When most people fly, they typically have few problems. But sometimes, your foray into the airport is less than stellar. Here are the most frequent issues people face:
- Getting the dreaded SSSS (or worse!) on their boarding pass (some people get SSSS all the time – here’s what they can do to stop it from happening)
- Having to get patted down (here are the most popular reasons why that happens)
- Needing to get “swabbed” (these are some steps to help avoid getting a false positive)
There’s one more issue that select passengers wind up getting – they’re asked, usually at check in, to show the credit card they used to make their flight reservation. Oh, and even worse, if you can’t show the credit card, there’s a good chance they will deny you boarding for your flight…and you might not get a refund, to boot.
Can they really do that?
They can and do. All the time. It’s the airlines’ way to prevent fraud.
Essentially, if you didn’t have the credit card you made the reservation with with you, it’s possible you were using a stolen credit card or credit card number. Here’s a common scenario:
I came to the airport to check in, the airline asked for the credit card, I didn’t have it — they denied me boarding, I had to buy a new ticket on another carrier!
This issue tends to arise when:
- When using your credit card to buy a plane ticket for someone else
- If the credit card expired after you bought the plane ticket and you got the new one before your flight
- If the credit card is lost or stolen before your flight and you get a replacement
- If you used a virtual credit card
What else do you need to know?
- Not all airlines will ask to see the card used for buying the tickets, and as you probably know from your own past experience, you won’t be asked all the time. Airlines that ask pax to show their CC might only do so randomly or only on certain flights.
- This process seems to happen more often if you buy your tickets online, directly from the airlines. So if you’re concerned about it happening, you can try to avoid it by booking through a travel agent, or by paying with Paypal/Venmo/etc. (if they accept that form of payment) – if you pay via a third party, THEY (and not the airline) would be the ones responsible for the money exchange if there’s an active fraud case.
- The system appears to be more prevalent in Asia and the Middle East (departure or arrival), but it can be asked anywhere (in researching for this piece, I saw lots of people who mentioned United and Delta, in particular. But I’d venture to say it can happen with any airline).
- Interestingly, it’s usually only asked on the departure flight and not on the return flight.
Can I avoid this?
Possibly, maybe, to an extent.
First and foremost, if you made the reservation for yourself, have the credit card with you. Otherwise:
- If you made the reservation for someone else, give them an electronic and/or paper copy of front and back of said card (needless to say, make sure you trust the person you’re giving this information to). But be aware that some airlines will accept this, some won’t. Also, keep in mind that some airlines technically don’t allow “third party booking” like that, where you make a reservation, with your card, for someone else.
- Some people have suggested that if you’re making the reservation for someone else, to be pro-active and go to the airport before the person’s flight, credit card in hand. Explain the situation (“I bought a flight for my son, he won’t have the card; here it is”). It might work, it might not.
- If your card expired and was replaced, keep the old card with you so the airline rep can see it.
- If the card was stolen or lost, bring the replacement card with you, but also bring a hard copy of information about the lost/stolen card – a billing statement, etc.
- It’s probably a good idea not to use a virtual credit card to buy an airline ticket, because there’s no such thing as an actual credit card for you to show them.
And if you think “this can’t happen to me,” apparently airlines disagree. I mean, if it can happen to a celebrity, they can do it to you, too.
Final Thoughts: Be Prepared!
But again, THE BEST WAY to avoid this hassle is to only make reservations for yourself (and, of course, people with you) and ALWAYS BRING YOUR CREDIT CARD TO THE AIRPORT. Just in case.
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