A Guide to Redeeming Points for Other People
While redeeming points for my own travel aspirations is fun, I occasionally like to redeem points for my family as well.
Most credit card reward programs and travel loyalty programs allow you to redeem flights and/or hotels for other people, although a few will require extra steps. So if you're feeling generous to your family or friends, keep reading!
✔ No restrictions on redeeming for others
❊ Indirect way of redeeming for others
✘ Cannot redeem for other people
Disclaimer: Some of the links below are referral links, which means I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This post is not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own.
Credit Card Programs
Almost all programs offered by Canadian credit card issuers allow a ton of flexibility in redeeming rewards, which includes redeeming for other people. See below for details.
❊ Indirect way of redeeming for others
The American Express Platinum Card (Personal and/or Business) and American Express Gold Rewards Card (Personal and/or Business) all earn Membership Rewards (MR) points, which cannot be transferred to other people. However, you can redeem them for Aeroplan, Asia Miles, British Airway Avios, Marriott Bonvoy, etc. which all can be redeemed for other people in some way or other.
If you want to take advantage of the American Express Fixed Points Travel Program, there are actually no restrictions on booking for other people, as it functions like any other travel booking website.
If you want to take advantage of the American Express Fixed Points Travel Program, there are actually no restrictions on booking for other people, as it functions like any other travel booking website.
✔ No restrictions on redeeming for others
✔ No restrictions on redeeming for others
Delegate means any individual that the Primary Cardholder has specifically informed the Centre or designated on the Website as allowed to redeem Aventura Points on the Aventura Account.
✔ No restrictions on redeeming for others
❊ Indirect way of redeeming for others
Scotiabank Rewards doesn't really have a travel booking portal quite the same way as the others. However, you are able to redeem your Scotiabank points as a statement credit for previously incurred travel expenses, which is an indirect way of redeeming your points for other people's travel.
✔ No restrictions on redeeming for others
❊ Indirect way of redeeming for others
200 TD Rewards points convert to $1 on Expedia for TD, which is essentially the same as the regular Expedia booking portal (occasionally flights and hotels on Expedia for TD are more expensive). This allows you to book flights and use your TD Rewards on anyone you want.
If Expedia for TD doesn't have the flight or hotel you want, you can also apply TD Rewards as a statement credit against previously incurred travel expenses, at a rate of 250 points to $1. This is a more indirect way of redeeming TD Rewards for other people's travel.
Airline Loyalty Programs
Nearly every airline loyalty program allows you to redeem for another person using their website. This includes:
❊ Asia Miles (add up to five "Nominees" for whom you can redeem rewards)
✔ British Airways Avios
✔ Westjet Dollars
✔ British Airways Avios
✔ Westjet Dollars
Hotel Loyalty Programs
While you can definitely book rooms on behalf of someone else when paying cash, hotel points are trickier to redeem for others. Unfortunately they just aren't as flexible as the programs above!
✘ Cannot redeem for other people
Best Western doesn't explicitly prohibit people from using points to book rooms for others, but the problem is that their system just doesn't allow it - you can't change the guest name on the booking, nor can you add another guest's name.
You can convert Best Western points at a rate of 5:1 to Aeroplan or Alaska, which do allow you to book for others.
❊ Indirect way of redeeming for others
Hilton allows you to add the name of one guest who will be checking in separately from you. Otherwise, HHonors points are not transferable or directly bookable for others.
❊ Indirect way of redeeming for others
Similar to Hilton, Marriott also allows you to add the name of one guest who will be checking in separately from you.
If you want to be super safe, another method is to transfer your points to someone with the same address as you. However, you are limited to 100,000 points per calendar year, and the person must have had the same address for a minimum of 60 days.
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