem your points to book a flight for someone else, you could also investigate whether it’s possible to transfer points into their account. They could then book the flight themself.

Many airlines allow you to book award flights for anyone. But beware that it’s against the rules of almost every frequent flyer program to sell award tickets to strangers in exchange for money. If you are caught doing this, the airline may cancel the ticket and even close your frequent flyer account.

This article explains for whom you can book flights, using your own points, with the major frequent flyer programs…

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Qantas Frequent Flyer allows you to book Classic Flight Rewards or transfer your points to “eligible family members”. This includes de-facto partners.

This is how the Qantas Frequent Flyer terms & conditions defines eligible family members:

‘Eligible Family Member’ of a Member means any person the Member can demonstrate, to the reasonable satisfaction of Qantas, as being related to that Member in any of the ways described below:

• Husband/Wife
• Parent/Step-parent
• Domestic Partner/De Facto
• Child, including foster and step-child
• Brother/Sister
• Half Brother/Sister
• Grandparent
• Grandchild
• Son/Daughter-in-law
• Brother/Sister-in-law
• Father/Mother-in-law
• Uncle/Aunt
• Nephew/Niece
• First cousin

Virgin Australia Velocity

Velocity Frequent Flyer has a much more generous policy. Velocity members can redeem their points to book reward flights for anyone else. There is no need to prove that the flyer is related to you.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer allows you to redeem miles for any other KrisFlyer member that you list on your account as a Redemption Nominee.

You can list anybody as a Redemption Nominee. But you may only have up to five nominees on your account at any one time.

It’s free to add Redemption Nominees, but there is a fee of USD30 or 3,000 KrisFlyer miles to change or remove a nominee. This fee is reduced or waived if you have KrisFlyer status or PPS Club membership. Once you’ve changed or deleted a Redemption Nominee on your account, you can’t make further changes for six months.

Cathay

With Cathay’s frequent flyer program, you can use your Asia Miles to book flights for other people within your Redemption Group.

Like with KrisFlyer, you can add up to five Redemption Group Nominees at no cost. You can change your nominees at any time, although there is an annual limit to the number of changes that Green members can make and fees apply for each change. See the Cathay Pacific website for details.

Air New Zealand Airpoints

Air New Zealand’s policy is quite restrictive. Airpoints members can generally only “gift” flights to family members living at the same address.

Airpoints Gold and Elite members can also add up to four “giftees” (as Air NZ calls them) on their account each year who don’t live in the same house. See the Air New Zealand website for details.

Emirates Skywards

You can freely use your Emirates Skywards miles to book flights for friends, family members or anyone else.

Other frequent flyer programs

Most US frequent flyer programs, including American Airlines AAdvantage, United Mileage Plus, Delta SkyMiles and Alaskan Mileage Plan, are happy for you to redeem your points to book award flights for any other people. Simply name the passenger/s you want to book a flight for when booking the ticket.

Air Canada Aeroplan, Etihad Guest and many other loyalty programs also let you use your points to book flights for anyone. British Airways Executive Club is in this category as well, although there’s an exception for members with a household account.

At the other end of the spectrum, arguably the most restrictive programs are Korean Air SKYPASS and Asiana Club. The major Korean airlines restrict award bookings for other people to immediate family members, and may even require proof of the relationship (such as a marriage certificate).

The big Japanese airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, only let members redeem points for relatives who are “within two degrees of kinship”.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 70 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include economics, aviation & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.