Most frequent flyer programs let you use your points to book flights for someone else in your family. A few programs let you use your points to book for anyone, even if they are not a relative.
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Key takeaways
- Qantas require the beneficiary to be a member of your immediate or extended family.
- Some programs — like Velocity — allow members to redeem points for flights or upgrades on behalf of anyone.
- It may be possible to transfer or gift someone else your points so they can book the flight themselves.
Qantas Points bookings
Can I use my Qantas Points to book a flight for someone in my family? Yes, you can use your Qantas Points to book a flight for someone in your immediate or extended family. For example, your spouse, children, cousins and relatives through marriage.
Can I use my Qantas Points to book a flight for someone else (non-family)? No. Qantas Frequent Flyer's terms and conditions state that Qantas Points can not be used to book flights for someone who is not a relative. That said, numerous people have reported using their Qantas Points to book flights for unrelated friends. However, to do so comes at the risk of Qantas asking for evidence and possibly suspending your account.
Velocity Points bookings
Can I use my Velocity Points to book a flight for someone in my family? Yes, you can use your Velocity Points to book a flight for someone in your immediate or extended family. For example, your spouse, children, cousins and relatives through marriage.
Can I use my Velocity Points to book a flight for someone else (non-family)? Yes. You can use your Velocity Points to book a flight for anyone, regardless of their relation to you.
Airpoints Dollars bookings
Can I use my Airpoints Dollars to book a flight for someone in my family? Yes, as long as they are living in your household, e.g. your spouse or children.
Can I use my Airpoints Dollars to book a flight for someone else (non-family)? Not directly. However, you can "gift" your Airpoints Dollars to someone else, and they can use them to make a booking in their own name.
Skywards Miles bookings
Can I use my Skywards Miles to book a flight for someone in my family? Yes, you can use your Skywards Miles to book a flight for someone in your immediate or extended family. For example, your spouse, children, cousins and relatives through marriage.
Can I use my Skywards Miles to book a flight for someone else (non-family)? Yes, you can use your Skywards Miles to book a flight for a friend. You can also transfer your Skywards Miles to a someone else, although this involves pay a fee.
KrisFlyer Miles bookings
Can I use my KrisFlyer Miles to book a flight for someone in my family? Yes, you can use your KrisFlyer Miles to book a flight for someone in your immediate or extended family. For example, your spouse, children, cousins and relatives through marriage.
Can I use my KrisFlyer Miles to book a flight for someone else (non-family)? Yes, so long as they are one of the nominated people in your account. Choose wisely since once you’ve nominated someone, they cannot be changed or removed for 6 months.
Interested in some workarounds?
Options if you can’t use your points for someone else
If you want to use your points to book a flight for someone outside your family, there are a couple of options to consider. However, it’s generally not straightforward.
Transfer points, bid on an upgrade, and pay with points
This depends on the airline you are flying with and how much you are happy to spend. If you can transfer points to someone and the airline offers upgrade bidding, this might be an option (with caveats).
- Transfer points to them. Some programs allow you to transfer points from your account to another person’s account.
- There are typically limits on how many points you can transfer.
- You may have a fee to pay to transfer points out of your account.
- Who you can transfer to may be limited to people in your family.
- Bid on the seat. The person you want to use points for will need to have already booked a ticket. They could then bid for an upgrade using the points you transferred to pay (or part-pay).
- You probably won’t be able to bid on their behalf from your account.
- You probably won’t be able to bid on a ticket booked with points.
- Not every airline accepts bids on upgrades.
- Not every airline that does have upgrade bidding accepts points for payment.
Buy points
If a points transfer is not an option because they aren’t a relation, you could buy points and then redeem those for a seat.
This is a cleaner solution with fewer steps, a.k.a. potential dealbreakers, than the above. However, it might not make financial sense since you have to buy the points instead of using the points you already have.
- The cost of buying the points should ideally be less than the cost of buying the same ticket in cash.
- Don't forget to check how many points are required to upgrade since it may make buying points more feasible.
- The person should log into their own account and buy the points there.
- If you buy points for them with your account, you’ll be back to square one with problems transferring them out.
