‘Can I Buy a Plane Ticket for Someone Else on Expedia? Yes, you can…as well as other travel sites. Just get it right the first time. Here’s how…’
I’ve covered in detail how you can (and should) go about buying an airline ticket for someone else and everything involved with the process in my guide titled:
How To Buy a Plane Ticket for Someone Else (Don’t Leave Them Stranded)
Please refer to that guide as you go through this one as it will fill in any gaps that you might need.
A Quick Word on Travel Websites (and The People Who Complain)
There’s a ‘segment’, shall we say, of people out there who will complain about ANYTHING. And I’ve seen a lot of complaints about travel websites (“ahhhh….they’re useless, they took my money, you don’t save money, blah freaking blah…”).
Here’s the deal: Travel sites don’t always get it right, and they don’t always save you money. However, most of the time, they do a pretty damn good job. Do you homework, look at the details and make an informed decision if you want to proceed and use them.
Hey, if you find you’re not going to save any money on Expedia or another site, then book your plane ticket straight with the airline.
Simple.
Quick Word #2 Regarding Expedia
We’re using Expedia in this guide because…well…most of the time, they the best. Not always, but usually. This makes clear why we’re doing what we’re doing here…
Here’s What You Need to Do to Buy Plane Ticket(s) Using Expedia or Other Travel Related Websites (The Basics)
Many people use travel websites such as Expedia when looking for the perfect vacation or cheap airline flights. But what if you want to buy a ticket for someone else? All one has to do is enter in the details and select an appropriate destination from there.
With Expedia, you can purchase an airline ticket for someone else and have it delivered straight to their inbox with the itinerary. Expedia is usually the easiest to use.
Do You Need to Present The Credit Card That Was Used to Make The Purchase at the Airport?
In most cases, no. The reason is the ticket has already been purchased, no matter what ‘entity’ bought it.
What you want to do is have a physical receipt of the purchase, just in case. It floors me when people tell me they didn’t bother to print out their receipt when they bought the airline ticket.
This isn’t 1975 where you have to go to a printer. You should have a cheap printer at home, in my opinion. And if you don’t, go to Fedex Office and they’re print it for you for 30 cents.
International Carriers and Credit Cards
In some cases, you may be asked to show your credit card at the boarding gate if you are flying with an Asian carrier. Most airlines do not require this though, so it’s a good idea to read up on how they operate (as it applies to their general policies) before booking flights.
If you book through Expedia, airline staff won’t be able to see it and will just need a photo ID in order to let you on board.Some airlines ask for credit cards only if customers are booking directly but not so much as when using Expedia because then they know that their payment is guaranteed without having any access to guest’s personal information such as bank account or routing number (including PIN). This means no more worries about getting denied boarding.
Remember, The thing about booking with Expedia is that you don’t even have to talk directly with the airline and it’s a great way of saving money because they actually book your flights.
Making Changes to Expedia Flight Reservations
Expedia is a great tool for booking flights, however it can be challenging to make changes with them due to the way they are set up. For example, if you need a flight change during the trying times we are in now when there’s been so many delays and cancellations, even contacting Expedia about your reservation may not work because airlines won’t deal directly with customers who booked through agents.
So do everything you can to ensure you made the correct reservation and that you are unlikely to cancel it. Keep in mind that cancellations can be a headache no matter who you use in the best of times. With the Pandemic it’s made that much harder.
Cancelling Your Flight with Expedia (or Other Travel Sites)
If you DO need to cancel your flight (again, a lot of this has happened due the Corona Virus) then it’s best that you first check with Expedia (or other travel site) for information about cancellations.
The major OTAs have all posted policies on how they will handle refunds from this point forward as well as any partners that may be affected by cancellation guidelines.
Here’s a list of popular travel sites and their policies:
– Expedia
– Kayak
– Orbitz
The tips in this guide above should give you all the direction you need to book a flight for someone else on an online travel site (such as Expedia). And remember, don’t forget to read their terms of service so you don’t get caught out.