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I've booked a flight via Air France NUE <-> JFK. I distantly remember reading somewhere that I will be required to show the credit/debit card I've booked the ticket with at boarding, however I wasn't able to find it again. I'm traveling as a tourist under VWP with ESTA. The ticket and card are in my name. I've booked online through a 3rd party travel agent.

  • Is there such a requirement?
  • Does the card need to be active? (It's been deactivated since the purchase)
  • Would another card in the same name suffice?

[After I flew, for those asking themselves the same question]
The airline only checked my passport and didn't ask for the card (I guess fraud from Germany is minimal). The hotel in the US however wanted to see the card at check in, but seemed to only make a photocopy of it (no additional transactions).

JonathanReez
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Robus
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  • I've traveled from / to every state in the country and some internationally (Japan, Dominican, Jamaica, Canada) and not once had to do this. Though, i've never traveled from Germany.

    Once I had to show my credit card for a cruise ship. But, it was due to my name being incorrect (not matching my ID due to spelling error).

    Assuming you know your passport is required however...

     – maplemale Nov 29 '16 at 17:59
  • @maplemale Yes, I'm aware I need a passport :P I found this question in the "Related" menu http://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/18019/someone-else-is-booking-international-ticket-for-me-using-their-credit-or-debit?rq=1, hence the belief is not completly unsubstantiated. – Robus Nov 29 '16 at 18:03
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    @maplemale airlines sometimes have this requirement for security in case of online purchase. Robus: it has nothing to do with immigration regulations. Check with your airline to see whether it will be required, and, if it is, how to handle the fact that the card was deactivated. – phoog Nov 29 '16 at 18:13
  • @phoog I guess you're right! It's an utterly stupid requirement for various reasons. But does seem to be a thing and like you said, check with the airline you booked thru.

    http://thepointsguy.com/2015/12/no-credit-card-mistake-story/

     – maplemale Nov 29 '16 at 19:53
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    @maplemale a friend of mine recently bought a ticket for his son, and had to go to the airline office in Dakar, where he lives, to show the credit card, so his son would not be denied boarding in New York. – phoog Nov 29 '16 at 19:57
  • @phoog, I've taken hundreds of international flights and thousands domestic and this has never happened... but I kind of wonder that it could be due to my use of large corporate travel services for most of it. ie. the airlines know for instance that x-billion dollar company credit card used via Christopherson for instance isn't going to be available to me the employee to show at the counter and it's an exception. Or, it wouldn't make sense because the purchaser in this case was a 3rd party (Christopherson) via a corp card. – maplemale Nov 29 '16 at 19:59
  • @maplemale were the tickets booked by an agent? Most big companies seem to have a company handling their travel for them. I've only heard of this requirement when tickets are bought online. – phoog Nov 29 '16 at 20:02
  • @phoog, ya, that's what I'm saying. Maybe it's cause Christopherson Business Travel or the like purchased them on my behalf -- it's "online" but via a large/trusted travel agency? – maplemale Nov 29 '16 at 20:04
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    @maplemale travel agents go through systems that predate the internet by decades. They're not visiting airlines' web sites to buy tickets on behalf of their clients. It's not about who's doing the purchasing but about the process being used. – phoog Nov 29 '16 at 20:07

1 Answers1

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If the "3rd party travel agent" is actually a bricks & mortar travel agency you visited to book the ticket, then the form of payment is considered "verified".

If the "3rd party travel agent" is an online travel agency or booking service, then the form of payment is subject to being verified.

Lots of posters will reply with the old "didn't happen to me therefore it doesn't happen" reply, but it has happened to me and I have had to buy a replacement when I didn't have my card, so the risk DOES exist. That said it is primarily an issue in third world and developing nations, not places like the EU, USA, etc.

Ways to deal with it, if you have the card still, you can simply show it. Most systems have the agent enter part of the card number then the computer verifies it (often the third set of digits), the card doesn't need to be active. If Air France has an office near where you live, you can go there and get your ID checked and form of payment verified in advance. If you no longer have your card, take the statement that shows the charge for the ticket along with your personal details.