Frequent flyer programs

[Jennasis]

Just wondering if this is normal for frequent flyer programs...You are a FF program member...if you buy tickets for everyone in your family (say you, your spouse, and your kids) do you get credited the miles for each of those tickets or only your own as YOU are the member of the FF program?

I'm a member of American Airlines member program (AAdvantage). I bought plane tix for DH and I and not only were we assigned different boarding groups at check-in, but I was only credited the miles for my flight. I sent an inquiry about both things to American and it took 3 weeks for a response (and the response was that my DH needs his own account to accrue miles). Seems stupid. They also had no explanation for the differing boarding groups (tix bought at the same time, with same credit card).

 

[Gizmo74]

Everyone has to have their own FF account to accrue miles. Not sure on American but when I purchase on United and Southwest on the same reserveration we are always in the same boarding group. I set up accounts for my kids as soon as I had to start paying for a seat for them.

The only thing I can think of a different boarding group is that you might be at a higher level and can get a better boarding group. We all have about the same miles so we are always boarding the same.

 

[kdonnel]

All airline programs work that way. (edited: Apparently not TrueBlue) Doesn't matter who pays only who flys.

All those road warriors traveling all the time for their job with the company paying, the employee is the one earning the miles and points with the airlines, hotels, and car rental companies.

As for the boarding group, unless the credit card used was an AA branded card that provided a benefit for a earlier boarding group, there is no guarantee of getting the same boarding group even when in the same booking. Just board with the latest group if you want to board together.

 

[sam_gordon]

Just to clarify, when you say the tickets were bought at the same time, do you mean under the same reservation? Did you buy two tickets or one ticket twice (if that makes sense).

As I understand it, all airlines only credit the name on the ticket with the miles, NOT the purchaser.

 

[JimMIA]

Just wondering if this is normal for frequent flyer programs...You are a FF program member...if you buy tickets for everyone in your family (say you, your spouse, and your kids) do you get credited the miles for each of those tickets or only your own as YOU are the member of the FF program?

I'm a member of American Airlines member program (AAdvantage). I bought plane tix for DH and I and not only were we assigned different boarding groups at check-in, but I was only credited the miles for my flight. I sent an inquiry about both things to American and it took 3 weeks for a response (and the response was that my DH needs his own account to accrue miles). Seems stupid. They also had no explanation for the differing boarding groups (tix bought at the same time, with same credit card).

That is the way AAdvantage works -- you only get credit for YOUR miles flown. If you have multiple AA credit cards linked to your FF account, you will get miles for everybody's purchases, but not for actual flights.

The boarding group issue is easily solved if you notice it beforehand. Just go to the gate agent, be polite, and ask for their help. They'll put you together. We've never had a problem with that.

The real problem with a lot of FF programs is that the companies have devalued the miles so much, they're not worth worrying about any more. We canceled the Citi AAdvantage card we used for most joint family purchases because the miles became almost worthless.

 

[larissawbb]

JetBlue gives you credit for everyone in your sharing pool. You can have up to six people I think.

 

[JoeA]

I'm an United Million Miler and only get FF miles for myself. Anyone else I buy tickets for has to have their own United FF # to earn miles; however, everyone on the same itinerary gets the same boarding group that I have.

If I use my United credit card I of course get miles for each dollar spent, regardless of who is the ticketed passenger

 

[Jennasis]

Good to know. The boarding group thing even the customer service person answering the email seemed stumped and said she didn't think that should've happened and was forwarding the issue to whatever the next level was.

So far there doesn't seem to be any real advantage to the program. We fly maybe 2 or 3 times a year. I suppose I'll just have DH make an account so his miles aren't lost. Maybe a few years from now one of us can earn a free flight.

The only real choices out of our airport to the one we most frequent is American and Delta and American usually has the better price and choice of flight times. No Jetblue and no Southwest, and it will be a cold day in the fiery pits of Hades before I fly a budget airline like Frontier or Spirit.

 

[JimMIA]

Good to know. The boarding group thing even the customer service person answering the email seemed stumped and said she didn't think that should've happened and was forwarding the issue to whatever the next level was.

So far there doesn't seem to be any real advantage to the program. We fly maybe 2 or 3 times a year. I suppose I'll just have DH make an account so his miles aren't lost. Maybe a few years from now one of us can earn a free flight.

The only real choices out of our airport to the one we most frequent is American and Delta and American usually has the better price and choice of flight times. No Jetblue and no Southwest, and it will be a cold day in the fiery pits of Hades before I fly a budget airline like Frontier or Spirit.

The boarding group thing is hit or miss, as was Pre-check. I almost always would get Pre-check (I guess because of my AA Million Miler status), but sometimes DW and DD would, sometimes not. (The same polite/ask for help thing usually works for Pre-check as well, BTW.)

Now we're all Global Entry, so we all have Pre-check included in that.

Where even having a FF account pays off, tho, is when you have delays or cancellations. Again, my million-miler (Gold for life) status undoubtedly helps, but even just an account will sometimes get you help.

 

[kdonnel]

So far there doesn't seem to be any real advantage to the program. We fly maybe 2 or 3 times a year. I suppose I'll just have DH make an account so his miles aren't lost. Maybe a few years from now one of us can earn a free flight.

American miles expire after 18 months of inactivity. Delta miles never expire. It sounds like you fly often enough to keep the American miles active.

 

[JimMIA]

American miles expire after 18 months of inactivity. Delta miles never expire. It sounds like you fly often enough to keep the American miles active.

If you have a Citi AAdvantage credit card, any charges to that card will keep the miles alive. I still have one with a $3/month automatic subscription billing purely for that purpose. (We canceled our main family card mentioned above, but I kept my personal card.)

I don't have many miles in my account right now, so when I use them I will research whether I lose my Million Miler status if I don't spend or fly. If so, I'll keep that auto-payment just to keep my status.

 

[JoeA]

If you have a Citi AAdvantage credit card, any charges to that card will keep the miles alive. I still have one with a $3/month automatic subscription billing purely for that purpose. (We canceled our main family card mentioned above, but I kept my personal card.)

I don't have many miles in my account right now, so when I use them I will research whether I lose my Million Miler status if I don't spend or fly. If so, I'll keep that auto-payment just to keep my status.

I am not sure about AA but I believe the MM / Gold for Life never expires at United. I was also able to nominate my wife for Gold, as well. Even if we never take another flight we die "Gold", I guess!