Is It Possible To Buy Airline Ticket Here For Us Citizen Living In Us

[livinthailandos]

First I hope everyone can read my posting, second I've done some google, yahoo searches but nothing in particular is a definite yes or no answer.

here's my situation. I am looking to have my mom come visit me here. She is a US citizen has passport already. basically she will be flying from US - Thailand, and then thailand - US. my question

1. Can I buy the airline ticket here in thailand for her without having to purchase the airline ticket in the US.

I look forward to all your answers and experiences on this matter.

[NaiharnGym]

yes you can, if you pay cash than its no problem. If you put it on a credit card, make sure you talk to the airline about their policy. United Airlines will let you do it, but it can't be last minute or else they will require your mom to have the credit card in her possesion at the time of check-in. Basically, if you use a cc, just make sure she won't need it at the airport on check-in. I know from experience:)

[ukrules]

It would probably work out a bit cheaper buying it from the US.

[IMA_FARANG]

Yes you certainly can buy a ticket for her.

There are at least two ways to do this:

1. As a prepaid "third party" ticket through the airline you/she intend to travel on.

2. through a travel agent.

In either case specify that the ticket is to be purchased by YOU (either by your credit card or by cash) for pickup at the airline office at the airport she intends to leave from. She will need one or possibly two types of photo I.D. indentification to pick up her ticket at the airport from that airline office at the airport (such as her passport and a drivers liscense with her name and photo on).

Just be sure that:

1. You specify ticket is to be purchased by you (either by your credit card or through cash/bank transfer) for pick up by your mother as a "third party" from the airline office at he airport she intends to leave from.

2. That you do purchase the ticket for her far enough ahead for the funds (by whatever means you pay the airline or ticket/travel agency) so that funds are cleared through your bank or credit card BEFORE her intended travel date,

Just to make it clear

You purchase a ticket in her name (as example with XXXXX airlines leaving on xx day from airport XXXXX.

Your payment for ticket clears. Ticket is issued in her name.

She goes to XXXXX airlines ticket/business office at airport XXXXX before she travels. She presents photo I.D. to verify her identity. She should know the ticket number and that it was purchased by you for her.

She recieves "third party" ticket from airline XXXXX...and now she can go to check-in for flight with her ticket as normal.

Just make sure she has enough time for the airline to verify the ticket details the (she picks up the ticket at the airport airline office at least a couple of hours before she intends to check in for the flight).

[wimpy]

It would probably work out a bit cheaper buying it from the US.

I have always found the tickets purchased through a travel agent here to be substantially cheaper than tickets bought in the USA.

[craigt3365]

What about buying it online? There are dozens of sites where you can do this. If you search, you can find some great deals. Also search the airlines websites themselves. Sometimes, there are deals there not available anywhere else...

[wimpy]

my travel agent in chiang mai has always gotten me better prices than i could find online or at the airline sites.

[craigt3365]

my travel agent in chiang mai has always gotten me better prices than i could find online or at the airline sites.

I've not had that kinda luck with agents...but I am an extensive traveler and really do search high and low for the best fares. Sometimes I will search pretty much every day for a month or so.

I just bought tickets for a return to the US, the price I got was better than any agent here could get me, and I checked with quite a few local agents as well as ones in Bangkok.

[givenall]

I just bought a ticket for my son from China Airline and used my credit card. All I had to do to go t china airline office over here and show my credit card and tell them is for my sin. They put a note in the computer to make sure he will not a have any problem. This is the second time I have done this