Generally speaking, there aren’t rules against having an airline ticket purchased by a third party. There are some specific exceptions, though I don’t remember the last time I’ve heard of such a requirement for domestic travel within the United States. That brings me to a very unusual story that has been shared with me…
In this post:
Frontier refuses passenger boarding for strange reason
An OMAAT reader asked for my take on a situation that he just dealt with. He and his daughter were booked on a Frontier flight from Phoenix (PHX) to San Francisco (SFO) on December 7, 2025, with the tickets having been purchased around three weeks earlier. They booked using a friend’s credit card, since that friend had an Amex Offers deal for $50 off a $200 purchase, which they weren’t otherwise going to use.
A day before the flight, the traveler went to check-in online, but wasn’t able to do so. So he contacted Frontier’s customer support, and was told to bring copies of the purchaser’s ID and credit card to the airport, when checking in. As the reader explains:
I brought exactly what they requested, but airport agents said the purchaser must be physically present at the same airport with the original card. They confirmed via their internal line that verification at the purchaser’s home airport was not allowed. The supervisor also claimed this was “against the Contract of Carriage” and that Frontier does not allow tickets purchased by someone who isn’t traveling. When I asked for written documentation of the policy or reason for denial, they refused.
The traveler ended up having to book a separate ticket on American, and asks for my thoughts on whether Frontier’s handling of the situation aligns with published policies. He also asks what action I’d recommend he take, like filing a complaint with the Department of Transportation (DOT) over involuntary denied boarding.
For what it’s worth, I asked if there was otherwise anything unusual with the ticket, or any sign that things were wrong. He explained that everything looked normal until online check-in. He also clarified that a different friend purchased separate Frontier tickets for him on a separate trip in August, using the same promotion, and there was no issue at all.
I’m really confused by how this could happen?
Based on some quick online searches, I don’t see widespread reports of Frontier requiring that the information for the passenger and the credit card member must march. I also went through Frontier’s contract of carriage, and I see no mention of a requirement for the cardmember to also be the person flying.
If you are going to require documentation from the person who used their credit card:
- It’s important for the airline to share the correct details with the traveler about the documentation that needs to be provided
- It seems unreasonable that the verification can’t happen at any Frontier station, but instead, has to happen at the departure airport
I don’t even see what Frontier’s motive here would be. It’s one thing if we were talking about loyalty program fraud, or something, but we’re just talking about an outright ticket purchase with a credit card. Is there some other potential explanation here? I can’t imagine Frontier is directly tracking how people are using Amex Offers deals, so that wouldn’t make much sense to me either.
With that in mind, what would I do in this situation? Well, I think trying to bring some attention to this is probably the best thing that can be done. I wouldn’t expect much resolution in going through traditional customer service channels (most airlines aren’t great at this, and in particular, I’d manage my expectations with an ultra low cost carrier). Sure, a DOT complaint could be filed, but that’s potentially a long process, and I’m not sure if it’s worth the effort.
I’ll forward this to Frontier’s communications department, and see if they have anything to share. But otherwise, I’d like to open it to the OMAAT community, and hear what others think.
Bottom line
Typically it’s not an issue to buy an airline ticket with someone else’s credit card, especially for domestic flights, since it’s a common practice. However, an OMAAT reader had booked a Frontier ticket with a friend’s credit card, to take advantage of an Amex Offers deal.
He wasn’t able to check-in online, and was told he needed to bring a copy of the cardholder’s ID. He did that, but that wasn’t sufficient, and he was told that the cardmember needed to be present at that airport. Despite claims by the representative, I don’t see anything in Frontier’s contract of carriage supporting this.
What do you make of this Frontier credit card situation?
Isn’t it IDB?
Hard to know what happened. Maybe FL suspected theft. It's not like they get the OW First Class lounge crowd. Or agents poorly trained.
I pay with my credit card all the time for other people's tickets on a variety of airlines including BA, Virgin Atlantic and even low cost airlines as Ryanair and Wizz and have never had an issue. I also buy tickets for family members using mileage points especially on Virgin and again have never had an issue.
He should request that the airline show him exactly where it is in their condition of carriage that...
I pay with my credit card all the time for other people's tickets on a variety of airlines including BA, Virgin Atlantic and even low cost airlines as Ryanair and Wizz and have never had an issue. I also buy tickets for family members using mileage points especially on Virgin and again have never had an issue.
He should request that the airline show him exactly where it is in their condition of carriage that he may not purchase tickets using other people's credit cards and if they are unable to supply this he should request a refund from his credit card.
I have bought dozens of tickets for my parents and my husband using my credit card and never run into this issue. At my last employer, air ticket purchases went on a companywide virtual credit card. Can’t imagine too many companies have ticket contracts with F9 but I wonder how that works if this is a hidden policy? Maybe it auto-flags corporate bookings to avoid it.
American Express offers https://verifyitinter.americanexpress.com/aavweb/gns/MerchantEntry.do that Frontier could have used if they had concerns about a potentially fraudulent transaction. Other issuers have merchant verification tools in place as well, which would allow them to confirm the card holder name, billing address and phone number. What they had done makes absolutely no sense and should be punished by DOT.
Is there possibly something to do with TSA / anti-terrorism issues going on here where the airlines are being forced to flag people whose tickets are not paid for by their own bank accounts or credit cards, and the airlines are not allowed to explain what's going on?
Based on a review of Frontier Airlines' official documents (including their Contract of Carriage and Customer Service Plan) and broader searches for similar incidents, Frontier's actions in this case do not appear to align with their publicly published policies. I'll break this down step by step, then address potential explanations and recommended next steps.
1. **Key Elements of the Incident**
- **Ticket Purchase**: A friend used their American Express card (via an Amex...
Based on a review of Frontier Airlines' official documents (including their Contract of Carriage and Customer Service Plan) and broader searches for similar incidents, Frontier's actions in this case do not appear to align with their publicly published policies. I'll break this down step by step, then address potential explanations and recommended next steps.
1. **Key Elements of the Incident**
- **Ticket Purchase**: A friend used their American Express card (via an Amex Offers promotion) to buy a domestic Frontier ticket for the traveler. This is a standard practice for domestic U.S. flights, as airlines generally allow third-party purchases without restrictions.
- **Check-In Issue**: Online check-in failed, prompting contact with Frontier support. Support instructed the traveler to bring copies of the cardholder's ID and credit card—**which the traveler did**.
- **At the Airport**: Agents insisted the cardholder must be **physically present at the departure airport** with the original card. They claimed this was verified internally, couldn't happen at another Frontier station, violated the Contract of Carriage, and that Frontier prohibits tickets bought by non-travelers.
- **Outcome**: The traveler was denied boarding, booked on American Airlines instead, and was refused written policy documentation.
- **Prior Experience**: The same friend successfully bought separate Frontier tickets using the same promotion in August, with no issues.
This resulted in an **involuntary denied boarding** (not due to overbooking, but a verification dispute), causing the traveler to incur extra costs and stress.
#### 2. **Alignment with Frontier's Published Policies**
Frontier's official Contract of Carriage (their binding legal document for passengers) and FAQs do **not** mention any requirement for credit card verification at check-in, let alone the cardholder's physical presence. Here's a summary of relevant sections:
| Policy Area | Frontier's Stated Policy | Alignment with Incident |
|-------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|
| **Ticket Purchases & Payment** | Accepts Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover. No restrictions on third-party purchases (e.g., buying for family/friends). Credits/vouchers must match the passenger's name but can be redeemed with a credit card for any balance. | **Does not align**. No policy prohibits non-travelers from buying tickets. This is common industry-wide for domestic flights. |
| **Credit Card Verification** | No mention of routine card verification at check-in. Their co-branded card (Frontier World Mastercard) requires eligibility verification via email for bonuses, but that's unrelated to ticket purchases. | **Does not align**. Searches show no published rule requiring ID/card presentation, copies, or presence. Initial support advice (bring copies) contradicts the airport's escalation. |
| **Check-In Requirements** | Online/mobile check-in opens 24 hours before departure; airport check-in cutoff is 60 minutes for domestic flights. No fraud-related verification mentioned. | **Partially aligns** (cutoff timing), but the denial wasn't for lateness—it was for unlisted verification. Online failure suggests a backend flag, not a policy violation. |
| **Denied Boarding** | For involuntary cases (e.g., overbooking), Frontier must provide: (1) a written statement explaining rights and priority; (2) rebooking or refund; (3) compensation (200-400% of fare, up to $1,550). Goal: Seek volunteers first to avoid involuntary bumps. | **Does not align**. This wasn't overbooking, so standard compensation may not apply directly. However, they refused a written explanation, violating the general requirement for transparency in denials. No rebooking/refund/comp offered here. |
| **Contract of Carriage Claims** | No sections on "fraud prevention" via card presence or banning third-party buys. Promotions (e.g., Amex Offers) aren't addressed as triggering extra scrutiny. | **Does not align**. The supervisor's claim is unsubstantiated—likely agent error or internal guideline not publicized. |
In short: Frontier's published rules support third-party purchases and don't require cardholder presence. The denial seems like an inconsistent application of an unpublished (or misapplied) internal procedure. No widespread reports of this exact issue exist beyond this OMAAT story (published today, Dec 8, 2025), suggesting it's not a standard enforcement.
#### 3. **Possible Explanations for What Happened**
While the actions don't match published policy, airlines like Frontier (an ultra-low-cost carrier) often use internal fraud-detection tools that flag "unusual" bookings. Here's what might explain it, based on industry patterns and comments from the OMAAT thread:
- **Fraud Flag on the Booking**: The system may have auto-flagged the ticket due to mismatched names (traveler vs. cardholder), especially with a promotional Amex purchase. Airlines partner with payment processors (e.g., for chargebacks) and use algorithms to detect patterns like high-volume promo use, which could mimic fraud. Your prior August booking worked because it didn't hit the same threshold.
- **Inconsistent Agent Training**: Support said "bring copies," but airport agents escalated to "must be present." This points to poor communication between teams. Frontier's frontline staff handle high volumes with minimal training, leading to "malicious compliance" (as one commenter noted)—over-enforcing to avoid liability.
- **Unpublished Internal Guideline**: Some airlines (e.g., Delta, per OMAAT comments) have soft policies on card matching but warn at booking. Frontier might have a similar "fraud prevention" rule for certain flags, but it's not in the Contract of Carriage, making it unenforceable if challenged.
- **Motive?** Not tracking Amex Offers specifically (too niche), but preventing chargeback fraud (e.g., disputed tickets). For a low-margin airline, even small fraud adds up. However, requiring presence is impractical and not customer-friendly—why not allow video verification or notarized affidavits?
- **Other Factors Ruled Out**: No evidence of overbooking, name mismatches, or promo abuse here. The traveler followed instructions perfectly.
This echoes OMAAT comments: It feels like "harming you for your own good," and it's "knowable at booking, not check-in."
#### 4. **Recommended Actions**
Don't expect quick fixes from Frontier's standard channels—they're notoriously unresponsive (as noted in OMAAT and Reddit threads). Focus on escalation and documentation. Here's a prioritized plan:
| Step | Action | Why? | Timeline & Tips |
|------|--------|------|-----------------|
| **1. Document Everything** | Compile emails, timestamps, support chats, photos of ID/card copies, American ticket receipt, and airport interaction notes. Request the written denial statement (they're required to provide it). | Builds a case for disputes/refunds. Proves involuntary denial. | Immediate. Email Frontier at [email protected] with subject: "Request for Written Denied Boarding Explanation - Confirmation [Your #]". |
| **2. Escalate Internally** | Contact Frontier's Corporate Communications (as OMAAT plans: [email protected]) and file a formal complaint via their site (flyfrontier.com/contact-us). Reference the Contract of Carriage mismatch. | Bypasses frontline; may yield goodwill credit/refund (e.g., vouchers for the fare + American ticket cost). | 1-3 days. Be polite but firm: "This violated your policies and caused $X in damages." |
| **3. Credit Card Dispute** | File a chargeback with Amex for the original ticket (reason: "services not provided"). Include docs. | Amex is traveler-friendly; likely full refund. Avoid if you want future Frontier flights (risks "friendly fraud" flag). | Within 120 days of charge. The friend (cardholder) files, but traveler can coordinate. |
| **4. DOT Complaint (If Needed)** | File at transportation.gov/airconsumer/file-consumer-complaint if no resolution. Cite involuntary denied boarding without compensation/explanation. | DOT fines airlines for violations; pressures Frontier (they track complaints publicly). Not for "bad service" alone, but fits here. Expect 60-90 days; possible $100-400 compensation if ruled valid. | After internal escalation fails (1-2 weeks). Include all docs; DOT mediates but doesn't award damages directly. |
| **5. Public Pressure** | Post on OMAAT/Reddit (r/frontierairlines), X (@FlyFrontier), or FlyerTalk. Tag influencers like @OneMileAtATime. | Amplifies visibility; airlines respond faster to bad PR. OMAAT's thread already has 13+ comments—add yours. | Ongoing. Phrase as: "Frontier denied boarding despite following policy—seeking resolution." |
| **6. Avoid Future Risks** | For Frontier, book in the traveler's name or use PayPal/Venmo for third-party buys. Check Delta's policy link (from comments) for comparisons. | Prevents repeats on ULCCs. |
**Bottom Line**: This smells like a frontline overreach on a fraud flag, not policy enforcement. The traveler deserves a refund/credit for both tickets plus hassle. Start with documentation and internal escalation—DOT if it drags. If it's the Amex savings at stake (~$50-100?), the effort might outweigh it, but principle-wise, push back. Congrats on the American pivot; sounds smoother. If you share more details (e.g., confirmation #), I can refine this. Safe travels!
Delta is known to not let passengers board when their tickets was bought on someone else’s card.
This should seldom happen domestically, but credit card verification occurs quite frequently for international travelers, especially on obscure airlines or routes with high fraudulent activity. Think last-minute ticket purchases to African countries, etc. (Source I use to work as a check-in agent an dmany times the system would flag the check-in porcess and make us scan a copy of the pruchasers ID & CC before being able to contuie check-n)
I just flew Frontier from PHX to DTW last week. It was at the request of a client as I never fly them. I could not check in on their app (it kept timing out) so when I got to the counter I had to pay $25 for the airline to check me in. Then, they notified me that I was on the No Fly list! After I got a supervisor they fixed that they...
I just flew Frontier from PHX to DTW last week. It was at the request of a client as I never fly them. I could not check in on their app (it kept timing out) so when I got to the counter I had to pay $25 for the airline to check me in. Then, they notified me that I was on the No Fly list! After I got a supervisor they fixed that they then could not get me a boarding pass with my TS pre Check on it...insisting I was not signed up (I am). I finally gave up and just got the flight over with. I would not book my worst enemy on this airline.
I bought over 50 tickets on Delta, 150+ American for emplyees this year. Never any issues whatsover.
I'm sure buying tickets for others happens thousands of times on the daily, whether it be people buying tickets for elderly relatives, parents purchasing travel for younger children, spouses buying tickets for their partners, etc. Frontier must have seen something strange here
Seems like 'malicious compliance' masked as 'fraud prevention'...
Something along the lines of... "We're harming you for your own good and you're gonna like it!"
I doubt F9 wants to do anything that hurts its revenue stream. Like others have said, there is more behind the scene here
I really like this trend of Lucky the Airline Ombudsman a la Christopher Elliott.
Far better than the faux-ombudsman at TPG who just shill for the big-companies...
Or whine clinic extortionist.
This seems knowable at the time of booking, not at the time of checkin.
When I bought a ticket for a colleague going to Kenya on Air France, there was a warning message at the time of purchase/ticketing that I would need to be present at checkin and with the credit card used. So I went with my colleague to the airport to check him in but they never asked for my ID or credit card! I understand that they may have experienced fraud issues in order to require this but it does make it difficult. We bought the ticket a month out.
He probably bought the use of the offers from a certain website forum and the airline flagged the second flight using the promo for being brokered since several of the sellers are high volume.
this is not possible and even if it was would hardly be worth the amount saved here.
Delta has this policy but it's seldom if ever applied.
https://thriftytraveler.com/news/airlines/deltas-credit-card-policy/
Delta warns you before processing the payment if a credit card is required to be shown. Seems like common senses to me.
I understand why they have this requirement, but a picture of the physical card should suffice. I opened my Amex bill a few years back and had a $10,000 flight charged to my card - for people who were not me, from a departure city that isn't mine, to Kuala Lampur (I've never been to Asia), in first-class (I've never paid for a first-class ticket). My card info had been stolen from a restaurant (breach...
I understand why they have this requirement, but a picture of the physical card should suffice. I opened my Amex bill a few years back and had a $10,000 flight charged to my card - for people who were not me, from a departure city that isn't mine, to Kuala Lampur (I've never been to Asia), in first-class (I've never paid for a first-class ticket). My card info had been stolen from a restaurant (breach reported a few months later). But I buy tickets for my wife all the time since I have most of the reward credit cards, so this could definitely be an issue.