Overview

• A vast majority of airline loyalty programs let members redeem miles for any traveler when making award bookings
• A minority of mainly Asia-based programs restrict redemption to relatives within two degrees of kinship (ANA, JAL) or immediate family (Asiana Club, Korean Air SkyPass)
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and Singapore KrisFlyer enforce a five-nominee cap with retention requirements and removal fees up to $50 and $30 respectively, while British Airways’ household accounts and Qantas Frequent Flyer similarly limit beneficiary pools
• EVA Air requires members to transfer miles into the recipient’s account as the sole redemption method, and booking through partner programs can sometimes bypass specific carrier restrictions
• Experts recommend that the miles-owning member complete the reservation using exact traveler passport or ID details to avoid airport issues and warn that selling or bartering miles violates program rules and risks account suspension and award forfeiture