How can I book/buy a flight for Someone Else and get the POINTS for THAT flight?

[Jwalsh3rd]

One challenge when I make a reservation has been to keep up with their flight if I am involved like picking them up at the airport .  The point provder is provided an email from SW, but I add the emai(s) of the passenger(s) ion the boxes below the passenger input section.   Once I receive my email from SW (which is the only documentation to me from SW until the reminders for rooms and rent cars arrive by email, often weeks later), I immediately post it on my outlook calendar with the reservation number so that I can pull up the info later if plans change. I also forward the email I receive to everyone that needs to know the flight plans.    Another subtle practice I often choose to do, is to book each passenger one-way and under separate reservations so that later any partial changes that arise can be made quickly.  If the itenanry is not completed because they drove back,  flew another airline or decided to pay for their own fare, I just cancel the impacted flight thirty minutes or more before scheduled departure for a full refund of the points to my account.

[chgoflyer]

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@Jwalsh3rd wrote:

One challenge when I make a reservation has been to keep up with their flight if I am involved like picking them up at the airport .  The point provder is provided an email from SW, but I add the emai(s) of the passenger(s) ion the boxes below the passenger input section.   Once I receive my email from SW (which is the only documentation to me from SW until the reminders for rooms and rent cars arrive by email, often weeks later), I immediately post it on my outlook calendar with the reservation number so that I can pull up the info later if plans change. I also forward the email I receive to everyone that needs to know the flight plans.    Another subtle practice I often choose to do, is to book each passenger one-way and under separate reservations so that later any partial changes that arise can be made quickly.  If the itenanry is not completed because they drove back,  flew another airline or decided to pay for their own fare, I just cancel the impacted flight thirty minutes or more before scheduled departure for a full refund of the points to my account.

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Just in case you're not aware, Points bookings aren't subject to the no-show policy, so you don't have to cancel to receive a refund -- points are automatically returned to your account.

This may change at some point. And it's still always a good idea to cancel when you know the ticket is no longer needed. 

[NightSky]

What I found is that you can certainly Purchase a Flight for your spouse with Your Card. 

YOU are awarded Points to Your RR acct for the "Purchase". 

But yes, 'you' wont get RR point credit for 'her' Flight Miles. 

However, your WIFE for can get Points for the Flight miles awarded to HER own RR acct. 

Now, If you often fly SEPARATELY, then she might be better off having her Own Separate Card as well. 

Since we travel as a family, my wife & I use the same Credit Card for our purchases. Those points accrue under one (my) RR acct. 

I then can make Flight 'purchases' for all in my family using those accrued points, but I will only get Flight  point credit for my seat, while each of my family members gets the "flight points" in their own RR accts.  

You can "venture" out, but I've been very happy with the SWA program & their planes, staff.  🙂

[commishg]

It is laughable to say an acceptable solution is to transfer points to another Rapid Rewards member when that so-called solution (transfer) costs one cent per point.  That means a 25,000 point transfer would cost $250.  Southwest currently says 25,000 points have a value of $300 (83 points per dollar).  This means that if you transfer 25,000 points to someone else, it will cost you $250 to give them $300.  That's not what I call LUV from an airline that is struggling to survive a recent self inflicted nuclear disaster.

[dfwskier]

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@commishg wrote:

It is laughable to say an acceptable solution is to transfer points to another Rapid Rewards member when that so-called solution (transfer) costs one cent per point.  That means a 25,000 point transfer would cost $250.  Southwest currently says 25,000 points have a value of $300 (83 points per dollar).  This means that if you transfer 25,000 points to someone else, it will cost you $250 to give them $300.  That's not what I call LUV from an airline that is struggling to survive a recent self inflicted nuclear disaster.

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 Of course the solution does not involve transferring points.

The person with the points can simply buy the ticket for the other person - thus retaining full value of the points.