Can You Transfer A Plane Ticket To Someone Else?

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Chances are, you might have encountered a situation where you can’t board your booked flight. Now you can either change the flight date or opt for cancellation or refund.

However, you may have found someone else to travel on your behalf.

But you don’t know whether it is possible for you to transfer your ticket to someone else? Well, the answer is yes – a transferrable ticket is a choice.

Tickets can be transferred from one person to another after the booking and are called transferrable tickets. Simply put, someone else can travel without additional cost in your place. However, not all airlines allow for transferring tickets.

This post will walk through A to Z of the transferrable ticket, providing answers to questions such as – How to make the transfer? Which airlines allow it? What are the conditions to fulfill?

Let’s begin!

How to know if you Can Transfer Plane Tickets to Someone Else?

While most airlines don’t allow it, few come with an option of transferrable tickets.

Group booking passengers can transfer the ticket to someone else in various scenarios. However, certain conditions need to be fulfilled and followed for a person to give their ticket to someone else for traveling.

The Fine Print of Your Ticket

Have you ever looked at your ticket carefully? Apart from having your personal information and flight details printed, it also includes something else that answers whether your ticket is transferrable or not.

Take a keen look at the fine print of your ticket, and you will notice somewhere in a corner – something related to “restricted” or “non- transferrable.” If you do, you might be able to know if you can modify your ticket or not.

This will highlight whether you can give it to someone else or change the name or time of the ticket. So, if either of these names appears, the answer is no –change is not possible on your plane ticket.

So, when you are booking an online airline ticket, look out for these words to be sure if, in the future, you are allowed to make changes in your booking.

It is said that certain low-cost airlines allow the transfer of tickets, but it’s not true in all cases. Also, if you have booked a first-class or business ticket, you have no choice but to go for cancellation or refund.

Remember the changes are permissible when the booking is in advance. If the 24-hour timeframe passes, no change is possible, or even if it is, you have to pay extra.

Scan The Airline Website

You can find answers to your every question related to booking on the airline’s website. It is an excellent place to tick off all your doubts. Every responsible airline will display information related to its rules and regulations.

Under the section “reservation” and “tickets,” you can find information related to transfer and cancellation. Some airlines have separately listed their refund, transfer, and cancel policies under the terms and conditions section.

The main thing is every airline website will feature this information – all you have to do is search a little.

To transfer your plane tickets, most booking websites ask you to cancel the original ticket, pay the fee for cancellation, and then book the ticket for the exact location.

Alternatively, based on your airline, there could be no cancellation fee. Most of these transfer decisions depend on the type of class and location.

Contact The Airline’s Customer Service

It would help if you got in touch with the customer care department of your airline to transfer the ticket to someone else. They will properly explain if you are eligible for transferring tickets.

By chance, if you have made the booking through a travel agent, you can also give them a call. They would also clear your doubts concerning transferrable tickets. Most agencies are in direct touch with the airline folks, so they can also connect you to the chosen airline related to your query.

In every scenario, you should explain your situation in detail as it would benefit you only. The responsible authorities would be able to examine your options and offer guidance on the best way to move forward.

Many airlines and travel agencies with transferrable ticket options will allow you to modify tickets online. However, in some cases, online choices are not available, so perhaps you have to visit the booking place.

Flyer Program

Also referred to as a frequent flyer program, it is a loyalty program run by one airline or several together. It rewards its regular customers with bonuses and extras and provides facilities aiding air travel. However, only frequent passengers can enjoy these benefits, who travel often and are not casual travelers.

You must sign up through the airline’s website to participate in this program. Usually, on the main page, you will find these programs advertised.

Under the flyer program, most airlines allow their customers to transfer their tickets to someone else without paying anything extra. Also, you can change the flight timing, but destination change is not permissible at all.

Which Airlines Allow You to Transfer Tickets?

Some airlines permit you to transfer tickets. However, these airlines have their terms and conditions to fulfill.

Also, if you have already checked in for your journey, you won’t be allowed to modify or change the destination of your flight tickets in any scenario.

Let’s talk about these airlines and how they handle ticket transfers.

American Airlines

The leading airline in the US, American Airlines, does not allow transferring a ticket to another person. However, you get a choice of ticket transfer to another flight before the departure time of the original one.

This is also possible depending upon certain factors, including the type of ticket – economy or business class, customer-specific needs, location, etc.

Generally, American Airlines would need payment of a certain amount to modify your ticket in any way.

Delta Airlines

Another prominent airline in the US, Delta, does not allow ticket transfers.

However, the airline does not charge any extra amount to cancel your eTicket, and you receive a full refund of your money paid for the booking. Though, you have a day to cancel your ticket for any reason.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines, the third largest in the US, makes it easy for its customers to modify and cancel their tickets even at the last moment. You are not charged if you cancel or change your booking during the first twenty-four hours of your reservation.

Also, you can cancel or change your reservation any time before flight departure and receive a credit for the total price of your ticket. You can use this credit to pay for subsequent trips booked within a year of the original reservation. For more detail, you can visit their website.

Undoubtedly, they have shed light on everything related to flight cancellation and modification on its site.

Easy Jet

Easy Jet lets you alter the name associated with flight booking. However, there is a cost you are supposed to pay. Though, if you transfer your ticket sixty days prior to your departure, you can enjoy a discount on the transfer fee.

If the period of sixty days is over and you decide to transfer, the fee will increase, and the airline has the right to deny your request.

Ryanair

Ryanair airlines allow you to transfer your booking to another person at an additional cost. However, you could benefit more from buying a new ticket than from modifying an old one.

With a price of $115, you can change the name of the passenger two hours prior to departure.

Vueling

If you request within the twenty-four-hour window after reservation, Vueling will allow you to change the name on the ticket and give it to another person without any additional charge.

Though, after the expiration of this window, the price per trip per person will be $50. Also, if you need to transfer the ticket, it has to be two hours before the scheduled departure time.

WestJet

Like Vueling, within twenty-four hours, WestJet allows you to make changes within your booking free of charge. After this window is over to change the name on your reservation, an additional cost needs to be paid. Also, you should complete the procedure two hours before the original flight departure.

Wizz Air

With a $47 per person charge, Wizz Air permits you to replace the person traveling with you on a flight three hours prior to departure.

Transavia

Transavia also permits you to transfer booked flight tickets to another person for an additional cost. However, certain modifications will be there related to the name change on the ticket.

Flybe

Flybe allows travelers to transfer their reservation and change the name to another person for a fixed price. However, passengers who have chosen “All in fare” and “Get More” will be able to change the ticket without paying anything extra within the window of twenty-four hours.

Why Do Most Airlines Not Allow Transferring Tickets?

Several reasons force airlines to not allow for transferring of tickets to other persons. Let’s discuss a few of them.

Price Fluctuations

You already know that airfares are subjected to erratic price fluctuations, so airlines that sell restricted tickets with non-transferable options won’t have to suffer losses because of travel agents and mediators.

Most people purchase tickets in bulk during the season of cheap tickets because of discounts or less traveling. If it is possible to transfer tickets, people would resell them to passengers at a favorable price closer to the departure date, leading airlines to incur a loss.

Profit From Last-minute Booking

Many people book their flights at the last minute, and the airline charges a remarkable amount on these fares, increasing their profit margin. This method has been used for a long time to ensure the airline industry’s efficient functioning without any financial loss.

If they allow transferrable tickets, the last-minute passengers will look for people who have already purchased a ticket to their destination but are not planning to travel.

Security

Another reason most airlines don’t permit transferrable tickets is security reasons. Suppose flight tickets can easily be transferred from one person to another. In that case, neither the immigration, security, or airline services can be sure that people traveling are who they say they are.

How to avoid airline change and cancellation fees?

When you cancel or modify your booking, you have to face an outrageous charge by most airlines. Though no one likes to cancel for fun, there are always certain immediate reasons for changes or cancellations.

The bottom line is you have to pay a fee if you do anything with your flight before departure. So, let’s look at specific ways to avoid cancellation or change fees.

Remember the 24-hour rule: The law asked airlines to offer a 24-hour hold or refund within 24 hours of reservation as long as your flight departure is seven days away. So, you should keep this in mind and enquire about this from your airline.
Travel Insurance: Another great way to save yourself from cancellation and other charges is through travel insurance. Getting travel insurance is a good idea if you have to travel frequently.
Zero cancellation offers: A wide range of travel websites gives certain additional benefits to their folks. They could relate to no cancellation charge, transferrable tickets, or modifying reservations. You can look at their websites to check what benefits you get when you make a booking through them.

What To Do If Your Ticket is non-Transferrable?

If your airline does not permit ticket transfer to another person, you still have options to recover the ticket cost, which are as follows.

Filing a claim in travel insurance

If you have travel insurance, you are sorted. It will allow you to file a claim to recover the cost of buying a plane ticket. If you meet the insurance’s specific conditions, you will be liable to receive a refund of the money you spent on the reservation.

The refund could be partial or full for the ticket price; this is majorly on the policy and airline.

Making an official request for reimbursement of airport charges

If you don’t have travel insurance or are not able to meet their requirements and eligibility criteria, there is still something you could do.

An airline ticket cost consists of airport fees and taxes. So, you get a minimum refund amount when you cancel a reservation. It can differ from airline to airline, but in most cases, there is a refund.

What are The Things to Consider When Booking a Plane Ticket?

Booking a flight is daunting no matter how often you do it. There are a lot of things that you need to consider to make the correct reservation. Here are a few key things you should remember while purchasing tickets.

Check their policy: It is essential that when you are planning to make a reservation with any airline, you go through their policies. It will give a clear idea of their cancellation, refund, or transferrable fees. You would know whether you can transfer a ticket or make a change in it without paying anything.
Travel dates and flight timing: This tip is obvious, but most people forget about this thing. Before making a reservation, you must triple-check that your dates and flight timings match your schedule. It is of sincere importance if you plan to travel through different time zones or take a red-eye flight.
Airline Reputation: This is crucial when booking a ticket if you don’t want to face any trouble on the long road. If you decide to travel, don’t just go ahead and buy a ticket from the first airline. Do a bit of research related to different ones and their reputation. A good airline will not only make your trip unforgettable but will also come with no-fee cancellation or change policy.
Flight type: There are different seat choices made available to you by airline services. You have from basic economy to high class. Though the seat choice depends upon your budget, remember that high-class seats rarely allow for cancellation or change. If you think that you need to modify your ticket in the near future, an economy class would be a good choice.

The Final Words

The bottom line is you are permitted to transfer your ticket to another individual by some specific airline. However, you may have to pay a certain amount depending upon their criteria or policies.

Therefore, before booking a flight, it is vital to make yourself familiar with different airline policies to avoid any issues in the near future. Also, you shouldn’t buy your ticket unless and until you are sure of your travel details.

Hopefully, the article has cleared all your doubts about transferrable tickets. Happy traveling to you all!

Can You Transfer a Plane Ticket to Someone Else?