Can I get MilegaePlus credit card perks booking through TA

[2forTravelin]

I have a MileagePlus credit card. One of the perks is priority boarding if the United flight is booked using the credit card. My TA has a nice package that has the flights at the same price I found on Kayak and a hotel discount. If I book with the TA (who is using a third party) using the MileagePlus credit card, will United know I used the card and give me priority boarding?

 

Thanks,

Cindy

[Chairsin]

There should be no problem as long as you give your TA your United Credit card number to charge the cruise and airfare..When you get your boarding pass ( check in on line 24 hours in advance) it should show you are boarding group two -- which is the group that includes those with United branded credit cards,

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[6rugrats]

Is your TA using your credit card to pay UA directly? If so, it should be no problem.

[2forTravelin]

My problem is that the TA is using a third party provider. I don't know the process when a flight is booked through a company, for example like Expedia. Does my flight get booked directly by them using my card? Or do they have an arrangement with the airlines to settle payments using their own payment method and just use my card to collect from me themselves.

If it's my card, no problem. If it's some other payment method, I think I'm out of luck with the perks but I'm not sure. That's what I'm trying to understand.

Thanks,

Cindy

[Zach1213]

My problem is that the TA is using a third party provider. I don't know the process when a flight is booked through a company, for example like Expedia. Does my flight get booked directly by them using my card? Or do they have an arrangement with the airlines to settle payments using their own payment method and just use my card to collect from me themselves.

 

I would suppose this is a question that only your TA can answer. Different TA's will do things different ways.

[Chairsin]

It does not matter whether it is a 3rd party --- the key is the eventual charge to your credit card. As long as you don't have not paid by cash you will be fine

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[2forTravelin]

Thanks for the replies. I've always booked my own flights and this is the first time using a TA for flights with the MileagePlus card.

Cindy

[frugaltravel]

Sometimes travel agents go through third part agents (yes, consolidators, but not like the Cruise Air ones!). Even then, they use your credit card to pay the airline directly. Extremely rarely does the agency run the card through their merchant account. By having the airline charge your card, the airline pays the merchant fee. If the travel agency or consolidator charged your card, they are liable for the merchant credit card fee and that cuts into their profits.

[2forTravelin]

When my TA checked with the third party, they said they could use my credit card directly with the airline with a different type of booking. This didn't change my cost but one leg of the flight was changed to a different time. I'll probably book for myself next time but this was certainly a learning experience.

I only wanted to go through the TA for the air as she found me a nice package that included the hotel I liked at a discount.

Thanks so much for the comments. I hadn't thought about the cost to the consolidator if they use my card directly instead of the airline.

Cindy