Transferring and Using Frequent Flyer Miles For Someone Else: KrisFlyer Miles, Asia Miles, & More

You may be wondering how flexible are the terms surrounding the air miles you earn. Can you use them for your family members and loved ones? Yes, you can, but there are limitations. Read this guide to find out how you can share your miles with others. 

Can you transfer your credit card air miles or use them for someone else?

When converting your credit card reward points to air miles, the name on your credit card account must match that of your frequent flyer account. Banks take a strict view of this, and any mismatch or discrepancy could trigger an audit and possible cancellation of your account. 

But while there is no way to convert your credit points into air miles in someone else’s account, there’s very little reason to do so anyway. 

This is because many frequent flyer programmes allow you to use your air miles for others, as long as you nominate them under your account. Some popular frequent flyer programmes for credit cards with airline transfer partners that accept redemption nominees include KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, British Airways Executive Club, Delta SkyMiles, Emirates Skywards and United MileagePlus.

So, in short: No, you cannot transfer your air miles to someone else. But yes, you can use your air miles for other people as long as you nominate them. 

Table of contents

• KrisFlyer redemption nominees – how does it work?
• Why would someone want to spend their miles on others? What is the advantage of doing so?
• Can I earn miles if I book flights for someone else?
  • Illustration: When will you receive/not receive miles
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

KrisFlyer redemption nominees – how does it work?

KrisFlyer lets you nominate up to five individuals as your redemption nominees. Upon doing so, you can use your air miles to redeem flights and upgrades for them or pay for their tickets with miles when booking online. 

There is no restriction as to who you can nominate, so you can choose not just family members but friends, neighbours and colleagues too.

Some restrictions do apply. Once you add a nominee, you cannot change them for at least six months. There is no cost for adding a nominee, but removing one will incur a fee, payable in miles or cash. 

Here’s how much you’ll need to pay to remove a redemption nominee from your KrisFlyer account.

Why would someone want to spend their miles on others? What is the advantage of doing so? 

Air miles can be used as currency to purchase plane tickets and flight upgrades. As such, they can be a great way to go on a holiday without spending a large amount of cash. 

Here are some examples.

Parents with two young children 

When flying with children older than an infant, each child will require a full-sized plane ticket. You can pay for your children’s seats with air miles for better value, reducing the total cost of your family’s flights in the process. 

Couples on a holiday

Celebrating your anniversary or your sweetheart’s birthday with an overseas trip? Sweeten their day by using your air miles to upgrade both your seats for a more luxurious experience without breaking the bank. 

Friends taking a trip together

You have more air miles than you know what to do with. Your travelling companion is a champion at racking up hotel loyalty points. Barter trade and use your air miles to redeem a flight for your friend while they redeem free hotel nights for you in return. Win-win! 

Can I earn miles if I book flights for someone else?

Yes, you can earn miles if you book plane tickets for someone else, but there are some complexities that are worth going over. 

It’s important to note that there are two tranches of air miles you can earn from purchasing plane tickets. 

The first tranche is the air miles earned when you pay with an eligible credit card, such as an air miles credit card or a Singapore Airlines/KrisFlyer co-branded card (e.g., KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card or AMEX Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card). 

The amount of air miles you will earn is equal to the card’s base earn rate, plus any bonus air miles, such as for online purchases or via partner merchants like Expedia. 

Secondly, you will also earn air miles for the actual flight flown. These air miles are awarded directly by the airline operator and are determined according to the route flown. In general, the further you fly, the more air miles you earn. 

Note that you may encounter restrictions with the second type of air miles, the ones earned on flights flown. This will depend on how you pay for the flight – whether fully in cash, redeemed in full with miles, or with a mix of cash and miles. 

Illustration: When will you receive / not receive miles?

For this example, let’s assume we are purchasing a pair of Scoot flights to Taipei. Let’s see what happens under different scenarios. 

You pay for both tickets in cash 

• You will receive KrisFlyer miles for both tickets at the prevailing rate set by Scoot
• You will receive air miles from your credit card purchase based on the total amount charged for the tickets

You redeem both tickets using miles

• You will not receive KrisFlyer miles for both tickets
• The cost of taxes and fees will be charged to your credit card; you will earn air miles based on the amount charged

You pay for both tickets using a mix of miles and cash

• You will receive KrisFlyer miles but prorated to the portion paid in cash
• You will only earn air miles on your credit card for the amount charged to your card, which, in this case, is less than the total cost of the tickets

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

#1: Can I transfer flight tickets to someone else?

Most airlines do not allow flight tickets booked under person A to be transferred to person B, mainly for reasons of security. 

However, you can purchase a flight ticket for someone else using your air miles by nominating them as a redemption nominee. 

You can also pay for a flight ticket for another person, whether using a credit card online or via a travel operator. If you are not travelling on the flight, be aware that airlines may ask for the credit card used to book the ticket to be presented at check-in. If you cannot present yourself at the airport, you should check with your airline what you should do.

#2: Can I use my KrisFlyer number for someone else?

No, you may not transfer your KrisFlyer account to another person.

To use your KrisFlyer miles to purchase a ticket for someone else, you must add them as a redemption nominee first. After that, you may use your miles to pay for their flight tickets or seat upgrades or redeem flights on their behalf. 

You can add up to five redemption nominees to your KrisFlyer account and may do so at no charge. However, you cannot change nominees for at least six months, and removing a nominee may incur a fee, depending on your membership level. 

#3: Are there any fees or charges involved when transferring miles?

Since you may not transfer your miles, there are no fees or charges. 

You may have to pay a fee when converting your credit card points to air miles – this will depend on your card issuer and the credit card you are using.