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Surprising holder of companion pass?

FrequentFlier3
Explorer C

Hello everyone!

 

Im trying to book a surprise trip for my fiancé’s birthday. He is the holder of our companion pass, so I’m trying to figure out the best way to do this so he doesn’t see it in his account. Can I book a flight in his name and not attach the RR number until closer til the date and then add the RR number and add myself as a companion? Or would it show up in his account if I book it in his name? 

 

Im also nervous about the flight getting sold out as it’s close to holiday travel. Is there any way to avoid the flight showing up in his account with the companion already booked though?

 

Thanks in advance!

9 REPLIES 9

Re: Surprising holder of companion pass?

DancingDavidE
Aviator A
Solution

@FrequentFlier3 wrote:

Hello everyone!

 

Im trying to book a surprise trip for my fiancé’s birthday. He is the holder of our companion pass, so I’m trying to figure out the best way to do this so he doesn’t see it in his account. Can I book a flight in his name and not attach the RR number until closer til the date and then add the RR number and add myself as a companion? Or would it show up in his account if I book it in his name? 


Fun idea - I think this would technically work. The flight won't show up in his account until you add the RR number, and then you can add the companion pass ticket at any time, as long as tickets are available. 

 

 

Im also nervous about the flight getting sold out as it’s close to holiday travel. Is there any way to avoid the flight showing up in his account with the companion already booked though?

 



 

This part is a little tough - if these are busy times for travel it may be a little uncomfortable waiting to make the companion booking. You may end up in a position checking daily if the originally booked flight fills up to catch any last minute open seats. 

 

My suggestion would be to come up with a "partial reveal" so that your fiance can be surprised to find a flight booked, but maybe none of the other details until closer to the trip?

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Surprising holder of companion pass?

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

Additional thought - if surprise is absolutely the priority, book your own ticket on points now.

 

Then when the reveal is made, update the RR number, add companion if seats are available. If not, you have a points booking as backup.

 

Of course if you use fiance's points, then he'll get an email confirmation about the reservation as well.

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Surprising holder of companion pass?

elijahbrantley
Aviator A

I think you would be able to book the companion ticket now and leave out the RR #; HOWEVER, you cannot do this online because it pre-populates the RR# for your companion.  I would call reservations to add the companion to see if they can book the companion ticket but leave off the RR#.  If they can, it should not show up in your fiance's account!

 

Let us know if that works!

-A List, Companion Pass holder

Re: Surprising holder of companion pass?

FrequentFlier3
Explorer C

Sadly they can’t 😞 The RR# is what they need to companion.

 

Re: Surprising holder of companion pass?

bec102896
Aviator A

@FrequentFlier3

 

Here's what I would do 

 

book the fiancé's reservation without the RR number wait until you tell him your going on vacation to add the number as you can add the number later online or by calling reservations and this way it won't be in his RR account until the number is added. 

 

If you can book your ticket on points then book for you as the points reservation is refundable (as long as you do not change the reservation) *if you should need to change flights cancel and rebook the points reservation so it stays refundable*. when your ready you can cancel the points reservation and book the companion.

 

if the flight is sold out I would call reservations and explain you want that ticket but as the companion and they should be able to grab that seat as soon as they cancel the points ticket so it doesn't go back in to inventory for someone else to buy. If you don't have enough points this would be a hard surprise to accomplish unless you buy your ticket with money and you would have a credit for a year to use. 

 

Hope it works out!

Blake 

Re: Surprising holder of companion pass?

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@bec102896 wrote:

@FrequentFlier3

 

 

If you can book your ticket on points then book for you as the points reservation is refundable (as long as you do not change the reservation) *if you should need to change flights cancel and rebook the points reservation so it stays refundable*. when your ready you can cancel the points reservation and book the companion.

 

 


I think points remain refundable, even if changed - unlike Business Select or Anytime fares that become non-refundable which I think you might be referring to?

 

A little off-topic, but astoundingly if you no-show a points booking you get the points refunded as well.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Surprising holder of companion pass?

bec102896
Aviator A

@DancingDavidE wrote:

@bec102896 wrote:

@FrequentFlier3

 

 

If you can book your ticket on points then book for you as the points reservation is refundable (as long as you do not change the reservation) *if you should need to change flights cancel and rebook the points reservation so it stays refundable*. when your ready you can cancel the points reservation and book the companion.

 

 


I think points remain refundable, even if changed - unlike Business Select or Anytime fares that become non-refundable which I think you might be referring to?

 

A little off-topic, but astoundingly if you no-show a points booking you get the points refunded as well.



When I go to change a points booking it tells me the refundable fare becomes non refundable so the $5.60 would be a travel fund. The points would still be refundable though the $5.60 is what I was referring to with the cancel and rebook for the funds to remain refundable. 

 

of course now that I think about it more In this case I would just hold the funds when I cancel and use it to pay the security fee on the companion ticket. rebooking a ticket to keep it refundable wouldn't matter that much since you would just use it right away. 

 

Blake 

Re: Surprising holder of companion pass?

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@bec102896 wrote:

@DancingDavidE wrote:

@bec102896 wrote:

@FrequentFlier3

 

 

If you can book your ticket on points then book for you as the points reservation is refundable (as long as you do not change the reservation) *if you should need to change flights cancel and rebook the points reservation so it stays refundable*. when your ready you can cancel the points reservation and book the companion.

 

 


I think points remain refundable, even if changed - unlike Business Select or Anytime fares that become non-refundable which I think you might be referring to?

 

A little off-topic, but astoundingly if you no-show a points booking you get the points refunded as well.



When I go to change a points booking it tells me the refundable fare becomes non refundable so the $5.60 would be a travel fund. The points would still be refundable though the $5.60 is what I was referring to with the cancel and rebook for the funds to remain refundable. 

 

of course now that I think about it more In this case I would just hold the funds when I cancel and use it to pay the security fee on the companion ticket. rebooking a ticket to keep it refundable wouldn't matter that much since you would just use it right away. 

 

Blake 


Got it - that sounds right, the $5.60 would become a travel fund if you changed instead of rebooked. Like you said - minor impact as long as you were sure to fly the trip eventually after changing it one or more times.

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Surprising holder of companion pass?

FrequentFlier3
Explorer C

Thanks all! I booked in his name without his RR number (thank goodness because he went in there last night to book a sporadic trip so this already would have been ruined), and used travel funds I have in my name to book a fare ticket for myself as well. 

 

Im hoping your solution below about having a ticket in my name and calling them to companion me as a one for one swap even if the plane sells out works. I’m thinking I will call Southwest ideally 1-2 days prior to make the change (As long as the flight doesn’t sell out, they just told me over the phone that if the flight is sold out then the 1-1 of me cancelling and trying to companion myself in that same seat may or may not work sadly... otherwise I will be adding it early on and hoping for the best)... then turn off his Southwest notifications sometime in his phone the week before so he doesn’t have his boarding pass/check in information pop up after I add his RR and check us in (technology- such a blessing and a curse!). That should cover all the bases right?? 

 

thanks everyone for your help! Fingers crossed this works!!!!