Do I have to pay taxes for booking a flight with miles?

You can buy a plane ticket for someone else with your credit card. You just need to clearly state whom the ticket is for when you book the flight. You’ll see two separate entry spaces on the site: one for billing information and another for the traveler’s information. Put your name and card information in the billing section and the name of the person you’re buying the ticket for in the traveler section.… read full answer

It’s important that you enter all the information correctly, or the passenger may not be able to board. And in general, airlines won’t refund the ticket price for a clerical error on your part. To make sure everything is squared away, read through the following checklist when you buy the flight.

Here’s how to buy a plane ticket for someone else with your credit card:

• Select your travel dates: You can do this directly on the airline website or using a site that helps you find the lowest price, like Kayak or Expedia.
• Choose a flight and enter passenger details: There will be a clearly marked section to enter the full name and birth date of the traveler (or travelers, if you’re buying multiple tickets). Make sure this information matches what’s on each traveler’s ID or passport.
• Enter your payment information: This includes your payment method and card number as well as the card’s expiration date and security code. You’ll also need to provide your name and billing address.
• Make sure your information is correct and book the flight: You may also be able to choose a seat before checking out or buy extras like travel insurance. But it’s worth noting that booking a flight with your credit card can often give others traveling on your reservation coverage for cancelled trips, lost baggage and travel accidents. So you may not want to buy the airline’s insurance until you’ve checked your benefits guide.

It’s not difficult to buy a plane ticket for someone else with your credit card. You just need to pay attention to the details. But if you make a mistake, check your airline’s policy. Some, like Delta and Alaska Airlines, allow cancellations within 24 hours of buying tickets.

It’s also important to note that on some occasions, the airline will ask to see the credit card used to book the flight before boarding. You should contact the airline ahead of time to see if this is the case. If it is, you may need to give the person flying a signed confirmation that you booked the flight for them, along with a photocopy of your card.

The best ways to fly for free are to get a travel rewards credit card, join a frequent flyer program, and volunteer to be bumped. Getting a new travel credit card with a large signup bonus can get you enough miles for a free flight pretty easily. And joining airlines’ frequent flyer programs is free and simple. You can’t easily plan to volunteer to get bumped, but you can get a travel voucher for a future free flight if you pull it off.… read full answer

Of the many ways to fly for free, the easiest is usually with a travel miles credit card that has an excellent signup bonus. The best travel rewards cards come with a signup bonus of 50,000-60,000 points/miles for meeting an initial spending requirement. Since the average domestic one-way flight costs a little more than 14,000 miles, you can definitely fly for free multiple times with those miles.

How to Fly for Free:

• Get a travel reward credit card. Apply for a new airline card or non-specific travel card that earns miles and signup bonuses you can redeem for free flights. The best cards will reward you for every purchase, so those miles can stack up fast.
• Earn miles through a frequent flyer program. You’ll earn miles for every flight you take, which you can then redeem for free flights and other perks in the future. Frequent flyer programs are free to join.
• Volunteer to get bumped. If your schedule is flexible, you can volunteer to be bumped off a flight and receive a travel voucher. When flights get overbooked, the airline will often ask for volunteers who are able to wait for a later flight. In exchange, you’ll receive a free travel voucher for a future trip, and also sometimes upgrades to first class.
• Use a companion ticket. Some airline credit cards, like those affiliated with Delta and Southwest, occasionally offer companion tickets to cardholders for reaching either a spending threshold or an account anniversary. The companion ticket allows the cardholder to bring another person along with them on a flight for free. They’ll still have to pay taxes and fees, though (typically around $10-$20).
• Work for an airline. If you work for an airline, you’ll receive free or reduced fares on flights. You’ll have to fly stand-by, though, and you won’t be guaranteed a seat. Plus, you’ll still have to pay the taxes and fees associated with the flight.
• Know someone who works for an airline. Most major airlines give employees “buddy passes,” good for a free flight, which employees can then pass on to whomever they want. American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, and United all have “buddy pass” policies that allow employees to receive or earn a limited number of passes each year. Buddy passholders generally receive the lowest priority boarding, and they must fly with their airline employee pal.
• Fly on military “Space A” flights. The Space Available Flight program provides free flights for members of the military and their family. If you’re eligible, you can fill unused seats on aircraft owned or controlled by the Department of Defense once all passengers and cargo have been loaded. You’ll have to be very flexible with dates and times, however. And because Space A flights use military aircraft, that’ll affect the destinations.

Getting one of the best travel reward credit cards and earning a signup bonus is the easiest way to fly for free – at least a time or two. Joining an airline’s frequent flyer program is a good option, too. There are several other ways to fly for free, as well, though you probably won’t be able to fly for free on every flight you take.

Yes, you can use your miles to buy a ticket for someone else on American Airlines.

You will need to make the reservation for the person traveling. Booking a seat for someone else is the same as booking for yourself, just be prepared with the personal info, itinerary and preferences of the person you want to buy a ticket for. … read full answer

To book a seat, you have to log in to AAdvantage online account.