Airline Christmas Gift

November 26, 2008 2:16 PM

How do I give an airline ticket as a Christmas gift?

I (in NJ) would like to give my friend (in AZ) an airline ticket to visit her best friend (in Ga) as a Christmas present. I don't want to send cash. I don't want to purchase it and get locked in because I don't know her schedule. Are gift certificates reliable? Who would I buy one from?

Is there another method that I'm not thinking of?

posted by Mroz to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

Give your friend a card or a wrapped box that contains a handmade certificate for the ticket. Let the friend select an itinerary online and save it (you can often save an itin for 24 hours), then you can call or go online and purchase it for them.
posted by handful of rain at 2:28 PM on November 26, 2008

What about getting him one of those universal gift cards, like from Visa? I don't know what you mean by "reliable" - in most states a gift card is legally equivalent to cash. Unless you think Visa is going to fold in the next few months.
posted by muddgirl at 2:33 PM on November 26, 2008

She doesn't accept gifts easily. Ideally, I'd like to be able to send it to her and her be stuck with it.
posted by Mroz at 2:33 PM on November 26, 2008

Delta has gift certificates. According to their website as of today a nonstop flight from Phoenix to Atlanta departing on 1/9/09 and returning a week later costs ~$300 plus taxes and fees.
posted by sevenless at 2:54 PM on November 26, 2008

Yes, Continental allows you to purchase travel certificates for friends and family online.
posted by halogen at 2:55 PM on November 26, 2008

This is a great gift, good for you!

I don't have any experience with this company, but Airfare Gifts seems to do what you want to do. (But she'll have to pay a 5% fee upon booking.) There's also Southwest GiftCard but that would only be useful if her city (and her friend's city) were both served by Southwest. (Full list of where they fly here.)
posted by kate blank at 3:01 PM on November 26, 2008