Gift of Travel: Way to get a gift card that works for any airline, but only airlines?
up vote
3
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I would like to get a family member a gift card or something similar that they can use to help pay for an airplane ticket to visit.
Certainly I could get a gift card for any given airline, but airfare prices change all the time, so knowing which airline to get the card for is impossible. I've seen a generic debit card like Vanilla Visa recommended but then there is no guarantee the recipient will use it for a flight as it can be used on anything. If possible I would like to ensure the gift is eventually used for what it was intended for.
Is there any method for giving someone funds to use for flights that works on any airline, but can only be used for plane tickets?
usa payment-cards
asked 3 hours ago
Nathanael
1163
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up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I would like to get a family member a gift card or something similar that they can use to help pay for an airplane ticket to visit.
Certainly I could get a gift card for any given airline, but airfare prices change all the time, so knowing which airline to get the card for is impossible. I've seen a generic debit card like Vanilla Visa recommended but then there is no guarantee the recipient will use it for a flight as it can be used on anything. If possible I would like to ensure the gift is eventually used for what it was intended for.
Is there any method for giving someone funds to use for flights that works on any airline, but can only be used for plane tickets?
usa payment-cards
asked 3 hours ago
Nathanael
1163
New contributor
Nathanael is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
If you can't trust the recipient to use the money for a plane ticket, how would you specifically trust the recipient to use the money to visit. Even if what you wanted existed, they could just as easily use it buy a plane ticket to go somewhere else or buy a plane ticket for someone else in exchange for cash.
– Zach Lipton
1 hour ago
@ZachLipton: In this case the recipient is simply not very good at saving. If I give a liquid asset they will "plan" to use it as intended, but life happens and they get short of funds and use it with the intent to save the money back later, but it never happens. If such a product is available I'd prefer the peace of mind knowing it will be used as I wanted. :)
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I would like to get a family member a gift card or something similar that they can use to help pay for an airplane ticket to visit.
Certainly I could get a gift card for any given airline, but airfare prices change all the time, so knowing which airline to get the card for is impossible. I've seen a generic debit card like Vanilla Visa recommended but then there is no guarantee the recipient will use it for a flight as it can be used on anything. If possible I would like to ensure the gift is eventually used for what it was intended for.
Is there any method for giving someone funds to use for flights that works on any airline, but can only be used for plane tickets?
usa payment-cards
asked 3 hours ago
Nathanael
1163
New contributor
Nathanael is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I would like to get a family member a gift card or something similar that they can use to help pay for an airplane ticket to visit.
Certainly I could get a gift card for any given airline, but airfare prices change all the time, so knowing which airline to get the card for is impossible. I've seen a generic debit card like Vanilla Visa recommended but then there is no guarantee the recipient will use it for a flight as it can be used on anything. If possible I would like to ensure the gift is eventually used for what it was intended for.
Is there any method for giving someone funds to use for flights that works on any airline, but can only be used for plane tickets?
usa payment-cards
usa payment-cards
asked 3 hours ago
Nathanael
1163
New contributor
Nathanael is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 3 hours ago
Nathanael
1163
New contributor
Nathanael is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 3 hours ago
Nathanael
1163
New contributor
Nathanael is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 3 hours ago
Nathanael
1163
asked 3 hours ago
Nathanael
1163
1163
New contributor
Nathanael is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Nathanael is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Nathanael is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
If you can't trust the recipient to use the money for a plane ticket, how would you specifically trust the recipient to use the money to visit. Even if what you wanted existed, they could just as easily use it buy a plane ticket to go somewhere else or buy a plane ticket for someone else in exchange for cash.
– Zach Lipton
1 hour ago
@ZachLipton: In this case the recipient is simply not very good at saving. If I give a liquid asset they will "plan" to use it as intended, but life happens and they get short of funds and use it with the intent to save the money back later, but it never happens. If such a product is available I'd prefer the peace of mind knowing it will be used as I wanted. :)
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
add a comment |
If you can't trust the recipient to use the money for a plane ticket, how would you specifically trust the recipient to use the money to visit. Even if what you wanted existed, they could just as easily use it buy a plane ticket to go somewhere else or buy a plane ticket for someone else in exchange for cash.
– Zach Lipton
1 hour ago
@ZachLipton: In this case the recipient is simply not very good at saving. If I give a liquid asset they will "plan" to use it as intended, but life happens and they get short of funds and use it with the intent to save the money back later, but it never happens. If such a product is available I'd prefer the peace of mind knowing it will be used as I wanted. :)
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
If you can't trust the recipient to use the money for a plane ticket, how would you specifically trust the recipient to use the money to visit. Even if what you wanted existed, they could just as easily use it buy a plane ticket to go somewhere else or buy a plane ticket for someone else in exchange for cash.
– Zach Lipton
1 hour ago
If you can't trust the recipient to use the money for a plane ticket, how would you specifically trust the recipient to use the money to visit. Even if what you wanted existed, they could just as easily use it buy a plane ticket to go somewhere else or buy a plane ticket for someone else in exchange for cash.
– Zach Lipton
1 hour ago
@ZachLipton: In this case the recipient is simply not very good at saving. If I give a liquid asset they will "plan" to use it as intended, but life happens and they get short of funds and use it with the intent to save the money back later, but it never happens. If such a product is available I'd prefer the peace of mind knowing it will be used as I wanted. :)
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
@ZachLipton: In this case the recipient is simply not very good at saving. If I give a liquid asset they will "plan" to use it as intended, but life happens and they get short of funds and use it with the intent to save the money back later, but it never happens. If such a product is available I'd prefer the peace of mind knowing it will be used as I wanted. :)
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
Indirectly. You can give them a voucher that tells them you will buy them a plane ticket of their choosing up to a given amount.
Far more personal too than simply handing some precharged card.
answered 1 hour ago
jwenting
6,29911523
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
First, to be useful for purchasing flights, this card should work on plenty of merchants. This would include not only the airlines themselves, but also travel agencies. Those include both brick-and-mortar stores and online merchants like Priceline or Orbitz. They generally use the same merchant ID for all their bookings (flight, hotel, cruise, car rental etc), so filtering by merchant ID is not feasible.
Second, even airlines themselves sometimes use 3rd party processors; for example Blue Air uses "maxitours.be" for processing their credit card purchases.
Thus I doubt what you'd like to do is even theoretically possible using the suggested avenue (prepaid gift card).
The only method I can think of would be by invoking a third party. For example you can provide the money to a travel agency (or travel agent) you trust, and specify that those could only be used to purchase flights.
answered 1 hour ago
George Y.
18.6k13076
It doesn't necessarily have to be a gift card, that's just what I hand in mind. In the end I'd like to help the recipient pay for a trip at a later date, and something I can gift and have the funds already reserved/set aside for them for that specific purpose would be preferred.
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
Indirectly. You can give them a voucher that tells them you will buy them a plane ticket of their choosing up to a given amount.
Far more personal too than simply handing some precharged card.
answered 1 hour ago
jwenting
6,29911523
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
Indirectly. You can give them a voucher that tells them you will buy them a plane ticket of their choosing up to a given amount.
Far more personal too than simply handing some precharged card.
answered 1 hour ago
jwenting
6,29911523
add a comment |
up vote
6
down vote
up vote
6
down vote
Indirectly. You can give them a voucher that tells them you will buy them a plane ticket of their choosing up to a given amount.
Far more personal too than simply handing some precharged card.
answered 1 hour ago
jwenting
6,29911523
Indirectly. You can give them a voucher that tells them you will buy them a plane ticket of their choosing up to a given amount.
Far more personal too than simply handing some precharged card.
answered 1 hour ago
jwenting
6,29911523
answered 1 hour ago
jwenting
6,29911523
answered 1 hour ago
jwenting
6,29911523
answered 1 hour ago
jwenting
6,29911523
6,29911523
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
First, to be useful for purchasing flights, this card should work on plenty of merchants. This would include not only the airlines themselves, but also travel agencies. Those include both brick-and-mortar stores and online merchants like Priceline or Orbitz. They generally use the same merchant ID for all their bookings (flight, hotel, cruise, car rental etc), so filtering by merchant ID is not feasible.
Second, even airlines themselves sometimes use 3rd party processors; for example Blue Air uses "maxitours.be" for processing their credit card purchases.
Thus I doubt what you'd like to do is even theoretically possible using the suggested avenue (prepaid gift card).
The only method I can think of would be by invoking a third party. For example you can provide the money to a travel agency (or travel agent) you trust, and specify that those could only be used to purchase flights.
answered 1 hour ago
George Y.
18.6k13076
It doesn't necessarily have to be a gift card, that's just what I hand in mind. In the end I'd like to help the recipient pay for a trip at a later date, and something I can gift and have the funds already reserved/set aside for them for that specific purpose would be preferred.
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
First, to be useful for purchasing flights, this card should work on plenty of merchants. This would include not only the airlines themselves, but also travel agencies. Those include both brick-and-mortar stores and online merchants like Priceline or Orbitz. They generally use the same merchant ID for all their bookings (flight, hotel, cruise, car rental etc), so filtering by merchant ID is not feasible.
Second, even airlines themselves sometimes use 3rd party processors; for example Blue Air uses "maxitours.be" for processing their credit card purchases.
Thus I doubt what you'd like to do is even theoretically possible using the suggested avenue (prepaid gift card).
The only method I can think of would be by invoking a third party. For example you can provide the money to a travel agency (or travel agent) you trust, and specify that those could only be used to purchase flights.
answered 1 hour ago
George Y.
18.6k13076
It doesn't necessarily have to be a gift card, that's just what I hand in mind. In the end I'd like to help the recipient pay for a trip at a later date, and something I can gift and have the funds already reserved/set aside for them for that specific purpose would be preferred.
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
First, to be useful for purchasing flights, this card should work on plenty of merchants. This would include not only the airlines themselves, but also travel agencies. Those include both brick-and-mortar stores and online merchants like Priceline or Orbitz. They generally use the same merchant ID for all their bookings (flight, hotel, cruise, car rental etc), so filtering by merchant ID is not feasible.
Second, even airlines themselves sometimes use 3rd party processors; for example Blue Air uses "maxitours.be" for processing their credit card purchases.
Thus I doubt what you'd like to do is even theoretically possible using the suggested avenue (prepaid gift card).
The only method I can think of would be by invoking a third party. For example you can provide the money to a travel agency (or travel agent) you trust, and specify that those could only be used to purchase flights.
answered 1 hour ago
George Y.
18.6k13076
First, to be useful for purchasing flights, this card should work on plenty of merchants. This would include not only the airlines themselves, but also travel agencies. Those include both brick-and-mortar stores and online merchants like Priceline or Orbitz. They generally use the same merchant ID for all their bookings (flight, hotel, cruise, car rental etc), so filtering by merchant ID is not feasible.
Second, even airlines themselves sometimes use 3rd party processors; for example Blue Air uses "maxitours.be" for processing their credit card purchases.
Thus I doubt what you'd like to do is even theoretically possible using the suggested avenue (prepaid gift card).
The only method I can think of would be by invoking a third party. For example you can provide the money to a travel agency (or travel agent) you trust, and specify that those could only be used to purchase flights.
answered 1 hour ago
George Y.
18.6k13076
answered 1 hour ago
George Y.
18.6k13076
answered 1 hour ago
George Y.
18.6k13076
answered 1 hour ago
George Y.
18.6k13076
18.6k13076
It doesn't necessarily have to be a gift card, that's just what I hand in mind. In the end I'd like to help the recipient pay for a trip at a later date, and something I can gift and have the funds already reserved/set aside for them for that specific purpose would be preferred.
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
add a comment |
It doesn't necessarily have to be a gift card, that's just what I hand in mind. In the end I'd like to help the recipient pay for a trip at a later date, and something I can gift and have the funds already reserved/set aside for them for that specific purpose would be preferred.
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
It doesn't necessarily have to be a gift card, that's just what I hand in mind. In the end I'd like to help the recipient pay for a trip at a later date, and something I can gift and have the funds already reserved/set aside for them for that specific purpose would be preferred.
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
It doesn't necessarily have to be a gift card, that's just what I hand in mind. In the end I'd like to help the recipient pay for a trip at a later date, and something I can gift and have the funds already reserved/set aside for them for that specific purpose would be preferred.
– Nathanael
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Nathanael is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Nathanael is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Nathanael is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Nathanael is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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If you can't trust the recipient to use the money for a plane ticket, how would you specifically trust the recipient to use the money to visit. Even if what you wanted existed, they could just as easily use it buy a plane ticket to go somewhere else or buy a plane ticket for someone else in exchange for cash.
– Zach Lipton
1 hour ago
@ZachLipton: In this case the recipient is simply not very good at saving. If I give a liquid asset they will "plan" to use it as intended, but life happens and they get short of funds and use it with the intent to save the money back later, but it never happens. If such a product is available I'd prefer the peace of mind knowing it will be used as I wanted. :)
– Nathanael
1 hour ago